6 Times A-listers Refused to Do a Scene & Why

Acting can be fun, but it can also be challenging and demanding. Even the most seasoned actors may have difficulty doing things they're not comfortable with. Here are 6 A-listers who refused to participate in a scene, say a certain line, or wear something that goes against their beliefs.

Emma Watson Walked off the Set Due to a Bizarre Leash Scene

This Is the End is a wild movie. It's a satirical take on the apocalypse that stars actors playing exaggerated versions of themselves.

The scene in question featured Danny McBride holding a nearly naked Channing Tatum on a leash. The Harry Potter star thought it was too much, and honestly, she had a point.

For years, people thought there was bad blood between Emma Watson and the film's director, Seth Rogen. However, in a 2021 interview with GQ, Rogen addressed the incident, saying:

“It was not some terrible ending to our relationship. She came back the next day to say goodbye. She helped promote the film. No hard feelings and I couldn’t be happier with how the film turned out in the end. She was probably right. It was probably funnier the way we ended up doing it.”

Zendaya Protected Her First Kiss at All Costs

Zendaya's first ever role was Rocky Blue on Disney's sitcom Shake It Up. Her first kiss was also supposed to happen on the show, but she firmly stood by her decision not to do it.

“I remember being on Shake It Up and being like, ‘I’m not gonna do this. I’m going to kiss him on the cheek because I haven’t been kissed yet so I don’t want the kiss to be on camera,’” she revealed to British Vogue.

Timothée Chalamet Says No to ‘Babygirl’ Skit on ‘SNL’

Chalamet hosted SNL this January but refused to do a certain skit that a cast member, Chloe Fineman, proposed. Basically, she wanted to recreate one hot scene from Nicole Kidman's Babygirl.

During her appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Fineman revealed:

“I will say I pitched a lot of us, like, touching, or like Babygirl, and he’s giving me milk. He wasn’t really having that.”

Ben Affleck’s Is Loyal to Red Sox Even When His Acting

Gone Girl is an intense thriller, and as you might imagine, filming it was as grueling as the final product. Surprisingly though, Affleck's main concern was the hat. Not just any hat, though, but a Yankees cap. As a die-hard Red Sox fan, he refused to film unless the change was made.

During the podcast New Heights, Affleck explained his decision:

“I mean, also, to be fair, I was explaining to David [Fincher]. I was like it's gonna be a distraction that you don't want, like a stupid side story about wearing a Yankees hat. Like, trust me. I think he got [it].”

Jenna Ortega Protecting ‘Wednesday’

Ortega breakout role as a titular character on Wednesday could be very different if the actress didn't make some crucial changes. She pushed back against dialogue that didn't feel authentic to Wednesday's personality, including lines that felt too modern or out of character.

“I remember there's a line where I'm talking about a dress and she initially was supposed to say, ‘Oh my God I’m freaking out over a dress, I literally hate myself.’ And, I was blown away. I felt like we were able to avoid a lot of dialogue in an attempt to make her sound human,” Ortega confessed in her Netflix Q&A (via Capital FM).

Despite the criticism she received, Ortega's instincts proved right. Her version of Wednesday became instantly iconic.

Anya Taylor-Joy Refuses to Cry: Female Rage All the Way

Who says women in movies always have to cry? Anya Taylor-Joy has been challenging this stereotype by suggesting alternative emotional expressions, particularly rage, in place of tears. She explained her stance during a talk with The New York Times, saying:

“I am a really strong advocate of female rage. We’re animals, and there’s a point where somebody just snaps. There’s one scream in that movie [Furiosa], and I am not joking when I tell you that I fought for that scream for three months.”

Her character in The Menu was also supposed to cry, but to that Taylor-Joy had only one answer, she told GQ:

“What planet are we living on? I was like, ‘Let me explain to you: I am going to leap across the table and try and literally kill him with my bare hands.’”