No matter what we see or hear, celebrities aren’t as perfect as we are led to believe. While they look gorgeous walking down the red carpet, they could be playing a filthy criminal while on the job. Thankfully, viewers only have to experience celebrities with two of their senses. Let's face it, we're all human and we all sweat.
There are co-stars and film crews that have gone on record saying that some of the greatest actors don’t exactly smell like roses while they are working on-set. This could be for multiple reasons, including poor hygiene, concern for the environment, or intense method acting. However, the truth of the matter is that sometimes working in close proximities with these actors can be an offense to people’s noses.
Whether it's lingering coffee breath in a kissing scene or not showering after an epic battle, nobody likes to be caught off guard by icky smells. A lot of sweat, tears, and apparent lack of deodorant go into the movie characters we have come to love. That is why it is better to experience films strictly in two dimensions.
Here are the 15 Actors Who Allegedly Smelled On (And Off) The Set.
Jennifer Aniston
Two smells are a no-go when it comes to kissing someone: cigarettes and coffee. Jennifer Aniston is guilty of the latter.
Unfortunately for her co-stars, Aniston is a coffee junkie. This became a real issue when it came to the kissing scenes. Her coffee breath was allegedly so bad, her co-star Jason Bateman, who worked with Anniston in The Switch and Horrible Bosses, had to stop the kissing scene and offer her some mints because he couldn’t take it anymore.
Aniston had a similar experience with Alec Baldwin on the set of 30 Rock. During a kissing scene between the two actors, Baldwin allegedly complained about her coffee breath, going so far as saying it was a painful experience.
Brad Pitt
Another case where the looks don’t match the aroma, Brad Pitt is no friend of showers when he is on-set. Sources that worked with him on Fury and Inglorious Basterds claimed Pitt isn’t the nicest-smelling person to work with.
Eli Roth said that Pitt preferred cleaning himself with baby wipes while filming, instead of going to his trailer and showering. Pitt even advised Roth to do the same, saying it was a lot easier to reach for the baby wipes than going for a thorough cleaning.
Alternatively, at least the makeup department had less work to do in order to make him look dirty - Pitt took care of that all by himself. The irony of it all is he once gifted his then wife, Angelina Jolie, with mints because he thought her breath wasn’t that great.
Robert Pattinson
It is no secret that the vampire heartthrob is bad at keeping up with his hygiene. That perfectly messy bedhead? Zero hair products involved. That is just his week-old natural oils.
Robert Pattinson has admitted that he is terrible at taking care of himself and that he doesn’t shower regularly unless he finally gets a whiff of himself. Even his Twilight co-stars went on the record to say he smelled awful most of the time. He either forgets to shower or he keeps wearing the same clothes until it becomes unbearable.
To make matters worse, sometimes he'd double up, forgetting to shower and he kept wearing the same clothes. Apparently, if Pattinson’s schedule got too hectic he would lose track of time and his hygiene habits.
Jennifer Lawrence
It’s hard to believe that America’s most lovable actress has a bad case of BO. However, unlike other actors on this list, Jennifer Lawrence would be smelly on purpose. During the filming of The Hunger Games, Lawrence would eat strong smelling foods, like tuna or garlic, before any kissing scene. Not exactly what anyone would imagine when it comes to kissing Lawrence.
Nevertheless, she would eat these things intentionally before having to kiss either of her co-stars. Liam Hemsworth confirmed that he dreaded any time he had to kiss his best friend because she would always taste like her lunch. Did she do it as a joke? Was it a way to eliminate any romanticism from the kiss?
There is no way of really knowing if it was a prank, but Josh Hutcherson echoed Hemsworth’s frustration. No one is perfect and the Mother! actress is no exception.
Johnny Depp
If anybody could give Robert Pattinson a run for his money in the Dirty Glam look, it would be Johnny Depp. Whether on or off camera, Depp always has that travelling hobo look. Unfortunately, it isn’t always limited to just a look.
During the filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Depp allegedly didn’t shower very often to keep true to the appearance and state of Captain Jack Sparrow. He would also scarcely brush his teeth since, well, pirates didn’t really care much for cleanliness, did they?
A more recent incident was during the filming of The Tourist. Apparently, Depp’s breath was so bad that his co-star, Angelina Jolie, allegedly asked him to rinse his mouth out with some Listerine and then offered him mints as well.
Zac Efron
With chiselled six-pack abs comes a lot of sweat and exercise. It is just a pity that nobody told Zac Efron that after a sweating session, a long shower should follow.
It seems the Neighbors star is not a big fan of showers, even after pumping iron at the gym. Whenever you see him in a movie looking all buff and sweaty, like in Baywatch, he may be just as authentically smelly.
Efron also had an embarrassing moment on-set during a kissing scene. He made the mistake of eating a tuna sandwich before the scene and his co-star called him out on it. Luckily, he learned the error of his ways and hasn't had a similar incident since.
Shailene Woodley
It is a well known fact that Shailene Woodley leads a nature-centric lifestyle. This comes with quirks like eating clay and making her own medicines. Unfortunately for Miles Teller, it also comes with a side of bad breath.
While on the set of The Spectacular Now, Woodley’s co-star had a bad experience kissing her. According to Vulture, the Fault in our Stars actress was taking Chinese herbal supplements, which made any kissing scene less than pleasant.
Woodley’s scent issues don’t end there. Allegedly, her stylist has had issues securing gowns for the actress due to her smell. She rubs essential oils on her skin which are very pungent and the smell stays on the gowns’ fabrics. Sources went as far as saying the designers don’t want the dresses back after Woodley uses them due to the smell.
Russell Crowe
It seems that the Australian actor is a chronic nose offender. Russell Crowe's co-stars have complained about his smell not once, not twice, but three times and in three different films.
The complaints began on the set of Gladiator, where Crowe reportedly skipped showering for several days at a time. The same issue occurred while he was filming Cinderella Man. Crowe played the heavyweight American boxer Jim Braddock, and he apparently set aside his hygiene habits to better portray the Depression Era character. The stench was so bad that many of his co-stars considered it distracting while on-set.
A similar situation occurred on the set of Noah. In order to reach maximum authenticity, Russell Crowe said no to any showers for several days while portraying Darren Aronofsky’s crazy version of the biblical character.
Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBoeuf has been called many things throughout the years: a plagiarist, a poser, and just plain bizarre. However, many of his co-stars believe that the controversial actor could use some more soap.
While on the set of Fury, LaBeouf wasn’t anyone’s favourite actor. It almost seems as if he is out to prove that he is the most dedicated to his role - if that means not showering, then so be it. Apparently, he didn’t shower for weeks in order to understand what his character, a tank operator in WWII, would have felt like.
LaBeouf’s insane antics didn’t stop there. During the recording of Sia’s music video Elastic Heart, dancer Maddie Ziegler revealed that he smelled. While they were meant to look dishevelled, LaBeouf declined any offer of wipes when Ziegler suggested it.
Matthew McConaughey
There are many celebrities who have stopped wearing fragrance products, including deodorant, and Matthew McConaughey is no exception. The Dallas Buyers Club actor has not worn deodorant for over twenty years. When combined with his workout regime, it's unlikely he'd give off a pleasant scent.
Kate Hudson reportedly did her best to help with the situation. Apparently, while the pair were the filming Fool’s Gold, Hudson tried to convince her co-star to do something about the smell, especially when they filmed their love scenes. She even bought him a rock salt deodorant, hoping its natural components would appeal to McConaughey, but that wasn’t the case.
McConaughey doesn’t like the idea of smelling like something rather than himself. According to him, the women of his life have always said that he just smells like a man.
Julia Roberts
This Academy Award winner takes environmental issues very seriously -- so much so that she saves water by not showering for several days.
A report from Star Magazine quotes one of Julia Roberts’ bodyguards explaining that the actress is a "total hippie" and "super green." This results in body odor that her staff can’t stand. Even when she does shower, Roberts has mentioned she goes very light on the soap.
Unfortunately, the lack of showers isn’t her only hygiene issue. Apparently, she also skips deodorant and rarely washes her hair. Roberts argues that washing her hair strips it of its natural oils and makes it look dry and brittle. Allegedly, Roberts likes the smell of her natural oils.
Bradley Cooper
Much like Julia Roberts and Matthew McConaughey, Bradley Cooper has been in the no-deodorant club for many years. According to Cooper, he doesn’t need to wear deodorant because the "body will clean itself." It is unclear if he learned this from his BA in Georgetown or from a guru in Hollywood.
In his defense, The Hangover star mentioned in an Esquire interview that even though he doesn’t wear deodorant anymore, he makes it a point to shower several times a day to counteract the lack of antiperspirant. “I do take a lot of showers, so maybe that helps. In the morning and then at night. And after I work out, I’ll take a shower. So maybe three a day."
It is unclear who is recruiting the celebrities to join this anti-deodorant bandwagon, but we hope it stops with Cooper.
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz hasn’t worn deodorant in over twenty years. According to the Bad Teacher actress, the antiperspirants clog your pores and keep the scent trapped, instead of letting the body secrete the odor as it would naturally.
Unfortunately, Diaz’s hygiene issues don’t stop there. Paparazzi have spotted Diaz with heavy pit stains, dirty attire, and grease stains on her shirts. There is a perfect, if not gross, explanation for this.
According to Diaz, she is really bad at sorting through her clothes. So, instead of tidying up or washing her clothes, she wears the same outfit for four days in a row and then she throws it away for good. While it must be nice to be that rich, that's a lot of wasted clothes.
Viggo Mortensen
Much like Russell Crowe, the Lord of the Rings actor believes in getting into the mind of the character, even if it means discarding all personal hygiene. It is confirmed by his co-stars that Viggo Mortensen decided to camp in the woods during the filming of the trio of fantasy films.
This trip included limited access to water and shower gel. Sean Bean, who played Boromir in The Fellowship of the Ring, was one of the many cast members who complained about Mortensen’s methods and consequential stench.
The good news is this doesn’t seem to be a recurring state for Mortensen. In an interview with his co-stars from Captain Fantastic, the children actors revealed that Viggo Mortensen often smelled of green tea or yerba mate.
Clark Gable
The young Hollywood stars are not the only ones guilty of bad hygiene or dragon breath, as even classic studs like Clark Gable have a few smelly secrets.
The scene in Gone with the Wind between Scarlett and Rhett is one of the most iconic kisses in film industry. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you have probably heard of this scene. It turns out that this kissing moment wasn’t as romantic as the actors made it seem.
In an interview, Vivien Leigh revealed that Gable’s dentures smelled horrible, which made kissing him all the more difficult. Gable had a bad gum infection in 1933, which caused the removal of most of his teeth at the age of 32.
As a result from his dentures, Gable suffered from halitosis, which wasn’t pleasant for any woman he ended up kissing. Thankfully, Leigh and Gable got along perfectly as long as their lips weren't meeting.
---
Did we miss any actors who had smelly experiences while on-set?