Surprising Secrets From Popular Comedy Movies
Comedy is one of the most successful genres in the industry. Even if a movie doesn’t get critical acclaim, you can bet it’s going to make numbers at the box office. There are several well-known names that have popped up in these films over the decades, yet for the most part, these flicks have pretty unique stories to tell. Some of them even reach cult status! But behind all the laughs are some pretty surprising secrets. From ex-convicts on set to brawls between actors and accidents leading to permanent scars, some of this stuff is far from funny.
Keep scrolling to learn some surprising secrets behind popular comedy movies!
Napoleon Dynamite
Kip Dynamite is a pretty rad name. Someone like that is practically a superhero. That, or, he’s Napoleon Dynamite’s older brother. Despite still living at home, he has high aspirations. He’s an Internet ladies man, a future professional cage fighter, and rocks the sweetest pair of braces. It’s never too late to correct your dental situation. However, not everyone needs them, and sometimes definitely not twice.
Kip’s actor, Derek Ruell, never really needed the braces. For the sake of the film, he had an actual pair put on his teeth. That’s a whole bunch of commitment to a role. Let’s reiterate, he had an actual pair of braces installed in his mouth for a month. That’s what you call dedication. Kip is a hero.
Don’t Mess With The Zohan
Some actors put on prosthetics to play a character, others want to do the hard work themselves. For example, Christian Bale is known for undergoing crazy body transformations when taking on a role. But that isn’t something we expected to see in an Adam Sandler movie! You can get away with a lot more in a comedy film, Sandler could’ve taken the easy way out with this one.
The abs you see The Zohan showing off are all real. Maybe he had some fitness goals he wanted to achieve at the time. We would’ve liked the character with or without the muscles, he was all-around hilarious!
The Mask
One of the best scenes in Jim Carrey’s career takes place in The Mask. The mere fact that this adult comic became a famous (somewhat) family film is mind-boggling. What made it so palatable to people is that Carrey was able to fully embrace the cartoony nature of his masked alter-ego. The massive Cuban Pete dance number in the film is one of the most memorable of the entire movie.
It was so out-of-place that it almost made sense. The producers originally weren’t on board with it. Thankfully, the early fans vouched for it so that the rest of us could enjoy it for years to come. The film would be unwatchable without it. Why? No clue, but thankfully we don’t have to find out.
Home Alone
Home Alone is an excellent PSA for why you should always double-check everything before leaving on vacation. Unplug electronics, those bills don’t take a break. Water the plants. Don’t misplace your children. These are important things to check off on the to-do list before boarding a plane (or even leaving the car). None of that happened in this movie and we’re kind of thankful for it.
Home Alone’s slapstick comedy and ridiculous traps were executed perfectly. The villains were great, too. It’s a bit weird that one of them had a taste for human flesh. When the bumbling robbers confront Macauly Culkin at the climax, Joe Pesci takes a bite on the kid’s finger! Why is cannibalism even part of the film?
Superbad
Superbad is pretty super good. This off-the-wall comedy helped put Seth Rogen and the rest of the cast on the map. What map? We’re not exactly sure. Seth probably wasn’t even certain either. He helped penned the first draft of the film when he was a teenager. Nearly a decade later it got made. That’s pretty freaking sweet!
Not a lot of teenagers can claim they wrote a multi-million dollar movie. Even though it took a few years to get made, this is a big accomplishment! Maybe this is why he didn’t graduate valedictorian? You know what, that’s fine. Who needs great grades when you go to red carpets just for fun? Keep on writing Seth!
Mean Girls
Everyone knows who Regina George is. She’s flawless. She drives a silver Lexus. John Stamos once called her pretty on a plane! She’s easily the coolest girl in school. Did you know that her hair is also insured for ten grand?! Those are the rumors and everyone knows that high school rumors are, like, totally true. However, we have some juicy tea you probably haven’t heard.
Regina George wears a wig! I know, right? Those platinum blonde locks are too perfected to be true. Everyone’s favorite terrible high school tyrant flipped her wig a whole lot on camera. Maybe the term was even invented because of her. You know, now it all makes a lot more sense.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Some of the best movies are made on a shoestring budget and a prayer. Monty Python and the Holy Grail may not be the most bombastic in terms of effects. However, it makes up for that with the iconic moments which turned it into one of the most beloved movies of all time. The film is uproariously funny. It was also filmed in a few choice precarious locations.
Due to the budget, actors sometimes had to forgo safety regulations to get the shot they needed. Remember when a few people were chilling on top of a steep-looking cliff? That wasn’t movie magic, they were actually balancing up there! All in the name of art, right?
Being John Malkovich
One of the coolest superpowers actors have is the ability to completely disappear into their roles. It doesn’t matter the genre or character, a good actor can fade away to let the new persona shine on the stage or in front of a camera. This was put to the test during the film Being John Malkovich. In between takes, actors don’t usually take off their costumes or makeup. It’s too hard to get everything back on and in the same position as before.
It’s easier to just let people walk around as their characters when the cameras aren’t rolling. That doesn’t always mean people are prepared. Despite her recognizable face, voice, and mannerisms, Cameron Diaz was completely invisible to people on set. As it turns out, people didn’t recognize her in her costume!
Office Space
They say never meet your heroes, idols, or stars that you look up to. Even in the entertainment industry people can’t help but be enamored by people they think they’ll never work with. Funnily enough, the universe has a way of making things happen. While working on the set of Office Space, Ron Livingston got his wish to meet his idol.
The day Jennifer Aniston came to the set he was apparently star-struck that she was there. For a couple of days, he was able to maintain his composure and professionalism. Something happened that caused him to cave and admit to Aniston just how grateful and impressed he was to work with her!
Wayne’s World
Comedy is an interesting business. While it’s literally about having fun and making people laugh, there are some serious rules to follow, too. No matter how funny you are, you won’t always be the star of your show. Working well with others, and giving industry veterans their due, is part of the comedy game.
Mike Myers learned this after he joined the SNL cast and started bringing his Wayne’s World character to the masses on TV. He wasn’t famous enough to carry the story on his own. Since castmate Dana Carvey was more popular, the character Garth was created just to get Myers’ idea off the ground and into viewers’ homes! He wasn’t thrilled, but it looks like it paid off in the end.
Tommy Boy
This 90s comedy starred two best buds who were already familiar with each other’s comedy style. Having both starred on SNL, you’d think this pair would get along swimmingly on set. Thing is, sometimes being super close isn’t a good thing. Jealousy might arise and resentment can grow. That’s exactly what happened when Spade and Farley filmed Tommy Boy.
Farley was jealous of the time Spade was spending with fellow co-star Rob Lowe, what followed was an intense altercation. Diet Coke was thrown and physical fights ensued. There were days of filming where the two refused to talk to one another. Sounds like a pretty awkward work setting for the rest of the crew!
Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Who doesn’t love an action-comedy that features two of the hottest celebrities in Hollywood? This movie wasn’t just known for its action sequences and leading stars, there was quite a bit of gossip that surrounded Jolie and Pitt after the movie was released. But things could’ve taken a very different turn if the casting had gone as planned.
Would Brad and Nicole have gotten hitched instead? Or was it fate that brought Brangelina together? We guess we’ll never know. What we do know is that this film plus Ocean’s Twelve gave Brad Pitt a super packed schedule. He had to leave the set for three months for shooting!
Elf
Actors will go to crazy lengths for their craft. You’d think that comedy films wouldn’t contain the kind of dangerous stunts we’re used to seeing in action movies. But when you’re pushing physical comedy to the limit things can go awry. What sounds funny in a writer’s head might just be a nightmare for the actor who has to perform it.
We’re not gonna lie, eating candy with spaghetti looked kind of appetizing when we were kids. But our palettes and stomachs change when we grow up. We don’t blame Will Ferrel for heaving it all back up. It can’t be easy for a fully grown man to eat like a little kid.
Scooby Doo 2002
Isn’t it funny how the show is named after the dog, yet he’s not the most important part of the group? Scooby Doo is one of those shows that’s been around for decades, almost every generation is familiar with it. But no matter how many times they might change the series, Scooby and Shaggy will always stay our favorite duo.
Honestly, it was a bit surprising to find out that the 2002 film was meant to have a heavier plot. As adult as the film tried to be, it always had its roots in children’s entertainment. We’re glad the network decided to go with the old format we all know and love.
Ghostbusters
If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? That’s right, the authorities. If you live in New York City you could probably get away with just ringing up The Ghostbusters. The world’s famous spirit collection service is a titan in the movie industry. The characters are relatable, the effects are great, and Slimer is Slimer. And everyone has their favorite Ghostbuster.
Ours is Dr. Spengler. Those glasses and his quiet yet confident nature make him beyond likable. He’s also ridiculously smart. When he’s not inventing something or busting ghosts he’s writing movies! The actor who played Egon was also a writer for the film! He felt that only he could bring the character to life. You know what? He was right.
Crazy, Stupid, Love
If you thought the name of this romantic film was dumb, you’re not alone. Crazy, Stupid, Love. is equal parts crazy, touching, and hilarious. You may not get any of that from the name. Even the star of the film (Steve Carell) can’t stand the name! He states that it doesn’t make sense or sound like something people want to watch.
If he had it his way, Carell said he would have changed the title of the movie to The Wingman. The actor said it better encapsulates what the point of the movie is really about. While it may be more accurate, it wouldn’t stand out nearly as well as Crazy, Stupid, Love.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
It’s hard to improve on great works of art and classic books. Sometimes a movie does its best and it just falls short. Other times you cast Jim Carrey into your adaptation and great things can happen. How the Grich Stole Christmas is one such film. Almost all of the English-speaking world knows the story. When the film was announced, a lot of people were worried about how Grinchy the title character would look.
Carrey and the crew delivered an amazing look, but there were some issues along the way. To get the Grinch looking as accurate as possible, Jim Carrey had to have eight hours of makeup put on DAILY! To get through it he ended up having to go through anti-torture training just to survive the ordeal.
Shrek
Shrek became a cultural milestone in ways that Dreamworks wasn’t prepared for. While they’re hit or miss in popularity, the whole series became a phenomenon. Mike Meyers, who already sat at the top of Hollywood comedy royalty, just further cemented his status as one of the funniest actors in the industry. But he was only the second pick. The original voice actor for Shrek was none other than the legendary Chris Farley.
Famed for Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, and Saturday Night Live, this man was a force to be reckoned with on a movie set. Unfortunately, despite recording most of his work for the film, he passed away before the movie came out. In an effort to ensure there weren’t too many delays, Myers came in and re-recorded everything!
A Kid in King Arthur’s Court
Don’t you hate it when you’re in the middle of a baseball game and then somehow end up in Camelot? That’s the plot of A Kid in King Arthur’s Court. It’s one of those fun and silly Disney flicks we grew up on but never really paid attention to. Watching it again, we realized it has a STACKED cast. Even the incredible Kate Winslet is in this?
Everyone in this movie looks happy and healthy, but that’s just because editing happened. When Winslet was cast she was told she had to lose weight to be in the movie. Due to the diet and extreme changes to her body, Winslet ended up getting sick!
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Were any of y’all aware that Michael Cane is a knight? His full title is Sir Michael Caine! Also, he takes his duties as an actor VERY seriously. Despite all of his critically-acclaimed roles, one of his most memorable was playing Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol. Caine’s normally jolly and approachable demeanor VANISHED when he turned into the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge.
He’s gone on to say that his purpose was to deliver a Shakespearean-level and serious performance as if the Muppets weren’t even there. The contrast between the serious tone and the Muppets muppeting around is cinema GOLD. Everyone won that winter! What makes it all better was that the director LOVED Sir Michael Cane’s approach to the project!
The Santa Clause
Grab the tools, because Tim Allen is here to fix Christmas! The Home Improvement superstar is no stranger to difficult situations (and saving America’s favorite holiday). Of course, one little snag almost came between him and becoming Santa. Allen has a criminal record! On a Disney set that’s a huge no-no. They usually don’t cast anyone with any charges or criminal history.
Even though it happened decades prior, Allen almost didn’t get the role. However, given the actor’s talents and CV, they made an exception. Thanks to that little favor, Tim Allen made his film debut with The Santa Clause! Does this mean he’s permanently on the Nice List?
The Proposal
Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds play Margaret Tate and Andrew Paxton, who get married under false pretenses. The two are far from in love. Tate is simply a CEO marrying her assistant Paxton so she doesn’t face deportation from the U.S. to Canada. Paxton agrees to help her out, but only if he can take her home to his family.
Betty White plays the grandmother to Paxton and is best known for her dancing scene in the woods. However White almost didn’t take the role because it required her to spend over ten weeks away from her golden retriever. Though we’re glad she took it because her character had us laughing throughout the film!
Sister Act
Carrie Fisher was and still is, a queen of more than just a galaxy far, far away. The legendary actress and mental health advocate touched millions of lives. Both her presence on the screen and her work off of it were only small glimpses into her many talents and passions. Not many people know that she was also a highly sought-out writer. Her script work can be found all around Hollywood!
Even the mega-successful Sister Act, starring Whoopi Goldberg, had a touch of Fisher’s magic. A lot of Whoopi’s dialogue was redone by Fisher. That just makes the movie better. However, Disney wasn’t exactly having it. The House of Mouse doesn’t like to share.
Hook
Divas will be whatever they want to be. When you put in the work you sometimes get a bit of an ego. We get it. Remember when Reese Witherspoon tried to play the celebrity card? Look it up. It’s wild. However, stay with us for a bit. Everyone’s favorite movie, Hook, is movie magic. The cast is a knockout. The story is fun. Even the characters were somehow one-of-a-kind (RUFIO!).
The people that brought them to life weren’t so fun and childish. America’s beloved Pretty Woman got the honor of playing Tinkerbell. Sounds great, right? On paper, it sounded perfect. When we saw the final result it was great. Between those two times, things were a bit less magical.
Borat
We’d venture to say that Borat is the raunchiest hit comedy of the 00s. Everyone who could get into theaters saw this movie, and people were quoting “My wife!” and “Very nice!” for years that followed. One of the stand-out elements of the film was the fact so much of it involved real people and settings. Sacha Baron Cohen held absolutely nothing back.
It’s really no surprise people were calling law enforcement on him. The FBI assigned a team to him after getting reports of “Middle eastern man traveling the Midwest in an ice cream truck.” We’re genuinely surprised this movie ended up being made at all!
Charlie’s Angels
Charlie’s Angels is a spy-filled crime-fighting hit show from the 70s. It’s also a fun film franchise from the early 00s that has a hot soundtrack and super talented stars. Throwing Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Bill Murray into a film together was smart casting. That doesn’t mean they always got along (no matter how great the final film turned out to be). One day on Set Murray arrived in a bad mood.
Instead of taking a breath and a minute for himself, he started making fun of Lucy Liu! While nobody knows why she became the target, they all know what happened once the tirade began. Liu immediately told Murray she wouldn’t be the butt of jokes and disrespected. People rallied around her and the crew had to sit down and work through what was going on before returning to filming.
Sixteen Candles
Sixteen Candles is part of a collection of films featuring the queen of the 80s, Molly Ringwald. All of her movies from this era became fan favorites for a bunch of reasons. Many of them have to do with Ringwald’s superb acting ability and her chemistry (both good and bad) with other characters. Sometimes the drama didn’t stay on the set. During the filming of Sixteen Candles, Ringwald and her co-star Anthony Michael Hall were not the best of friends.
They actually didn’t like each other much at all! To ensure things stayed chill between the two, John Hughes decided they needed to bond. One day, he took them off-set to a local record shop. After the two discovered they liked the same music, they started to become friends! After that, it was smooth sailing and good tunes for everyone involved in the movie.
Clueless
Clueless is like, totally one of the coolest movies. Watching a bunch of privileged rich kids try to resolve their teenage issues can be fun. Then someone falls in love with their half-brother because that’s absolutely fine when you have a robotic closet that makes sure you always look great. On the surface, Clueless may look a bit shallow. But it was actually a serious endeavor!
When the cameras weren’t rolling, a lot of drama went down. One day, Paul Rudd was out and about when he was the victim of a mugging! The thief managed to make off with the script to the movie! Good thing they didn’t turn out to be some crazed film director hellbent on making a rival film.
Austin Powers
Most of us don’t pay attention to the extras in the background of a movie, but perhaps we should start. You never know when that person is going to make it big, and we’re not talking about in showbiz. Joe Son is the actor who played Random Task, one of Dr. Evil’s assassins, in the first Austin Powers movie. He’s also been convicted of voluntary manslaughter!
He’s also been charged with another more gruesome crime that we’re not going to detail here. The voluntary manslaughter came after he was charged and sentenced. In prison, he killed his cellmate, which resulted in Son being moved to solitary confinement. Now that’s one seriously disturbing story.
Galaxy Quest
When you’re good at your job, other professionals in your field can look up to you and your infinite wisdom (or just bask in your greatness). While filming for Galaxy Quest, Tim Allen had a rough couple of days. It had nothing to do with the script or the scenes. He was having a hard time focusing because he was cast with one of his idols: Sigourney Weaver.
Allen is a HUGE Alien fan. In fact, he even brought some of his collection to the set for Weaver to sign. Since she has a sense of humor, she signed the stuff, but wrote that Allen had stolen them from her! Despite it being a cute little joke, Allen wasn’t too pleased with the signature she gave him.