Top 20 Actors Who Got Drunk to Shoot Their Movies

As a movie buff, I’m always fascinated by how actors get into character. Sometimes, that means going to pretty extreme lengths! I’ve heard stories about stars using alcohol – a little ‘liquid courage’ – to get through tough scenes, like nudes, or just deal with the craziness on set. And occasionally, an actor will actually drink to make sure they really sell a scene where their character is supposed to be drunk. It’s wild! I’ve put together some stories about famous scenes where the actors were genuinely under the influence – it’s a surprisingly common practice, apparently.

Martin Sheen

The very first scene in ‘Apocalypse Now’, set in a hotel room, actually shows a genuine emotional breakdown. Actor Martin Sheen was celebrating his birthday while filming and became quite drunk. He ended up punching a mirror, and the cameras kept rolling, capturing the blood smeared across his face. Director Francis Ford Coppola decided to include this footage in the final movie because it perfectly conveyed the disturbed mental state of his character, Captain Willard.

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie was very anxious about filming a nude scene in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’ To calm her nerves beforehand, she had three shots of tequila – at nine in the morning! This helped her feel confident while filming the well-known scene with Leonardo DiCaprio, and she later said the alcohol made it easier to work with director Martin Scorsese.

Robert Shaw

Robert Shaw successfully argued to Steven Spielberg that his character, Quint, should appear truly drunk during the famous USS Indianapolis speech in ‘Jaws’. He went so far as to drink a lot of alcohol to prepare, but it was too much – he actually passed out and had to be helped off set. The next day, he called Spielberg, worried about his performance, and asked for another take. The result is a powerfully moving scene considered one of the greatest in film.

Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who played the boy wizard, has spoken openly about how the intense pressure of fame led to problems with alcohol during the later ‘Harry Potter’ films. He clarified that he never drank while filming, but often showed up to set still affected from the night before. He even noted that some scenes in ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ reveal how exhausted and withdrawn he felt at the time. His honesty highlights the difficulties many child stars face while growing up in the public eye.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton fully immersed himself in his role as a troubled mall Santa in ‘Bad Santa’, going to extreme lengths to prepare. He even admitted to actually being drunk while filming certain scenes to convincingly play the character’s self-destructive tendencies, like when he smashes a Christmas donkey. This dedication to portraying the chaotic nature of the role ultimately led to a now-iconic performance.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence felt very anxious about filming her first sex scene in ‘Passengers.’ To calm her nerves before the intimate scene with her co-star, Chris Pratt, she drank some wine. Afterward, she felt guilty about the situation, but admitted the alcohol helped her manage a difficult and uncomfortable day on set. This experience showed how challenging and awkward it can be for actors to film romantic scenes.

Shia LaBeouf

I was really surprised to learn how dedicated Shia LaBeouf was to his role in ‘Lawless’! He actually drank real moonshine to get into character, believing it would make his performance more believable and even contribute to how the character looked. Apparently, it got pretty intense – I heard Mia Wasikowska almost quit because his behavior became so erratic and aggressive. He insisted it was all about fully immersing himself in the part and understanding what life was like during Prohibition.

Brad Pitt

While filming ‘Fight Club’, Brad Pitt and Edward Norton started playfully drinking together during a break. Director David Fincher noticed they were a little tipsy and began filming them hitting golf balls. The resulting scene, where the actors stumbled over their lines and accidentally hit the catering truck, ended up in the movie. This spontaneous, unscripted moment perfectly captured the film’s rebellious and chaotic vibe.

Edward Norton

During the filming of ‘Fight Club’, Edward Norton and Brad Pitt had fun improvising a golf scene after having a few drinks. Norton appears a little unsteady on his feet while swinging the clubs at night. Both actors genuinely enjoyed the playful, spontaneous energy of the moment, and the scene offers a rare look at their real connection and camaraderie.

Nicolas Cage

To prepare for his role in ‘Leaving Las Vegas’, Nicolas Cage intensely studied the experience of alcoholism. He recorded himself while intoxicated to observe how his speech and movements changed. He even drank alcohol during some scenes to realistically portray the disoriented state of his character, Ben Sanderson. This commitment to the role ultimately won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Peter O’Toole

Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif were extremely nervous about riding camels during a battle scene in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. To calm their fears, they both drank a lot of brandy before filming. O’Toole became so intoxicated that the crew had to secure him to his camel so he wouldn’t fall off. He later joked that he was more worried about spilling the brandy than about the scene itself.

Dennis Hopper

The campfire scene in ‘Easy Rider’ is notable for the cast actually using marijuana and drinking alcohol during filming. Director Dennis Hopper aimed for a realistic portrayal of the counterculture, wanting the dialogue and reactions to feel genuine. This led to some unpredictable behavior on set, but ultimately helped the film successfully capture the feeling of the late 1960s.

Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson’s breakout role in ‘Easy Rider’ came during a now-famous campfire scene with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda. He fully immersed himself in the experience, actually using drugs and alcohol alongside the other actors. His spontaneous, rambling monologue about aliens wasn’t acting – it was a genuine reaction to the substances he’d consumed. This performance propelled Nicholson to stardom and helped usher in a more naturalistic style of acting in Hollywood.

Anna Kendrick

The filmmakers behind the low-budget film ‘Drinking Buddies’ decided to use real beer instead of fake beer to save money. During one scene where Anna Kendrick’s character was playing a drinking game, she unexpectedly became a little drunk. She later confessed she was surprised by how strong the beer was, and her genuine tipsiness actually fit the movie’s realistic, low-key style.

Bob Hoskins

Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo soon understood that making ‘Super Mario Bros.’ was turning into a mess. To deal with the disorganized filming process and frequent script revisions, the actors started drinking scotch between shots. Hoskins later said the experience was terrible and that he needed alcohol to get through it. Their drinking actually explains why some scenes appear so lighthearted and unserious.

John Leguizamo

You know, filming ‘Super Mario Bros.’ was apparently a really tough experience for John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins. They both turned to drinking to cope with the frustration, and honestly, they were often a little tipsy while filming stunts and even their lines! It actually led to an on-set accident where I heard John accidentally broke Bob’s finger while driving a van too fast. He’s said he has mixed feelings about the movie now, but they both look back and laugh about how they got through it all, relying on a bit of liquid courage.

Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire was a perfectionist and generally didn’t drink while filming his dance routines. However, for the playfully clumsy dance number in ‘Holiday Inn,’ he had a couple of shots of bourbon before filming the first time. He kept having a shot before each take to make his stumbling look realistic. The scene is now famous for being one of the most believable drunken dances in movie musical history.

Julie Andrews

The iconic opening scene of ‘The Sound of Music’, filmed high on a hilltop, was shot in very cold and challenging weather. To help Julie Andrews warm up between takes, a local farmer offered her a sip of schnapps. She happily accepted, and playfully spun around in the field after having the drink. She later joked about how the beautiful scene was made possible with a little help from local liquor.

Denise Richards

Denise Richards admitted she and Neve Campbell turned to tequila to calm their nerves before filming the provocative pool scene in ‘Wild Things’. They shared a bottle to help them feel more at ease with the complicated and highly-publicized choreography. Richards explained that the director encouraged them to feel comfortable with the intimate scene.

Neve Campbell

I always found it fascinating to hear about how Neve Campbell and Denise Richards prepped for that iconic scene in ‘Wild Things’! Apparently, Neve was pretty nervous about all the nudity and the, uh, intensity of the scene. So, they actually bonded over shots of tequila before filming, which really helped them both relax and ease the tension on set. It’s crazy to think that scene became such a huge talking point in nineties movies – and now I know why they felt comfortable enough to film it!

2025-11-21 22:46