Movie kisses are usually harmless, maybe even iconic, like that upside-down smooch in Spider-Man or Bogart’s breathy goodbye in Casablanca. But every once in a while, a kiss meant for the screen ends up causing some serious off-screen drama. From awkward age gaps and relationship fallout to just plain weird vibes, these on-screen kisses have definitely stirred the pot too much.
1. Icky Kiss in Blank Check
In Disney’s Blank Check, a 12-year-old boy ends up going on a date with an undercover FBI agent (played by Karen Duffy), and at one point, they kiss. At the time, people mostly rolled their eyes at the ridiculous premise, but years later, once it hit Disney+, the internet collectively cringed. Reddit threads with debates started popping up about whether the scene could ever be filmed today. Brian Bonsall, the kid actor, shrugged off the drama and said he had a blast making the movie. Yeah, we know you did!
2. Nicole Kidman’s Strange Smooch in Birth
Do you remember the scene in which Nicole Kidman kisses a ten-year-old boy who claims to be her reincarnated husband? Yeah, that happened in Birth, and no one liked to see that. The kiss, meant to be symbolic, instead came off as deeply uncomfortable because even though story-wise it’s okay, you’re still kissing a kid. Critics called it creepy, and Kidman had to defend her choice to do the film, insisting it was about exploring love, not sensationalism.

3. Kissing Howard the Duck
You probably forgot this movie existed, huh? In Howard the Duck, Lea Thompson shares a flirty scene with, well, a talking duck. The kiss between Thompson and the animatronic Howard was enough to make audiences squirm. The movie was a huge hit, and both Thompson and Chip Zien, who provided Howard’s voice, acknowledged that the experience haunted them for years. Thompson later stated that the criticism hurt him, although he and Chip Zien have learned to laugh about it in hindsight.
4. Halle Berry’s Kiss in Monster’s Ball
Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry’s steamy scenes in Monster’s Ball made waves, especially since Thornton was married to Angelina Jolie at the time. The emotionally raw intimacy might’ve worked on-screen, but behind the scenes, it created tension in Thornton’s marriage. He admitted the role made things tough at home. Berry, who won an Academy Award for the role, defended the scene, saying it was more about emotional rebirth than shock value.

5. Unnecessary Kiss in Pride & Prejudice
Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen’s kiss in Pride & Prejudice might seem sweet, but some Jane Austen purists were outright mad about it—especially the alternate U.S. ending, where Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy kiss in a full-blown romantic moment. Austen traditionalists, a very vocal minority, were furious, saying the movie lost the spirit of the original because of it. Knightley faced significant criticism, and nearly two decades later, online debates persist about whether she did Elizabeth justice. Just read your books, nerds.
6. Reylo Scene Gone Wrong in The Rise of Skywalker
The unexpected kiss between Rey and Kylo Ren at the end of The Rise of Skywalker caused a rift in the fandom. Many fans believed that the unexpected kiss exacerbated the already polarizing trilogy. Ridley later admitted the backlash hurt, but she defended the scene as a goodbye between the characters, not a love story. One thing’s for sure: that kiss didn’t land for everyone. Years later, fans are slowly starting to come to terms with it, but you know how SW fans are.
7. Will Smith Nearly Fought Over an Unplanned Kiss
In Woo, Tommy Davidson improvised a kiss with Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith’s wife, without rehearsing it. Will was fuming, and rightfully so. According to Davidson’s memoir, Smith confronted him on set, furious about the unscripted kiss, and things nearly turned into a fight before Jada intervened. On that day, Davidson learned a hard lesson: never surprise your co-star with a kiss, especially if her husband’s name is Will Smith.

8. A Kiss Without Consent in Punnagai Mannan
Indian actress Rekha was just 16 when she shot Punnagai Mannan, and she didn’t know co-star Kamal Haasan was going to kiss her in a pivotal scene. The kiss was never even discussed beforehand, putting the actress under pressure. Decades later, she revealed she would’ve refused if she’d been asked. Although she’s tried to move on, she’s still tired of being asked about it. Who wouldn’t be?