40 Times Hollywood Stars Forced The Director To Change Tack — And Made Movie History

The most seminal line in Jaws is probably, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat!” But the quip by Roy Scheider’s Brody nearly didn’t make it into the famous shark-attack movie. No, the actor had to force in the cast’s in-joke about the small vessel provided by the stingy production team. He tried to deliver it at numerous points of the film, before Steven Spielberg finally relented and sanctioned it in the memorable climax.

If you’re unfortunate enough to remember the big money remake of ’80s B-movie Clash of the Titans, then we pity you. Interestingly though, the sci-fi flop from 2010 could have been quite different, had it not been for the meddling of its star Sam Worthington. Indeed, the arrogant Aussie threw his weight around to alter director Louis Leterrier’s vision of the film. He declined to don a toga and even ensured Bubo the old mechanical owl was dumped from the plot. Crikey!

There’s a good chance you’ve seen the classic movie Casablanca. The 1942 film features some fine performances from the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. But the legendary motion picture only included the famous line “Here’s looking at you, kid” after Bogart went rogue and threw it in unannounced. The phrase was born out of the co-stars’ between-takes poker games, and director Michael Curtiz must have wondered what on Earth was going on when it was uttered!

Shrek’s strong Scottish drawl is a key part of the green ogre’s character and his down-to-Earth charm. But it only came to be due to actor Mike Myers, who voiced him in the original 2001 film and its sequels. Yes, after originally recording the whole script in his normal Canadian accent, Myers – who replaced the late funnyman Chris Farley – decided it didn’t feel right. He forced DreamWorks and the directors to let him re-record it with Scottish intonations – all at a cost of about $5 million dollars!

Who can forget King Leonidas’ impassioned yell in 300? But the legendary cry of “This is Sparta!” was only included in the movie in its famous shouted guise due to actor Gerard Butler. Instead of whispering the line softly as he had done in the first take, the Scot decided to roar it, stunning his fellow cast members. Director Zack Snyder was won over though, and celluloid – and indeed meme – history was made.

Snakes on a Plane falls in the category of “so bad it’s good.” But the ridiculous-yet-fun movie almost had a far less memorable title, until star Samuel L. Jackson stepped in. Yes, upon landing in Vancouver, the legendary actor was seriously irked to learn that it had been retitled Pacific Flight 121 by New Line Cinema bigwigs. And he would strike down upon them with great vengeance and furious anger… to erm, ensure the title returned to the snappy original we know and love.

If any actor should be able to make wholesale changes to a movie he’s in, it’s Jack Nicholson. And the veteran A-lister did exactly that when he got involved with Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Nicholson seriously beefed up the role of Irish-American gangster Frank Costello, making his love scenes raunchier and even vetoing plans for him to wear a Red Sox hat. Nicholson is a fan of their hated rivals the New York Yankees, after all.

With the plethora of big-name actors playing a host of colorful characters in the Star Wars universe, it can be difficult to stand out. So Samuel L. Jackson came up with a cunning plan for his Jedi Master Mace Windu, in the second prequel movie in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Jackson insisted he be given a bright-purple lightsaber to wield, and director George Lucas relented. Cool!  

The critically panned spiritual film Quigley at least has an interesting story surrounding it. The motion picture’s star, the – ahem – quirky Gary Busey, talked the producers and director into getting the set redesigned. Why? Well, Busey alleged that he had gone through a near-death experience himself. So he pushed the entire crew to redesign the movie set to resemble what he claimed to have experienced in the afterlife.

The acclaimed movie Gone Girl almost lost its lead actor during filming in astonishing circumstances. Yes, Ben Affleck almost walked from the set after director David Fincher tried to make his character wear a New York Yankees cap in an airport scene. As a die-hard Red Sox fan, Affleck was having none of it. A four day stand-off ensued, during which production was hilariously halted. But the Bostonian got his way, and donned a less offensive New York Mets hat instead.

Have you ever tried shawarma?” asked Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, rather memorably at the end of The Avengers movie. But the iconic line was forced in by Robert Downey Jr., who rejected the boring “What’s next?” line originally in the script, uttered after Iron Man thumped the ground. Luckily, director Joss Whedon backed down, and Downey Jr. got his way, and a cool post-credits scene too.

Liam Neeson gave a memorable performance as Clinch in Seth McFarlane’s amusing A Million Ways to Die in the West. But the movie from the Family Guy creator could have been different if it was not for a joke in that series about Neeson that the actor noted. The gag mentioned how ridiculous it would be for him to star in a Western, because of that “funny accent of his.” So the proud Irishman forced MacFarlane to make his outlaw to be Irish, with hilarious results.

Remember the awkward hug between Lord Voldemort and Draco in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2? Well it wouldn’t have been there if not for the insistence of actor Ralph Fiennes. The Englishman was not impressed by the original and forgettable walk-past, so insisted on adding the not-so-warm-looking hug.

“Heeeere’s Johnny!” The crazed Jack Torrance’s madcap cry is one of the most terrifying in horror-movie history. But the iconic phrase was actually pushed into the film by actor Jack Nicholson, who cribbed it from chat show king Johnny Carson’s nightly intro. U.K.-based director Stanley Kubrick wasn’t aware of this, but ultimately agreed to let Nicholson use the line. Good call!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi was not the most popular entry in the franchise, it’s fair to say. But there is one really moving scene in the movie, which was added at the insistence of Mark Hamill. It’s the moment that Luke Skywalker embraces Princess Leia with a kiss. He even states, “No one’s ever really gone,” before smooching her forehead. This dialogue became prescient, as Leia’s portrayer Carrie Fisher tragically died before the movie was released.

Chris Hemsworth convinced director Taika Waititi to let him bring the funny in Thor: Ragnarok, and if you’ve seen the movie, you’ll realize he got his way. But so did a Make-A-Wish kid who visited the set. Indeed, that child actually came up with the iconic line “We know each other. He’s a friend from work,” uttered when the titular God of Thunder prepared to face the Hulk. Good work, kid!

Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty Ortiz is such a huge part of The Fast and the Furious franchise it is almost impossible to imagine it without her. But did you know the actress almost quit the film series? Yes, Rodriguez clashed with director Rob Cohen and the writers over a purported love triangle between her character, Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner. She got her way, and later told website The Daily Beast that she wasn’t willing to be a love cheat “in front of millions of people.” Erm, it’s not real though, Michelle.

Albino gorilla George lit up the movie Rampage. But if it wasn’t for lead actor Dwayne Johnson’s intervention, the giant primate would have met an untimely end. The former wrestler went back and forth with director Brad Peyton to try and stop the great ape being killed off, and ultimately won. Because who beats The Rock in a duel? Anyway, Johnson revealed why he was so keen for his gorilla sidekick to survive, telling Rolling Stone magazine, “I don’t like a sad ending. Life brings that— I don't want it in my movies.”

James Cameron doesn’t strike us as a director who would take too kindly to meddling actors. But the fearsome American auteur did allow Leonardo DiCaprio to throw in a couple of improvised moments. Firstly, the moment Jack screams, “I am the king of the world!” was added by the actor. Also, the mistaken speech during the drawing-of-Rose scene – namely “Over on the bed... ugh... the couch” – was not corrected by Cameron, who liked how it provided a window into Jack’s lustful mind.

As one of the greatest movies of all time, The Godfather has many memorable moments. One that we love which you may remember involves Richard S. Castellano. After a Mafia hit on a man in a car, he urges his cohort, “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.” Anyway, the late actor was only meant to say the first part, but instinctively added the second bit. Why? Well, Castellano recalled an earlier scene in which his on-screen wife implored him to bring some of the delicious, ricotta-filled Italian pastries home. Sweet!

Remember the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones pulls out his gun and takes out his enthusiastic sword-wielding foe? Effortlessly cool and iconic, right? Well, it wasn’t supposed to be that way. But Harrison Ford contracted food poisoning, and thus what was going to be an epic sword fight was turned into a nonchalant gunning-down by a weak and suffering Ford. Take that!

Crime caper American Hustle opened to strong reviews back in 2013. But the David O. Russell movie had a memorable scene forced in by actress Amy Adams. That being where Jennifer Lawrence’s character Rosalyn Rosenfeld kisses Adams’ Sydney Prosser forcefully before breaking into laughter. Russell was won over by the idea, and an iconic moment was born.

Though he is undoubtedly one of America’s greatest ever actors, Marlon Brando could be, ahem, difficult. Francis Ford Coppola knew this better than most, having cast him in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. And it was in the latter that the two had a considerable falling-out, with Brando’s girth and alleged lack of preparation seriously irking the director. Indeed, Brando would wind up improvising much of Colonel Kurtz’s lines, including the famous speech, of which only two of the full rambling 18 minutes survived.

Ever wondered why Claire in Jurassic World is wearing high heels whilst running away from a T-Rex? Well, the reason is the steadfast refusal of actress Bryce Dallas Howard to take them off. Director Colin Trevorrow tried to make her wear flatter shoes, but Dallas Howard was having none of it. Perhaps it was to do with femininity. Still, the way she ran through the jungle in them without tripping up and injuring herself was mightily impressive.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice brought two legendary superheroes into the same movie, with decidedly mixed results. But perhaps the script could’ve been even worse than it actually was. That’s because Academy Award-winning writer and actor Ben Affleck reportedly rewrote much of it, after being unimpressed with what he found. It has even been alleged that he reshaped the screenplay whilst donning his Batman armor. That’s a cool thought, it has to be said. Let’s hope it was true.

Steven Spielberg’s epic Saving Private Ryan captured the horrors of World War II very effectively. Interestingly though, there was some deviation from the script. Yes, Private Ryan’s portrayer Matt Damon concocted his titular character’s backstory himself, which is shared in a scene with Tom Hanks’ Captain Miller. Spielberg was evidently impressed with Damon’s vision about his brothers and his youth, so left it in the movie.

In Hollywood there are few actors with egos bigger than Tom Cruise’s. So it should have come as little surprise that the Top Gun star demanded in his contract with Universal a dictator’s level of control over The Mummy. Cruise hired his own screenwriters, who hugely bolstered their master’s part, and chucked in a possession storyline for him. Despite or maybe because of all this – and Cruise handling editing and marketing – the film was a monumental flop, losing an eye-watering $95 million dollars. Ouch.

Spider-Man: Homecoming was a critical and commercial success for Marvel. And we imagine a good chunk of that is down to its humor. One scene in particular made us laugh, and it was an improvisation from the actors who went off-script. That moment finds Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark seemingly reaching in for a warm embrace in a car with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. But Downey Jr. amusingly quipped “It’s not a hug, I’m just grabbing the door for you.” The director was evidently impressed and left it in the final cut.

Con Air is the epitome of ’90s excess. So it didn’t really surprise us to learn that the king of over-the-top Nicolas Cage made some notable changes to the action blockbuster. Firstly, the Face Off actor added a strong Southern accent to his character, and long hair. He was also the creative mind behind John Malkovich terrorizing, erm, a stuffed rabbit, with a firearm. The movie was meant to be a dark drama, but winded up anything but thanks to Cage and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Oh Marlon Brando. What a madcap genius you were. But the legendary thespian arguably pushed the crazy too far during filming for The Island of Dr. Moreau. If you’ve seen the film you’ll know what we’re talking about. In it, Brando turned his mad scientist even madder. He demanded he should be hypersensitive to sunlight and thus always wear thick white makeup. Plus, he had to, ahem... wear an ice bucket on his head and have his own mini-me before Dr. Evil was even a thing.

Angelina Jolie didn’t want to be involved with a sequel to the 2008 action thriller Wanted in which she starred. So [spoiler alert] the Tomb Raider actress came up with an ingenious way to stop that from happening: ensuring she died in the movie. Jolie demanded that the plot be changed to her liking, and lo-and-behold, her character took a self-inflicted bullet to the head in a dizzying late action sequence.

The spellbinding Zootopia was a gargantuan success for Disney back in 2016 both critically and commercially, with over $1 billion raked in at the box office worldwide. But one of its voice actors used her considerable star power to make a visual change to the movie. Yes, curvy Colombian singer Shakira was not happy with how thin her character Gazelle was, and told the animators as much. They listened, and some meat was added to her animated bones.

We suspect a fair number of females are fans of the scene in Captain America: The First Avenger where the titular character gets his perfect body. And they aren’t alone either. Chris Evans’ co-star Hayley Atwell was evidently also impressed by his physique, to the extent that she impulsively reached out and touched it. Luckily for her, the director liked her moment of covetousness and kept it in the movie.

Now Marlon Brando has passed away, Ed Norton is often cited as the most difficult American actor to direct. Whether that’s true or not, Tony Kaye, the director of neo-Nazi thriller American History X clashed with him throughout filming. Indeed, in post-production Norton made numerous big alterations, ensuring Derek Vinyard received violent karma despite going good. Meanwhile, former advertising director Kaye fought to have his own name taken off the credits entirely.

Jim Carrey was at his over-the-top best – or worst, depending on your opinion – when he played Gotham City’s crazed criminal The Riddler in Batman Forever. One person who subscribed to the latter view was, remarkably, his co-star Tommy Lee Jones. Indeed, the man who portrayed Harvey Two Face was fuming with Carrey’s antics and willful deviation from the script. In fact, according to Carrey, Jones genuinely despised him, telling the Canadian in a chance restaurant meeting exactly that. Ouch!

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has generally fared better with audiences than with critics, and the film had a close-to-home naysayer in the shape of Sheriff of Nottingham-portrayer Alan Rickman. Indeed, Rickman thought the screenplay was “terrible,” and made plans to quietly rewrite it with his pals Peter Barnes and Ruby Wax. Most notably, the trio added the scene where the horny Sheriff sees two “wenches” and orders them to his room within 15 minutes of one another… before asking them to bring a friend.

Ever wondered why Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts’ characters don’t get it on in The Pelican Brief? They do in the John Grisham novel from which it was adapted, you see. Well, it was all down to the intervention of Washington: according to British newspaper The Guardian, he didn’t want to offend his primary audience of African-American females with an interracial romance. For her part, Roberts expressed her regret at the move.

Fight Club was one of several excellent American films released in the golden year of 1999. But David Fincher’s engrossing drama featured a neat piece of deviation from the script by, you’ve guessed it, Ed Norton. Yes, during the initial scrap where Brad Pitt’s Tyler Durden explains what Fight Club is, Norton followed Fincher’s call for the unexpected and punched Pitt on the ear rather than the shoulder he was expecting. Poor Pitt was genuinely hurt, and Norton could thus offer a genuine apology!

Besides the feisty trio of Cameron Diaz, Lucy Lui and Drew Barrymore, Charlie’s Angels featured a memorable – but wordless – turn from Crispin Glover. Indeed, Glover reportedly despised his lines so much that he refused to say them. That’s right: he informed the director and the producers he was going to be mute. As you do. In fairness, his decision did lend his Thin Man some welcome extra creepiness.

She may be, by her own admission, rather small in stature, but Anna Kendrick is a feisty gal who can stand up for herself. And the Pitch Perfect star had the wherewithal to reject a romance in that movie she found “problematic.” It was written in the script that Beca would find romance with music executive Theo, played by Guy Burnet. But Kendrick said no. And no again to a kiss with him in the final scene. You tell ‘em, girl!