15 Swoon-Worthy Behind-The-Scenes Rom-Com Facts
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What Happened In Those Tom Hanks Yelling PhotosMay 24, 2023
“The Notebook was inspired by my wife’s grandparents — two wonderful people who spent over 60 years together,” Sparks wrote on his website. The author said that he and his wife surprised her grandparents with a visit the day after they got married since they were unable to attend the wedding. “…it was then they told us the story of how they met and fell in love, parts of which eventually made their way into The Notebook.”
“Though their story was wonderful, what I most remember from that day is the way they were treating each other,” Sparks continued. “The way his eyes shined when he looked at her, the way he held her hand, the way he got her tea and took care of her.” Swoon.
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Not a traditional rom-com by some standards, but an absolute standout in my book, do you know the sweet reason Maya Rudolph wore a belt around her waist in so many Bridesmaids scenes?
The belts, though in style at the time, were used specifically to hide her growing bump (which you can see was ready to pop by the time the premiere rolled around in the photo above)!
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There’s something incredibly sweet about actors who go above and beyond to invest in a role. Especially when that role is one of the most beloved rom-com characters of the 1990s.
Ironically, though, the film centers around an internet-based romance (you know, back in ye olden days via AOL). The rom-com queen also revealed during a Vanity Fair interview that she got her very first laptop while on set, saying, “I got my first computer when I did that movie. I think that the company gave us a computer.”
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Another adorable story about a rom-com lead who went all-in for the part comes by way of Bridget Jones’s Diary. For her role, Renée Zellweger had to turn off her inner southern belle to go full British everygal.
The native Texan went so deep into her accent work for the film that the entire cast and crew had no idea what her true twang sounded like until after they wrapped. “That’s when I first heard her talking in Texan [the wrap party], and it was a real shock,” co-star Sally Phillips told Cosmopolitan.
“It was a bit of a surprise because I had made good friends with Bridget it turned out — not with Renée,” the actor continued. “Because what’s not to love about a British woman charging around saying ‘f*** ’em’ with a giant Toblerone under each arm.”
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Speaking of southern charm, Reese Witherspoon actually owns the exact dress she wore in the iconic rain scene in Sweet Home Alabama. Yes, she owns the wedding dress.
“I remember that scene that we shot in the rain, and I’m in the wedding dress, and I run away from my wedding, and I run to see Josh Lucas on the beach,” she said. “And it was pouring down rain, but I remember thinking, ‘This is such a crazy amazing moment, I’m going to remember this forever.'”
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Since we’re already talking about Sweet Home Alabama, the kissing-in-the-rain happy ending mirrors that of another classic rom-com — Breakfast at Tiffany’s. But, that romantic vignette isn’t the only link the two movies share!
Despite being filmed decades apart, Sweet Home Alabama was the first production to shoot in the New York City Tiffany & Co. store since the 1961 classic starring Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly.
The scene in question sees Reese’s character proposed to inside of the iconic Tiffany’s location before picking out whichever ring she wants in the entire store.
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Cameos in rom-coms can be hit or miss. One definite hit? Keanu Reeves in Always Be My Maybe. But, the Matrix alum did more than just show up on set.
“One of the things he said was, ‘I think it would be funny if I was wearing glasses for a part that had no lenses.'” Khan said. “So, we were like, ‘Yeah that’s definitely funny, that’s amazing. Let’s put that in.'”
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There’s a surprisingly real reason behind the hilarious (and, ahem, full-frontal nude) opening scene from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It was inspired by Jason Segel’s actual life, as the actor told NPR he once got dumped while fully nude. But that’s only part of the reason Segel decided to drop trow for the film.
The idea to include this scene in the film was actually fueled by Segel’s dislike of traditional rom-coms: “I hate romantic comedies for the reason that you always know how it’s going to end,” he said. “[…] I thought as a viewer, if in the very first scene of the movie, your lead actor is suddenly full-frontal, you know, naked, you’re forced to sort of throw out your expectations and sit back and say, ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen in this movie,’ you know?”
He also didn’t tell his mom that he’d be appearing totally naked in the film. She found out at the premiere and was less than happy about it, and Segel said they haven’t spoken about the scene since.
The couple split in 2011, but — to the delight of fans everywhere — they reunited for the sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in 2018. “You know, it’s very strange having to not be intimate with someone you’ve had an intimate relationship with,” Seyfried said. “It can be hard, but you have to step back and be professional.”
Lucky for those of us who can’t get enough of the couple’s onscreen chemistry, both Cooper and Seyfried got along beautifully as friends while shooting the sequel. Seyfried even went so far as to joke about the experience, saying, “Dominic and I have such a good relationship that it was easy […] but if you don’t like your ex, just try to get them fired.” They didn’t do it for love, they did it for us, rom-com lovers!
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Speaking of endings, the ending of When Harry Met Sally… was originally different. That’s right — the titular characters were not supposed to end up together. However, a real-life romance changed everything.
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Another oldie, but a goodie: Say Anything‘s boom box moment is pure rom-com gold, but finding the perfect song to play during the pinnacle moment was no easy task.
Originally, “To Be a Lover” by Billy Idol was the song that was scripted to play, but it just didn’t work, according to writer and director Cameron Crowe: “No song worked, especially ‘To Be a Lover,’ or anything we were playing in the boom box in the number of times that we tried to shoot it — nothing worked. We had songwriters come in and try and write a song — nothing worked,” he said.
Crowe ultimately chose “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel after listening to a tape of songs from his own wedding (one he dubbed “The Legendary ‘I Do’ Tape”) on the way to work one morning. “I got this chill because all the words linked up to what we’d filmed and what we were struggling to find a score to or a song,” he said. This iconic choice cemented the song’s — and the film’s — place in rom-com history.
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Another rom-com inspired by real life is the teen classic 10 Things I Hate About You. In fact, the literal title of the film came by way of an actual diary entry of co-writer Karen McCullah Lutz.
During a panel interview describing the inspiration for the movie, McCullah explained the moment inspiration struck. “I had a boyfriend named Anthony. … I made a list called ‘Things I Hate About Anthony.’ When Kirsten [Smith] and I decided to write this, I went through all my high school diaries…and when I told her about that list, she was like, ‘That’s our title.’”
But here’s the really sweet part: Despite the hatred that fueled the title, McCullah and her high school ex are now friends! “Anthony is very proud of that fact. We’re still friends today,” McCullah said.
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A few years after her supporting role in 10 Things I Hate About You, Gabrielle Union gave the rom-com performance of a lifetime as Eva Dandrige in Deliver Us from Eva. The timeless film wasn’t Union’s first foray into the world of rom-coms, but it was a first for her co-star, LL Cool J.
“Usually, I’m somebody who’s being chased by sharks, or I’m an extra tough guy, or you know, I’m a total schmuck or something,” he continued. “But this one, this guy, he’s cool, he’s laid back. You know, maybe his shirts are a little too tight, but other than that, he’s a pretty cool guy.”
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Did you know that Richard Gere initially turned down his iconic role in Pretty Woman? In fact, if it wasn’t for the charming nature of rom-com icon Julia Roberts, the duo would not have existed.
Urged by director Garry Marshall, Gere agreed to a sit-down with Roberts. During their meeting, one moment changed rom-com history forever and sealed the couple’s fate as a pairing for the ages.
“[Julia’s] sitting across [from me] at a desk, and we’re getting to know each other, and [Garry] calls up and he’s kind of like, ‘How’s it going?'” Gere said. “And she takes a Post-It and is writing something on it, and she turns it around and pushes it to me, and it says, ‘Please say yes.’ And it was so sweet that I said [to Garry], ‘I just said yes.'”
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And finally, how about another story where an actor who initially said “No” wound up being convinced by his costar? Well, that would be Mark Ruffalo during the iconic “Thriller” dance scene in 13 Going on 30.
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Columbia Pictures / Via youtube.com
“I’m like, ‘White boy don’t dance,'” he said. “When [Jennifer Garner] dragged me out [on the floor], she was literally dragging me out, and I had hours of rehearsal with a dance coach who taught me how to do all the moves and stuff, and still, when we got into actually shooting it and there were 300 extras around, I did not want to do that scene.”
But he did, and we all love him for that. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mark Ruffalo!
Which of these wholesome behind-the-scenes rom-com stories was your favorite? Do you know any others that are just too adorable not to share with the world? Let me know in the comments!
