In a recent episode of The Graham Norton Show, Allison Janney shared a hilarious story about her experience kissing co-stars on-screen. During the chat show interview, Janney revealed that while filming a kissing scene with a British actor, she was taken aback by an unusual pre-kiss ritual.
Janney explained that just before the scene, the British actor would hand her a mint. At first, she wasn’t sure how to interpret the gesture – was it a thoughtful act or a hint that her breath smelled? Uncertain, Janney would graciously accept the mint, not wanting to offend her co-star.
As it turns out, this pre-kiss mint tradition was a British custom that Janney had never encountered before. In England, it seems, actors use mints to freshen their breath before intimate scenes. While Janney found this practice amusing, she soon discovered an even more bizarre requirement during a separate production.
Without naming names, Janney revealed that another actor she had to kiss insisted on applying Neosporin to both of their lips before every on-screen smooch. Neosporin is an antibacterial ointment typically used for minor cuts and scrapes, not necessarily for lip maintenance. The actor insisted that this preventive measure was necessary to avoid passing any germs to each other.
Clearly bemused by this odd demand, Janney shared her bafflement with the audience. And as if that wasn’t enough, Janney confessed that she unknowingly violated another unspoken rule of on-screen kissing – the no-tongue policy. It wasn’t until years later that someone informed her that actors shouldn’t use their tongues during kissing scenes. Thankfully, her colleagues understood and didn’t stress too much about it.
To wrap up her entertaining anecdote, Janney mentioned that she received some invaluable kissing advice from none other than Meryl Streep herself. In a movie they worked on called “The Hours,” Streep wasn’t pleased with the lighting for a specific scene featuring a kiss between them. Being the considerate co-star that she is, Streep decided to demonstrate a kissing technique that would flatter Janney’s facial features.
Streep gently pulled Janney’s face back and delivered a kiss that allowed the cameras to capture their best angles. Janney couldn’t help but laugh as she recalled the moment and even encouraged the audience to watch the movie to witness the amusing scene for themselves.
With amusing stories and valuable kissing tips from renowned actress Meryl Streep, it’s safe to say that Allison Janney has had her fair share of interesting experiences on and off-screen. And thanks to The Graham Norton Show, we get to hear all about them.
