Some co-stars just seem like they were meant to be! If you’ve ever noticed electric chemistry between two actors in a film or television show, it’s all thanks to the work of the casting department. Throughout the casting process, the team works to figure out which actors would mesh together the best — and a big part of that is a chemistry read. Before actors can officially land the role, they head in for an audition alongside their potential co-stars to see how well they work together. While it sometimes involves reading lines and getting to know one another, sometimes things can get a little more steamy.
Here’s what these celebs had to say about chemistry tests…
Early in Anne Hathaway’s career, she says she was put in uncomfortable situations during chemistry reads. She explained that back in the 2000s, it was common for executives to ask actors to make out in order to test for chemistry, which she believes is “the worst way to do it.” Anne says she reluctantly agreed because she was “so young” and knew being “labeled difficult” could easily cause her to lose everything.
“I was told, ‘We have 10 guys coming today and you’re cast. Aren’t you excited to make out with all of them?’ And I thought, ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ because I wasn’t excited. I thought it sounded gross,” Anne told V Magazine.
She continued, “So, I just pretended I was excited and got on with it. It wasn’t a power play; no one was trying to be awful or hurt me. It was just a very different time, and now we know better.”
2. Zoë Kravitz & Robert Pattinson
Zoë Kravitz says her chemistry test with Robert Pattinson for The Batman ended up being really intense. It was the first time Rob had ever spoken lines from the script and he admits he almost had a panic attack while wearing his costume. Although it was tough, the pair were able to truly connect with one another.
“The chemistry read was really intense. Rob was wearing the Batsuit, and it was a proper camera test with the DP there and everything on a soundstage. It wasn’t just reading lines in a room. So it was intimidating, to say the least,” Zoë told Entertainment Weekly.
3. Caitriona Balfe & Sam Heughan
Outlander star Caitriona Balfe says that when she went in for her chemistry test with Sam Heughan, their connection was instant and he made her feel at ease. Instead of awkward introductions, she says she quickly knew he would be a “solid friend and amazing costar.”
“[The chemistry] was quite instantaneous in a sense,” she told The Wrap. “When I first met Sam at our chemistry test, which I always think is quite funny, he was the nicest guy and he just put me at ease. I was a little nervous and he’s just that kind of solid, grounded guy.”
4. Matthew McConaughey & Kate Hudson
Before Matthew McConaughey was cast in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, he had a chemistry test with Kate Hudson. Looking back, he says they weren’t actually reading lines and met up just to see how well they jived together.
“We met on the Paramount lot. Those casting, meeting couches, especially for rom-coms are — you want to see the chemistry between the two leads. You want to see how the jive is. We’re not reading through the script, we’re not reading lines…Immediately we were comfortable with each other and we jived with each other,” he told People.
He continued, “We busted each other’s chops and we laughed a lot. And there was a bit of rock and roll exchange that [we thought], ‘Oh, this could be some heavyweight fun.’ And I think that’s why I was cast and that’s why, to whatever extent, it worked.”
5. Alyson Hannigan & Sarah Michelle Gellar
Alyson Hannigan and Sarah Michelle Gellarmay not have played romantic interests in Buffy the Vampire Slayer but they still did a chemistry read to see how they worked together on screen. Alyson says the whole thing ended up being a disaster for her because she walked into a door and forgot her lines. It turns out series creator Joss Whedon had seen Alyson perform the same lines multiple times and wanted to switch it up. He gave her a new script the day before with complicated computer terms and it really tripped her up.
“We did a chemistry read with me, Sarah and Nick. And Joss was like ‘I want new lines. I want to hear something new. So he wrote a scene just for this audition. My character’s very computer savvy so it was all this computer jargon. I got it the day before, the morning of. And it didn’t make any sense to me,” Alyson told People.
She continued, “I got to that part and the words just started swimming and I don’t think I was speaking English at some points…Joss later said, ‘You couldn’t say the words to save your life but I knew right then and there because the chemistry was just there.’”
6. Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s chemistry test for Twilight happened under slightly unusual circumstances. The pair actually met in director Catherine Hardwicke’s home and went through their scenes in her bedroom and kitchen.
“Rob and Kristen did the audition right here on the bed. They did the kissing scene and he fell off and landed right there on this floor,” Catherine said on The Big Hit Showpodcast. “Rob and Kristen auditioned on my bed, the kissing scene, Rob was so into it he fell off the bed. I’m like, ‘Dude, calm down.’ And I’m in there filming with my little video camera, whatever.”
She continued, “And at the end, Kristen was like, ‘It has to be Rob.’ But I could tell they had a lot of chemistry, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ I thought, Kristen was 17. I don’t want to get in some illegal things. So I remember I told Rob, ‘By the way, Kristen is 17. In our country, it’s illegal to have a sexual…’ And he’s like, ‘Oh, okay, whatever.’”
7. Nicholas Galitzine & Anne Hathaway
When Nicholas Galitzine went in for his first chemistry read with Anne Hathaway, he says the experience was “kind of transformative.” During the test, Nicholas was asked to “bring a song and convince Annie to dance” with him. While it was very anxiety-ridden time for him, he says he knew he had a connection with Anne right away.
“I am not a dancer, and it’s also hard, you know, you’re meeting someone for the first time and you don’t want it to be weird, but with those things you kind of have to go all in,” Nicholas told People. “And it was so open and I think it was really at that moment that we kind of knew that there was a connection — that there was a chemistry there and it was so much fun in that audition, which is rare to say.”
He added, “As an actor you oftentimes go into those rooms with so much trepidation, and it was so open. And I kind of remember leaving the room going, ‘You know, if this doesn’t work out, I am really proud of the work that I did, even in this space.’”
8. Paul Wesley & Nina Dobrev
Paul Wesley had an interesting approach when he had his first chemistry test with Nina Dobrev for Vampire Diaries. Instead of introducing himself to her before the audition like the other actors, he decided to get into character and completely ignore her. He explained that in the scene they were supposed to be meeting for the first time and he wanted to play that up.
“We were supposed to meet at that exact moment. And I thought, ‘Well, f–k that. I want our moment to be really special. I want her to get to know me in that moment,’” he said on the Inside of You podcast.
He continued, “Nina remembers this and I just remember her looking over at me wanting to say hi to me and introduce herself. I just turned away. I think she thought initially, like, ‘Who the f–k does this guy think he is?’ But anyway, I went in there and I just remember the audition and the first time we ever met in real life was actually in that audition room. It was just a very magical moment. And I felt it. She felt [it] and I know all those studio executives felt it. And I think that’s what landed me the part.”
9. Camila Mendes & Rudy Mancuso
Camila Mendes and Rudy Mancuso first met while doing a chemistry test for their movie Música — and their real-life chemistry was apparent from the moment they met. Camila says their earliest interaction was filmed without audio but in the footage, it’s clear there’s a connection between them.
“We have this two-minute silent footage, because there was no audio on the day, this silent footage of us talking and interacting, and we have it all recorded so you can see that there’s this exciting energy and this giddiness,” Camila shared with People of their first meeting.
Rudy added, “It’s safe to say there was chemistry from the moment we met and it certainly was visible on screen.”
10. Rachel Zegler & Tom Blyth
Before Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth were cast in The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, they had a chemistry test together where their connection was clearly apparent. Director Francis Lawrence says he had Rachel perform a song for Tom and watched to see how they interacted.
“I had Rachel sing ‘Wildwood Flower’ [by The Carter Family], this kind of a capella version, which is a song very much in the style of the music from the movie, to Tom. I remember having her sing this really beautiful, a capella version of that song and having him watch her sing, and her singing to him, we knew that the chemistry was there, and it was gonna work,” Francis told Buzzfeed.
11. Charles Melton & Yara Shahidi
Charles Melton says his chemistry test with Yara Shahidi for The Sun Is Also a Star was a special experience. Reflecting on the moment, Charles explained that Yara actually shared a sweet treat with him — something she typically reserves for only her close friends.
“When we had our chemistry read, she shared a pop tart with me and in my mind, I’m thinking, ‘This is the first time we’ve met and I’m eating this delicious homemade pop tart.’ I thought it was a common thing, I thought Yara shared her sweets often but as I got to know her, I found out that it wasn’t a common thing so it was kind of special. We hit it off right away,” Charles to Us Weekly.
