Angelina Jolie is known for her passionate on-screen kisses with co-stars like Val Kilmer and Ethan Hawke. However, not every kiss was consensual or planned, as Jolie’s co-star Jason Butler Harner found out while filming Changeling in 2008.

The Unwanted Kiss

Harner wanted to add to the intensity of a scene in Changeling by improvising an unplanned kiss with Jolie, without her prior knowledge or consent. He had discussed the idea with director Clint Eastwood, who approved it, but didn’t include Jolie in the plan.

Jolie’s Reaction

Jolie was understandably caught off guard when Harner kissed her without warning during the scene. She reacted by slapping and hitting him, but according to Harner, she understood what emotions were needed for the scene and went with it. He praised her as a smart and talented actress.

The scene in question was a climactic moment where Jolie’s character, Christine Collins, confronts Harner’s villain, Gordon Stewart Northcott, in his prison cell on the eve of his execution. She asks him if he killed her son, and the intense moment required Jolie to give it her all to convey the emotions necessary for the scene.

Harner’s Explanation

Harner explained that his villain was a demented character who deserved to be hit, and that the kiss was meant to help Jolie deliver unbridled anger in the scene. He believed that the intense moment deserved to be culminated with a slap at least.

While Harner may have had good intentions in trying to help Jolie deliver the emotions needed for the scene, his approach was unorthodox and non-consensual. It is important for actors to establish boundaries and communicate with their co-stars before performing any intimate or physical scenes on set.