Q&A for How to Do a Kissing Scene in Acting

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How can I make the person I'm kissing more comfortable?

Ben Whitehair
Acting Coach
Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and Executive Vice President of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.

Ben Whitehair

Acting Coach

Expert Answer

A lot of it is about creating a healthy, safe space for people and honoring boundaries. You really need to have that conversation ahead of time. Talk about how intense the kiss will be. Is the person okay with using tongue? Are there any places they don't like to be touched? Having that talk about boundaries before you actually do the scene is going to create safety and make everyone more comfortable, which will also make the scene better.

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Question

What's a good amount of time for a kiss to last in a wedding scene?

Community Answer

2 to 4 seconds. The characters are in love, so you want to kiss to be more than a peck, but it's in church, so they'd want to keep it classy.

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Question

How can I make the actor feel more comfortable about kissing me?

Community Answer

Make jokes, be friendly, and tell him it's OK to kiss you because it's only for the the play.

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I'm 13 years old and I might have to kiss a boy in my play this Fall, but I'm worried it will be awkward because I've never kissed anyone before. How can I prepare for this?

Garrett

Top Answerer

A lot of stage "kisses" aren't real. If you can, turn your head so that the audience doesn't see your face, and just keep your face close to the other actor's. You can also position your hands around his face so that the "kiss" is hidden.

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Question

At the school panto rehearsal, how do I not laugh when the two main characters kiss? We all get the giggles, especially when they make mistakes.

Community Answer

Don't look directly at them, look past them. If you have to, think of something sad that would prevent you from laughing.

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Question

How do the actors avoid not being emotionally involved when doing intimate kissing or love making scenes?

Community Answer

First of all, there are directors, technicians, camera operators, etc. in the room, so it's not the most intimate environment. Secondly, co-stars are usually friends and don't see each other that way, and are often in romantic relationships with other people. That being said, sometimes they do get emotionally involved! Plenty of actors ended up dating each other after being co-stars.

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Question

I am a freshman in high school, and I have to kiss someone three times in one scene. I have no idea what I'm doing, as I have never kissed anyone before. Is it different from an actual kiss?

Community Answer

I believe a stage-kiss is different from a real kiss, but your theater coach is the one you want to talk to for the specifics of what's expected.

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