The art of awkward eye contact, strategic lip-locking, and… tongue debates?
Hollywood might be buzzing about the smash-hit show Nobody Wants This, but let’s be real: it’s all about the kiss. Yes, that kiss. The one co-stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody have turned into a cinematic masterpiece. And now, they’re dishing on how they turned a script directive into what could arguably win an Oscar for “Best Lip Movement.”
Kristen and Adam graced a SAG event at the Crosby Street Hotel on Wednesday (December 4), alongside their fabulous co-stars Timothy Simons, Justine Lupe, and Jackie Tohn. But while the others were busy being talented and humble, Kristen and Adam were spilling tea about their on-screen lip-lock.
The Kiss Command: “World’s Best, or Bust”
“When I saw the script, it said, ‘The world’s best kiss anyone’s ever experienced in the history of history,’” Kristen shared, practically rolling her eyes so hard they nearly hit the back of her skull. “And I thought, ‘Oh, no pressure.’”
Kristen had a strategy. “I told Adam, ‘The kiss itself doesn’t matter. It’s everything before the kiss. The awkward breathing. The way-too-long stares. The ‘are we gonna, or nah?’ tension. The goal is to make the audience squirm so much, they scream at their TVs, ‘JUST KISS ALREADY!’”
“And then Adam did this thing with his hand on my face,” Kristen revealed. “I was like, ‘Let’s keep that. It’s romantic. It’s vulnerable. And also, my jawline looks amazing from that angle.’”
But Adam wasn’t having it. “Uh, that was in the script,” he deadpanned. Kristen’s reply? “Why can’t you just take the compliment, Brody?”
The Great Tongue Debate
While Kristen was busy orchestrating cinematic magic, Adam was focused on one thing: realism. “As a baseline, you don’t just stick your tongue in the other actor’s mouth,” Adam explained, pausing as if this was groundbreaking wisdom. “Unless you’re filming that kind of movie, which…we’re not.”
But he had a vision. “I told Kristen, ‘I don’t want a fake movie kiss where we just awkwardly press lips together like it’s a kindergarten play. I’m going full tongue-adjacent. Like, I want people to think, ‘Did he…or didn’t he?’”
Apparently, this involved opening his mouth “big.” Kristen immediately vetoed the T-Rex jaw approach but reluctantly admitted, “It did add a layer of mystery. Or fear. Either works.”
The Result? Chef’s Kiss Perfection
Between Kristen’s “slow burn of unbearable tension” technique and Adam’s “tongue but not really” strategy, they nailed it. The kiss became a defining moment, setting a new bar for TV romance. Fans are swooning. Critics are applauding. And somewhere, a rookie actor is furiously taking notes on the “face-hand thing.”
One thing’s for sure: Kristen and Adam deserve a trophy. Or at least a lip balm sponsorship.
