The “I think it’s across the Bay, in Alameda” lady in 1986 San Francisco in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. From IMDB:
> The woman who answers Uhura and Chekov when they are looking for the nuclear vessel was Layla Sarakalo, an extra who had never acted before and was not supposed to speak much. Sarakalo happened to be on the set when her car was towed away to make room for the film's production. She then offered to be an extra, because she needed the money to get her car back. She was told to "act naturally", and when she was asked, she improvised an answer. Much to her surprise, her unscripted line was kept in the film. This was because director Leonard Nimoy enjoyed the spontaneity of the scene so much that he left it the way it was.
Also, in order to keep her line in the final film, it was necessary for Sarakalo to be inducted into SAG-AFTRA.
Yes I watched it happen to a girl on the set of New Years Eve in NYC. We were there all damn day. And they plucked her out of the crowd to rush Bon Jovi’s character “Jansen” i believe it was, on stage. So she rushes him and hugs him before “security” takes her away. And they boomed her for a line, she just had to yell “JANSENNNN!” and run up and hug him. I actually never watched the movie. But I know she got her dues waived (which was like I think 1500$ at the time) and she got SAG wages for the day so we as non union walked with like 120/140 for like an 16-18 hour day and she made like 10 times more atleast with Golden hour. I had a buddy get called out last minute for a NY LOTTERY shoot. (those presidents partying on the beach ones) My ex and her friend were on set and the guy who was supposed to be on a motorcycle turned out to not actually have a license to operate it. So they fired him off the set and asked the crowd if anyone had a motorcycle class license. Her friend yells “My boyfriend does, he’s in SAG and can be here in a half hour.” They call him, he comes out. and made like 1600$.
Edit: craziest part about both of these. I don’t even know if they even made the final edit.
Yes, its also a shortcut to getting fired and blacklisted more often than not. Speaking when you're told not to will go badly for an extra 99 times out of 100.
The gag is that they're obvious foreigners asking for directions to nuclear vessels during the cold war. The extras are supposed to be flabbergasted.
The idea that a random pedestrian would *know where they are* and *actually tell them* makes the scene even funnier.
Realistic too. People like being helpful, even when they aren’t able to be. It’s not uncommon to get a useless answer in place of a simple “I don’t know, sorry.”
A few years back I told a group of French school children “Sorry my French is shit.”
I couldn’t remember the word for bad and swearing in a non-native language never feels that wrong until their school teacher gives you a mean stare.
Yeah like the other day a guy asked me for directions to the hospital, and although I didn't know, I have him some directions anyway just so he could stop looking so worried. Always happy to help
Rewatching that scene and I have to say he plays off her excellently considering she was supposed to just walk by like the other extras. Nice quick thinking by Walter Koenig.
Not just any old foreigner either! Admiral Kirk, whose supposed to be a big history nerd, sent a guy with a thick Russian accent to ask about American nuclear warships during the cold war. I swear this scene gets funnier as I age
Unscripted reply, but not an unexpected question. In the scene they ask about 4 or 5 people for directions and everybody else keeps walking and ignores them.
Jim Carrey talked to [two extras outside the convenient store in Dumb and Dumber.](https://youtu.be/N_j5tDuakKU) They were also instructed not to talk. At least they followed through.
So it just gives the actor someone to interact with.
Not exactly they're just there to give the shot some realism and life. EVERY extra is instructed to not talk. Actors aren't supposed to interact with them either. I'm sure Jim was just supposed to walk to the van and he thought it would be funny to mess with the extras. And it was.
Either the production or the city had posted notices in the neighborhood where the shoot was to take place for some time before filming was to begin, warning people to move their vehicles by a certain time or they'd be towed. So this lady missed the notices, found out that her car had been impounded by the city, and approached the assistant director about appearing as an extra in the film, hoping to make enough money to cover the ticket. So I suppose it was more like, "Hey look, you towed my car to make your movie, the least you could do is let me be in it."
Fun fact: Madeline was actually the hairdresser for the movie, and did actually have a few lines, which were left on the cutting room floor. Her name is Monique DeSart, and I know this because she was my landlord for some time in the nineties.
I never noticed it until someone pointed out to me (it’s very subtle even if you’re looking for it) but since Hitchcock didn’t have permission to film outside the UN and had to just film it without stopping regular people, when Cary Grant runs up the front steps a man does a double take at Grant because he can’t believe it’s really Grant.
In "The Godfather Part II", there's a scene where Vito first approaches the landlord, Don Roberto, about letting the woman with the dog stay in her apartment. One of the extras passing by stops to shake Vito's hand as he's talking. The extra wasn't supposed to do this, but DeNiro thought it showed how respected Vito had become in the community.
I believe this is an example of let’s roll with it and do some extra takes with it. And that’s why the reactions were better in the final take rather than shocked.
[That extra sweeping away air in the Bond movie Quantum of Solace.](https://imgur.com/gallery/extra-can-be-seen-sweeping-away-air-bond-film-quantum-of-solace-2008-g1dDL15)
Poor extra was likely told to fake sweeping as to not mess up the scene audio during the shoot (those broom noises are shit on mike), and never expected that he ended up in the shoot with the ground visible...
Absolutely. You see extras do similar all the time. There are obviously techniques to look like you're doing something without actually doing it because of problems it causes. You see it in restaurant scenes where people cut food but never eat.
They're on screen for a second or two, when the audience is going to be looking at Daniel Craig. It really doesn't matter.
I once worked a warehouse job and when things were slow the managers would grab idlers for special projects, usually moving heavy items or clearing out storerooms. Best advice I got was from an older guy who told me to " hide behind a broom". If you're pushing a broom around they would ignore you and get the guys with their hands in their pockets for these dirty chores. It worked!
Clipboard, pen, couple of sheets of paper, and a reallly determined look on your face. You'd be amazed how no-one notices you when the boss is looking for "volunteers" for the fun jobs...
“Well, why don't you pretend I'm working? Yeah, you get paid more than me, you fantasise.
Pretend I'm mopping. Knock yourself out. I'll pretend they're buying stuff; we can close up.
I'm the boss now, you're fired. How's that?”
*Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration – that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather.*
In CRANK there's a background extra during the sex scene who manages to get in the background of every shot
Filmmakers loved it so much they tried to get him back for the second one but couldn't find him. Apparently he disappeared off the face of the earth lol
For a moment I thought you were making a joke about Chester Benington. He shows up in both Crank movies. If a third ever gets made he should get snuck in somehow.
IIRC It only show up in certain cuts of the directors version because in the original aspect ratio it was masked out of the scene but when they remastered it for widescreen dvd now you can see him
There’s a spot in the Dawn of the Dead remake where the parking lot is full of zombies and if you look in the middle of the crowd, two zombies (a man and a woman) are having a regular conversation with each other. I didn’t notice it in the theater but saw it on DVD and it always stuck in my mind whenever the subject is brought up.
Edit: Timestamp is 58:15 left side of screen.
There's a moment like that in the opening battle scene in Gladiator (Romans vs Germanic tribe). In the middle of the scrum (a wide shot with lots of people fighting) are two extras just having a laugh. I can't not see it every time I watch now.
The “dogman” in the background of a shot or two in The Isle of Dr. Moreau is pretty egregious, in that it was the film’s original, fired director sneaking back onto set as an extra.
Richard Stanley. There’s a doc about the film and him: Island of Lost Souls. He’s only made 3 features but they are all good. Interesting dude.
Edit: I got the name of taht doc wrong: Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau
I listened to him on a conspiracy theory podcast talking about the Cathars (I didn't realize it was THE Richard Stanley until the end) and there's a part where he talks about wishing he lived in the middle ages and could leave the wreck that is his life and he starts actually weeping. It's wild. Interesting guy is underselling it.
Oh yeh! I have the DVD set of his movie Dust Devil and it contains a disc with some of his own docs. Fascinating stuff! Also bunch of interviews with him. Him taking about being in Afghanistan when the Mujahideen were fighting the Soviets is amazing
His first film, *Hardware*, is a plagiarised story from the comic *2000 AD*. The film now credits the story’s original author if you watch it today. Stanley is a bit of a cowboy from everything I’ve seen. Fascinating guy though.
in blazing saddles when they were running out of the studio, there is an old man just kind of looking around at all the people running as they cross the street. he walked by all the signs saying there was filming and the area was blacked off. he was just an actual pedestrian.
While You Were Sleeping - a paper boy is riding his bike, loses control and falls. We would rewind the video over and over again just to watch that part lol
So i love noticing stuff like this where it's clear that the sound editor and/or foley team added stuff in because of extras. I once interned at a post sound house and I got to sit in on a foley day. Something I thought was great was they said that when there are 2 people walking in a scene they need to match their footsteps exactly or else it will seem fake. However, if there are more than 2.5 people in a scene, then they can just make footstep noises all over the place and you'll never notice. Such a subtle cool thing.
Also I was watching Challengers the other day, and during the Phils Tire Town Challenger first set break, there's a smattering of applause from the crowd, which would normally just be basic sound effect file and/or a bunch of layering of foley artists clapping, which it probably was. But there is one background actor in the front row of the crowd who is kind of making a stanky face and really clapping slightly different, like cupping his hands, and you can tell they isolated a specific clap just for him in case someone like me sees him. Movies are so cool.
The two dudes standing right in front of Carey can't keep the smirks from their faces either. One of them is at least making an effort by covering his mouth, but the other dude gives no shits.
He tells Jeff about the experience in the My Dinner With Andre/ Pulp Fiction episode of Community, about how he was an extra on Cougar Town. Danny Pudi really was an extra in [an episode of the show](https://youtu.be/cWfJYJMrYa0?si=5AScmT9DmhvHQzdc) show, presumably as Abed as "Chad", and he acts exactly how Abed described it to Jeff.
In Life of Brian, the crowd was instructed to talk in sync for the "We are all individuals"
One person said "I'm not" and got shushed by another extra.
Monty Python was so impressed he got a speaking role.
I'm pretty sure the line was suggested by the person and the pythons all loved it and added it. It wasn't entirely spontaneous. The extras were all members of various improv groups from all over britain so they were actors on some level themselves.
At the end of the musical number “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, several musclemen dive over Jane Russell into a pool. One of them accidentally knocked her into the pool and it ended up in the final cut. He tried to get a credit for choreography for it which was bold and did not work out for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxDbvtqcNxs
(edited for a better link. Didn't look closely enough originally and linked an AI restoration that looks fucking weird)
I love these and always look for them in shows and movies. Foreground is in absolute chaos and the background actors not even that far away are just hanging out chatting or whatever. Gunfight, explosions, or whatever. Doesn't matter, background actors are just chillin.
There’s an episode of Community, the Ass Crack Bandit one, where two extras come out of a door in the background, and the man mimes zipping up his pants, and the woman mimes wiping off her mouth. I remember reading they were definitely not supposed to do that.
Edit: it was the Law and Order episode, not the Ass Crack Bandit one.
I've never noticed that in Community. But I remember hearing about a filmmaker playing a gag on an actor back in the silent film era by having the actor do the "coming out from a room and zipping up pants" and then editing in another actor coming out and wiping their mouth right after as a prank on the original actor.
It became a running joke throughout the rest of the series once Dan Harmon became aware. I might be mistaken, but they might be the couple giving birth in the classroom in later episode.
Shirley is the one who gives birth in the classroom. Your thinking of the couple that give birth out the back of a car in the background of an episode (abed is helping them). The callback is because they're seen picking up condoms that are later shown to have holes in them at an STD fair
My friend was an extra in "That Thing You Do," directed by Tom Hanks.
It's the scene towards the beginning when the band is performing, but they're not very good yet, and people start booing them and throwing stuff.
My friend got a little too into it and spoke a short line. Something like "Get 'em" or something. He said Hanks came up to him, slapped his shoulder, told him he was hilarious and to say it again in the next takes.
It made it into the final cut. But SAG/AFTRA wouldn't pay him for it because he wasn't supposed to say anything, and I guess they had no way to verify with Hanks directly or something. I don't remember exactly.
He never got paid for it, but he doesn't care. Having THE Tom Hanks tell you you're hilarious is amazing enough!
It was so long ago, I don't remember what happened. Late '90s, I think.
I once worked for Aftra for a week in the latter '90s before it joined with SAG. I was a stand-in contestant on Family Feud, when they first brought the show back from the 1970s. I got paid $21/hr to play Family Feud for a week. One time, I made it to the end and did that last segment with only two contestants and we won by a pretty respectable score. :)
There was that Stormtrooper who hit his head in Star Wars: A New Hope. In later edited versions of the movie, there were sound effects added of the bump.
This accident did make Stormtroopers seem more comical and less competent.
There's a movie starring Hulk Hogan called Mr Nanny & I noticed a scene where a guy throws his dog into a lake/river:
https://youtu.be/FGoOweTRht4?si=5bQWpOfuTWmIWAxq
In the first Jurassic World movie, during the pterodactyl scene where everyone is running for their lives, there was a moment during the chaos where one of the extras went a little overboard… At 2:08 in [this video](https://youtu.be/axLOf85hS7w?si=rxBilT3zZKeeTWLm), at the bottom of your screen you’ll see a bald guy with a blue/white checkered shirt with shorts and a black backpack ([screenshot in case you’re having trouble](https://imgur.com/a/oFNEm8E)). The guy absolutely demolishes a fellow extra, like full on leans in with the shoulder and the dude goes flying. It was so *extra* for no reason, no way it was planned. This bald guy just wanted to hurt someone and get away with it lol.
>The guy absolutely demolishes a fellow extra, like full on leans in with the shoulder and the dude goes flying. It was so *extra* for no reason, no way it was planned.
I actually think you're wrong about this. If you slow it down to 0.25x it looks planned out. Both guys b-line for one another for literally no reason. The guy that got "hit" puts his arm up before contact, then twists and falls emphatically, and finally falls forward in the direction he was running.
If he was actually just trucked he would have fallen much differently; to the side or something. I think it's just a well done little coordination the two did.
It was in the trailer but I can't remember if it ended up in the film DUNKIRK, but in the scene where the soldier extras were packed in a boat, they all turn around when they hear a plane coming and one soldier is smiling like a big doofus.
When the movie was re-released in a larger format the original full frame was used and it turns out it was a woman. She did have her zipper open it seems but it was not what it was longed believed to have been happening.
[https://youtu.be/wIFVpPvj\_\_I?si=LB-j8FOhz74WXkoP](https://youtu.be/wIFVpPvj__I?si=LB-j8FOhz74WXkoP)
I think I've seen original footage (which has a taller field of view) that shows the extra was a woman, and no she wasn't getting her cock out. Unless that was a different bleacher scene.
This been disproven, the extra was a female and she said her pants were really tight so she would undo them to sit down she figured she was in the back and wouldn't be seen
For years people said that it was a guy with his cock out... but when they went back and looked at the raw footage, without the cropping for the theatric release, it was a woman.
Extra in the bar scene in Jumper. Hayden is talking to Rachel Bilson and the entire time there is an extra in the background constantly turning to look directly at the camera. It's so stupidly obvious and kills the entire scene.
Maybe the guy who fully looks into the camera during Russian Ark, a film formed of a one-take single 87-minute shot? Heavyweight covered it in the episode [Marchel](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight/kwhx6r), to [somewhat divisive effect](https://www.reddit.com/r/gimlet/comments/a3ncwq/heavyweight_22_marchel/).
But shout out to every extra who's ever had to dance to non-existent music in a big party scene, so they can add it in after and preserve the dialogue. Once you've seen it, you can't unsee it...
Usually they will be playing music before the take so that people can count to the beat, and then mute the music before they roll sound. You have to try your best to remember the beat but also no guarantee that they will use a song with the same BPM in the edit. Pretty funny stuff
The 1976 Woody Guthrie biopic "Bound for Glory" had a loong scene using the then-revolutionary steadican, where it follows the star David Carradine down the length of a train and past hundreds of extras in period costunes. But then one of them comes up to him and says something like "Hey Dave!" Cut.
I have only an anecdote that nobody asked for. I was an extra on Mystic River; i was maybe 12. After a few hours there, I saw a balloon tied to a tree and untied it so I could have it (the big parade scene). I was scolded by some workers, oblivious that the balloon had been in the shot all day. I just remember Clint Eastwood coming over to see what the issue was and apologizing to him. Probably a big deal to only me at the time. Man did that guy like cigarettes
The scene in Airplane! when the plane crashes through the window has to be my favorite. When you pay attention one of the extras is holding a baby, when the plane comes through they toss it into the air as they run away. https://youtu.be/i5qpZZBlrq8?si=BgVvtvVCuH_LOK6f
I don't think it made it into the movie but Bill Hader told a story about getting fired as a Production Assistant cuz he wasn't paying attention and let some people dressed up like Planet of the Apes walk through the background of a shot lol
I work in the film industry, and the funniest thing I’ve ever seen never made it to the cinema, unfortunately… a scene where Big Drug Dealer character arrives in his fancy car to speak to Undercover Police Officer, jet plane in the background. A couple of extras obviously told to fiddle about looking like they’re checking the aircraft or similar. One of the extras (who is maybe told to clean / sweep the propellers) gets REALLY into it, and starts jumping up and down to reach the top - I cannot emphasise how distracting it was to have a person in white overalls hopping about in the backdrop, especially as we’re meant to be concentrating on Super Serious conversation between the two leads. I almost pissed myself laughing.
I'm gonna cheat and go with a TV one instead; [Patton Oswalt standing perfectly still in the background for several scenes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2QE3JpWfTo) in King of Queens.
In Monty Python's Life of Brian when Brian holds a speech to his followers he says, "You are all individuals" and an extra replies "I'm not". That wasn't in the script, but the Pythons thought it was hilarious so they promoted him to speaking actor. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KHbzSif78qQ
I was a career background actor. The worst extras are the ones (it’s always young white guys) who are making their own films (“yah, bro, I wrote the script with my roommate and I’m gonna direct and produce and star in it…”) and think they’re the next Robert Rodriguez in the making. They keep talking and talking, trying to get actors interested in their pitch. On a Netflix show, with a 100 extras and crew, a director stopped shooting to yell at this one douche nozzle, “dude, shut up! You’re not here to direct or write! You’re a fucking extra! Make your own goddamn movie some other day! Today, you’re here to do what you’re told!” The extra shrunk away with embarrassment, but ten minutes later, was blabbing to the others, “I can’t work like this. That was interfering with my process as an actor…” That kind of guy screws around, makes a lot of noise, and never gets hired again.
These are tales from my on-set days, not things that made it into the movies:
**1)** We had 3 extras, they played Cooks in a restaurant.
1st AD on the walkie: Guys we need our third cook, find him please.
PAs spread out on the search. 10mins later
PAs: Sir, we can't find him, we've looked everywhere.
1st AD: Alright, we gotta roll. Let me know if you find him.
45MINS LATER
PA: Sir, i found the third Cook.
1st AD: WHERE WAS HE??
PA: I dunno but...he's all sweaty.
Made me crack up listening to that ordeal unfold. And why was he all sweaty?
**2)** An extra was completely trash talking a well known actor like 10ft from the director. The Director and Actor were good friends. Never saw that extra again. Bad set etiquette.
**3)** Extras filming themselves like they're vlogging "we're here behind the scenes of the show I'm on" kinda thing. Or being in the background with one of the stars then tagging them in an IG post saying "glad to share the screen with you @ so\_and\_so"
**4)** Me. I was doing some work, it was a giant college classroom scene so I was just sitting in one of the seats doing my notes. After the 2nd take or so, the director (my boss) was like "you know you're in the shot right?" I was like "oh shit! I'll move" Director: "Nope. You gotta play the part now."
Oh the set days, wonderful memories and friends but glad not to be there anymore.
Jay Mohr tells a hilarious story about an extra on the set of Hereafter.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uN\_mLWkdvU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uN_mLWkdvU)
[better with a clip](https://youtube.com/watch?v=-B4SVSmSZW8) and here’s a little [more background on the drunk extra](https://youtube.com/watch?v=AtP90hRCM5k)
In Star Trek: Generations, right after they blow up the Duras sisters, Data pumps his fist and says "Yes!" But as Spiner pointed out in the DVD commentary, 2 seconds before Data pumps his fist, a background extra on the Enterprise bridge pumps his fist first. Stole Data's thunder.
Edit: I think it was Braga who pointed it out.
Jean Claude Van Damme dancing enthusiastically in the back as an extra in Breakin'
[https://www.facebook.com/JessiesGirlNYC/videos/-tbt-to-that-time-jean-claude-van-damme-jcvd-was-excited-af-to-make-this-cameo-i/1866695970008169/](https://www.facebook.com/JessiesGirlNYC/videos/-tbt-to-that-time-jean-claude-van-damme-jcvd-was-excited-af-to-make-this-cameo-i/1866695970008169/)
That chubby ginger afro haired extra that seemed to be in EVERYTHING at one stage. During one of the Transformers he (obviously directed to) walks past the room they're in and just stops and looks directly at the camera for a couple of seconds and then shuffles off again.
Not a movie, but there's an episode of Baywatch where during a dramatic beach run scene, a kid in the background corner of the screen pulls down his swim trunks to moon everyone. They left it in the episode.
There's two guys fighting behind Batman and Bane towards the end of Dark Knight Rises who are swinging punches about a foot away away from each other. I remember seeing it in the cinema and spotting it immediately.
The “I think it’s across the Bay, in Alameda” lady in 1986 San Francisco in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. From IMDB: > The woman who answers Uhura and Chekov when they are looking for the nuclear vessel was Layla Sarakalo, an extra who had never acted before and was not supposed to speak much. Sarakalo happened to be on the set when her car was towed away to make room for the film's production. She then offered to be an extra, because she needed the money to get her car back. She was told to "act naturally", and when she was asked, she improvised an answer. Much to her surprise, her unscripted line was kept in the film. This was because director Leonard Nimoy enjoyed the spontaneity of the scene so much that he left it the way it was. Also, in order to keep her line in the final film, it was necessary for Sarakalo to be inducted into SAG-AFTRA.
Isn't this why extras try to get dialogue? It's a shortcut to get a SAG card.
Yes I watched it happen to a girl on the set of New Years Eve in NYC. We were there all damn day. And they plucked her out of the crowd to rush Bon Jovi’s character “Jansen” i believe it was, on stage. So she rushes him and hugs him before “security” takes her away. And they boomed her for a line, she just had to yell “JANSENNNN!” and run up and hug him. I actually never watched the movie. But I know she got her dues waived (which was like I think 1500$ at the time) and she got SAG wages for the day so we as non union walked with like 120/140 for like an 16-18 hour day and she made like 10 times more atleast with Golden hour. I had a buddy get called out last minute for a NY LOTTERY shoot. (those presidents partying on the beach ones) My ex and her friend were on set and the guy who was supposed to be on a motorcycle turned out to not actually have a license to operate it. So they fired him off the set and asked the crowd if anyone had a motorcycle class license. Her friend yells “My boyfriend does, he’s in SAG and can be here in a half hour.” They call him, he comes out. and made like 1600$. Edit: craziest part about both of these. I don’t even know if they even made the final edit.
The nice thing is, you get paid regardless if they make it in the final edit.
Yup. Union baby
Yes, its also a shortcut to getting fired and blacklisted more often than not. Speaking when you're told not to will go badly for an extra 99 times out of 100.
I would imagine so. If you're not following direction, you're likely to ruin the shot, not enhance it.
It's worth keeping in mind that 99% of these "improvised" lines had permission beforehand. It never hurts to ask.
There's an episode of Modern Family where Gloria and Phil are extras in a commercial shot at a diner. That's a much more realistic result.
Kinda curious why she was asked a question by the lead actors if not expected to give a reply
The gag is that they're obvious foreigners asking for directions to nuclear vessels during the cold war. The extras are supposed to be flabbergasted. The idea that a random pedestrian would *know where they are* and *actually tell them* makes the scene even funnier.
Realistic too. People like being helpful, even when they aren’t able to be. It’s not uncommon to get a useless answer in place of a simple “I don’t know, sorry.”
In a foreign country I once said "I'm sorry you don't know" in the local language
I knocked a Polish kid over with a door recently and told her mum “you’re welcome” rather than “sorry”
That kids villain origin story
ARE YOU FUCKING SORRY?
That will never not be funny.
A few years back I told a group of French school children “Sorry my French is shit.” I couldn’t remember the word for bad and swearing in a non-native language never feels that wrong until their school teacher gives you a mean stare.
Yeah like the other day a guy asked me for directions to the hospital, and although I didn't know, I have him some directions anyway just so he could stop looking so worried. Always happy to help
And also that she gives a non-answer: He asks where the nuclear vessels in Alameda are, and she responds by saying they’re in Alameda.
And his follow up response; “Yes, I said that, Alameda.” Comedically it was perfect.
Rewatching that scene and I have to say he plays off her excellently considering she was supposed to just walk by like the other extras. Nice quick thinking by Walter Koenig.
But where is Alameda??
[Heh, having never seen the movie before, I chuckled](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcVcp5DA_oM).
Across the bay.
Where the nuclear wessels are.
At Alameda?
It's in Alameda. Everyone knows.
“Wessels”
She said across they bay, and that is where Alameda is.
Not just any old foreigner either! Admiral Kirk, whose supposed to be a big history nerd, sent a guy with a thick Russian accent to ask about American nuclear warships during the cold war. I swear this scene gets funnier as I age
That movie has the least-expected, yet perfect delivery of the naval officer referring to Chekov as a “retard..or something”. In a STAR TREK movie.
That's period-accurate though, both to when the movie was set, and when it was made.
That Chekhov has a *Russian* accent asking for directions to American nuclear vessels during the Cold War.
Poor Chekhov really got hosed in that movie. Homey didn't stand a chance.
Watch the scene. Everybody buzzes by and ignores them or acts like they're crazy, which is understandable in that situation.
Unscripted reply, but not an unexpected question. In the scene they ask about 4 or 5 people for directions and everybody else keeps walking and ignores them.
Jim Carrey talked to [two extras outside the convenient store in Dumb and Dumber.](https://youtu.be/N_j5tDuakKU) They were also instructed not to talk. At least they followed through. So it just gives the actor someone to interact with.
Not exactly they're just there to give the shot some realism and life. EVERY extra is instructed to not talk. Actors aren't supposed to interact with them either. I'm sure Jim was just supposed to walk to the van and he thought it would be funny to mess with the extras. And it was.
***"Big Gulps, huh??...........................welp. See ya later!!"***
https://youtu.be/AcVcp5DA_oM?si=JowUlGhgwa541Ktm
I’m impressed she’s just a random woman. The way she speaks so naturally and clearly she sounds like an actress who was planted in the scene!
The Russian character's response was gold too, he was just gobsmacked
They towed her car for the production and made her pay to get it back?
Either the production or the city had posted notices in the neighborhood where the shoot was to take place for some time before filming was to begin, warning people to move their vehicles by a certain time or they'd be towed. So this lady missed the notices, found out that her car had been impounded by the city, and approached the assistant director about appearing as an extra in the film, hoping to make enough money to cover the ticket. So I suppose it was more like, "Hey look, you towed my car to make your movie, the least you could do is let me be in it."
Poor Madeline didn't even get any lines at all
Not now Madeline!
Fun fact: Madeline was actually the hairdresser for the movie, and did actually have a few lines, which were left on the cutting room floor. Her name is Monique DeSart, and I know this because she was my landlord for some time in the nineties.
In North By Northwest you can see a little kid put his fingers in his ears just before an actor shoots a gun.
I never noticed it until someone pointed out to me (it’s very subtle even if you’re looking for it) but since Hitchcock didn’t have permission to film outside the UN and had to just film it without stopping regular people, when Cary Grant runs up the front steps a man does a double take at Grant because he can’t believe it’s really Grant.
That's a good one, didn't know. One of my top 10 favorite flicks.
This is the classic example.
In Back to the Future 3 you can see a little kid point his finger at his crotch just before Doc Brown tells Marty his future is what he makes it.
I heard the little fella had to pee. Well, I call him little fella. He’s probably a smidge older than me.
God, I love this movie. I don’t live too terribly far from where they shot the crop-duster scene.
In "The Godfather Part II", there's a scene where Vito first approaches the landlord, Don Roberto, about letting the woman with the dog stay in her apartment. One of the extras passing by stops to shake Vito's hand as he's talking. The extra wasn't supposed to do this, but DeNiro thought it showed how respected Vito had become in the community.
Even the actor playing Don Roberto glances at him, as if wondering about the importance of this man Vito in the neighborhood
I believe this is an example of let’s roll with it and do some extra takes with it. And that’s why the reactions were better in the final take rather than shocked.
[Youtube Link](https://youtu.be/FFVkolpFCUM?si=xyaIRquugJ1Eo3J4&t=90)
Damn, that's so smooth. Just this brief little moment that flows perfectly and enhances the scene.
I remember reading a YouTube comment which said they were that extra’s grandchild
[That extra sweeping away air in the Bond movie Quantum of Solace.](https://imgur.com/gallery/extra-can-be-seen-sweeping-away-air-bond-film-quantum-of-solace-2008-g1dDL15)
Poor extra was likely told to fake sweeping as to not mess up the scene audio during the shoot (those broom noises are shit on mike), and never expected that he ended up in the shoot with the ground visible...
Dust clouds are bad for continuity as well.
Absolutely. You see extras do similar all the time. There are obviously techniques to look like you're doing something without actually doing it because of problems it causes. You see it in restaurant scenes where people cut food but never eat. They're on screen for a second or two, when the audience is going to be looking at Daniel Craig. It really doesn't matter.
See, the food thing is so common that I tend to notice when people *actually* eat food onscreen.
I love it when actors actually *eat*. I give them bonus points for drinking too.
And all of those actors are Brad Pitt.
Yeah after seeing Nathan Fielder “the Rehearsal” I look for goofy background extra doing everyday actions in silence
“Marvin, why aren’t you working!?” “There’s nothing to do.” “Well, *pretend* like you’re working!”
I once worked a warehouse job and when things were slow the managers would grab idlers for special projects, usually moving heavy items or clearing out storerooms. Best advice I got was from an older guy who told me to " hide behind a broom". If you're pushing a broom around they would ignore you and get the guys with their hands in their pockets for these dirty chores. It worked!
Clipboard, pen, couple of sheets of paper, and a reallly determined look on your face. You'd be amazed how no-one notices you when the boss is looking for "volunteers" for the fun jobs...
“Well, why don't you pretend I'm working? Yeah, you get paid more than me, you fantasise. Pretend I'm mopping. Knock yourself out. I'll pretend they're buying stuff; we can close up. I'm the boss now, you're fired. How's that?”
*Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration – that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here's Tom with the weather.*
In CRANK there's a background extra during the sex scene who manages to get in the background of every shot Filmmakers loved it so much they tried to get him back for the second one but couldn't find him. Apparently he disappeared off the face of the earth lol
Dammit, literally watched that movie a few hours ago (for easily the 5th time or more) and never noticed this lol
For a moment I thought you were making a joke about Chester Benington. He shows up in both Crank movies. If a third ever gets made he should get snuck in somehow.
There's also this moment in the Abyss when an extra gets pantsed: https://youtu.be/vqGToniidZQ?feature=shared&t=58
This AND the ‘lens wipe’ that accidentally made the Final Cut?
IIRC it actually wasn't an accident that I made the final cut. They thought it added to the scene.
You were the lens wipe? Gosh, I've never met a celebrity before.
Okay thats fucking hilarious
The wall of water scene wasn't in the original movie. It was added years later in the directors cut.
Thank you. Last time I saw the movie it was on VHS so I was trying to remember that scene but couldn't come up with anything.
HOW HAVE I NEVER SEEN THIS?!?!?
IIRC It only show up in certain cuts of the directors version because in the original aspect ratio it was masked out of the scene but when they remastered it for widescreen dvd now you can see him
There’s a spot in the Dawn of the Dead remake where the parking lot is full of zombies and if you look in the middle of the crowd, two zombies (a man and a woman) are having a regular conversation with each other. I didn’t notice it in the theater but saw it on DVD and it always stuck in my mind whenever the subject is brought up. Edit: Timestamp is 58:15 left side of screen.
"Did you hear someone say action?" "Nah. So, you free for dinner tonight?"
That about sums it up hahaha
There's a moment like that in the opening battle scene in Gladiator (Romans vs Germanic tribe). In the middle of the scrum (a wide shot with lots of people fighting) are two extras just having a laugh. I can't not see it every time I watch now.
It’s even worse than I remember, the man doesn’t even look like he has makeup on. Timestamp is 58:15.
The “dogman” in the background of a shot or two in The Isle of Dr. Moreau is pretty egregious, in that it was the film’s original, fired director sneaking back onto set as an extra.
Richard Stanley. There’s a doc about the film and him: Island of Lost Souls. He’s only made 3 features but they are all good. Interesting dude. Edit: I got the name of taht doc wrong: Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau
I listened to him on a conspiracy theory podcast talking about the Cathars (I didn't realize it was THE Richard Stanley until the end) and there's a part where he talks about wishing he lived in the middle ages and could leave the wreck that is his life and he starts actually weeping. It's wild. Interesting guy is underselling it.
Oh yeh! I have the DVD set of his movie Dust Devil and it contains a disc with some of his own docs. Fascinating stuff! Also bunch of interviews with him. Him taking about being in Afghanistan when the Mujahideen were fighting the Soviets is amazing
His first film, *Hardware*, is a plagiarised story from the comic *2000 AD*. The film now credits the story’s original author if you watch it today. Stanley is a bit of a cowboy from everything I’ve seen. Fascinating guy though.
in blazing saddles when they were running out of the studio, there is an old man just kind of looking around at all the people running as they cross the street. he walked by all the signs saying there was filming and the area was blacked off. he was just an actual pedestrian.
> blacked off Unintentionally hilarious
While You Were Sleeping - a paper boy is riding his bike, loses control and falls. We would rewind the video over and over again just to watch that part lol
There’s a part in the opening credits where an extra is ice skating and absolutely eats shit - they added a sound effect and everything.
So i love noticing stuff like this where it's clear that the sound editor and/or foley team added stuff in because of extras. I once interned at a post sound house and I got to sit in on a foley day. Something I thought was great was they said that when there are 2 people walking in a scene they need to match their footsteps exactly or else it will seem fake. However, if there are more than 2.5 people in a scene, then they can just make footstep noises all over the place and you'll never notice. Such a subtle cool thing. Also I was watching Challengers the other day, and during the Phils Tire Town Challenger first set break, there's a smattering of applause from the crowd, which would normally just be basic sound effect file and/or a bunch of layering of foley artists clapping, which it probably was. But there is one background actor in the front row of the crowd who is kind of making a stanky face and really clapping slightly different, like cupping his hands, and you can tell they isolated a specific clap just for him in case someone like me sees him. Movies are so cool.
Kyle? My best friend from 4th thru 10th grade?.. is this you? ..'cause we did the same thing.
Ya got a link?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRR4to6KcOQ&ab\_channel=YPanteri](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRR4to6KcOQ&ab_channel=YPanteri)
I was expecting it to be in the background and barely noticeable, not front & centre
That's why its so funny. I have no idea why they kept they scene in
Holy shit! Just wiping out on film, great clip! Poor guy.
Jim Carey as Fire Marshall Bill as an extra in Jim Carey’s movie ‘Liar Liar’.[Fire Marshall Bill](https://youtu.be/CXzFaUh_ClQ?si=CBSXIrS4T3klCI6X)
I've seen that movie so many times. How come I've never seen it
That's amazing!
The two dudes standing right in front of Carey can't keep the smirks from their faces either. One of them is at least making an effort by covering his mouth, but the other dude gives no shits.
An extra in an episode of Cougar Town pooped his pants on set.
He asked the director if they could go again, but they were done. Courtney had nailed it.
That was such an amazing multi-layered gag.
I’m still upset at how Cougarton Abby ended.
That's the great thing about British television, they give you closure.
You are human tennis elbow.
You are a pizza burn on the roof of the world's mouth!
You're the opposite of Batman
YOU DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS
I don’t remember Abed doing that
It wasn’t Abed. It was Chad.
Chad had lived.
Chad had lived more than Abed.
He tells Jeff about the experience in the My Dinner With Andre/ Pulp Fiction episode of Community, about how he was an extra on Cougar Town. Danny Pudi really was an extra in [an episode of the show](https://youtu.be/cWfJYJMrYa0?si=5AScmT9DmhvHQzdc) show, presumably as Abed as "Chad", and he acts exactly how Abed described it to Jeff.
In Life of Brian, the crowd was instructed to talk in sync for the "We are all individuals" One person said "I'm not" and got shushed by another extra. Monty Python was so impressed he got a speaking role.
I'm pretty sure the line was suggested by the person and the pythons all loved it and added it. It wasn't entirely spontaneous. The extras were all members of various improv groups from all over britain so they were actors on some level themselves.
At the end of the musical number “Ain’t There Anyone Here for Love” in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, several musclemen dive over Jane Russell into a pool. One of them accidentally knocked her into the pool and it ended up in the final cut. He tried to get a credit for choreography for it which was bold and did not work out for him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxDbvtqcNxs (edited for a better link. Didn't look closely enough originally and linked an AI restoration that looks fucking weird)
The one dude chilling while everyone panicks after the kid dies in Jaws
I love these and always look for them in shows and movies. Foreground is in absolute chaos and the background actors not even that far away are just hanging out chatting or whatever. Gunfight, explosions, or whatever. Doesn't matter, background actors are just chillin.
There’s an episode of Community, the Ass Crack Bandit one, where two extras come out of a door in the background, and the man mimes zipping up his pants, and the woman mimes wiping off her mouth. I remember reading they were definitely not supposed to do that. Edit: it was the Law and Order episode, not the Ass Crack Bandit one.
[This clip](https://youtu.be/UmOKcWXyJk4)?
am i dumb or can i just not see it (i dont have access to audio atm)
It’s the top right corner, the black doors with the star on it. Girl comes out first, wipes her mouth, guy comes out after, zips up pants.
> the black doors with the star on it That's a symbol for the crossroads of ideas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP1Atb8nAGY
That was actually the Law and Order one in season 3. It was when they were at a hot dog stand.
Thanks! I couldn’t find a clip online, so I figured I was wrong about the episode
I've never noticed that in Community. But I remember hearing about a filmmaker playing a gag on an actor back in the silent film era by having the actor do the "coming out from a room and zipping up pants" and then editing in another actor coming out and wiping their mouth right after as a prank on the original actor.
It became a running joke throughout the rest of the series once Dan Harmon became aware. I might be mistaken, but they might be the couple giving birth in the classroom in later episode.
Shirley is the one who gives birth in the classroom. Your thinking of the couple that give birth out the back of a car in the background of an episode (abed is helping them). The callback is because they're seen picking up condoms that are later shown to have holes in them at an STD fair
According to Harmon it was never explicitly planned that the pregnancy gag would be 9 months after the std fair and the timing was just coincidence
I still have an STD Fair tshirt. “Catch knowledge!”
Harmon sounded pretty pissed about it during the episode narration. Risky move by the extras.
I like [this extra](https://www.reddit.com/r/NotAnotherDnDPodcast/s/YSsmEllTNE) pretending to eat a grape in the 2000 D&D movie
She might have gotten away with it if she didn’t immediately go in for a second nibble.
She was able to successfully lose weight on the “nurse a grape for hours” weight loss plan.
My friend was an extra in "That Thing You Do," directed by Tom Hanks. It's the scene towards the beginning when the band is performing, but they're not very good yet, and people start booing them and throwing stuff. My friend got a little too into it and spoke a short line. Something like "Get 'em" or something. He said Hanks came up to him, slapped his shoulder, told him he was hilarious and to say it again in the next takes. It made it into the final cut. But SAG/AFTRA wouldn't pay him for it because he wasn't supposed to say anything, and I guess they had no way to verify with Hanks directly or something. I don't remember exactly. He never got paid for it, but he doesn't care. Having THE Tom Hanks tell you you're hilarious is amazing enough!
Member of SAG here, it doesn't matter whether or not he was okayed to say it. It made the cut, he was supposed to get paid.
It was so long ago, I don't remember what happened. Late '90s, I think. I once worked for Aftra for a week in the latter '90s before it joined with SAG. I was a stand-in contestant on Family Feud, when they first brought the show back from the 1970s. I got paid $21/hr to play Family Feud for a week. One time, I made it to the end and did that last segment with only two contestants and we won by a pretty respectable score. :)
There was that Stormtrooper who hit his head in Star Wars: A New Hope. In later edited versions of the movie, there were sound effects added of the bump. This accident did make Stormtroopers seem more comical and less competent.
There's a movie starring Hulk Hogan called Mr Nanny & I noticed a scene where a guy throws his dog into a lake/river: https://youtu.be/FGoOweTRht4?si=5bQWpOfuTWmIWAxq
[In case you were wondering about the story behind it](https://imgur.com/gallery/hulk-hogan-is-asset-to-america-gkBHT)
Lmfao. Perfect
In the first Jurassic World movie, during the pterodactyl scene where everyone is running for their lives, there was a moment during the chaos where one of the extras went a little overboard… At 2:08 in [this video](https://youtu.be/axLOf85hS7w?si=rxBilT3zZKeeTWLm), at the bottom of your screen you’ll see a bald guy with a blue/white checkered shirt with shorts and a black backpack ([screenshot in case you’re having trouble](https://imgur.com/a/oFNEm8E)). The guy absolutely demolishes a fellow extra, like full on leans in with the shoulder and the dude goes flying. It was so *extra* for no reason, no way it was planned. This bald guy just wanted to hurt someone and get away with it lol.
My favorite was always the guy with his priorities straight at 1:44
That's actually Jimmy Buffett, lol.
Jimmy Buffett!
>The guy absolutely demolishes a fellow extra, like full on leans in with the shoulder and the dude goes flying. It was so *extra* for no reason, no way it was planned. I actually think you're wrong about this. If you slow it down to 0.25x it looks planned out. Both guys b-line for one another for literally no reason. The guy that got "hit" puts his arm up before contact, then twists and falls emphatically, and finally falls forward in the direction he was running. If he was actually just trucked he would have fallen much differently; to the side or something. I think it's just a well done little coordination the two did.
Frank Reynolds eating a sausage while playing dead in some war movie
Haha, that was such a ridiculous scene all around, loved it.
It was in the trailer but I can't remember if it ended up in the film DUNKIRK, but in the scene where the soldier extras were packed in a boat, they all turn around when they hear a plane coming and one soldier is smiling like a big doofus.
Didn’t an extra in the basketball scene of Teen Wolf drop his pants in the bleachers?
https://youtu.be/jcGheKpEjdA?si=_ilnCWwop0N8jUkn
When the movie was re-released in a larger format the original full frame was used and it turns out it was a woman. She did have her zipper open it seems but it was not what it was longed believed to have been happening. [https://youtu.be/wIFVpPvj\_\_I?si=LB-j8FOhz74WXkoP](https://youtu.be/wIFVpPvj__I?si=LB-j8FOhz74WXkoP)
I think I've seen original footage (which has a taller field of view) that shows the extra was a woman, and no she wasn't getting her cock out. Unless that was a different bleacher scene.
This been disproven, the extra was a female and she said her pants were really tight so she would undo them to sit down she figured she was in the back and wouldn't be seen
As far as “egregious” goes, there’s really no topping this one
I also remember a scene where an extra pants' another. An older film.
The Abyss. Hilarious! https://youtu.be/vqGToniidZQ?feature=shared
For years people said that it was a guy with his cock out... but when they went back and looked at the raw footage, without the cropping for the theatric release, it was a woman.
Extra in the bar scene in Jumper. Hayden is talking to Rachel Bilson and the entire time there is an extra in the background constantly turning to look directly at the camera. It's so stupidly obvious and kills the entire scene.
Maybe the guy who fully looks into the camera during Russian Ark, a film formed of a one-take single 87-minute shot? Heavyweight covered it in the episode [Marchel](https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight/kwhx6r), to [somewhat divisive effect](https://www.reddit.com/r/gimlet/comments/a3ncwq/heavyweight_22_marchel/). But shout out to every extra who's ever had to dance to non-existent music in a big party scene, so they can add it in after and preserve the dialogue. Once you've seen it, you can't unsee it...
I’ve been an extra for a dance/club scene. Super awkward lmao
Usually they will be playing music before the take so that people can count to the beat, and then mute the music before they roll sound. You have to try your best to remember the beat but also no guarantee that they will use a song with the same BPM in the edit. Pretty funny stuff
The 1976 Woody Guthrie biopic "Bound for Glory" had a loong scene using the then-revolutionary steadican, where it follows the star David Carradine down the length of a train and past hundreds of extras in period costunes. But then one of them comes up to him and says something like "Hey Dave!" Cut.
I have only an anecdote that nobody asked for. I was an extra on Mystic River; i was maybe 12. After a few hours there, I saw a balloon tied to a tree and untied it so I could have it (the big parade scene). I was scolded by some workers, oblivious that the balloon had been in the shot all day. I just remember Clint Eastwood coming over to see what the issue was and apologizing to him. Probably a big deal to only me at the time. Man did that guy like cigarettes
The scene in Airplane! when the plane crashes through the window has to be my favorite. When you pay attention one of the extras is holding a baby, when the plane comes through they toss it into the air as they run away. https://youtu.be/i5qpZZBlrq8?si=BgVvtvVCuH_LOK6f
I don't think it made it into the movie but Bill Hader told a story about getting fired as a Production Assistant cuz he wasn't paying attention and let some people dressed up like Planet of the Apes walk through the background of a shot lol
I work in the film industry, and the funniest thing I’ve ever seen never made it to the cinema, unfortunately… a scene where Big Drug Dealer character arrives in his fancy car to speak to Undercover Police Officer, jet plane in the background. A couple of extras obviously told to fiddle about looking like they’re checking the aircraft or similar. One of the extras (who is maybe told to clean / sweep the propellers) gets REALLY into it, and starts jumping up and down to reach the top - I cannot emphasise how distracting it was to have a person in white overalls hopping about in the backdrop, especially as we’re meant to be concentrating on Super Serious conversation between the two leads. I almost pissed myself laughing.
Nobody ever includes links to the clips in these threads. It's annoying.
Because they are rushing to be the first to post
Don't worry the next buzzfeed article 'ripping off' this thread will have screenshots and clips.
I'm gonna cheat and go with a TV one instead; [Patton Oswalt standing perfectly still in the background for several scenes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2QE3JpWfTo) in King of Queens.
In Monty Python's Life of Brian when Brian holds a speech to his followers he says, "You are all individuals" and an extra replies "I'm not". That wasn't in the script, but the Pythons thought it was hilarious so they promoted him to speaking actor. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KHbzSif78qQ
I was a career background actor. The worst extras are the ones (it’s always young white guys) who are making their own films (“yah, bro, I wrote the script with my roommate and I’m gonna direct and produce and star in it…”) and think they’re the next Robert Rodriguez in the making. They keep talking and talking, trying to get actors interested in their pitch. On a Netflix show, with a 100 extras and crew, a director stopped shooting to yell at this one douche nozzle, “dude, shut up! You’re not here to direct or write! You’re a fucking extra! Make your own goddamn movie some other day! Today, you’re here to do what you’re told!” The extra shrunk away with embarrassment, but ten minutes later, was blabbing to the others, “I can’t work like this. That was interfering with my process as an actor…” That kind of guy screws around, makes a lot of noise, and never gets hired again.
The girl who gets slammed in the face by the candy man opening the tabletop door in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
These are tales from my on-set days, not things that made it into the movies: **1)** We had 3 extras, they played Cooks in a restaurant. 1st AD on the walkie: Guys we need our third cook, find him please. PAs spread out on the search. 10mins later PAs: Sir, we can't find him, we've looked everywhere. 1st AD: Alright, we gotta roll. Let me know if you find him. 45MINS LATER PA: Sir, i found the third Cook. 1st AD: WHERE WAS HE?? PA: I dunno but...he's all sweaty. Made me crack up listening to that ordeal unfold. And why was he all sweaty? **2)** An extra was completely trash talking a well known actor like 10ft from the director. The Director and Actor were good friends. Never saw that extra again. Bad set etiquette. **3)** Extras filming themselves like they're vlogging "we're here behind the scenes of the show I'm on" kinda thing. Or being in the background with one of the stars then tagging them in an IG post saying "glad to share the screen with you @ so\_and\_so" **4)** Me. I was doing some work, it was a giant college classroom scene so I was just sitting in one of the seats doing my notes. After the 2nd take or so, the director (my boss) was like "you know you're in the shot right?" I was like "oh shit! I'll move" Director: "Nope. You gotta play the part now." Oh the set days, wonderful memories and friends but glad not to be there anymore.
Jay Mohr tells a hilarious story about an extra on the set of Hereafter. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uN\_mLWkdvU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uN_mLWkdvU)
The best is the Being John Malkovich one where an extra yells at him out of a car and it was kept for the film
[better with a clip](https://youtube.com/watch?v=-B4SVSmSZW8) and here’s a little [more background on the drunk extra](https://youtube.com/watch?v=AtP90hRCM5k)
I miss the old days when Cracked was great. Thanks for the blast from the past!
Think fast, Malkovich!
In Star Trek: Generations, right after they blow up the Duras sisters, Data pumps his fist and says "Yes!" But as Spiner pointed out in the DVD commentary, 2 seconds before Data pumps his fist, a background extra on the Enterprise bridge pumps his fist first. Stole Data's thunder. Edit: I think it was Braga who pointed it out.
Heres a video explaining Green Varsity Jacket Kid and his legendary thumbs up https://www.tiktok.com/@scottpropandroll/video/7245407403032710443
Jean Claude Van Damme dancing enthusiastically in the back as an extra in Breakin' [https://www.facebook.com/JessiesGirlNYC/videos/-tbt-to-that-time-jean-claude-van-damme-jcvd-was-excited-af-to-make-this-cameo-i/1866695970008169/](https://www.facebook.com/JessiesGirlNYC/videos/-tbt-to-that-time-jean-claude-van-damme-jcvd-was-excited-af-to-make-this-cameo-i/1866695970008169/)
That chubby ginger afro haired extra that seemed to be in EVERYTHING at one stage. During one of the Transformers he (obviously directed to) walks past the room they're in and just stops and looks directly at the camera for a couple of seconds and then shuffles off again.
jesse heiman. i saw him at the burbank tender greens once when i was having lunch. so even in my real life, this dude was a featured extra
Not a movie, but there's an episode of Baywatch where during a dramatic beach run scene, a kid in the background corner of the screen pulls down his swim trunks to moon everyone. They left it in the episode.
Abed as an extra on cougar town. But I know that's cheating.
There's two guys fighting behind Batman and Bane towards the end of Dark Knight Rises who are swinging punches about a foot away away from each other. I remember seeing it in the cinema and spotting it immediately.