Seth Rogen Shares Hilarious Behind-the-Scenes Moment with Penélope Cruz in ‘The Invite’

Seth Rogen recently shared a humorous anecdote about filming an intimate scene with Penélope Cruz for their upcoming movie ‘The Invite’, revealing that he couldn’t stop expressing his gratitude.

During an appearance on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ with guest host Ike Barinholtz, Rogen discussed how the cast was encouraged to improvise in certain scenes, including a romantic moment between his character and Cruz’s.

He explained that this improvisation led him to repeatedly thank Cruz during the scene, a reaction he hadn’t planned. “There’s a scene where me and her are having a romantically charged moment, and it seems like we might hook up with one another, and I just kept saying, ‘Thank you,’” Rogen recalled. The director, Olivia Wilde, noticed this unusual choice and questioned him about it.

“And Olivia Wilde, the director, was just like, ‘Why? What are you doing? Why do you keep saying ‘Thank you?’” Rogen remembered. He admitted he couldn’t explain it, as it was simply his instinctive reaction at the time.

“And I was like, ‘I don’t know. It’s just what’s coming out of my mouth,’” he said, joking that this response reflected how he would likely react in real life under similar circumstances.

“All I have is gratitude,” he added. “I would be apologetic and thankful. I’m sorry.”

Rogen also joked about feeling nervous while filming the scene, considering Cruz is married to fellow Oscar winner Javier Bardem. He acknowledged this made him more aware of the unusual situation. “So, you’re very worried about that,” he said, before humorously adding, “I don’t think he views me as a legitimate threat in any way, shape or form.”

Rogen also mentioned that some of the film’s funniest moments were born from on-the-spot ideas. One notable instance involved Cruz suggesting a surprising musical twist during a romantic scene. “It was Penélope Cruz’s idea,” Rogen said. “There’s a scene where we’re being romantic, and she was like, ‘What if I start singing Sade to you?’ which is sort of sexy, but also kind of hilarious at the same time.”

Rogen contributed his own idea, which had an unexpected downside. He suggested that his character could struggle to remove his pants during the scene and fall over. “It’s funny if I’m trying to get my pants off and maybe I struggle, and I fall down in the scene,” he explained. “And I did it. Everyone’s like, ‘That was great.’” However, this joke led to an actual injury for him. “And then I hurt my shoulder for seven months,” Rogen quipped.

‘The Invite’, directed by Olivia Wilde, tells the story of a married couple, played by Wilde and Rogen, whose relationship becomes complicated after they meet a wealthy couple portrayed by Cruz and Edward Norton.

Wilde has also shared her own surprising behind-the-scenes story from the film. During an appearance on the ‘Table Manners’ podcast, she revealed that Cruz unexpectedly kissed her during filming, completely catching her off guard. “I was so shocked,” Wilde said. “I turned my head and looked directly into the lens.”

With its blend of improvisation, comedy, and unexpected moments, ‘The Invite’ has already generated plenty of memorable stories for its cast before audiences even get to see the finished film.

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