Hands Down The Best Times Actors Broke The Rest Of The Cast

There are few things more entertaining to watch than a behind-the-scenes moment where an actor breaks and laughs along with the joke instead of staying in character. That's why we've made a video out about the funniest, most memorable, and most charming instances of actors breaking their castmates during filming. It's mandatory viewing, not just if you're on the lookout for a good laugh yourself, but for anyone who likes to take a peak behind the curtain of Hollywood sets.

There's something uniquely revealing about those moments in which the necessary steeliness of acting — the carefully-sustained illusion that everything within a show or film's universe is actually happening — gives way to the atavistic human impulse to just giggle at silly stuff. It's a testament to the fact that actors are human beings first and foremost. Even A-listers are not immune to reacting sincerely to funny things, no matter how experienced they are.

These moments often remind us that cast members are usually friends in real life. Of course, that's not always the case (there are plenty of TV friends who couldn't stand each other in real life). But, for the most part, actors who get on well with each other give the best performances. A by-product of getting so close is that the temptation to goof around creeps in — after all, who hasn't tried to make a friend laugh when they know they shouldn't?

Even though actors are not supposed to break each other while filming movies and TV shows, the fact that they manage to do it, intentionally or not, is a good sign. It signifies a good relationship, and the bloopers in themselves can be valuable as a method of promotion, with memorable outtakes often racking up lots of views online. Character break bloopers can reveal a sense of intimacy and camaraderie between actors, which is pretty much essential if you want a production to go smoothly and ultimately be successful.

Of course, most character breaks happen on the sets of comedies. These actors have been cast precisely because they're great at making people laugh, and it's sometimes hard for those around them on set to stifle their laughter, even when they've read the script and know what's coming. For comedy actors, many of whom have backgrounds in stand-up and improv, trying to make people laugh is second nature. 

Even dramatic films and shows can benefit from the kind of behind-the-scenes levity and chemistry that produces memorable character breaks. As long as everybody gets back on track, it's all in good fun, and it's not unheard of for the goofy moments to end up being better than what was originally intended — there are plenty of bloopers that made the final cut on "The Office," for example. For a round-up of all the best character breaks, check out Looper's video above.