Anna Kendrick Says 'F--- You' to Director Who Embarrassed Her in Front of 100 Extras: 'It Was Very Icky'

Mar. 15, 2025

Anna Kendrick in 2024.Photo:Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

Kayla Oaddams/WireImage

Anna Kendrickis reflecting on an “icky” moment she experienced in her career.

On the Oct. 28 episode of theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast which was taped live at the 92Y, thePitch Perfectalum, 39, told Josh Horowitz about the feedback she got from a director that humiliated her in front of 100 extras.

“I remember a director once in a room full of 100 extras or something being like, ‘Hey, on this next one just try something. Just make something up. Just improv something,' " Kendrick said when asked about the worst note she ever received from a director.

“And [I did it] and then the director called cut and came over and, once again in front of 100 extras, was like, ‘Oof, let’s go back to the script!’ "

Anna Kendrick in 2022.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

“It really felt like a very specific power move thing to embarrass me, to gain dominance. It was very icky,” Kendrick said, not naming the movie or the director.

Kendrick shared that her improv moment was ultimately included in the movie’s trailer months later. “And then the thing that I improved ended up in the trailer. So f— you!” she added, to which the live audience applauded her.

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The actress told PEOPLE in Octoberthat doing both at the same time “was a little bit like directing with a blindfold on.” After acting in a scene, she would “basically run to the monitor, ask to see 30 seconds from the middle of that take and be like, ‘Okay, fingers crossed that there’s no surprises when I get into the edit.’ "

Anna Kendrick in 2024.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

“And there were some surprises, but we just had to keep it pushing,” she continued. “We had 24 days [to shoot] and we had the resources that we had and we had to just keep trucking.”

Woman of the Houris now streaming on Netflix.

source: people.com