Nancy Olson, the Oscar-nominated actress for Sunset Boulevard and William Holden’s on-screen love interest, recalls how they enjoyed sharing intimacy on set.
The 1950 noir comedy-drama Sunset Boulevard marks its 75th anniversary this year.
Speaking with PEOPLE for the occasion, Olson revealed that she and Holden filmed many kissing and cuddling scenes that they genuinely enjoyed.
“We loved to embrace – we loved to hug each other, and we loved to kiss,” Olson told the outlet.
However, the Oscar nominee is quick to clarify, “This did not lead anywhere.”
“But there was a wonderful affection and regard for each other,” she added, “and an understanding of what we were both going through at the time. So we loved to kiss!”
She remembers that filmmaker Billy Wilder, infamous for his playful streak, took great delight in testing the boundaries of the co-stars’ on-screen chemistry during one particular scene.
“It was shot at night – I arrived at 6 p.m.; by 7 p.m., it was dark, and we were on a balcony,” the actress recalled. “Below us were tables and chairs set for dinner, and there were people having a party underneath our love scene – among them was [the director’s wife] Audrey Wilder and Mrs Holden, Ardis Holden. And this was a little… it gave me a sense of being on edge.”
Olson added that during rehearsal, Wilder instructed her co-star to kiss her and not stop until he said “cut”, though they never actually kissed in practice.
Once the cameras rolled, however, her co-star pulled her into an intense embrace and they shared a long, unbroken kiss that went far beyond what she expected.
After what felt like an eternity, Olson recalled, “Finally, there was a female voice below us who said, ‘Cut, dammit! Cut!’ And it was Mrs Holden.”
RELATED: 5 times Sydney Sweeney grabbed attention with unhinged moves