Everyone loves watching a good film. Getting all cozy on a Friday night and curling up in a blanket on your couch with popcorn to view one of your favorites is one of the best ways to spend a night in. Thankfully for the cinephiles of the world, there are even online communities to bond with others over love of film. The fun facts on this list have all come from the Movie Details subreddit, which has amassed 3.1 million members since its creation in 2017. 

This group celebrates all of the tiny tidbits found in films, particularly details viewers wouldn’t catch on the first watch and often ones that viewers would never know without having background information. Popular topics in the community are trivia, Easter eggs, props/costumes, continuity, foreshadowing and actor choice.      

While the average viewer does not know very much about the filmmaking process, finding out background information about movies can help demystify the “movie magic”. For example, cameos including family members of the director are apparently common, according to various posts on Movie Details. Props and costumes being repeated in various films are also fun details fans often point out in the subreddit. Finding these fun facts makes watching movies more exciting, because viewers start paying closer attention and are always on the lookout for hidden messages. When we understand all of the thought that goes into films, it helps us have a greater appreciation for the art and makes us even more curious when watching movies in the future.    

Making a film is an incredibly time consuming and difficult process, but learning about how it’s done is always exciting for those of us outside of the industry. Obsev published a list of “25 Hidden Movie Industry Secrets That You Don’t Know” to provide a little insight for curious viewers. The first thing they note is that sometimes actors actually use pieces of their own clothes in films. If they have a pair of jeans or shoes that works perfectly for the character, there’s no need to find a new pair. In The Big Lebowksi, for example, many of Jeff Bridge’s costumes came right out of his own closet. 

Another interesting tidbit deals with product placement in films. We’ve all noticed it before: suddenly a pair of Beats headphones or a shiny new Mercedes Benz appears on screen. Or maybe a character makes a point to mention that they’re ordering pizza from Domino’s. But when it comes to cell phones, Apple is particular about who is allowed to use their famous iPhone. According to Obsev, Apple does not allow villain characters to be seen using iPhones, to prevent audiences from associating their product with “bad guys”. Rian Johnson, director of Knives Out, cited this as an issue he encountered when working on the film.  

While it’s not surprising that many effects in movies are staged, including weather conditions, lighting and sound effects, actors’ bodies are also adjusted to portray them in a certain way. We’ve all seen impressive prosthetics and makeup looks, (Johnny Depp is almost unrecognizable in Black Mass) but even the height of actors can be manipulated. Sometimes platform shoes are provided to make actors appear taller. Robert De Niro wore them in The Irishman to tower over Al Pacino, and Daniel Craig wore them in Quantum of Solace to meet Gemma Arterton at eye level. It’s rumored that Margot Robbie’s legs were also edited in The Wolf of Wall Street to make them appear longer.     

Another movie secret that’s a bit more surprising than all of the visual effects is that sometimes A-list actors are fed their lines through earpieces, when they can’t be bothered to learn them all. Robert Downey Jr. has admitted to using this tactic before, as he didn’t want to waste time learning lines that would inevitably be rewritten. Johnny Depp has also been rumored to use an earpiece on set for his lines, according to his ex-managers. Depp does not deny these claims, but he emphasizes that his earpiece is for environmental sounds. “I’ve got bagpipes, a baby crying and bombs going off,” he told Rolling Stone. “It creates a truth. Some of my biggest heroes were in silent film. It had to be behind the eyes. And my feeling is, that if there’s no truth behind the eyes, doesn’t matter what the f***ing words are.”

Our fascination with movie making has led to some of the most popular tourist destinations around the world. Film studio tours are a favorite stop for many tourists visiting Los Angeles, Rome, Mumbai, London, Tokyo and more cities. Warner Bros. has a tour in Los Angeles where visitors can see WB backlots, used for anything from Casablanca to Friends, and special exhibitions featuring the Batman and Harry Potter franchises. If you’re a true Potterhead, don’t miss the WB tour in London, featuring countless props and sets from the beloved films. Visitors can stroll through Diagon Alley, marvel at Gringott’s Bank, check out Hagrid’s motorcycle and grab a glass of butterbeer while you’re at it. And if you ever find yourself in Tokyo, be sure to stop by the Studio Ghibli Museum, which recreates the classic magical worlds of many Miyazaki films.   

When it comes to iconic actors of our time, Johnny Depp is certainly many people’s favorite. He’s been working in Hollywood for nearly four decades on almost 100 films and has been nominated for three Oscars, while winning countless other awards. But what is it about him that makes his work so compelling? Well, for one thing, he takes on extremely challenging roles. Many of his characters are quirky and absurd, from vampires to pirates to evil barbers, Depp is never afraid of a challenge. He immerses himself in these characters that are so much larger than life, yet he makes them feel like real people. He has a true gift for making audiences relate to the craziest of characters.  

Depp has also mentioned in an interview that acting for him is much more about the creative process than the final product. Often, he doesn’t even watch the films he stars in. “I’ve always kind of tried to avoid them as much as possible,” he says. “I just prefer the experience. I like the experience, I like the process, I like doing the work. But then, you know if I’ve got to see myself – I don’t like to see the thing become the product, I suppose. Once they say ‘You’re wrapped’ on the film, it really is none of your business. The director is going to take that performance or whatever options you gave him and the editor, and they’re going to do with it what they want.”

In 2018, Depp spoke at a masterclass during the Hainan International Film Festival in China, explaining a bit of his process and providing advice for aspiring actors and filmmakers. One thing he noted is the importance of observation. “One of my favorite things in the world is watching people,” he said. “There are always new things to observe when you are seeking opportunities for observation.” Depp explained that it’s vital for actors to pick up on the body language and speaking styles of others to have inspiration to pull from in their own work. He later noted that every take an actor does should be a little different. “The most important thing an actor can do for a film is to provide choices. I think you're only doing half a job if you don't deliver options to the director." 

Reading this list is making me want to settle in for a Johnny Depp marathon with a pen and paper ready to catch all of the tiny details I had never seen before. While it’s fun to relax and watch films without thinking critically, it can also be exciting to recognize filmmakers and actors for all the small, behind the scenes details. Be sure to upvote your favorite fun facts from this list, then let us know in the comments below what your favorite Johnny Depp film is!