What's the last time you, entertainment expert, were actually wrong?

Marcy Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 04:20 PM EST

I bet my boyfriend a million dollars that the lady that played the old lady in The Wedding Singer was the same lady that played in the Titanic. I was 100% convinced it was the same person. Then I went to IMDB & had to eat crow!!!

MH Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 08:52 AM EST

This was before they hit it big but for the longest time I thought the name of the band INXS was pronounced "inks" not "in excess" When the radio stations started playing "in excess" I thought they were a separate band.

Heleno Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 05:18 AM EST

I have a colleague who, for years, had an odd misconception about Star Wars. When Obi-Wan says that he felt a disturbance in the Force, as if "millions of voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced" (or words to that effect) he heard "millions of oysters". Which, in retrospect, he admitted didn't make much sense.

Zach Sun, Jul 20, 2008 at 08:54 PM EST

to joules - wasn't keira barely in it, though, with many early scenes w/portman as amidala pretending to be the servant? my mistake: i had a group recital in kindergarten and we had to michael jackson's "heal the world"...only i *swore* he was singing "kill the world" - and i had no choice but to sing what i was hearing...

Bear Sun, Jul 20, 2008 at 08:17 PM EST

Um, apparently, according to the Jeopardy! episode I saw a few days ago, Celine Dion's "Falling Into You" won Album of the Year at the 1996 Grammys. Now, I own it, owned it then, still know all the words. But I will refuse to believe the album actually took home the top prize until I google it in a few seconds.

(It is the top prize, right? I think we're all starting to doubt ourselves a little bit now...)

Julie Sun, Jul 20, 2008 at 03:06 PM EST

I so thought Jennifer Connolly won the Best Supporting Actress in 2006, not Rachel Weisz. That one felt bad.

Nathan Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 11:09 PM EST

and thank you Dom, that was good for a laugh, you and your ass, awesome.

Nathan Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 11:05 PM EST

I once believed that Ben Kingsley was picky about the roles he took. Do I feel silly.

dom Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 06:36 PM EST

One thing I thought until I was into adulthood, in Superman, when General Zod is being sentenced to the Phantom Zone by Jorel and the council, he yells that Jorel will one day bow down before him, "both you, and your heirs", but because of Terrence Stamps accent, or my own weird imagination, or both, I always thought he said "both you, and your a$$". I only discovered my mistake many years later, when I was telling a friend that it was a really cool line, but didn't really make any sense. He patiently explained to me that he said heirs, which set up Zod's confrontation with Superman in the sequel. I nodded politely, but didn't believe him, until I watched it again, I had to rewind it a few times to get my mind to accept it.

joules Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 04:00 PM EST

I bet a friend recently that Corey Feldman's first role was as Danny Torrence, the little boy in "The Shining" (1980). Turns out it was some other kid named Danny Lloyd. But I still think the kid looks like Corey Feldman.

joules Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 03:55 PM EST

To Yoja - I had no idea until now that Keira Knightly played Princess Amidala's servant girl/lookalike in the Star Wars movie - I always thought Natalie Portman was playing a dual role, with the Princess disguising herself as a servant to hide from assassins. Of course, I haven't watched that movei since it first came out in theaters, so I wouldn't have recognized Keira Knightley back then.

Dru Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 03:50 PM EST

I lost a bet once that Matthew McConaughey was in Sweet Home Alabama. Turns out it was Josh Lucas. Now I can kind of tell them apart.

However, I will never be able to tell Leslie Bibb (Crossing Jordan, Iron Man, Popular) apart from Maggie Grace (Lost). Are we sure they are not the same person?

Ashleigh Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 03:40 PM EST

When trying to remember who sang a particular song, a friend who tried to convince me the song "Smoke on the Water" was actually sung by Elton John.

Jay Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 02:48 PM EST

Fred- Vanessa Marcil is Nicholas Cage's girlfriend in The Rock. Claire Forlani is Sean Connery's daughter.

DK Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 01:25 PM EST

When I was very young I thought the Hunchback of Notre Dame was a football player!

Fred Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 01:21 AM EST

And now I just found Forlani on ImDb's listing for "the Rock". So I was right, right? I wasn't totally wrong for ten years, I'm just getting senile now! Right? What was Marcil doing in that movie, dammit? I guess I'm gonna have to play the dvd, or I'll never sleep again.

Fred Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 01:09 AM EST

For a good ten years I lived my life knowing for a fact that Nicholas Cage's girlfriend in "the Rock" was Claire Forlani. Turns out it was Vanessa Marcil. I just don't know what happened.

CSK Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 12:13 AM EST

I actually said aloud that Spielberg and Lucas did a great job on Star Wars/Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi only to be informed, quite haughtily, that Spielberg was NOT involved. Ooopppsss.

kim in kentucky Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 08:36 PM EST

For the longest time, I thought that Fred Astaire was the actor's last name - Fredastaire (one word) - never thought about what his first name was!

Andrea Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 08:14 PM EST

Even though I was born in 1990, I'm a huge '80s movies geek. But up until recently, I thought Matt Dillon played Bunny in "Platoon." I checked the credits and realized the role was played by his brother Kevin.
In my defense, though, Kevin looks and sounds exactly like Matt.

Yoja Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 06:00 PM EST

Does no one else confuse Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley? For years I was convinced it was actually Keira who played Amidala and Natalie was the double. Woops. And now that I look back it amazes me, because Keira is so much the better actress that there is no way it could have been her!

Kat Angus Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 05:32 PM EST

I once bet my brother-in-law a million dollars that Robert Downey, Jr. played Mozart in Amadeus.

Luckily for me, a little while later, my sister bet me a million dollars that Jorja Fox DIDN'T play the wife in Memento, so now she's the one paying off my debt to her husband.

Lizzy Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 04:14 PM EST

For years I use to get John cusak and Kevin Spacey confused .

that's embarressing

Josh Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 03:45 PM EST

I remember watching the Oscars the year Robin Hood: PoT was nominated for best song. For years I thought it was nominated for Best Picture because I remember thinking it should win when I saw Costner and his bow in front of a wall of flames. I literally thought it was the best picture. It was so cool to my eleven year old eyes. I didn't know at the time that Best Picture meant best film. I thought it was a still picture that got the prize. I now know the error of my ways.

Michele Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 03:39 PM EST

To Sara: Rene Z WAS in Dazed & Confused...for about 3 seconds tops. Check out the credits if you don't find her in the movie.

Melissa Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 03:23 PM EST

Mercedes, I thought the same thing about Billy Zane, too! The resemblance is pretty striking, I'd say.

My biggest faux pas was being wholly convinced for years that Don Knotts had died right after his appearance in "Pleasantville." To my surprise, he didn't pass on until 2006!

mgm Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 03:00 PM EST

I fought with everyone that there were 3 Legally Blonde movies. I just thought I hadn't seen the last one, but thought that was when she got married. And I am usually the go-to person on all things pop culture.

kitkate Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 02:42 PM EST

To JACK -- In Gackman's defense, thinly veiled pop culture refereneces just aren't as funny when you have to explain them to people.

Rachel Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 02:41 PM EST

I was quite determined, for many years, that Top Gun had won an Oscar for Best Picture. Not that I thought it deserved one - mostly I was railing aobut the injustice.

aaa Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 02:28 PM EST

This is so weird because I had a dream last night that I was making out with Kevin Costner (he said we had to re-enact a scene from Bull Durham...I bet he uses that line all the time in real life). Anyway...I think I already confessed somewhere that I thought Matt Dillon played Jake Ryan in '16 Candles' but I'm still completely ashamed of it.

Miranda Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 01:55 PM EST

When I was a kid, I used to insist that the name of the 'Til Tuesday song "Voices Carry" was "This is Gary", but then again I was only 7 at the time.......

mercedes Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 01:53 PM EST

I just won't let it go that my pop culture addicted friend thought that Billy Zane played Imhotep in The Mummy. Zeus & Roxanne's Arnold Vosloo never gets any love!

AA Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 01:41 PM EST

Mandi, you scared me! I thought you were going to "Popwatch Confess" that YOU were the one who was wrong and that Prince of Thieves HAD been nominated! Phew! That was close. Still love me some Alan Rickman, though.

AnthonyH Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 01:18 PM EST

This isn't telling on myself, but some random emo kid my wife went to college with. The Postal Service's cover of "Against All Odds" came on the radio, and the girl started gushing to my wife about how brilliant the Postal Service was, and what a great song they had written. When my wife corrected her and told her Phil Collins wrote it and recorded it in the 80's, you could see the progression from disbelief, to belief, to embarrassment wash across her face. It was priceless.

Katey Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 01:09 PM EST

I do this on like a daily basis, but among my favorites was saying that Christian Bale was American and having to be corrected by my boss.

ah Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 12:42 PM EST

@eliot: Oh, man, I was about the same age when that movie came out and I agree; it totally made my 12-year-old day.

Sara Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 12:28 PM EST

Oh, I *totally* had the same Zellweger/Adams confusion...I thought it was Renee Z. in Dazed and Confused for the longest time...

Ep Sato Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 12:24 PM EST

I once argued that there'd been four Mad Max movies and in the late 1980's thought there had already been four Indiana Jones movies.

I also insisted to my friend (also as a kid) that Star Wars was NOT the fourth episode. We then saw the movie and he pointed out the roman numerals in the beginning. Oops!

I also tend to get my actors mixed up a lot, but that was in another post.

Laura R. Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 12:12 PM EST

At age 13, I watched The Vanishing with my brother. I insisted the bad guy was played by Gerard Depardieu and my brother insisted it was Jeff Bridges. We debated this for years until we came across the movie in a store. He was right and he won't let me forget it, even 13 years later.

jack Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 11:51 AM EST

GACKMAN --- You really should credit the Seinfeld writers for the joke you stole. Having to buy a woman dinner because a mistaken belief that Dustin Hoffman was in Star Wars was the Elaine sub-plot of "the Calzone" episode.

Snarf Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 11:40 AM EST

Does changing tastes count as wrong?
You know something you thought was cool years ago and when you see/hear/read it again your all "Craaaaaap".

Charlie Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 11:30 AM EST

In your friend's defense, he was probably confusing it with Kevin Costner's film just prior to Robin Hood, Dances With Wolves, which actually won best picture.

The Gackman Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 11:15 AM EST

I once had to buy a woman dinner because I was convinced that Dustin Hoffman was in Star Wars.

colby Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 10:48 AM EST

@ dom ...

Not to worry, you're not the only one. One of the Weinstein brothers (think it was Harvey) mistook Joey for Zelweger (while having a conversation with her, mind you) ... this after Joey had appeared in numerous films for Miramax.

Joey told this story on an ep. of Jon Faverau's "Dinner for Five".

Catherine Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 10:37 AM EST

To eliot schrefer: I was aslo 11 when it came out...but I still love it today!! Call it nostalgia...Go Kevin!

Verity Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 10:37 AM EST

Back when if first came out, I really believed Moulin Rouge was based on an already-existing Broadway musical. I even tried desperately to find the details about the play to prove to my friends that I was right. *sigh* I eventually saw the light.

Twain Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 10:00 AM EST

We had an argument over lunch about whether Adam Baldwin, of the TV show Chuck was: 1) A "Baldwin" brother; and 2) appeared in "My Bodyguard", a classic coming-of-age movie. We got a split decision: answer was "no" on the first one, but "yes" on the second.

Ricky Bobby Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 09:59 AM EST

That Highlander won the Oscar for Best Picture, EVER!

Bette Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 09:52 AM EST

I was 14 when Audrey Hepburn died, and just starting to get into old-timey flicks. I saw a memoriam gracing the cover of a magazine at a check out stand and sadly (yet confidently) commented to my mother how very hard it must be very hard for her aunt, Katherine. Incredulous stare from mom followed, and then a back and forth where I insisted I was right. Ha!

dom Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 09:44 AM EST

For a couple years after seeing Chasing Amy, I thought Joey Lauren Adams and Rene Zelweger were the same person.

jmiklane Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 09:28 AM EST

Nobody can top this. A friend of mine claimed that Independence Day was not only nominated for Best Picture, but won.

Yeah, I know...

Wojo Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 09:23 AM EST

I don't do it anymore, but I used to always be 100% certain that Al Pacino won Best Supporting Actor for the "Godfather" in 1972. People still rave about that performance so it always seemed natural to think he won that year. But now that I've seen Joel Grey in "Cabaret" (the actual winner), I no longer make that mistake.

eliot schrefer Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 09:04 AM EST

Mandi: Is this colleague in his late twenties? Prince of Thieves came out when I was in 6th grade, and it seemed a total masterpiece at the time. Was shocked to look back at it last year when I was working on a similar screenplay and saw that, not only did it not get nominated, it was a critical bomb and netted a razzie for Costner. (I guess my adoring 11 year-old mind didn't care about Costner's Britain-via-Jersey accent.) As far as the pre-teen market goes, though, Prince of Thieves is a masterpiece.