On Reddit's infamous "Today I F*cked Up" subreddit, an anonymous dude shared a story of the time he ruined at least part of Jennifer Aniston's day. And Gerard Butler's. And probably a production assistant's, because someone completely failed to stop this guy from busting into a movie shoot and probably got fired for it.
Anyway, the story goes like this:
I had plans to meet up with some friends in Atlantic City for the weekend. I got a late start, so they were already gambling somewhere in the Taj Mahal. I had been there once before, but didn't really remember the layout, except for a long escalator that led down to the casino from the lobby.
I parked my car and walked quickly from the parking deck to the lobby. On my way to the lobby, there was a crowd of people gathered behind a security guard who was holding some caution tape across the hallway. He let a bunch of people in and, of course, I squeezed through as he was closing it off.
If you need some help setting the scene, here's an image of the escalator at Donald Trump's Taj Mahal casino (which has since closed for good). It's long, glamorous, and bathed in purple light under fancy chandeliers.
That is where things went sideways. I saw a film camera in the lobby, and thought, "huh, they must be filming a commercial for the casino or something.. wonder if I'll be in it?" But before I could finish that thought, everyone around me in the entire lobby froze in position. A second later, someone yells, "ACTION!"
I start walking alongside a person who was next to me, and ask him quietly, "I'm not supposed to be here, am I?" He immediately shook his head no.
That other guy was a real friend, shaking his head "no" and offering zero further advice. Guess they don't really pay extras to direct other, more confused extras.
But the point remains, our protagonist was definitely not supposed to be there. He had to make a move, and quickly.
So, I see the escalator to the casino about 20 feet away.. and two 'extras' are about to get on it. I think to myself, "if I can just get on that, it would be my escape from ruining whatever they're doing in the lobby."
I make a move, get on the escalator, and start taking a few steps down. SUCCESS! I didn't screw anything up!
After a few more steps, I catch up to those two people who got on the escalator before me. And they're blocking the full width, and NOT WALKING! I mean, come on!
This is a massive pet peeve of anyone who lives in a city. An escalator is not a goddamn amusement park ride: you either walk up it at a reasonable pace or you step aside so people can pass you.
What you DO NOT DO is stand side by side with your friend, blocking the progress of everyone behind you like you're the only two people in the entire f*#&ing world, gazing around and enjoying the view like you're not in the middle of a disgusting metropolis (although in this case, granted, it's a lovely casino).
So with this righteous rage coursing through his veins, wondering why these two cretins won't let him through, our hero realizes something.
Only at this point do I see the boom microphone, the camera panning down with them, and the crowd of 150 spectators at the bottom of the escalator. Then someone yells "CUT!", and the two people in front of me turn around.
You know who these people are, don't you? With all eyes upon him, our foolish protagonist realizes as well.
Turns out those two jerks blocking the escalator were Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, and I completely blew up their scene. There was nothing I could do.. I just said, "Uh, I'm sorry." I figured there was no point in explaining my series of bad decisions. Butler laughed, and we completed the rest of the very long escalator ride in awkward silence.
Butler and Aniston were filming The Bounty Hunter, a 2010 movie about a "bounty hunter (Butler) hired to retrieve his ex-wife (Aniston) who has skipped bail."
Basically, this story is probably best thing to come out of the entire movie.
Someone on Reddit even found footage of the crew filming the scene in question—although the storyteller says the "guy in the jacket behind them" is regrettably not him, probably placed there as "a buffer after I screwed it up."