With International Kissing Day right around the corner (July 6), you may find yourself turning to the silver screen for some inspiration. After all, for decades, stars have been turning up the heat and melting hearts with their spine-tingling cinematic chemistry—and, of course, some actual kissing.
Whether it's undercover high school student Jodie is receiving her very first kiss in the most downright romantic way in Never Been Kissed, or a series of middle-of-nowhere make-out sessions, like those in Brokeback Mountain, herein are the steamiest, sultriest on-screen kisses of all time. And for a look behind the curtain of these melt-your-screen smooches, check out 30 Shocking Facts from Your Favorite Movies.
1 | Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams; The Notebook
Whether you're a fan of the movie or not, you can't deny the fact that this iconic kiss is one of the most legendary movie makeouts of all time. After watching this mega-romantic movie, we all wanted to kiss our special someone in the pouring rain—after a scenic paddle on the pond. Things (somehow) hit all new levels of steamy when Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams went on stage to accept their awards for Best Kiss at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards—and reenacted their famous kissing scene (minus the rain).
2 | Reese Witherspoon and Andy Tennant; Sweet Home Alabama
As Reese Witherspoon and Andy Tennant can attest to, there's nothing like an electrical storm in the Alabama heat to inspire some super-charged romantic tension. In this swoon-worthy scene, Jake and Melanie finally get their act—and lips—together in the middle of a thunderstorm. And for more great cinematic trivia, don't miss these 40 Hilariously Impractical Things That Always Happen in Movies.
3 | Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst; Spider-Man
We've all seen the image of this lip-lock on movie posters—and, while we're still slightly confused about the logistics, we do know one thing: it was super hot. I mean, how could Kirsten Dunstnot want to make out with the superhero who literally just beat up a group of guys to protect her?
4 | Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet; Titanic
If only the couple could have had more time to kiss—and, if they did, we bet that every one of them would have been as passionate as this kiss, hanging off the front of the boat. Throwing all caution to the wind (literally) has never been more romantic.
5 | Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman; Casablanca
Cinema classic Casablanca is chock-full of steamy kisses between the former lovers, Rick and Ilsa. Though, the one that always hits us right in the feels is the moment their lips finally meet after years of pining after each other from afar. Though they didn't end up together, they'll always have Paris. And for more timeless classic, check out the 20 Iconic Films You Should Have Watched by Now.
6 | Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan; When Harry Met Sally...
Can a man and a woman keep a friendship entirely platonic? Well, this kiss between best friends Harry and Sally proves that at least this friendship may mean a little something more to the ones involved—especially when Harry spits out the now famous line: "I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
7 | Shane West and Mandy Moore; A Walk to Remember
Bad boy meets good girl. Bad boy sees good girl performing on stage, and, in a moment of passion, plants an unforgettable kiss on her lips. The rest is history.
8 | Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard; Breakfast at Tiffany's
The love story between Paul and Holly Golightly follows a set of twists and turns—which eventually led to this adorable kiss. If nothing else, this movie proves that we should, in fact, get to know our neighbors—because then one of them may turn out to be a hunky writer in search of love. (Hey, you never know.)
9 | Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin; My Girl
Though this kiss may not be the steamiest, it does tug at our heartstrings. Best friends Vada and Thomas wonder what "the big deal" is about kissing—so they try it themselves. The aftermath is equally hilarious and adorable.
10 | Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair; Cruel Intentions
This cult kiss had audiences reeling—mostly because an on-screen smooch between two girls was a big deal when Cruel Intentions premiered in 1999. Though the whole film about teenage revenge, sex, and lies was full of steamy scenes, this one stood out from the rest for its daring. And for some wow facts about your favorite films, here are 50 Famous Movie Lines That Were Ad-Libbed.
11 | Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze; Ghost
In Ghost, Patrick Swayze proves that even a ghost can be incredibly sexy. While Swayze isn't yet in ghost form for this iconic kissing scene, he still manages to seduce Demi Moore (and millions of women across the world) with just a look (and phallic-shaped pottery).
12 | Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger; Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire had Dorothy Boyd at hello—and sealed it, for safety's sake, with this passionate lip-lock.
13 | Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey; Dirty Dancing
Proving to us yet again that he is the master of steamy movie scenes, Swayze takes baby out of the corner and into a lip-lock so memorable that others have tried to imitate—and ultimately failed.
14 | Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan; Fifty Shades of Grey
Say what you will about the Fifty Shades franchise—the chemistry emanating from the screen has acquired a cult following for a reason. One of the reasons may indeed be this kiss between Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, leaving the rest of world wondering how the two reportedly hated each other while filming this movie. If they did, they sure seemed to like each other for this split second of passion.
15 | Paul Rudd and Alicia Silverstone; Clueless
Cher and Josh argue like a brother and sister would—probably because they, um, sort of were at one point. However, this fact doesn't stop them from inevitably locking lips—and we're actually sort of okay with it. (As if.)
16 | Drew Barrymore and Michael Vartan; Never Been Kissed
Undercover high school student Josie has never been kissed—and she's hoping that her English teacher, Mr. Coulson, will be the one to scratch this moment off her bucket list. So, she waits at a stadium, in front of hundreds of her (sort of) peers for her teacher to fulfill her desire. And just when it's looking like he won't show, he races into the arena and gives her a truly steamy kiss. If only all first kisses were this great.
17 | Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal; Brokeback Mountain
Tortured lovers Jack and Ennis must keep their love affair a secret because, for one, they are both married to women—and it's the 1960s, not exactly the best time for gay cowboys to make their affections public. During this famous kissing scene, the cowboys have reunited after years apart and their passion for each other is plain to see. Though, unfortunately, it is for Ennis' wife as well—who happens to be watching from inside of the house.
18 | Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr; From Here to Eternity
Though you may not have watched the classic film, you've most likely seen or heard reference to this iconic kissing scene on the beach. As it turns out, an affair with a married woman can make for cinematic gold—and incredibly steamy beach scenes.
19 | Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone; Crazy, Stupid, Love
Yes, love can be crazy and stupid—but for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, the kissing is always to be taken very seriously. After a few moments of intense lip-locking, she asks him if she remembers their previous interaction, to which he breathlessly replies that he indeed does. Well, if that passionate kiss can't jog your memory, we're not sure what possibly could. And for more celebrity trivia, don't miss the 15 On-Screen Couples Who Hate Each Other in Real Life.
20 | Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer; Call Me by Your Name
Before this first kiss between the two, the romantic tension was so palpable it could have even been cut with a butter knife–a dull butter knife. At long last, with this kiss, the pair began their secret summer love affair.
21 | Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes; Romeo & Juliet
Though we expected the kiss between these fated lovers would indeed be cinematic gold, we couldn't have predicted the certifiably steamy nature it took on. Shakespeare himself couldn't have produced a kiss so enviable—or so underwater.
22 | Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh; Gone with the Wind
Speaking of fated lovers, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler knew a thing or two about heartache and loss as it pertained to love. And, as you can probably tell from this iconic scene, they also knew how to kiss—really well. Cue the uncomfortable throat-clearing.
23 | Julia Roberts and Richard Gere; Pretty Woman
At the end of the day, we all just want to feel safe and desired—even if we're working as a call girl, like Julia Roberts' character, Vivian, in Pretty Woman. Fortunately for Vivian, she finds her knight in shining armor in Edward, played by Richard Gere—who literally climbs the fire escape to give her flowers and a much-admired kiss.
24 | Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon; Love Actually
He was a beloved political leader, and she was his assistant. In an act of awe-inspiring romance (one that seemed to dominate the whole movie), David ends up knocking on every door in Natalie's neighborhood until he winds up being greeted by her whole family, and then eventually by Natalie herself—who is obviously very happy to see him.
25 | James Stewart and Donna Reed; It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey has a lot of problems—or so he thinks, until his guardian angel, Clarence, arrives to remind him just how lucky he is. George is especially lucky because, despite everything they've been through, he's still just as in love with Mary as he was when they first met—as is evident in this magical kiss the two shared.
26 | Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart; Twilight
Despite the stone-cold features of Edward, it seems that Bella added a little heat to the equation—which is put on display in this steamy scene. Though this series may have been considered largely as a critical flop, we'll still remember this scene for its sexy intensity.
27 | Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy; Pretty in Pink
After the premiere of Pretty in Pink, every girl also wanted to be swept off their feet by a complicated, sweet rich kid like Blane. As the film drew to a close, it looked as though the girl from the wrong side of the tracks would never get the rich boy—but then this final kiss sealed the sizzle of their enduring romance.
28 | Anne Hathaway and Robert Schwartzman; Princess Diaries
Though Mia may have just found out that she's a real-life princess, that doesn't mean she has to disregard the underdog. While Michael is far from cool and world-class, he's the only Mia truly wants—and in their cinematic kiss, we find out that feeling goes both ways (with one leg up, of course). For some IRL royal romance, though, check out The Most Romantic Moments from The Royal Wedding.
29 | Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand; The Way We Were
This unlikely pair (a political activist and WASPy veteran) still give people hope about love's endurance to this day. During this steamy scene, we watch as the party lines are put aside with this kiss.
30 | Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles; 10 Things I Hate About You
Sure, Kate hates mostly everything about Patrick—but their first kiss suggests that there is at least one thing she likes about him. (Hint: it's his lips.)
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