What Do Actors Actually Smoke In Movies And Shows? Director Explains (2024)

Last Updated: October 06, 2021, 15:54 IST

The next time you find smoking aesthetic due to a show, remember, It is not a real cigarette. (Image for representation/Twitter)

In a TikTok video, director David Ma reveals that what actors really smoke is not tobacco. The cigarettes from the outside look uncannily similar to a real cigarette.

Shows and movies have a huge impact on the conscience of people. Various adaptations are evident in society in terms of fashion, mannerism, or style. In fact, smoking too, has become more prevalent and popular due to shows. All those aesthetic scenes in Mad Men or Peaky Blinders make smoking look irresistible. But did you know that the cigarettes that actors smoke do not have tobacco?

In a TikTok video, director David Ma reveals that what actors really smoke is not tobacco. Well, it was a bit obvious all along, don’t you think? With the number of cigarettes that Cillian Murphy smokes in the entire show, he was bound to end up with nicotine addiction. However, a ‘prop cigarette’ might just save him from sacrificing his lungs for a show.

Yes. Prop Cigarettes. These cigarettes look as real as a real cigarette, and so does the smoke that comes out of the mouth after a drag. It even burns like one. But it is not tobacco. The prop cigarettes are filled with herbs such a tea leaves, cloves, rose petals, etc. They are nicotine-free, addictive-free, and tobacco-free.

The cigarettes from the outside look uncannily similar to a real cigarette. David cuts open the cigarette, and the difference is still negligible. He points out that sometimes the smoke isn’t as real as a real cigarette. In that case, the smoke is added with the help of CGI. Now, you would think that smoking herbal cigarettes is healthy. Well, no. Even herbal cigarettes such as these prop ones are not good for your health.