10 Simple Things Actors Can’t Make Look Convincing

10. Driving

No matter how bad an actor is at driving, editing tricks can be utilised to make them look like a Grand Prix champion.

However, an actor's driving skills don't always translate on-screen, even when performing the simplest action. In certain shots, the car won't be on the road and instead, be propped on a rig, with a projected image in the background. While rear projection certainly has its charm, the resulting image isn't what you'd call convincing.

Interestingly, this can be an issue for anyone in a car scene, even if they're not the one driving. In North By Northwest, for instance, the actor in the backseat, Ken Lynch, forgets to lean his body when the car turns. His co-star, Cary Grant, noticeably (and angrily) shoves into Ken, reminding him he's meant to lean to the side.

This isn't to say that driving never looks convincing on screen, of course. Actors will regularly drive actual vehicles in scenes, while clever editing can place them right in a car drifting through the Paris streets when a stunt driver is doing the hard part. That isn't always the case however, as there's little an actor can do to combat an unconvincing effect.