Hollywood Smoke And Mirrors: What Stars Like Cillian Murphy Are Really Puffing On Screen!

Lighting Up the Screen - Hollywood’s Smoky Secrets Revealed

Yo, SoCal fam, if you’ve binged Peaky Blinders on a lazy Venice Beach afternoon, you’ve probably side-eyed Cillian Murphy’s character, Thomas Shelby, for chain-smoking like there’s no tomorrow. How does the dude not have lungs of ash by now? It’s straight-up wild to see him puffing away in nearly every scene, and we’ve been dying to know what’s really going down.

Turns out, Hollywood’s got some tricks up its sleeve, and they’re not just burning through packs of Marlboros on set. We’re talking Tinseltown magic, baby - the kind that keeps our fave stars safe while still serving those gritty, smoke-filled vibes on screen.

Herbal Vibes - What’s Really in Those Prop Cigarettes?

Enter David Ma (@davidwma), a director who’s been dropping behind-the-scenes bombs on TikTok like it’s awards season at the Dolby Theatre. In a vid that’s racked up a cool 2.2 million likes, David spilled the deets on what actors are actually inhaling. Spoiler alert: it’s not tobacco, and it’s not the kind of ‘herb’ you might cop at a dispensary on Melrose.

“Most of the time, when actors light up on screen, they’re using prop cigarettes made of herbal stuff - no tobacco, no nicotine, just pure plant vibes,” David dished in his viral clip.

These fake cigs are crafted from stuff like rose petals, clover, and tea leaves. David even mentioned how Jon Hamm burned through stacks of these while filming Mad Men, and honestly, they look legit AF when held between an actor’s fingers. Cut one open, and you’ll see no nasty tobacco - just a bouquet of nature’s finest.

CGI Smoke and Mirrors - How They Fake the Haze

Now, you might be wondering about all that hazy, moody smoke swirling around in those dramatic shots. Is it real? Nah, fam - Hollywood’s got post-production wizards for that. David revealed that most of the smoke you see is added later with CGI, making sure actors aren’t actually breathing in anything sketchy on set.

It’s all part of the illusion, West Coast style - creating that raw, smoky aesthetic without the health risks. So next time you’re watching a flick with a cigarette-heavy scene, just know it’s all herbal props and digital tricks, keeping our stars healthy while they bring the drama.

This little Hollywood secret just makes us appreciate the craft even more. From the red carpets of Hollywood to the small screens in our Santa Monica pads, it’s wild to see how far they go to make every detail pop - without burning out their lungs in the process.