When Tom Hanks found himself standing in front of the legendary Mona Lisa painting with his pants down while filming The Da Vinci Code, director Ron Howard couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Howard, 70, recounted the amusing behind-the-scenes moment during a Happy Days reunion event at MegaCon in Orlando on Friday, February 7.
Addressing the audience, he explained, “All of our grip equipment and camera equipment was in the Mona Lisa room” inside the Louvre Museum in Paris.
“At one point, we were really hurrying—we were behind schedule. Tom Hanks didn’t have time to go back to his dressing room to change for the next scene,” Howard shared.
“So I was giving him some notes about what the next scene was going to be, and he was changing his pants in front of the Mona Lisa.”
A Wardrobe Change to Remember
Howard admitted that the sight of Hanks in such an unexpected state was too funny to ignore. “I said, ‘Wait a minute. This is a moment we have to remember,’” the filmmaker recalled.
Having worked with Hanks on several projects—including Splash and Apollo 13—Howard noted that this wardrobe change stood out as one of the most bizarre moments they had shared on set. (The two have collaborated on five projects in total, including The Da Vinci Code sequels, Angels & Demons and Inferno.)
“We’ve been underwater with a mermaid, we’ve been weightless on Apollo 13, and now you’re pantsless with the Mona Lisa,” Howard remembered jokingly telling Hanks, 68.
Although the film itself carries a serious tone, this wasn’t the only unexpected moment to occur while filming inside the famous art museum. (The Da Vinci Code follows Hanks’ character, Robert Langdon, as he unravels a murder mystery within the Louvre, using clues hidden in Leonardo da Vinci’s artwork.)
Tom Hanks in Da Vinci CodePaul Bettany’s Unexpected Encounter With Hanks on Set
Hanks wasn’t the only cast member to experience an unusual on-set moment. Paul Bettany, who portrayed the villainous Silas in the movie, shared his own funny encounter with Hanks during a March 2021 appearance on The Late Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
“I had to grab him and punch him in the stomach, and it was really quiet on set,” Bettany, 53, recalled. “It’s always quieter when there’s a stunt going on because everyone’s focused on making sure no one gets hurt.”
As he went through the scene, something completely unexpected happened. “I punched him in the stomach, and he farted—really, really, really loudly,” Bettany confessed.
The actor was so caught off guard that he didn’t know how to react. “I had no idea what the protocol was,” he admitted. “What do you do when the biggest movie star in the world farts?”
As Bettany struggled to process what had just happened, Hanks turned to him and said, “What is wrong with you? You just made me fart!”
Hanks’ Own Take on the Infamous Fart Incident
Hanks himself has also spoken about the awkward on-set moment. During a 2019 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, he shared his own perspective on filming the stunt scene with Bettany.
“I got beat up by Paul Bettany in The Da Vinci Code,” Hanks said. “In movie fights, everyone treats it like a real fight.”
He went on to explain how the sequence unfolded:
“Paul came rushing in, and I met him. The scene required him to knock me back against a desk, and then I was supposed to fall to the ground. When I hit the floor, I farted.”
Even with the film’s intense themes, it’s clear that The Da Vinci Code set was filled with its fair share of unexpected—and hilarious—moments.