Debra Messing reveals the moment a director called for her to have a NOSE JOB while she was filming a love scene with Keanu Reeves, insisting her facial feature was 'ruining' the movie

  • The 48-year-old actress told the story for the first time while attending the Makers conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California
  • She revealed that during the filming of 1995's A Walk in the Clouds, director Alfonso Arau called for a plastic surgeon during the middle of the scene
  • The Will & Grace star added that he also pushed her into doing a nude scene, which was later cut from the movie

By Valerie Siebert For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:00 EST, 8 February 2017 | Updated: 19:47 EST, 8 February 2017

Actresses have long faced unreasonable demands on their appearance from directors, but even so, what happened to Debra Messing while trying to film a love scene for 1995's A Walk in the Clouds was especially cruel.

The Will & Grace star, 48, opened up about the awful moment during an interview with Elle.com conducted at the Makers conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, saying that it happened while she was attempting to get hot and heavy on camera with another star.

'I was doing a love scene with Keanu Reeves,' she said. 'We started filming and the very famous director screamed "Cut" and said, "How quickly can we get a plastic surgeon in here? Her nose is ruining my movie."'

With grace: Debra Messing, 48, has revealed for the first time that she was once told by a director that she needed a nose job

With grace: Debra Messing, 48, has revealed for the first time that she was once told by a director that she needed a nose job

Stars on set: The incident happened while Debra was shooting a love scene with Keanu Reeves (pictured on set) for the 1995 film A Walk in the Clouds

Stars on set: The incident happened while Debra was shooting a love scene with Keanu Reeves (pictured on set) for the 1995 film A Walk in the Clouds

The man who made the insulting comment in front of an entire film crew was award-winning director and actor Alfonso Arau.

Remember the incident more than 20 years later, Debra described feeling 'shock' over his words, having studied a Masters in acting and working hard on her career to get where she was, only to be 'reduced to an un-Hollywood nose.'

And it wasn't the only traumatic moment Debra experienced while working with the Mexican director. 

While speaking at an after-dinner performance at the conference, she described how Alfonso pushed her into doing an unplanned nude scene, and when it came to do the filming, he picked up the sheet covering her to get a good look at her naked body.

Harsh words: Debra claims that director Alfonso Arau stopped the scene to angrily declare 'Her nose is ruining my movie'

Harsh words: Debra claims that director Alfonso Arau stopped the scene to angrily declare 'Her nose is ruining my movie'

WorlYears ago: The film starred Keanu as a returning 

Years ago: The film starred Keanu as a returning WWII soldier who falls in love with a young student while he is still married to Debra's character

Too much: She also revealed that she was pushed into a last-minute nude scene, but the resulting scene ended up on the cutting room floor

Too much: She also revealed that she was pushed into a last-minute nude scene, but the resulting scene ended up on the cutting room floor

Then, she said: 'He dropped the sheet on top of me like a used Kleenex, then walked away without a word.' The scene in question ended up on the cutting room floor, with just her back being exposed.

Debra told the audience that revealing the story for the first time was 'a big deal' for her, adding: 'I feel proud that I have to come to where I am now and that I can share the difficulties that I had to grapple with. I'm still standing.' 

Debra claims that Alfonso's comment about her nose had lasting effects on her, saying it's taken her 'years and years and years' to learn to love her unique differences.

No looking back: She also described a cordial chance meeting with the director years later

No looking back: She also described a cordial chance meeting with the director years later

Luckily, the incident didn't deter her from achieving her goals. She went on to star in eight seasons of the wildly successful sitcom Will & Grace, which is soon to be rebooted.

Soon after the show's run, she bumped into Alfonso in the street. 'Bella! It's been so long, you were so funny in the movie,' he said. 'I'm so happy to see you again!'

Debra told the audience: 'I said, "Thank you," and I turned around and never looked back.'  

She closed her comments with the self-affirming words: 'I have a strong nose, I have small breasts. I'm a f***ing original.'

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