‘Weeds’: Did the Actors Really Smoke Marijuana to Film Their Scenes?
The actors of Weeds played characters who were selling, smoking, and growing weed. But what were they actually smoking while filming? This is what they did and Mary-Louise Parker answered if she smokes in her free time.
The title, ‘Weeds’ has multiple meanings
Weeds followed Nancy Botwin’s (Parker) journey of selling weed after her husband unexpectedly dies of a heart attack. The suburban mom has two young sons, Silas (Hunter Parrish) and Shane (Alexander Gould).
The title obviously gives away the mother’s job, but there is another meaning behind it. “Weeds are hardy plants that pop up everywhere and survive despite desperate climate and inhospitable environments,” show creator, Jenji Kohan told Toledo Blade. “There is also the expression ‘widow’s weeds,’ referring to a time when widows wore hats made of weeds. Mainly, though, it refers to hardy plants struggling to survive.”
Nancy was definitely the type of person to survive despite her horrible situation. The characters were often shown tending to plants and smoking weed in scenes. But it was all just for show.
The cast mostly smoked herbal cigarettes
The actors didn’t really smoke marijuana for their scenes. They were given different kind of props instead.
They used herbal cigarettes most of the time, according to Flavorwire. “It’s pretty impossible to act and smoke weed at the same time,” Stephen Falk, former co-executive producer of Weeds said.
Moss and other plants were spray painted to make prop weed. The grow houses were also filled with plastic plants. When the characters were supposed to be “trimming” the plants they would never actually cut the props because of this.
Mary-Louise Parker admitted to not smoking in real life
Fans still wondered which actors did smoke weed in their personal life. Parker answered this question in a Reddit AMA.
“I’ve never done pot, I’ve only had a pot lollipop,” the star claimed. “Somebody had given me one as a present and I was feeling super nauseous. I kept it in my shoe cabinet for months, and I remembered it was there, and I was feeling so awful. So I dug it out and tried to peel the plastic off of it and it did absolutely nothing. It was very disappointing. I’m not opposed to the idea of smoking pot, it just never seemed liked the right time, and I have an addictive personality.”
A fan did ask if she really drank all that Starbucks while filming. “I drank a lot, in fact I think they show me peeing in one season at the border of Mexico. So yes you are correct, I was well hydrated,” she answered.
So it looks like the cast wasn’t against drinking and eating in their scenes. But smoking and acting don’t mix well.
