History Main / ActingUnnatural

* In the ''Fanfic/AnExtraordinaryJourney'' RecursiveFanfiction ''The Faith Chronicles'', [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Willow]] is perfectly willing to lie, but has so many tells that her friends can realize instantly she's doing it. This becomes a problem when she learns ClassifiedInformation about [[Series/StargateSG1 the SGC]]. She solves the problem via [[spoiler:self-inflicted LaserGuidedAmnesia]].

* On at least two occasions in ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'', Isaac advises Miria that the two of them should act casual to avoid suspicion. Isaac and Miria's idea of "acting casual" inevitably makes about as much sense as anything else they do - which is to say, none.

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': In ''Recap/AsterixAndTheRomanAgent Asterix and the Roman Agent]]'', the villagers begin suspecting Asterix of being a friend of the Romans. Eventually, a fight breaks out over it, but everyone tries to "act natural" when Asterix starts approaching. The villagers stop fighting, but stay in the same big pile, which confuses Asterix further, because the villagers are more likely to be seen fighting than they are relaxing.

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'':

* ''Manga/{{Haikyuu}}'': In season 2, episode 14, Kageyama attempts to act natural while he's walking on the grounds of Karasuno's rival school Seijoh to spy on their volleyball team. He doesn't do a great job.

* In the ''Fanfic/AnExtgraordinaryJourney'' RecursiveFanfiction ''The Faith Chronicles'', [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Willow]] is perfectly willing to lie, but has so many tells that her friends can realize instantly she's doing it. This becomes a problem when she learns ClassifiedInformation about [[Series/StargateSG1 the SGC]]. She solves the problem via [[spoiler:self-inflicted LaserGuidedAmnesia]].

-->-- ''Film/TheMuppets''

** In a later episode, she insists that the problem is that she's horrible at improv, and concocts an entire fake backstory for herself and Coulson when they're undercover as father and daughter. Not only does she fail to tell Coulson any of this, but she shouts out far too much detail to random passers-by.

* ''VideoGame/RedAlert3'': The Spy moves at a sneaky half-crouch that only makes him more noticeable when undisguised. When disguised as an enemy unit, you can't tell the difference without a detector to remove the disguise... until they cross water, resulting in things like a PowerArmor-wearing Tesla Trooper doing the breaststroke.

** In [[Recap/TheSimsonsS17E22HomerAndMargeTurnACouplePlay Homer and Marge Turn a Couple Play]]", Homer is heading to a ballgame with his family, then proceeds to yell out that he's selling the tickets when a cop walks by.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'': When Quasimodo is entertaining Frollo, all the while desperately hoping he doesn't notice the wounded Phoebus hidden under the table, Frollo suspiciously points out that Quasimodo hasn't eaten any of his dinner. Quasi nervously shoves a handful of grapes into his mouth and almost chokes on them.

** In the episode "Boating Class", when Spongebob is asked to act natural, he gets on all fours and starts grazing like a cow.

* The current page image comes from ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'', where Kokoro attempts to "casually" talk to Undine. She quickly admits that she was going to come up with an excuse for why she was walking around there, but [[NotEvenBotheringWithAnExcuse couldn't think of a good one]].

* The current page image comes from Webcomic/SleeplessDomain, where Kokoro attempts to "casually" talk to Undine. She quickly admits that she was going to come up with an excuse for why she was walking around there, but [[NotEvenBotheringWithAnExcuse couldn't think of a good one]].

* In ''Prefects After Dark'', the first story in ''Fanfic/TheRivalPrefectsTrilogy'', the main character encounters Peeves the Poltergeist and tries to act natural, hoping this will distract from the fact that he isn't wearing anything.

* ''Film/TheArtOfTheSteal'': When Francie has to drive across the border with Crunch, Nicky and the stolen book hidden in the boot of his car, he is supposed to say two lines to the border guard: "Going to Detroit" and "Nothing to declare". However, his nervousness causes him to behave so oddly that the guard start asking him questions, and he then starts going of on all kinds of bizarre tangents, like claiming to be in a play called ''Film/{{Witness}}!: The Musical'' and declaring that he likes ''Film/Predator2''.

* ''Series/FullHouse'' did this in "Little Shop of Sweaters": D.J and Stephanie were entering a store at the mall to return a royal blue sweater Stephanie accidentally shoplifted (she thought it was credit, as evidenced by the "Buy Now, Pay Later" sign, not knowing it required a credit card). D.J. tells Stephanie to act casual, to which she begins strutting leisurely while humming. D.J. then tells Stephanie to "just act regular," to which she does, until the stolen sweater sets off the door alarm.

* ''film/TheArtOfTheSteal'': When Francie has to drive across the border with Crunch, Nicky and the stolen book hidden in the boot of his car, he is supposed to say two lines to the border guard: "Going to Detroit" and "Nothing to declare". However, his nervousness causes him to behave so oddly that the guard start asking him questions, and he then starts going of on all kinds of bizarre tangents, like claiming to be in a play called ''Film/{{Witness}}!: The Musical'' and declaring that he likes ''Film/Predator2''.

May be related to the CentipedesDilemma, where a ''conscious'' attempt to do something is inexplicably harder than doing it ''un''consciously.