Until she made 'The Get Down,' Herizen F. Guardiola was almost a complete unknown. Had she not forced herself to go through with a kiss scene with Justice Smith, she may still be an unknown. Making the film strapped a rocket to her back, but she apparently hadn't read the whole script before agreeing to the part.
Guardiola has never publicly commented on the kiss scene, but Smith has been happy to explain how awkward she made things for him! He was ready to do the scene when apparently Guardiola turned to director Baz Luhrmann and said 'I don't want to kiss him, I don't know him' - in the process apparently forgetting what 'acting' means. Smith was caught completely off guard, and confesses that for a short while it also made it weird for him to think about kissing people in films. He's gotten over the issue now - as, it seems, has Guardiola.