When photo shoots go wild

Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan co-star in the true-life motion picture Machine Gun Preacher based on the life of biker-turned-preacher Sam Childers. When the two got together in a Toronto hotel room for a photo shoot with USA TODAY's Robert Hanashiro earlier this month, things got silly pretty quickly.


It began innoncently enough as Butler explained the concept behind a recent magazine cover story about himself.


Butler recalls realizing, "Oh it's going to be a cover."


Monaghan reacts as Butler explains that the reporter for the magazine piece had no idea who he was going into the interview.


Monaghan appears skeptical as Butler explains that the reporter usually covered politics.


Butler sells her on the story.


Monaghan and Butler break up laughing over his story.


Monaghan is prompted to tell a joke of her own. The punchline involves a bit of physical comedy. And, no, we won't tell you what the joke was.


Monaghan appreciates her own joke as much as everyone else in the room.


Butler recalls that Monaghan had told the same joke while filming Machine Gun Preacher.


Butler tries his hand at Monaghan's joke.


With time running out and the Toronto International Film Festival premiere for Machine Gun Preacher only a few hours away, the two put on their game faces and get serious for a couple of final photos. Machine Gun Preacher will open in US theaters on Sept. 23.