Michael Cera Reveals Rihanna Really Slapped Him In ‘This Is The End’

Sometimes art is pain – and Michael Cera has the footage to prove it.

Cera was part of the ensemble cast of 2013's raucous apocalyptic comedy This Is The End, written by Seth Rogen and Evan Greenberg, in which most of the actors played heightened versions of their celebrity personas.

After doing a line of cocaine in a house party scene, Cera slapped the butt of Rihanna, who was otherwise engaged in a conversation with Jason Segel.

In response, Rihanna slapped Cera square across the face.

"I mean, she definitely hit me," Cera told GQ of the experience. "But I wanted that, you know? I think it’s a lot funnier and a lot more convincing. A fake slap just doesn’t look good."

Cera confirmed it was definitely a real slap which, for better or worse, is now immortalized in movie history.

"She hit me hard. She really sent me flying," he said. "It was great. Now it’s on film forever, this pain that I experienced."

Speaking about the This Is The End experience overall, Cera explained he joined the festivities late because he was working on another project. When he arrived to set after they had been shooting the party scene for "at least a week or so," a lot of his work had already been done for him.

"When I got there, they filled me in on what everybody had been saying about me," he said. "They had all been describing me, creating a character, really, for me to step into. It was all there for me. I just have to live up to what they’re saying. I have to be weird."

Mission accomplished.