Justine Lupe has proven her acting talents go well beyond the camera.
The Succession alum recently revealed that she pulled off an elaborate, five-week-long prank on her Nobody Wants This costar Kristen Bell, convincing her that she drank her own urine every morning. The story unfolded during a joint appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, where both actresses shared how the prank began and spiraled into one of the most bizarre and hilarious on-set experiences.
The prank started early in filming for season 2 of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This. Bell recalled getting into a car with Lupe and Adam Brody while shooting the second episode when she overheard Lupe casually talking about an unusual health habit.
“Justine and Adam are already in the car chatting – I’m doing God knows what – and I get in the car and I hear her say, ‘It’s really nutritious and very vitamin-dense,’” Bell explained. Curious, she pressed further. That’s when Lupe dropped the line: “Do you ever do this? Do you ever, like, the first urine of the day you drink again?”
Bell, taken aback, could hardly process what she heard as the director called “action.” According to Lupe, the claim was that drinking the “first pee of the day” helped “reinstall depleted minerals.” While shocked, Bell was polite, telling her costar, “No, I don’t think that’s right.”
But Lupe wasn’t done. For the next phase, she brought a canteen filled with fake urine to set. She carefully staged conversations to make it believable, even calling someone in front of Bell to retrieve the container from her trailer refrigerator. To sell the illusion further, Lupe mentioned it was urine, warning them about HR concerns while Bell overheard.
Because Bell is known to be curious about “biohacking” – the practice of using science and lifestyle hacks to optimize health – the setup worked perfectly. To deepen the ruse, Lupe even generated an AI-written article detailing supposed benefits of urine drinking and discreetly showed it to Bell.
Bell, unwilling to dismiss the claim without evidence, decided to consult someone she trusted. She called Dr. Mike, a well-known physician and influencer, to ask about potential risks. “I said, ‘I have a friend who is drinking her own urine. What are the risks slash benefits of this? Have you heard anything about it?’” she recalled. Dr. Mike told her it sounded “insane” but likely wasn’t dangerous, advising that “a multivitamin would be a much better way to remineralize.”
Armed with that information, Bell returned to Lupe and jokingly added, “Oh, yeah. I’m taking all the multivitamins that then lead to the most effective pee.”
The prank escalated when Lupe performed what Bell described as “one of the most epic performances I’ve ever seen.” Sitting across from Bell, Lupe made deliberate eye contact before pretending to sip from her canteen. She even asked, “Do you want to smell it?” – to which Bell responded with a horrified, “No, stop.”
To ensure the prank wouldn’t spiral too far, Lupe had already informed other cast members, including Adam Brody and Timothy Simons, so they could prevent Bell from ever attempting the stunt herself. Still, Lupe kept the charade going, even pretending to freshen her breath with a mint after supposedly drinking the urine.
Shepherd, who listened to the story in disbelief, quipped that the most surprising part was that Bell never tried it herself. Known for her openness to wellness trends, Bell admitted, “I have a very ‘why not’ attitude,” and noted that Dr. Mike had told her it wasn’t dangerous. But Lupe’s final reveal left her both stunned and relieved.
On April 1, after nearly five weeks of staging, Lupe presented Bell with a cooler. Bell recalled hoping it was a puppy, only to discover three mason jars of liquid in varying shades of yellow and brown. The smell was awful, and Lupe insisted they were her “best batches,” carefully saved for Bell. In reality, Lupe had steeped chamomile tea bags to create the look and smell.
At last, Lupe announced the truth: “April Fools.” The elaborate setup, complete with staged conversations, AI articles, fake liquids, and multiple accomplices, had been in motion for over a month.
Bell couldn’t help but commend Lupe for her dedication. “It was four or five weeks worth of material,” she said. “The commitment was unbelievable.”
Lupe admitted it was her first time pulling off such a long-form prank but said the payoff was worth it. “The slow burn prank – it’s the first time I’ve ever done it, and I can’t tell you how satisfying [it was],” she confessed.
As fans prepare for the return of Nobody Wants This, which premieres its second season on Netflix on October 23, this behind-the-scenes story offers a glimpse of the cast’s playful chemistry. For now, season 1 of the series remains available to stream in full.
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