Ed Helms Recalls Zach Galifianakis’ Bizarre Prank Photo on Hangover 2 Set
Years later, Ed Helms is still laughing (and slightly traumatized) by a prank Zach Galifianakis pulled on him during filming of The Hangover Part II.
Table of Contents
Los Angeles, July 5 EST: Even off-camera, the Hangover boys were very much the Hangover boys.
While chatting with Collider, Ed Helms shared a gem of a behind-the-scenes moment from The Hangover Part II — involving a mysterious digital photo, a prank, and, of course, Zach Galifianakis.
“I was pranked,” Helms said. “I found a ridiculous picture on my digital camera later that Zach’s brother gave me as a little gift.”
Helms didn’t spill the visual details, but let’s just say the reaction was… visceral. “Thank you for scaring the s— out of us.”
Classic Zach.
This Is the Chaos That Built a Comedy Franchise
If you were hoping the vibe behind the Hangover trilogy was anything less than chaotic-neutral energy, this should put that to rest.
What made the films click wasn’t just wild plots or tiger cameos — it was the chemistry between Helms, Galifianakis, and Bradley Cooper, which extended way beyond the script. The pranks, the riffing, the general unhinged brotherhood? It was all real.
Zach, in particular, has long played the spiritual agent of chaos in the trio, and Helms’ anecdote feels perfectly on-brand. Who else would weaponize a JPEG and hand it off like a cursed object?
A Decade Later, the Chaos Still Resonates
The Hangover Part II might have dropped in 2011, but fans are still quoting it like it premiered last weekend. And these kinds of behind-the-scenes bits — the weird, the warm, the what-even-is-that — remind us why it worked in the first place.
Because yeah, it was raunchy and loud and probably couldn’t be greenlit in 2025. But it was also three guys being funny in a way that felt loose, alive, and oddly relatable.
And apparently, occasionally terrifying.
New Jersey Times Is Your Source: The Latest In Politics, Entertainment, Business, Breaking News, And Other News. Please Follow Us On Facebook, Instagram, And Twitter To Receive Instantaneous Updates. Also Do Checkout Our Telegram Channel @Njtdotcom For Latest Updates.
