Everyone knows the stories of actors blowing up on their costars, behind-the-scenes drama with the director or other film staff, or just not showing up to set at all. When a person is famous they can really become jerks, apparently! Here are ten actors who are reportedly difficult to work with.
Daniel Day-Lewis
DDL is a renowned actor who has been in shockingly few films. Is that because he’s discerning about the roles he plays, or is it because he’s not fun to work with? He reportedly stays in character even when the cameras aren’t rolling, leading to awkward interactions like when he had crew members wheel him around on the set of My Left Foot, a film where he played a paralyzed character.
Christian Bale
Like Daniel Day-Lewis, Bale is another renowned actor who can get lost in the characters he’s playing. His infamous on-set blow-ups have gone viral. One in particular, from the set of Terminator Salvation, saw Bale losing it when the director of photography walked across his line of sight during a shot. To Bale’s defense, it’s not cool to distract an actor during a serious scene!
Edward Norton
Edward Norton reportedly got booted from playing Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after insisting he have far more creative control over the script in The Incredible Hulk. Norton reportedly added entire sections of dialogue and new character motivations to the existing script.
Charlie Sheen
Apparently, Charlie Sheen’s character on Two and a Half Men was more realistic than some believed. His party-heavy lifestyle bled over into the production in more ways than one, with him engaging in bizarre outbursts and forgetting his lines on-set. He was replaced by Ashton Kutcher after Warner Bros let him go.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston might have a warm reputation due to her work on Friends and other productions, but she’s a bit more feared around Hollywood. In the actor’s own words, she once “threw a chair at a director.” She went on, noting, “It wasn’t my proudest moment.”
Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe reportedly had issues with producer Branko Lustig while shooting Gladiator, according to written anecdotes in Nicole LaPorte’s book. Crowe allegedly called Lustig in the middle of the night to threaten him after he felt he and his assistant were low-balled on their pay for the film. Lustig was so rattled by Crowe’s conduct that he called Stephen Spielberg to tell him he’d have to leave the Ridley Scott production.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp’s very well-documented breakup with Amber Heard saw his character called into question in numerous court cases. A 2018 suit from City of Lies crew member Gregg Brooks alleged that Depp assaulted Brooks after being told they had only two more takes to make a scene work. Depp, for his own part, says the entire situation was “staged” and settled the case out of court.
Alec Baldwin
Before he was swept up in the legal proceedings surrounding his possible role in the on-set death of a cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin was already considered difficult to work with. Now, his name is essentially synonymous with a lack of on-set safety, and he’s appeared in no productions following Hutchins’ death.
Read More: 15 Actors That Can’t Escape Their Famous Characters
Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal is well-known for starring in numerous martial arts films, though he has been accused of assaulting people on set on multiple occasions. Co-star John Leguizamo alleges that Seagal once threw him into a brick wall for no discernible reason behind the scenes on a production.
Read More: Actors Who Refused to Revisit Their Iconic Roles
Jennifer Lopez
J-Lo has no shortage of fans, and has a reputation as being humble and down-to-earth despite her fame. Some of her co-stars and collaborators disagree, however, saying her lengthy list of demands before working with someone are often impossible to meet. These include insisting on private jets for transportation and outfitting herself and her crew with the best possible luxury hotel accommodations.
Read More: 10 Best Actor Oscars That Should Be Retconned
