While we all enjoy Hollywood's excitement and glitz, it’s no secret things can get ugly when the cameras are turned off. Casting two hothead celebrities with a grudge against each other may have disastrous consequences—and it happens more often than you’d think. Putting up with someone you don't like for months, if not years, is enough to make the most humble person lose their cool.
It's unrealistic to expect everyone in the workplace to get along. This might be especially true for actors, who are known for their egos and personalities. However, you might be astonished to learn how rapidly these on-set situations escalate and even become physical—slaps and claps, petty shoving, violent punching matches, and even a fight involving hammers.
Tom Sizemore Vs. Val Kilmer
Despite their prior history of squabbling, Tom Sizemore and Val Kilmer were both signed on to the 2000 sci-fi thriller Red Planet. These two guys were clearly ticking time bombs on set, according to the staff and other cast members.
Sizemore requested that his workout gear be transported to the filming location. When Kilmer found out, he was furious. He vehemently complained about his co-special star's treatment, citing disparities in pay. As a result, Tom punched Val in the chest against the protest of the film’s director.
Sylvester Stallone vs. Richard Gere
Can you imagine these two going at it? Stallone claims he had to ask Gere to "lighten up" during a rehearsal fight scene in The Lords of Flatbush. Apparently, things were getting a little tense. Gere and Stallone clearly had a strained relationship.
Stallone was eating hot dogs in his car one day when Gere splattered mustard all over Stallone. Stallone retaliated by elbowing Gere in the head and flinging him from the automobile. Needless to say, things quickly escalated. When the director was forced to choose, he gave Gere the chop.
Tom Hardy vs. Shia LaBeouf
Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf worked together on Lawless, released in 2012. While critics praised both of their performances, the duo were not so impressed with one another’s behavior during filming. Behind the scenes, the two got into a fierce argument.
John Hillcoat, the director of Lawless, said that "There was definitely a conflict between them, and it escalated to the point that they both had to be restrained. But I was relieved to hear it didn't end that way. I would have hated to witness the outcome."
Lucy Liu vs. Bill Murray
Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, and Bill Murray starred in Charlie's Angels, released in 2000. Murray was cast as John Bosley in the first film, but due to “differences of opinions,” his character was recast for the film’s sequel. From what it sounds like, Murray was no angel.
During filming, Murray told Liu that she couldn't act. After he made the remark, she apparently struck Murray with a flurry of punches. The two had to be separated, resulting in a day-long production halt. Well, she doesn’t sound like an angel either, come to think of it.
George Clooney vs. David O. Russell
Putting a large motion picture together takes a lot of time and work. Three Kings, a war film starring Clooney as Sergeant Major Archie Gates, was released in 1999. He was shooting Three Kings while simultaneously making multiple hospital visits a week, which prompted scheduling issues and pay cuts.
Behind the scenes, tensions between director David O. Russell and Clooney inevitably began to rise. After seeing the director shout at some extras, George had enough of Russell's attitude. Clooney confronted the filmmaker. Insults were exchanged before a brawl erupted.
Tom Cruise vs. Rob Lowe
In 1983, master film-maker Francis Ford Coppola directed The Outsiders. At the time, Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise were both young actors on their way to becoming major stars. It appears like there was some squabbling behind the scenes.
Lowe slapped Cruise in the face a little too hard during a practice for a scene. Cruise was visibly agitated. He returned the slap with a real fist, igniting a brawl. The two actors had to be separated and given time to calm down.
Thomas Gibson vs. Writer
Thomas Gibson portrayed the iconic Agent Hotchner on the television drama Criminal Minds. Gibson seems to have a calm and collected attitude, but in reality, he possesses an explosive temper. His behavior on set got increasingly problematic over time, and he was eventually fired from the show.
One day, after Gibson became enraged and kicked a writer following a heated debate, things swiftly spiraled out of control. After a confrontation with an assistant director, the actor was placed in anger management. The actor has since apologized for his actions.
Tony Bellew vs. Corner Coach
Tony Bellew, a British boxer, co-starred alongside Michael B. Jordan as Pretty Ricky Conlan in Creed, the most recent entry in the Rocky movie universe, released in 2015. Sylvester Stallone also reprised his role as the iconic Rocky Balboa.
Witnesses reported an explosive altercation between the two on set. Bellew allegedly attacked his corner coach during the filming of a fight scene. What transpired between the two before the fight is unknown. Apparently, it was Stallone himself who intervened during the brawl.
Jennie Garth vs. Shannen Doherty
During the 1990s, Shannen Doherty and other actresses, such as Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth, featured in the popular drama series Beverly Hills 90210. All three of them were adolescents who had spent the majority of their life on set.
“We had times when we loved each other and others when we were pushed to claw each other's eyes out,” Garth reported. Behind the scenes, a heated fight erupted between Garth and Doherty, which the entire cast had to help break up. Doherty was eventually let go from the show.
Naya Rivera vs. Lea Michele
While filming the musical television series Glee, Naya Rivera and Lea Michele had many on-screen clashes as Rachel and Santana. Their characters' conflicts allegedly spilled over into their own conflicts during filming.
With growing tensions and all hopes of a resolution seeming improbable, Lea Michele reportedly requested that Naya Rivera be written off the show. Whether or not this was the case, Naya was kicked soon after. She wasn't even able to finish the fifth season, as her character was killed off two episodes before the end. Rivera tragically died in 2020 in a swimming accident. RIP Naya.
Eric Braeden vs. Michael Muhney
Actors Michael Muhney and Eric Braeden of The Young and the Restless had an on-set fight in 1991. Muhney was convinced for years that his seasoned co-star wanted him fired. There were also, apparently, line disagreements, in which Braeden accused Muhney of not taking his role seriously.
During multiple interviews, Braeden stated that when the cameras were turned off, he and Muhney would regularly have shouting bouts. The creator of the show had to advise both men to relax on multiple occasions, or they would be fired.
Bette Davis vs. Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford and Better Davis had a long-running quarrel. In fact, their rivalry is infamous in Hollywood history. However, some people thought that bringing them together on set as co-actors would help to mend the rift between them. Davis and Crawford were hired as bickering sisters in the 1962 picture What Happened to Baby Jane.
Behind-the-scenes reports of physical and verbal altercations hindered work on the picture. Of course, their enmity stemmed from personal and professional feuds and the stress of performing put them at odds. However, the film was due to the authentic action scenes and lively performances.
LL Cool J vs. Jamie Foxx
LL Cool J and Jamie Foxx kept things out in the open. In Any Given Sunday, the 1999 football drama which also featured Dennis Quaid and Al Pacino, the two starred as teammates. During production, the actors had a heated argument.
The actors were intent on having a shoving match, but Foxx took things too far and threw fists almost immediately. The two fought until they parted ways, but their enmity lasted long after the movie was over.
Patrick Dempsey vs. Isaiah Washington
On the set of Grey's Anatomy in 2006, Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey came to blows. After a dispute over casts showing up late for work, Washington allegedly grabbed Patrick by the throat.
During the heated argument, Washington shouted a homophobic insult at his co-star, T.R. Knight. Washington revived the rivalry after repeating the slur behind the scenes at the Golden Globes in January 2007. Knight eventually came out as gay, and his fans embraced him.
Rip Torn vs. Norman Mailer
Rip Torn has been in so many scrapes that his moniker is beginning to make sense. While filming Maidstone, a horrific brawl broke out when Torn smashed his co-star with a hammer while filming a fight scene. Things went so badly that Mailer, the film's director, rushed in and attacked the actor.
The entire brawl was actually caught on film. The two men can be seen rolling around on the grass until they are held down by force by the crew. The clip was somehow included in the film's final cut.
Sara Jessica Parker vs. Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker couldn't stand each other in real life, despite their Sex and the City characters being closest friends. When the cameras roll, they'd act like best friends, but they'd completely ignore each other between takes.
The dispute has been denied by neither of the ladies. Parker attributed the whole incident to long days and hard work, which he said added up to stress. Finally, she brazenly claimed that she had no regrets about how she had treated anyone.
Meryl Streep vs. Dustin Hoffman
Filming a movie isn't simple, so it's only normal that there will be some setbacks. However, if you're working with outstanding actors like Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman, you'd be forgiven for imagining that professionalism would take precedence over any feuding.
According to a biography written on Streep, Hoffman was abrasive with the actress when she gave character suggestions. According to the report, he would lash out at her and make disparaging remarks about her lover, who had recently died.
Lars Von Trier vs. Bjork
Lars Von Trier, the controversial Danish filmmaker, was expelled from Cannes for making anti-Semitic remarks in 2011. Bjork began her fight with the director during the filming of Dancer in the Dark, in which Bjork portrays an immigrant who works long hours to pay for her child's eye surgery.
Bjork began missing filming days and once spat at Von Trier, screaming, "Never work with a Dane. He will eat your soul." As a result, the director smashed a monitor into pieces and began missing filming days as well.
Steven Seagal vs. John Leguizamo
Due to his colossal ego and fiery temper, Steven Seagal has generally never been admired on set. In Executive Decision, released in 1996, his character is abruptly killed off less than halfway through. Rumor has it that this was done to get rid of Seagal.
While kidding around with John Leguizamo, who plays a soldier in the film, Seagal declared, "I'm in command," before smashing Leguizamo against a wall with an elbow. It's no surprise that when Seagal's character bought it, no one was disappointed.
Werner Herzog vs. Klaus Kinski
Is there anything crazier than Klaus Kinski and Werner Herzog’s mutual hatred? The fact that the two managed to keep their relationship together long enough to collaborate on five films is a miracle. Although the two had shared a room in their off-hours, Herzog was wary of Kinski.
On the set of Wrath of God, they had a massive punch up which ended up with someone pulling a gun. It got worse during the making of Fitzcarraldo, with Herzog admitting that he fantasized about letting a group of natives "take care" of Kinski.
Tyrese Gibson vs. James Franco
The trailer for Annapolis makes the movie seem like a war thriller, but it's actually a drama starring Tyrese Gibson and James Franco as Naval Academy students training for a big boxing contest. Franco confessed that he was very focused throughout filming and went all out during rehearsals.
Gibson encouraged Franco to take it easy, but their practice quickly devolved into a full-fledged boxing match. Franco accepted responsibility for going too far. Gibson, on the other hand, still harbors a grudge against his on-screen and off-screen adversary.
Chevy Chase vs. Bill Murray
Saturday Night Live's initial cast had no idea they were establishing a television institution. They were simply having a good time. The group indulged in a variety of vices throughout their time filming. Chevy Chase and Bill Murray soon started butting heads, possibly because of Chase's out-of-control ego.
It culminated in a massive brawl in the dressing room, which John Belushi was forced to break up. While there was always a tension between the two comedians, the two would bury the hatchet while filming the comedic classic Caddyshack.
Julia Roberts vs. Nick Nolte
Allegedly, co-stars Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts detested each other so much during the making of I Love Trouble in 1994 that they couldn't even film several of their scenes together. It got so bad that body doubles had to be used to finish scenes.
In an interview with The New York Times, Roberts said, “Nick can be charming and nice, but he's also completely disgusting." Nolte retaliated by saying that no nice person would call someone "disgusting," adding, "but she's not a nice person."
Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes
Leonardo DiCaprio was once known as an on-set prankster rather than a serious actor. His co-stars did not always appreciate his jokes. Leo's stunts on the set of Romeo + Juliet irritated the Juliet to his Romeo, Claire Danes, who didn’t seem amused by his antics.
On the other hand, Leo believed she was too uptight. If that's the case, it's incredible that a couple so unimpressed with each other could produce such powerful chemistry on the silver screen. What a tragedy, indeed.
William Shatner vs. Leonard Nimoy
Behind the scenes, Shatner was unpopular on the set of the legendary sci-fi show Star Trek and had a long spat with his co-worker, Leonard Nimoy. According to reports, Shatner was envious of Nimoy's fame and popularity among fans as the show's leading man.
After a photographer from the prestigious Life magazine came on set to photograph Nimoy with his Vulcan ears attached, Nimoy and Shatner almost broke out in a fight. Nichelle Nichols, another actress, claimed that Shatner was always causing difficulties and undermining the cast and crew's unity, to the point where she was on the verge of quitting.
Ryan Gosling vs. Rachel McAdams
In The Notebook, Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling not only had tremendous on-screen chemistry, but they also had a real-life romance. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Nick Cassavetes, the director of The Notebook, revealed that Gosling was not impressed with his co-star during the early phases of filming.
According to Cassavetes, Gosling requested that another actress deliver the lines off-camera for him because he was unimpressed with McAdams. It seems that the two actually managed to work out their differences. How they managed it will probably stay between them.
Nathan Fillion vs. Stana Katic
According to someone on the Castle crew, co-stars Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic weren’t just feuding; they "totally loathed each other." The source stated that not a word was exchanged between the two offscreen and that this has been the case for a few seasons.
Following Stana's statement that she would be departing the show in 2016, rumors about their conflict began circulating in gossip magazines. Fans were understandably astonished that eight seasons had passed by without any signs of bad blood between Stana and Nathan.
David O. Russell vs. Lily Tomlin
While filming I Heart Huckabees in 2004, a dramedy starring Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin, two behind-the-scenes recordings of the director David O. Russell and actress Lily Tomlin surfaced, in which the two seemed to be having a heated confrontation.
In one of the clips, Russell completely lost his temper, calling Tomlin a "b****" and a "c***" and slamming everything off a desk. In an interview made after the film was published, Tomlin stated that she loves Russell and that he was "under a tremendous amount of pressure."
Roman Polanski vs. Faye Dunaway
It's no secret that on the set of the 1974 masterpiece Chinatown, director Roman Polanski and Faye Dunaway loathed each other. Polanski stated in an interview that Dunaway was "extremely demanding." I was on the verge of coming to a standstill."
Polanski removed some of Dunaway's hair because it was catching the sun in one of his films. According to another report, Dunaway tossed a cup of pee at the director after he refused to allow her to take a restroom break.
Will Smith vs. Janet Hubert
Will Smith's inclusion on this list probably won’t surprise anyone following the infamous slap at the Oscars. The animosity between Smith and Smith's co-star, Janet Hubert, began while he was a young star on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
The animosity began after the actress accused Smith of failing to assist them when negotiating their salaries. His response was purportedly a careless shrug, followed by the advice: “Work out your own deals the same way I do mine.”
Julianna Margulies vs. Archie Panjabi
Archie Panjabi and Julianna Margulies, stars of The Good Wife, played two close friends in the show. Season two ended with the revelation of (spoilers) infidelity and cheating, shattering the friendship between the two characters—and strangely, the actresses as well.
As the story progressed, Margulies and Panjabi began to avoid each other. Their scenes were shot independently, with a phone linking them or a third person reading the lines. Was this extreme method acting, or had the writers written the twist ending on purpose, knowing their mutual dislike of one another?
Debra Winger vs. Shirley MacLaine
While Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger portrayed a loving mother and daughter couple in the 1983 film Terms of Endearment, their real-life relationship could not have been more different. Winger's pranks appeared to have irritated MacLaine, and the young actress simply did not meet MacLaine's professional standards.
By the time they were both nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, their relationship was frigid, to say the least. Putting them both in competition sealed the deal on their mutual hatred. In the end, MacLaine won the award.
Charlie Sheen vs. Selma Blair
Starring in Sheen's long-running sitcom Anger Management together seemed to drive Charlie Sheen and Selma Blair apart from the beginning. Sheen's work ethic irritated Blair. In her opinion, he wasn't professional, and she wasn't afraid to say it.
This angered her so much that by June of 2013, he had issued an "it's me or her" ultimatum to the producers. Needless to say, the producers chose Sheen over Blair, as her character was ultimately written off from the show.
Mariah Carey vs. Nicki Minaj
You'll enjoy this feud if you get a kick out of overly exaggerated showdowns between celebrity giants. Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey went into full-on diva meltdown mode after only a few weeks as American Idol judges.
Minaj's verbal threats escalated into threats of gun violence. Her rage eventually erupted into an expletive-laced rant, which was, of course, broadcast on TMZ. Mariah believed Nicki lacked vocal talent and so was unfit to be a judge on reports. Mariah left American Idol right after.
Chelsea Handler vs. Heather McDonald
While the actresses appeared to be having a good time and enjoying one another’s company on Chelsea Lately, things weren't so perfect when the cameras were switched off. So what actually drove these two ladies apart? McDonald was reportedly terrified on a daily basis.
Her main anxiety, it appears, was that she might lose her job at any moment. McDonald's claims were dismissed by Handler, who told Howard Stern that it was a TV program, not an "internment camp," and that if McDonald was so afraid every day, she was free to find another employment. Sounds like a vicious loop if you ask us.
The Rock vs. Vin Diesel
The fact that fans are so eager to see Vin Diesel and The Rock in the same movie together, either fighting together or each other, is the same reason you're going to have problems breaking them up: they're both enormous alpha guys.
"Some handle themselves as stand-up men and true professionals, and others don't," The Rock lamented on Instagram in reference to Vin Diesel. The ones who don't are too chicken s*** to do something about it anyway." He ended his outburst with two words that went viral: "Candy asses."
Julia Roberts vs. Susan Sarandon
Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon had a falling out. The fight is said to have occurred on the set of the film Stepmom. On-set rumors began to circulate that Roberts and Sarandon had been bickering and fighting.
Sarandon immediately turned to Twitter after learning about the gossip magazines' reports. She revealed that she had investigated the allegation and discovered that it had been started by her own PR agent! What a twist!
Teri Hatcher vs. Marcia Cross
It's still startling to see two actresses who play best friends on a show turning to rivalry as soon as the director shouts, "Cut!" One intriguing disagreement between the two happened during a Desperate Housewives Vanity Fair photoshoot.
Hatcher was adamant about being the one in the center of the shot. Marcia Cross threatened to leave if Hatcher continued to interfere. But Cross wasn’t the only other actor in the shot. Cross and Hatcher’s fight must have made everyone feel pretty desperate.
Patrick Swayze vs. Jennifer Grey
Who can forget Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey's searing chemistry in the iconic 1980s film Dirty Dancing? Not everyone remembers it that way. Swayze felt that Grey was easily moved by her emotion and would burst into tears if anyone criticized her.
Actors who are constantly criticized always have this problem. Grey would also frequently screw up takes by giggling or being ridiculous—necessitating considerably more takes than Swayze would have liked—no dancing around it.
Channing Tatum vs. Alex Pettyfer
Alex Pettyfer and Channing Tatum share a completely different relationship than their characters in Magic Mike. Channing Tatum reportedly thought Alex Pettyfer had a nasty attitude, and there was nothing anyone could do to change his mind on the subject.
While many celebrities try to hide their feuds for fear of being judged, Pettyfer was refreshingly candid in saying that Tatum did not like him and that there were numerous reasons for this, the majority of which Pettyfer thought were his fault.