10 Times Celebrities Publicly Called Out Other Stars

10 Times Celebs Publicly Called Out Other Celebs

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most controversial moments when celebrities publicly aired their grievances with other stars.

Gabby Windey vs. Michael Bublé

In 2022, reality TV star Gabby Windey finished as the runner-up on the 31st season of “Dancing with the Stars.” Although she narrowly missed the win, it seems Windey’s most unpleasant experience on the show came weeks before the finale, when singer Michael Bublé served as a guest judge. On the “Las Culturistas” podcast, Windey stated that Bublé was “beyond dead” to her, accusing him of ogling her and blaming him for denying her a perfect score on her rumba. This wasn’t the first time Windey called Bublé out for his behavior towards her. In an earlier interview with Cosmopolitan, she barely let the question land before naming Bublé as the male celebrity she most hated working with.

Kim Cattrall vs. Sarah Jessica Parker

On screen, Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker portrayed best friends navigating life in New York City. Off screen, however, that camaraderie has been sorely lacking. The feud between the “Sex and the City” co-stars has played out publicly for years, but things hit a dramatic low in 2018 following the death of Cattrall’s brother. When Parker offered her condolences in a comment on Cattrall’s Instagram post, Cattrall responded with a separate post accusing Parker of being cruel, and rejecting both her sympathy and support. Unsurprisingly, this only seemed to deepen the rift between them. Things remained so tense that when Cattrall finally agreed to a cameo in the spin-off “And Just Like That…,” she filmed it without any direct contact with Parker.


Tim Gunn vs. Taylor Momsen

Long before the word “brat” became cool, it was one of many unsavory words fashion guru Tim Gunn used to describe “Gossip Girl” actress Taylor Momsen. Back in 2010, Gunn made a cameo appearance as himself on the show, but his brief experience working alongside Momsen seemed to have left a bad taste in his mouth. While promoting his book “Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work,” the “Project Runway” mentor publicly criticized Momsen’s on-set behavior. Gunn claimed that she spent too much time on her phone and struggled to remember her lines, which led to repeated takes of her scenes. As a result, Gunn labeled her “sad and pathetic,” and even called her a “diva.”


Natasha Lyonne vs. James Woods

Since the rise of the MeToo movement, Hollywood actor James Woods’ name has come up in multiple sexual misconduct allegations. The first surfaced in 2017, when actress Amber Tamblyn accused him of making advances towards her even though he knew she was underage (xref). In 2024, Natasha Lyonne chimed in with her own unsettling experience during an appearance on “Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend.” Lyonne and Woods had previously shared a scene in “Scary Movie 2,” which parodied “The Exorcist,” where she played the possessed girl and Woods played the priest attempting to save her. According to Lyonne, Woods tried hitting on her, despite the fact that she was “a teenager in full monster makeup.” Although he denied Tamblyn’s accusation, Woods has stayed silent on Lyonne’s.


Elton John vs. Madonna

The music industry has never been short on high-profile feuds. But long before Drake vs. Kendrick, or Taylor vs. Kanye, two heavyweights, Elton John and Madonna, locked horns for years. Their feud dates back to 2002 when John described Madonna’s “Die Another Day” as “the worst Bond tune ever.” Two years later, he took things even more public at the 2004 Q Awards. While accepting the trophy for Classic Songwriter, John mocked Madonna’s nomination for Best Live Act, accusing her of lip-syncing. Although he was criticized for this, John stuck to his guns for years, repeatedly calling Madonna out for faking it on stage. However, both artists finally reconciled in April 2025, and even plan to collaborate in the future.


Lucy Liu vs. Bill Murray

Lucy Liu’s breakthrough movie role came in 2000, when she starred as one of the titular characters in “Charlie's Angels.” Although the film opened doors for Liu, the experience was apparently tense, particularly due to her interactions with co-star Bill Murray. In a 2021 interview, Liu revealed that Murray had lashed out at her during filming, using what she called “inexcusable and unacceptable” language. At the time, Murray was a huge star, while Liu was still starting out in her career, and it would’ve been easy for her to stay silent. However, she chose to stand her ground and, according to co-star Drew Barrymore, received support from others on the set. Liu’s account is one of several that point to a troubling pattern of behavior associated with Murray.


Rebel Wilson vs. Sacha Baron Cohen

From as far back as 2014, Rebel Wilson has gone on record accusing Sacha Baron Cohen, her co-star and producer on the 2016 film “Grimsby,” of behaving inappropriately towards her. Her claims didn’t make much of a splash back then, but they sparked a huge controversy in 2024 when Wilson expanded on them in her memoir “Rebel Rising.” In excerpts released during the book’s promotion, Wilson alleged that Baron Cohen had repeatedly pressured her into uncomfortable situations. This included asking her to go nude and even urging her to perform an indecent act on him for a scene. Baron Cohen denied the accusations and sought legal action against Wilson, resulting in the redaction of certain passages in the UK edition of the book.


Rina Sawayama vs. Matty Healy


Rina Sawayama’s “STFU!” was written in response to the everyday microaggressions faced by Asian women like herself. When she performed the song at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2023, she used it as an avenue to publicly call out fellow musician and labelmate Matty Healy, frontman of the 1975. Sawayama was seemingly referring to Healy’s controversial appearance on “The Adam Friedland Show” months earlier. Apparently, he had joined the hosts of the podcast in mocking rapper Ice Spice’s heritage, and admitted to enjoying a racially charged adult series. Not long after, Healy sparked even further backlash after tweeting an offensive joke in reference to the band Boygenius, which prompted band member Lucy Dacus to quickly shut him down.


Nicki Minaj vs. Miley Cyrus

After winning Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2015 VMAs, Nicki Minaj thanked her pastor before throwing caution to the wind and calling out host Miley Cyrus, who stood on a nearby stage. Minaj’s vitriol was in response to comments Cyrus had made in a recent New York Times interview. Months earlier, Minaj had vented on Twitter after her video for “Anaconda” was snubbed for Video of the Year, sparking a broader conversation about race and body positivity. When asked about the controversy, Cyrus described Minaj as “not too kind” and suggested her reaction was as a result of jealousy. After being called out on stage by Minaj, Cyrus defended herself by claiming that her responses were misrepresented, before continuing with the show.


Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West

The relationship between music stars Taylor Swift and Kanye West has never quite been cordial, even in the moments when they tried to appear so. It all began in 2009 when West rudely interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech at the VMAs to declare that her award should have gone to Beyoncé instead. Believing that this one event was single-handedly responsible for Swift’s success, West released the song “Famous,” where he seemed to take credit for her rise to fame. Safe to say, Swift wasn’t having any of that. After snagging her second Album of the Year award at the 2016 Grammys, she used part of her acceptance speech to subtly, but unmistakably, shut down that narrative.


What other confrontational celebs deserve a place on this list? Let us know in the comments below.