Top 20 Movie Casts Who Hated One Co Star

#20: “Boogie Nights” (1997)

Burt Reynolds

Being on the same page on a film set is especially important in the adult industry, or a prestige production about it. Burt Reynolds openly hated the experience of making the acclaimed “Boogie Nights,” his disdain for the subject matter and directing style putting him at odds with young Paul Thomas Anderson. Apparently, the cast wasn’t much happier. In a 2022 interview with Vulture, William H. Macy described Reynolds as “clueless” about the film’s tone, and resented him changing his attitude after getting an Oscar nomination. Mark Wahlberg believes this behavior may have cost Reynolds the award. Everyone agrees that he gave the performance of a lifetime in “Boogie Nights,” but it’s implied that his lack of professionalism between takes turned everyone off.

#19: Faye Dunaway

“Chinatown” (1974)

As respected for her craft as she is notorious for her on-set difficulty, Faye Dunaway was also known to Jack Nicholson as “The Dreaded Dunaway.” Her tension with Roman Polanski on the set of his neo-noir masterpiece “Chinatown” is already well-documented. They would get into shouting matches over things like Polanski adjusting Dunaway’s hair without warning. Although she would call out the director as an authoritarian, much of the cast and crew reportedly felt Dunaway’s wrath. When she requested that Nicholson not simulate their famous slap scene, he didn’t object that much to her commitment. It ultimately paid off, with Dunaway receiving many accolades with the high praise for “Chinatown.” Unfortunately, her reputation among colleagues followed her, as well.

#18: “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)

Gene Hackman

The Wes Anderson dramedy “The Royal Tenenbaums” is considered a late standout in Gene Hackman’s distinguished career. He didn’t seem to agree. Hackman was frustrated by the modest production’s flat cast salary, and had heated creative conflicts with Anderson. On-screen wife Anjelica Huston said that the whole cast was scared of the resentful actor. And Bill Murray, who could never be described as the easiest guy to work with, told the Associated Press that Hackman was “really difficult.” This reflected the general sentiments of the cast, though Gwyneth Paltrow posted about the joy in working with such a legend after his passing in 2025. Alas, the beloved “The Royal Tenenbaums” wasn’t a joy for Hackman, and everyone knew it.

#17: “The Usual Suspects” (1995)

Kevin Spacey

Production on the crime drama classic “The Usual Suspects” was temporarily halted by an investigation into sexual harassment allegations. Audiences have their own prime suspect in hindsight. But after Kevin Spacey was hit with multiple allegations of inappropriate behavior in 2017, Gabriel Byrne told The Sunday Times that this came as no surprise. “That’s Kevin” was apparently a common phrase on the set. “The Usual Suspects” was said to be a difficult shoot anyway, notably marking the beginning of a longstanding feud between Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Pollak. Byrne’s insinuation, however, is that everyone was disturbed by Spacey’s sleazy disposition. As if his Oscar-winning performance hasn’t been spoiled enough by real twists in our perception of the actor.

#16: “The Canyons” (2013)

Lindsay Lohan

What should have been Lindsay Lohan’s bold return to form wound up further setting back her scandalized career. Scathing reviews aside, the erotic thriller “The Canyons” is known for the bad press surrounding the lead actress. Director Paul Schrader was particularly frustrated by her providing no press at the Venice Film Festival. Of course, this merely punctuated a working relationship marred by Lohan’s tardiness and demanding behavior. Adult film star James Deen said that her disrespect for his mainstream turn further raised tensions on-set. Lohan’s volatility can of course be attributed to her struggles with substance use disorder, which she has since overcome. Of course, she may never fully live down the word of the director and cast of “The Canyons.”

#15: “Man on the Moon” (1999)

Jim Carrey

Ironically, comedy legend Andy Kaufman’s lack of professionalism is what made Jim Carrey’s extreme professionalism such a burden on the set of “Man on the Moon.” The biopic chronicles Kaufman’s rise and fall as an eccentric provocateur, prankster, and altogether unreliable colleague. Carrey’s dedicated method acting meant maintaining that behavior at all times during the production, much to the annoyance of the cast and crew. His immersion into Kaufman’s crass alter ego Tony Clifton had to have been especially frustrating. The end result was a brilliant performance that should have advanced Carrey as a serious actor. Instead, “Man on the Moon” established his reputation for being a serious pain with his dramatic commitment.

#14: “Charlie’s Angels” (2000)

Bill Murray

For every memorable fan experience, there’s an unflattering anecdote about working with Bill Murray. This was part of the fun until allegations of serious harassment began to emerge in the 2020s. Chief among them was Lucy Liu’s account of tension throughout the production of the first “Charlie’s Angels” movie, which got physical over a heated scene. Murray’s efforts to prepare his scene partner with “inexcusable and unacceptable” comments prompted a violent response. Co-stars Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz supported Liu as she elaborated on this incident over the coming years. It was then that we understood the scope of Murray’s conflicts during productions, and why Bernie Mac took on the Bosley role for “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.”

#13: “The Cat in the Hat” (2003)

Mike Myers

There were no fuzzy feelings for the live-action “The Cat in the Hat” among grown-ups. According to a 2016 A.V. Club interview with Amy Hill, working with Mike Myers was its own misery. The actor was a total diva, frequently hiding out in his trailer and interacting mostly with a team of assistants to meet his demands. He actively avoided cast and crew in between takes, tarnishing any lively mood on the already grueling production. Myers didn't try to hide that “The Cat in the Hat” was a legal obligation after he cancelled another production over a disappointing script he wrote himself. That's still no excuse for him making his co-stars on this film and others feel unappreciated.

#12: “The Prince and the Showgirl” (1957)

The so-called quintessential “Blonde Bombshell” worked hard to be taken seriously as an actress. Directed by and starring the towering Laurence Olivier, “The Prince and the Showgirl” sadly didn't bring much credibility to Marilyn Monroe. In a 2012 interview with The Telegraph, co-star Joan Kent confirmed the legend of Monroe’s tardiness, script issues, and over-reliance on her acting coach. It was apparent that her mental health and substance use disorder had become unmanageable. She was such a burden on “The Prince and the Showgirl” that Kent remarked that the experience aged Olivier 15 years. Since Monroe’s tragic death in 1962, audiences have regarded her as an icon beyond her beauty, and debated how her colleagues interpreted her obvious struggles.

#11: Wesley Snipes

“Blade: Trinity” (2004)

This threequel’s dip in quality mirrors its production issues with star Wesley Snipes at the center. Patton Oswalt called Snipes “crazy in a hilarious way,” claiming he spent most days smoking in his trailer, refused to break character, and strangled director David S. Goyer. Where Oswalt found humor in Snipe’s alleged behavior, Jessica Biel thought the Blade actor was “a little unnerving.” Snipes also reportedly called Ryan Reynolds a racial slur. According to Oswalt, the filmmakers intentionally gave Reynolds “the worst jokes and puns,” so they could “cut to Wesley’s face not doing anything, because that’s all we could get from him.” Everyone was seemingly unified in making fun of Snipes, who reconciled with Reynolds 20 years later in “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

#10: Christian Bale

“American Psycho” (2000)

Christian Bale is another actor known for going method. While this has resulted in some great performances, you can imagine how stressful this might be for Bale’s co-stars, especially with serial killer Patrick Bateman. While Bale didn’t go too far, Chloë Sevigny found it difficult to socialize with him, saying, “Working with Christian was pretty hard because I didn’t know this whole Method thing.” Years later when they reteamed on “Ford v. Ferrari,” Josh Lucas told Bale, “All of the other actors thought that [he] was the worst actor they’d ever seen” during the production of “American Psycho.” Lucas changed his tune after seeing Bale’s performance in the finished film. Even so, Bale was “in the dark” about how his co-stars felt.

#9: Richard Pryor

“Blue Collar” (1978)

There’s no denying that Richard Pryor was a one-of-a-kind talent. With a history of heavy substance use, though, he wasn’t always the easiest person to work with. This was apparent on the set of “Blue Collar.” While there were tensions across the ensemble, Pryor was arguably the main source of conflict. Pryor reportedly didn’t get along with Yaphet Kotto or Harvey Keitel, constantly arguing with them. Matters grew especially aggressive between Pryor and Keitel, who threw an ashtray’s contents at the camera in response to his co-star’s prolonged ad-libs. In retaliation, Pryor had his bodyguard beat Keitel. Pryor also allegedly attacked Kotto with a chair. The animosity extended to director Paul Schrader, who accused Pryor of pulling a gun on him.

#8: Shia LaBeouf

“Fury” (2014)

The real battle in this World War II film was between Shia LaBeouf and his fellow actors. No stranger to erratic behavior, LaBeouf got into character by having a tooth removed and giving himself scars. He also stopped bathing, much to the annoyance of Logan Lerman, Jason Isaacs and Brad Pitt. The young actor was reportedly sent to a bed and breakfast to distance himself from the rest of the cast. There were also fist fights during production, although LaBeouf says this was part of a bonding experience suggested by director David Ayer. LaBeouf claims tensions de-escalated as the shoot wrapped and his co-stars all “love each other.” According to the Mail on Sunday, though, “several people on set” spoke out against him, including Pitt and Ayer.

#7: Steven Seagal

“Out for Justice” (1991)

Few actors have a worse reputation than Steven Seagal. It’s safe to say he didn’t make many friends during the production of this action thriller. Seagal supposedly had co-star William Forsythe’s screen time reduced, fearing he was better than him. Despite this, Forsythe said, “A part of me that really liked [Seagal]. But then there’s that other side.” Julianna Margulies was less forgiving, finding Seagal so scary that she didn’t want to be alone in the same room with him. No cast member grew to hate Seagal more than an up-and-coming John Leguizamo, who later worked with him again in “Executive Decision,” where a physical altercation broke out. Leguizamo has since repeatedly made fun of Seagal, even basing his character from “The Menu” on him.

#6: Jared Leto

“Suicide Squad” (2016)

Jared Leto’s turn as the Joker received more attention for his off-screen behavior. Leto allegedly sent the cast an assortment of disturbing gifts, including used condoms, sex toys, and a dead pig. Some cast members tried putting a smile on Leto’s methods. Margot Robbie was initially disgusted by the live rat Leto gifted her, although she wound up keeping it as a pet. Others struggled to see the joke. Viola Davis called Leto’s gifts “horrific,” saying that “he did some bad things.” Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje found Leto’s actions “downright selfish,” not wanting his “dirty leftovers.” In response to online backlash, Leto said, “If I do something risky and you don’t like it, basically, you can kiss my ass.” Try telling that to your co-stars, Mr. J.

#5: Val Kilmer

“The Island of Dr. Moreau” (1996)

This production nightmare faced numerous obstacles, including an unpredictable Marlon Brando. Val Kilmer was perhaps the most antagonistic figure, however. Brought onboard as a substitute for Bruce Willis, Kilmer refused to work the required number of days, resulting in him being designated to a supporting role. When he showed up on set reportedly two days late, he brought a hostile attitude with him. Supposedly, this was because his marriage to Joanne Whalley was ending. In any case, Kilmer added toxicity to an already uneasy environment, giving actor Rob Morrow another reason to quit. Although director Richard Stanley was replaced with John Frankenheimer, this did little to calm Kilmer. In addition to allegedly feuding with Brando, Kilmer was accused of generally being a prep school jerk.

#4: Marlon Brando

“Mutiny on the Bounty” (1962)

“Dr. Moreau” was far from the first production that Brando made difficult. 1962’s “Mutiny on the Bounty” was not only one of the most expensive films at the time, but also one of the biggest flops. Much of the blame went to Brando, who was accused of being controlling, tardy and uncooperative. Aside from clashing with director Lewis Milestone, Brando didn’t get along with his co-stars. Trevor Howard called Brando “unprofessional and completely ridiculous” while Richard Harris described him as “a large dreadful nightmare.” Shooting one scene, Harris walked off the set and shouted to Brando, “When you’re ready to work, call me.” Milestone would describe the production as “The Mutiny of Marlon Brando.” Following its failure, Hollywood and Brando’s career took significant turns.

#3: Shawn Andrews

“Dazed and Confused” (1993)

This hangout comedy launched several careers, most notably Matthew McConaughey’s. In a way, McConaughey has Shawn Andrews to thank. Initially, Andrews’s Kevin Pickford was going to have a more prominent part. Director Richard Linklater could tell that the other actors “weren’t responding” to Andrews, however. Linklater even broke up a fight between Andrews and Jason London. As such, Linklater reduced Andrews’ role and gave McConaughey more screen time. The only cast member Andrews gelled with was Milla Jovovich, who also had her role downsized. Jovovich and Andrews got hitched behind the scenes, although the marriage was annulled after two months. The cast otherwise found Andrews cocky as he built himself up as “the next Marlon Brando.” Well, Andrews and Brando have one thing in common.

#2: Lawrence Tierney

“Resrvoir Dogs” (1992)

Given this veteran character actor’s background playing tough guys, Quentin Tarantino cast him as crime boss Joe Cabot in his debut film. It soon occurred to Tarantino that Tierney was, in his words, “a complete lunatic.” Tarantino thus decided to shoot Tierney’s scenes first. During production, Tierney was arrested for drunkenly shooting his nephew at home, although he was released to complete filming. Tarantino told The Guardian, “By the end of the week, everybody on set hated Tierney – it wasn’t just me.” This hectic week culminated in a fight between the actor and director, driving Tarantino to fire Tierney. In response, the whole set applauded Tarantino. While Tarantino ultimately got the scenes he needed from Tierney, they never collaborated again.

#1: “Cobra Verde” (1987)

Klaus Kinski

The simultaneously revered and reviled Klaus Kinski was the bane of many film casts, including five directed by Werner Herzog. Audiences particularly note “Fitzcarraldo” for its fraught production and Herzog receiving an offer from Indigenous Amazonian extras to kill the hostile actor (xref). But “Cobra Verde” was really the breaking point. Cinematographer Thomas Mauch actually quit the project under Kinski’s relentless verbal abuse, which extended to just about everyone in the crew and cast. The cruelty had become so uncontrollable, and sometimes physical, that Herzog could no longer justify working with the undeniable talent. The two never collaborated again before Kinski’s death in 1991. Although their professional relationship consistently yielded masterpieces, “Cobra Verde” settled that no-one could escape the wrath of Kinski.

Who are some other actors known for facilitating behind-the-scenes drama? Call them out in the comments