Top 30 Most Difficult Celebs to Work With

#30: Christian Bale

The Dark Knight star is often seen as a textbook example of a Method actor, although he denies it. He goes to extreme lengths to bring his characters to life. However, in the process, he is known to cross ethical lines. He once snapped at the director of photography on the set of Terminator Salvation after being interrupted. His American Psycho co-star Chloë Sevigny was unnerved by his approach to acting and wished he had been more generous. Bale himself admitted to keeping his distance from his co-actors for the sake of his performance. However, in an interview with GQ, he shut down rumors of being difficult, claiming he simply had high standards for his craft.

#29: Jimmy Fallon

Hes known for being one of the friendliest talk show hosts on TV, but found himself at the center of a toxic workplace controversy in 2023. Several staff members working on The Tonight Show alleged that he created a hostile environment on set. It was apparently so extreme that it caused employees to tiptoe around him, and they even struggled with their mental health because of it. According to their claims, Jimmy was reportedly entitled, unpredictable, and even showed up to work appearing intoxicated. The fact that he once wore blackface on SNL didnt help his image either. Fallon has since apologized for both issues.

#28: Gene Simmons

The Demon from Kiss has an unholy reputation, to say the least. When hes off the stage, he is best known for his promiscuous nature, unfiltered language, and questionable political opinions. He was accused of sexually assaulting two women, including his bandmate Ace Frehleys wife. He was also called obnoxious by NPR journalist Terry Gross for his inappropriate remarks toward her. The rocker even got banned from Fox & Friends after he allegedly acted indecently in front of Fox News staff. Genes wife, Shannon Tweed, tolerated his infidelity for years. She once even walked out of an interview on The Joy Behar Show because she was tired of him joking about his womanizing ways. Personally or professionally, Gene Simmons doesnt seem to be great company.

#27: William Shatner

The Canadian actors feuds with his Star Trek co-stars are legendary. He was allegedly envious of Leonard Nimoys popularity and stole Spocks lines to give his character, Captain Kirk, more importance. The two actors had a hot and cold friendship for years. Nichelle Nichols, who plays Uhura, reportedly considered quitting the film series over his conduct, but Martin Luther King Jr. inspired her to keep going. He also clashed with George Takei a.k.a. Sulu, for decades. However, Shatners unsavory behavior apparently doesnt stop at his co-stars. One Reddit user claimed he allegedly mocked a tall security guard for his height until he almost got assaulted for it. Although this is just a rumor, it doesnt help his so-called difficult reputation.

#26: Tommy Lee Jones

The Oscar-winning actor is undoubtedly a Hollywood icon. However, people in the industry dont seem to have the easiest time dealing with him. Jim Carrey once famously revealed that Jones refused to sanction his buffoonery while they were filming Batman Forever. He is also known to be tough to interview, since he has no interest in offering flowery answers. However, several of Tommys colleagues have defended him at times. His Men in Black co-star Will Smith asserted that he thoroughly enjoyed working with him. Even Josh Brolin told Entertainment Weekly that Tommy made the set uncomfortable but in an intriguing way. Similarly, Hilary Swank and Samuel L. Jackson can vouch for his sense of humor. So, is he difficult? It depends on who you ask.

#25: Katherine Heigl

The Greys Anatomy star has a bad rep for being, ungrateful and unprofessional, in her own words. However, any fan who has followed the actress through the years knows that the industry vilified her for having strong opinions. She called out Knocked Up for its sexism, criticized Greys for allegedly enforcing unsafe working hours, and advocated for a raise on the show. She was also misunderstood for years just because she didnt submit her work on the medical drama for consideration at the 2008 Emmys. A young Heigl reacted by retreating from the public eye. However, now, shes back and better than ever.

#24: Mariah Carey

The Songbird Supreme wears her diva title like a badge of honor. Being self-made, she is proudly high-maintenance. However, the people around her seemingly have a hard time keeping up. TMZ once reported that Mariah was, quote, a nightmare on the set of American Idol. In another instance, journalist Eamonn Holmes said he had to wait hours to interview her and was ultimately told she was too tired to proceed. Even more peculiar are the rules she is said to implement on her personal assistants. They allegedly cant date during their first year on the job and arent allowed to shed tears in her office. She has also been sued by her former staff members, including assistants and her childrens nannies, reportedly over payments. Yikes.

#23: Russell Crowe

The Gladiator actor is infamous for his anger, and for a long time, that was all he made the headlines for. On the one hand, his career was soaring. On the other, his image was deteriorating. He regularly came under fire for allegedly getting into brawls, once throwing a telephone at a hotel concierge, and chiding a BBC producer for cutting his BAFTA acceptance speech in 2002. There were rumors of him being violent toward a photographer at one point, but he denied them, claiming he used some choice words to tear people down instead. Crowe's rampages became so common that even South Park had to parody them. The Oscar winner now regrets his rash actions.

#22: Teri Hatcher

The Desperate Housewives star reportedly didnt have much of a friendship with her co-stars in real life. Word on the street was that while actresses Nicollette Sheridan, Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, and Felicity Huffman were pals, Hatcher didnt mesh with them. In fact, when Eva, Marcia, and Felicity gave farewell presents to the shows crew after it concluded, they did so with Vanessa Williams, who was only on two seasons. Teri was not involved. Her already damaged reputation took an even bigger hit when a staffer on the ABC show, Patty Lin, claimed that the writers avoided eye contact with her. Even her Lois & Clark co-star Dean Cain admitted to her being difficult at times, although he emphasized that working with her was amazing.

#21: Marlon Brando

This legend was an eccentric genius, always known for playing by his own rules. His classmate, entertainment executive Alan Shayne, once said he was impossible to work with and his Apocalypse Now co-star Dennis Hopper revealed Brando didnt want to be on set with him. Francis Ford Coppola explained that Marlon was just different. However, his excellence did not justify his behavior. He allegedly turned up half-dressed on the set of The Score and degraded director Frank Oz. He also reportedly refused to learn his lines for The Island of Dr. Moreau. The most ridiculous of his supposed antics was rejecting interviews using his dogs name, Doctor Tim. You might think it was him being funny, but theres no denying that it was deeply offensive.

#20: Tyra Banks

Keenyah Hill. Dani Evans. Brooke Burke. What do these people have in common? Theyve all worked with Tyra Banks, and theyve all said that working with her was difficult. A number of words have been used to describe Banks, including Queen bee and diva, and one former contestant on Americas Next Top Model called working with her psychological warfare. Another source who worked on Dancing With the Stars verified these claims, telling The Sun that she was a nightmare who [made] wild demands and was disrespectful to the crew, turning the general work environment toxic. Banks left the show after only three seasons.

#19: Hugh Grant

Sorry, ladies. We know Hugh Grant is everyones favorite British heartthrob, but if the rumors are to be believed, hes actually kind of a dink. Grant is notoriously misanthropic and refuses to talk about his personal life, making him a very difficult subject to interview. But thats nothing compared to what his co-workers endure. Director Mike Newell claims that [his] tongue is maybe too clever for its own good, and many co-stars have reported that Grant is a perfectionist, often demanding countless retakes to get a scene exactly right. And some stars have literally called him a pain in the you-know-what, including Jerry Seinfeld and Jon Stewart, who labeled Grant the worst guest in his shows history.

#18: Noel & Liam Gallagher

There are few people as hated in the music industry as the Gallagher brothers, at least professionally. Both have terrible reputations, known far and wide for their confrontational personalities and general disdain for humanity. Noel Gallagher has arguably got it worse, publicly feuding with the likes of Damon Albarn, Jay-Z, and Phil Collins. But no one hates the brothers more than they do each other. The two have a painfully tumultuous relationship, and its a wonder that they managed to write and record music together. Arguments were very frequent, and some eventually led to physical violence, including headbutts and thrown chairs. It was no surprise when the band eventually split, and Oasis hasnt released a studio album since 2008. However, they did announce plans in 2024 to reunite the next year for a world tour.

#17: Jared Leto

Jared Leto has turned in some unforgettable performances, from the spectacular to the disastrous. As a die-hard method actor, hes endured a lot to do his joband so have his co-stars. As a method actor, hes insisted on some sets that his fellow cast only address him by his characters name. And hes often refused to break that characterto an unreasonable extent. Most famously, he embodied Suicide Squads twisted Joker role by allegedly sending co-workers nasty gifts in the mail. Hes both lost and gained weight for films, with his part as Mark David Chapman in Chapter 27 eventually requiring him to move around by wheelchair. His dedication might be admirable, but the friction its caused amongst his colleagues makes him one tough collaborator. Meanwhile, the fact that the actor and musician faced several sexual misconduct allegations in 2025 doesnt help his rep.

#16: Madonna

Another icon of the 1990s, Madonna certainly has accolades and dollars to spare, but it seems like many people have a bone to pick with her. Fashion, music, TV - you name the industry, and someone in it has a problem with Madonna. Lets give some examples. Fashion - Giorgio Armani has called her very difficult. Music - both Cher and Rufus Wainwright have labeled the pop legend rude. TV - the hosts of The View called her disrespectful. The reasons for this reputation are many, including a generally mean demeanor, often acting spoiled and entitled, ignoring people at events, and having a fierce penchant for being late. So, you know, take your pick.

#15: Axl Rose

Bandmates. Managers. Uh, fans, if you want to count them as co-workers - any and all have had run-ins with Axl Rose. The Guns N Roses singer has long been famous for his bad boy image, known for wild mood swings and violent confrontations. He was once sued by an audience member he physically attacked, and he has been sued by band members Slash and Duff McKagan over songwriting credits. He was later sued by another band member, Chris Pitman, over unpaid wages. Oh, yes, he was also sued by a former band manager, who took Rose to court over nearly $2 million in unpaid fees. Were starting to see a pattern here

#14: Joss Whedon

Despite a long and very successful career in Hollywood, Joss Whedons reputation took a major hit in July of 2020. This is when he was accused of workplace harassment by Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg in Justice League. Fisher accused Whedon of gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable behavior, and his statements were backed up by Jason Momoa, who claimed that serious stuff went down on the set. This opened the floodgates, and numerous co-workers admitted that they had had a poor time with Whedon. He is reportedly very mean, has made numerous co-workers cry with nasty comments, and tormented Buffy actress Charisma Carpenter, making fun of her religion and even asking if she was going to keep her baby.

#13: Alfred Hitchcock

He may have been a legendary director, but he was an absolute pain to work under. By all accounts, Hitchcock was notoriously terrible to his actors, despite drawing from them some amazing performances. He once famously said that actors should be treated like cattle, and James Mason, who starred in North by Northwest, said that he treated actors like animated props. Hitchcock fiercely prohibited performers from improvising or giving him creative suggestions, saying that they should stick to acting and not be involved in the writing and directing processes. And thats not even mentioning his abusive and borderline obsessive relationship with Tippi Hedren, who eventually stopped working with Hitchcock after Marnie, having found him too creepy.

#12: Ellen DeGeneres

How the mighty have fallen. Ellen DeGeneres was once an icon, a very popular talk show host and a trailblazer for LGBT acceptance in mainstream media. Now DeGeneres is widely known for being a tyrant. It all started in July 2020, when former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show accused the host of creating a toxic workplace environment. The reports were many, including instances of racist micro-aggressions, ignoring employee accusations of sexual harassment, and firing people for taking bereavement leave and setting up GoFundMes for medical bills. Some have even accused DeGeneres of letting people go simply for looking her in the eyes. Comedian Kevin T. Porter called DeGeneres one of the meanest people alive.

#11: Kanye West

Even ignoring Yes countless controversies outside of the music industry, hes still an incredibly difficult man to work with. In 2024, Ye was sued by a security guard, who claimed that the rapper often screamed at him, treated him poorly for being Black, and forced him to cut his dreadlocks, even though theyre a part of his Muslim faith. Frequent collaborator Big Sean has also admitted that Ye is a nightmare, telling the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast that he is very hard to work with and demands perfection. Even Nike executives have gotten in on the action, having warned Adidas that doing business with him was an arduous and punishing task.

#10: Bill Murray

Bill Murray has had a long career making great comedies and managed to segue into dramatic roles as well. Unfortunately, over that long career hes also managed to accumulate a long list of people with unpleasant stories about what its like to work with him. Geena Davis has written about Murray forcing a massage device on her and yelling derogatory things at her on set. Richard Dreyfuss said that a drunk Murray threw an ashtray at him while filming What About Bob? and a producer on that film has talked about Murray throwing her in the lake following a disagreement. Lucy Liu has also talked publicly about the inexcusable and unacceptable language Murray directed at her on the set of Charlies Angels.

#9: Shia LaBeouf

Though he got his start in Hollywood in kids shows and blockbusters, Shia Labeoufs growth into an artist and filmmaker surprised many. Over the years, hes made more than a few controversial remarks, engaged in what some would call publicity stunts and, according to some, he can also transform into a bit of a jerk. Shia is notorious for his temper and belligerent attitude, even leaving the Broadway production of Orphans that he was slated to star in due to constant bickering and fights with his co-stars, especially Alec Baldwin. According to some however, Labeouf was just straight up fired.

#8: Edward Norton

Edward Norton is one of the finest actors in the industry, so it comes as no surprise that he takes his craft extremely seriously. We repeat: EXTREMELY seriously. In fact, Norton has a reputation for shadow directing. He sat in on the editing for American History X because he didnt trust Tony Kaye and often clashed with the studio during The Incredible Hulk over creative differences. While the people behind the film said the dispute was blown out of proportion in the media and a promo tour was planned for the movie, Norton didnt do any promotion following its release. So yes, he is that one employee who tells everyone else how to do his or her jobs.

#7: Jennifer Lopez

While 2019s Hustlers was very well received, Lopezs earlier work didnt do wonders for her reputation. Although shes known as a very hard worker, Jenny from the block has been called out in the past for so-called diva behavior. Shes been said to often make ridiculous demands, like numerous five star hotel rooms to stay in and her own private plane so she can travel in true diva style - all on someone elses dime, of course. And the kicker? She refuses to perform if her demands are not met. We guess its too bad her demands were met in the case of Gigli.

#6: Steven Seagal

It seems incredibly difficult for Segal to find work these days. Lord knows its been a long hard minute since the last time he had a box office hit. That may have something to do with the fact that hes supposedly a nightmare on set. Not only is Seagal cited as being highly critical of others, but he has also been known to physically intimidate cast members. He purportedly slammed comedian John Leguizamo against a wall simply for laughing at him, because, you know, comedians arent allowed to be funny. Well put it this way: Henry Rollins has stated hed rather drink latex paint than work with Seagal.

#5: Lea Michele

Dont sit there and assume the cast of Glee reflected its shows name when the cameras werent rolling. Rather, Lea Michele, who played one of the singing stars, Rachel Berry, apparently took on the cutthroat mentality of a real high school diva when it came to her behavior on set. According to reports, Michele was rude to all involved with production, making the cast and crew stand around and wait extensively until she was ready to begin shooting. Crewmembers also claim Michele refused to speak to junior members of the Glee staff. On top of that, in 2020, Glee co-star Samantha Ware said Michele made her first television gig living hell and described repeated instances of traumatic microaggressions towards the Black actress. She got better press in her recent Broadway appearance, but was that a real change or just damage control?

#4: Sean Penn

When it came out in early 2016 that infamous Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo met and interviewed with actor Sean Penn, the most reasonable question asked by the public was: Why? What qualifications does Penn have? Well, if he were to respond to that question, we probably wouldn't be able to publish it due to explicit language and its overall awful message. Though known as a great actor, he is also famous for allegedly being incredibly rude and an overall jerk. Although they are indeed serious, we wont even discuss the allegations of domestic abuse lobbied against him and instead just focus on his very real identity as a nightmare to work with. Allegedly hostile and intimidating, hes not someone you want to share the screen with.

#3: Mike Myers

Pick your jaw up off the floor! We werent expecting it either, but apparently this funnyman is not nearly as fun as his characters. The Austin Powers star has been constantly called moody and temperamental, and many complain about the degree of control Mike Myers feels he should be able to exhibit over the cast and crew. Many executives in the industry have simply refused to work with him, and rumor has it that he even had a crew member fired for looking him in the eyes on a particularly bad day. Not groovy, baby.

#2: Klaus Kinski

Even the most difficult of actors tend to make a few friends in the industry, and even if they dont, sometimes you can put up with the worst of the worst if theyre simply that damn talented. And then sometimes you have people like Klaus Kinski, who was reportedly so difficult that nobody gave him a second chance. Though not a household name, the German actor appeared in over 100 films throughout his long career. Despite that extensive list, Kinski only ever worked with one director on multiple occasions. All the others refused to deal with him again. To put it bluntly, Kinski has been described as insane. Prone to frequent blow-ups, there really is no comparison to his madness.

#1: Chevy Chase

Who hasnt Chevy Chase pissed off? Kindly regarded as perhaps the biggest grump in Hollywood, Chase has been described as an indefensible, cruelly vicious put-down artist. As early as his SNL days, Chase was burning bridges with the likes of John Belushi, Bill Murray, and the writers. Hes talked serious smack about most big names in the industry; some notables include Will Ferrell, Howard Stern, Kevin Smith, and Bill Maher. More recently, Chase destroyed the one good thing he had going with the cult classic show, Community. Chase heavily criticized the series and showrunner while he was still a cast member, and was known to have extremely offensive on-set tirades. We cant imagine Chase has many friends left.

Do you think any of these stars are actually misunderstood? Share your thoughts in the comments!