In the glamorous world of Hollywood, the ideal is a harmonious, creative partnership between actor and director. Think of the legendary collaborations between Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, or John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands. Yet, behind the scenes, the pressure-cooker environment of a film set can sometimes boil over into spectacular, and very public, feuds.
When these clashes spill into the public record, it often signals a profound level of toxicity. Here, we detail 22 of the most infamous instances where actors and directors simply could not stand each other, from legendary auteurs to modern blockbuster filmmakers.
Infamous Directorial Clashes and Actor Backlash
David Fincher and Jake Gyllenhaal found their working styles at odds during the making of 2007's Zodiac. Gyllenhaal, then a young star, described being a "colour" in Fincher's exacting painterly process. Fincher later retorted that Gyllenhaal was "very distracted" on set, besieged by agents discussing magazine covers rather than focusing on the minutiae of his performance.
The friction on Keira Knightley and director John Carney's film Begin Again emerged only after the film's release. Carney publicly criticised Knightley's acting, calling her a "supermodel" lacking in self-analysis, before later apologising. Knightley accepted the apology but confirmed the shoot was "very difficult" and that the pair "didn't get on".
On the set of The Royal Tenenbaums, veteran actor Gene Hackman made no secret of his disdain for the meticulous Wes Anderson. Co-stars reported Hackman telling Anderson to "pull up [his] pants and act like a man". Despite the tension, Anderson has expressed no regret over casting the formidable actor.
Perhaps no director has a more prolific record of on-set disputes than David O. Russell. Amy Adams revealed he made her cry "every day" on American Hustle with his intense, shouting direction. George Clooney confronted Russell on Three Kings for mistreating crew, later calling him "a miserable f***". Even Lily Tomlin was caught in a screaming match with Russell on camera during I Heart Huckabees, though she claims they reconciled swiftly.
When Blockbuster Sets Erupt in Conflict
The 1989 classic Steel Magnolias was a battlefield between director Herbert Ross and his stellar cast. Sally Field recalled how Ross told them they "couldn't act", while he singled out a young Julia Roberts with particular "vengeance". Dolly Parton responded to his demands for acting lessons by reminding him, "I'm not an actress, I'm Dolly Parton."
Superhero films are not immune. The troubled production of 2017's Justice League saw director Joss Whedon clash with stars after taking over from Zack Snyder. Ray Fisher (Cyborg) alleged inappropriate behaviour, while Gal Gadot claimed Whedon "threatened my career" when she questioned a scene. Whedon has not publicly addressed these claims.
On Batman Forever, director Joel Schumacher did not hold back, labelling star Val Kilmer "psychotic" and Tommy Lee Jones an "a*****e". He described a period where Kilmer stopped speaking to him as "bliss".
The partnership between Bill Murray and Harold Ramis produced comedy gold like Ghostbusters, but it shattered during Groundhog Day. Tension escalated to a physical confrontation, with Ramis throwing Murray against a wall. The pair did not speak for 21 years, reconciling only at Ramis's deathbed.
Creative Differences and Lasting Legacies
Even the great Steven Spielberg faced a notorious feud with Julia Roberts on the set of Hook. Roberts, playing Tinkerbell against green screens, was reportedly nicknamed "Tinkerhell" by the crew. Spielberg acknowledged her difficult personal circumstances at the time, saying it was "bad timing for all of us".
The feud between Bruce Willis and director Kevin Smith on Cop Out became more famous than the film itself. Smith called the experience "soul-crushing", while Willis dismissed Smith as "just a whiner".
Stanley Kubrick's perfectionism famously tried actors' patience. Harvey Keitel reportedly walked off Eyes Wide Shut after dozens of takes of a simple scene, declaring Kubrick "f***ing crazy". He was replaced by Sydney Pollack.
Other notable clashes include Burt Reynolds dismissing Paul Thomas Anderson as "young and full of himself" despite their Oscar-nominated work on Boogie Nights; Cher locking horns with director Peter Bogdanovich on Mask; and Mike Myers attempting to edit Wayne's World without its director, Penelope Spheeris.
These stories reveal a fundamental truth about filmmaking: it is a high-stakes marriage of intense creative egos. While the results can be cinematic magic, the journey there is sometimes anything but.
