Julia Roberts
She’s America’s sweetheart but not everyone enjoys working with Julia Roberts. Superstar director Steven Spielberg was unimpressed when Roberts appear in his 1991 film Hook, later telling 60 Minutes he wouldn’t work with her again.
She was infuriated by his comments, later telling Vanity Fair “it was the first time that I felt I had a turncoat in my midst”. Spielberg stuck to his guns, issuing a statement reiterating that it had been a “tough time” in Roberts’ life, but he was glad she had gone on to become such a big success.
George Clooney
He’s beloved by women the world over but George Clooney is the first to admit he tried to kill Three Kings director David O Russell. Russell was a notorious bully who made several members of the cast and crew cry.
When Clooney confronted him about it, Russell challenged him to a fight, slapping him about the head. “Then, he got me by the throat and I went nuts,” Clooney said.
“I had him by the throat. I was going to kill him. The movie was truly, without exception, the worst experience of my life.”
Russell agreed, saying he wouldn’t work with Clooney again, even if he was offered $20 million.
Bruce Willis
According to director Kevin Smith, working with Bruce Willis was “soul crushing”.
Smith, who directed Willis in 2009 film Cop Out let rip at the action star in his memoirs, saying: “He turned out to be the unhappiest, most bitter, and meanest b—h I’ve ever met at any job I’ve held down. And mind you, I’ve worked at Domino’s Pizza.” Willis has never publicly responded to Smith’s claims.
Megan Fox
Fox made headlines in 2009 when she lashed out at Transformers director Michael Bay in an interview with Wonderland magazine, comparing him to Hitler and declaring him to be a “nightmare” to work with and accusing him of having “no social skills at all”.
Michael responded in GQ, saying: “Megan loves to get a response. And she does it in the wrong way. I’m sorry, Megan. I’m sorry I made you work 12 hours. I’m sorry that I’m making you show up on time. Movies are not always warm and fuzzy.”
Faye Dunaway
Screen siren Faye Dunaway was admired everywhere she went, but to director Roman Polanski, she was nothing but a “gigantic pain in the ass”.
Polanski, who directed Dunaway in Chinatown, said the actress “demonstrated certifiable proof of insanity”, reportedly because she once threw a cup of urine in his face to protest against because refused a toilet break during filming.
Kim Basinger
9 1/2 Weeks made Kim Basinger a star, but making the erotic drama was one of the worst experiences of her life.
Kim claimed director Adrian Lyne bullied her mercilessly, while he claimed he just did what he had to do to get a good performance out of a “child” like her.