There are people in Hollywood whose influence and power are beyond normal, and not all of them are good-natured. Among the glistening and glamorous affairs, some actors have such vile characters that even their co-stars, directors, and crew cannot bear the thought of working with them. Their behavior ranges from diva tantrums to setting fires to being hostile, and these celebrities have shown that fame does not always come with elegance. These are ten of the most impolite actors in Hollywood whose manners have escalated from startling to being downright infamous.
10. Lea Michele
The former Glee series star had amazed the audience with her vocal performances on Broadway; however, her offstage personality was totally different. The people she worked with threw the blame at her for making the environment unhealthy and creating a hateful vibe. One of them, Samantha Ware, claimed that she experienced “traumatic microaggressions” because of her, while another, Heather Morris, supported the statements. Michele fired back with her own statement in which she acknowledged her fault, however, it was already too late for her image to be restored.
9. Edward Norton
Norton is usually applauded for his dramatic ability, but off-screen, he gained notoriety for being a control freak. Having played the Hulk in 2008, Marvel promptly replaced him with Mark Ruffalo, describing him as lacking a “collaborative spirit.” Speculation that he rewrote scripts and clashed with directors cemented his image as a difficult collaborator.
8. Julia Roberts
Though often called “America’s Sweetheart,” Roberts wasn’t always so sweet on set. While filming Hook, her behavior earned her the nickname “Tinkerhell” from Steven Spielberg. The director later admitted it was simply a bad time for them to work together, but the label stuck as a reminder that even beloved stars can be tough to handle.
7. Bill Murray
For all his comedic genius, Bill Murray has a storied history of feuds. He famously battled Harold Ramis, engaged in tense on-set fights with Lucy Liu, and stormed off the set against Richard Dreyfuss, calling him “an Irish drunken bully” after What About Bob?. Murray’s charm has taken him far, but his temper has left a long legacy of blowback.
6. Bruce Willis
In his later career, Willis gained a reputation for being demanding on set. Directors portrayed him as moody and frustrated, needing reduced scripts and extensive body-double work. Much of this was subsequently attributed to his struggle with aphasia, which ultimately brought his retirement about. Although many collaborators showed sadness rather than anger, it still left behind reports of difficult shoots.
5. Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase’s irascible reputation is nearly as well-known as his humor. Ex-SNL cast members complained that he was abusive, slapping them and making racist remarks. Donald Glover on Community said that Chase would insult him with slurs during rehearsals. Even years after leaving, Pete Davidson simply referred to Chase as “a really bad, racist dude.”
4. Thomas Gibson
Famous for his work on Criminal Minds, Gibson’s on-set tantrums were his undoing. After he kicked a writer after arguing with him, he was let go from the show. This was not the first time—previously, he had pushed an assistant director and even went so far as to take anger management courses. Ultimately, it cost him his landmark character.
3. Christian Bale
Bale’s notorious rant on the set of Terminator Salvation is Hollywood lore. The leaked recording of him exploding at a cinematographer went viral, characterizing him as erratic. To his credit, Bale later confessed he was totally out of line and publicly apologized, but the incident remains a cautionary example of on-set breakdowns.
2. Teri Hatcher
The Desperate Housewives cast was notoriously strained, and Teri Hatcher was frequently blamed as the reason. Castmates allegedly kept her out of group gifts and called her “the meanest woman in the world.” Even a basic Vanity Fair photoshoot turned into a battle for who would take center stage, solidifying her diva status.
1. Chris Noth
At number one is Chris Noth, aka Mr. Big. On-set reports had already depicted his conduct as “disgusting” with unwanted touching and obscene comments. His career came crashing down when numerous allegations of assault were made public, resulting in his being dropped by his agent and eliminated from The Equalizer. For Noth, decades of bad behavior had finally caught up.
Hollywood tends to forgive its favorites, and some manage to restore their reputations after a while. However, for these ten, their legacy is not only about the work that appeared on screen—it’s about the challenging, and sometimes poisonous, conduct that trailed behind them off-screen.