Actresses Who Accused Co-Stars of Sabotaging Their Careers

Hollywood sets aren’t always as glamorous as they seem, and disagreements between actors can sometimes become major problems. Several actresses have publicly described difficult experiences with co-stars, ranging from simple personality conflicts to serious harassment that affected their careers and even the shows and movies they were working on. Here’s a look at some performers who have shared their stories about challenging relationships with colleagues.

Janet Hubert

The first actress to play Aunt Vivian on ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ left the show after a disagreement that damaged her career for years. Janet Hubert felt Will Smith unfairly portrayed her as hard to work with, and used his power to turn the other actors against her. She believed this damaged her reputation and led to her being excluded from significant roles. They finally discussed the issue during a cast reunion, where Hubert explained how Smith’s actions had cost her opportunities.

Eliza Dushku

The actress initially signed on for a recurring role on the show ‘Bull,’ with the expectation of becoming a series regular. However, she accused Michael Weatherly, the show’s lead actor, of repeatedly harassing her and making inappropriate remarks, creating a hostile work environment. She claims her character was quickly removed from the show after she reported his behavior to the network. This led to a substantial financial settlement and fueled a broader discussion about how women are treated on television dramas.

Pauley Perrette

Viewers were surprised when the popular actress announced she was leaving ‘NCIS’ after fifteen years. She hinted at experiencing physical attacks and feeling unsafe while working on set, specifically involving her co-star, Mark Harmon. There were also reports of problems caused by Harmon bringing his dog to work, which had reportedly bitten someone on the crew. The actress stated she would never return to the show and expressed fear of her former colleague.

Kim Cattrall

While ‘Sex and the City’ portrayed a close bond between its four main actresses, the real-life relationship was reportedly strained. Kim Cattrall publicly claimed Sarah Jessica Parker was unkind and created a negative atmosphere, leading to feelings of loneliness for Cattrall. This ultimately led to her refusal to appear in a third movie, as she believed she was unfairly compensated and treated. Cattrall has consistently stated that she and Parker were never friends, and that their working relationship was harmful.

Rose McGowan

During its most popular years, the set of ‘Charmed’ was marked by conflict between its stars. Rose McGowan accused Alyssa Milano of creating a negative and challenging work environment for the entire cast and crew, describing the experience as deeply upsetting. McGowan claimed Milano intentionally created distance and a hostile atmosphere around herself, which explains the contrast between the show’s portrayal of sisterhood and the difficult reality behind the scenes.

Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty left the original cast of ‘Charmed’ after reportedly having a difficult relationship with Alyssa Milano. The tension between them became so strong that the show’s producers had to choose between the two actresses. Doherty felt the on-set drama was distracting from her work and ultimately led to her leaving the popular series. This wasn’t the first time Doherty had left a show produced by Aaron Spelling because of disagreements with her co-stars.

Naya Rivera

In her memoir, the late Naya Rivera didn’t hold back when discussing her experiences on ‘Glee,’ particularly her difficult relationship with Lea Michele. As Rivera’s character, Santana, became more popular, she felt Michele actively tried to diminish her, often simply ignoring her. It wasn’t just subtle slights, either; Rivera detailed how Michele would frequently threaten to involve the union or producers over the smallest issues. Ultimately, Rivera believed Michele struggled to distinguish between herself and the demanding, diva-like persona she played on screen, and that insecurity fueled a lot of the tension between them.

Samantha Marie Ware

A former ‘Glee’ actress, Samantha Ware, publicly accused Lea Michele of mistreating her on set. Ware described Michele’s behavior as deeply hurtful and damaging, saying it made her doubt her career. She claimed Michele threatened her with a shocking act and made her first TV job miserable. Ware’s statements led other members of the show’s cast to come forward with similar stories about their negative experiences with Michele.

Lucy Liu

During the filming of ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ Lucy Liu and Bill Murray had a significant disagreement. Liu shared that Murray started verbally attacking her during a rehearsal, using language she found deeply offensive. She confronted him about his behavior, which she considered unacceptable. The situation was serious enough that Murray didn’t participate in the sequel and was replaced by Bernie Mac.

Thandiwe Newton

Filming ‘Mission: Impossible 2’ was a difficult experience for Thandiwe Newton because of her interactions with Tom Cruise. She recalled one scene on a balcony where Cruise became frustrated and attempted to demonstrate the acting himself, essentially trying to take over her role. Newton felt intimidated and frightened by his strong personality, which left her feeling insecure and doubting her abilities. She later admitted that the stress of making the film negatively impacted her confidence for a long time.

Charlize Theron

Filming ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ was incredibly difficult, and tensions between Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy made it even harder. Theron felt unsafe because of Hardy’s unpredictable behavior and habit of being late, which frequently caused long delays for everyone on set. She asked for security to be present during their scenes together, as she felt intimidated by his aggressive attitude. Theron later revealed that the sense of survival she displayed in the film was based on her actual fear during those moments.

Julia Roberts

The romantic comedy ‘I Love Trouble’ didn’t work well because Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte had no on-screen connection. Roberts openly disliked Nolte, even calling him repulsive, and they reportedly filmed most scenes apart because they couldn’t stand being near each other. Their conflict became public when Roberts spoke about his difficult behavior during interviews while the movie was still playing in theaters.

Sean Young

I remember when things started to go downhill for this actress after she worked with James Woods on ‘The Boost’. He actually sued her, claiming harassment, and it became a really public and messy legal fight. It made her look really unstable in the eyes of the public. She always said Woods was out to get her and that the industry turned against her because of his claims. She firmly believes she was the victim of a deliberate campaign to destroy her career and reputation, and honestly, I’ve always felt she was telling the truth.

Selma Blair

The TV show ‘Anger Management’ saw real-life conflict when Selma Blair and Charlie Sheen had a falling out. Blair apparently felt Sheen wasn’t taking his work seriously and struggled to memorize his lines. Sheen responded by firing her with an insulting text message, which immediately ended her regular role on the show and revealed the imbalance of power between them.

Stana Katic

Viewers were shocked when Stana Katic, the female lead of the crime drama ‘Castle’, wasn’t asked to return for a possible ninth season. Rumors spread that Katic and her co-star, Nathan Fillion, didn’t get along off-camera and barely spoke to each other. Reports suggested Katic experienced bullying during filming and was ultimately let go, partly due to budget concerns and the resulting tension. Shortly after the news of her departure, the show was cancelled.

Sharon Stone

Let me tell you, covering ‘Sliver’ back in the day wasn’t just about a bad movie, it was about a genuinely awful production. Sharon Stone has openly talked about how much she clashed with William Baldwin, and the stories are… intense. Apparently, things got so heated during a kiss that she actually bit his tongue! He was reportedly unable to speak clearly for days afterward. She’s since called the whole experience a loss of innocence, and honestly, watching the film, you can feel the lack of chemistry. It’s clear the casting didn’t work, and the off-screen animosity absolutely contributed to the film being the critical flop that it was.

Rebecca Ferguson

The actress from ‘Dune’ recently shared that she stopped working with a fellow actor after they yelled at her on set. She described a situation where this actor harshly criticized her in front of everyone, causing her to become upset. She ultimately asked the actor to turn away from her so she could perform facing their back. Despite not receiving support from the production team, she stood her ground and refused to tolerate the abusive behavior.

Cybill Shepherd

‘Moonlighting’ was famous for the chemistry between Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis, but behind the scenes, their relationship was difficult due to jealousy. As Willis’s movie career took off, Shepherd felt overlooked and frustrated by the increasingly unpredictable filming schedule. She believed the show prioritized his rising fame, leaving her to cope with the resulting delays. The tension between them became so noticeable that crew members even reportedly measured the space between their trailers to make sure both actors were treated equally.

Halle Berry

There were reports of a physical fight between Halle Berry and Wesley Snipes while filming ‘Jungle Fever’. It’s been said that Snipes hit Berry during a disagreement, causing her to experience significant hearing loss in one ear. While Berry hasn’t spoken much about the specifics, she has alluded to past abuse by a partner in Hollywood. This incident is remembered as one of the more troubling stories about on-set conflicts during the 1990s.

Betty White

Though Betty White was adored by fans worldwide, she apparently had a difficult relationship with her ‘Golden Girls’ co-star, Bea Arthur. White once shared that her upbeat personality often frustrated Arthur, who favored a more serious work environment. Arthur would clearly show her annoyance with White, creating a noticeable tension that lingered throughout the show’s filming.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine and Anthony Hopkins didn’t get along while making the film ‘A Change of Seasons.’ MacLaine famously said Hopkins was the most difficult co-star she’d ever worked with, and he apparently found her controlling. They hardly spoke except when the script demanded it, and this strained relationship made both filming and watching the romantic drama challenging.

Joan Crawford

The rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis while filming ‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’ is famous in Hollywood history. Crawford believed Davis intentionally tried to ruin her performance and even injured her during staged fights. She claimed Davis kicked her head and made fun of how she looked in front of the film crew. In response, Crawford reportedly weighed down her own pockets during a scene where Davis had to pull her, making it much harder.

Bette Davis

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had a well-known rivalry, and Davis had strong criticisms of Crawford. She believed Crawford was more focused on her appearance than her craft, suggesting she was a creation of the studio system. In a famous act of spite, Davis put a Coca-Cola machine on set because Crawford was on the Pepsi board. Davis also thought Crawford used the media to make her look like the bad guy during filming.

Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds had a very difficult experience working with Gene Kelly on the iconic musical ‘Singin’ in the Rain.’ She said Kelly constantly criticized her dancing, making her feel like she wasn’t good enough. Reynolds often cried, even hiding under a piano, because of his demanding and critical teaching style. She later admitted that getting through that movie was one of the biggest challenges of her life.

Chloë Grace Moretz

The young actress shared a painful experience with a male co-star who made hurtful comments about her weight while they were playing love interests. He reportedly told her he wouldn’t date her personally because of her size. She was deeply upset by this, returning to her trailer in tears before having to film romantic scenes. This experience significantly damaged her self-esteem during a sensitive time in her career.

Julianna Margulies

As a huge ‘Good Wife’ fan, I remember being so bummed to hear about the tension between Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi. It got so bad they actually stopped filming scenes together! I read that Julianna, who also had a producer credit, was accused of trying to downplay Archie’s character as it became more popular. It was really sad, and honestly, pretty shocking. Their final scene, shot with them on separate sides of the screen, felt so…off. It was a really jarring way to end such a beloved on-screen friendship, and it definitely left a bad taste in my mouth as a viewer.

Lena Headey

Filming ‘Game of Thrones’ became complicated when Lena Headey and Jerome Flynn, who played Cersei and Bronn, ended their romantic relationship. Reportedly, Headey didn’t want to film scenes with Flynn because of their difficult personal history. This meant the show’s writers and crew had to plan scenes carefully to avoid having their characters interact, which affected how the story unfolded in King’s Landing.

Tisha Campbell

The popular TV show ‘Martin’ ended after Tisha Campbell sued Martin Lawrence, alleging sexual harassment and verbal abuse. She was afraid of Lawrence’s unpredictable behavior and wouldn’t film scenes with him during the final season, forcing writers to come up with awkward plots to keep them separated. While the lawsuit was eventually settled, the close working relationship between the two stars was irreparably damaged.

Mischa Barton

Mischa Barton became famous through the teen series ‘The O.C.’, but she has said the show’s work environment was difficult. She described being bullied by some of the men she worked with and felt like those in charge didn’t support her. Barton explained that the pressures of fame and the behind-the-scenes drama negatively impacted her mental health, ultimately leading to her departure. She later admitted she was relieved when her character was unexpectedly killed off.

Debra Winger

As a film lover, I’ve always been fascinated by the making of ‘Terms of Endearment,’ but the behind-the-scenes story is pretty wild. Apparently, Debra Winger was incredibly difficult to work with, and a lot of her behavior was directed at Shirley MacLaine. I read that she even deliberately tried to disrespect MacLaine with a shockingly rude act – lifting her skirt and, well, passing gas in her direction! MacLaine herself wrote about it, saying Winger was really unpredictable and hinted she might have been struggling with substance use. It’s just so bizarre when you consider how convincingly they played a loving mother and daughter on screen – the tension between them was clearly intense, even off camera.

Tell us which of these on-set feuds surprised you the most in the comments.

2025-11-25 09:18