Movie Stars Who Refused to Work with Certain Directors Ever Again

Filmmaking is a high-pressure environment where creative visions often clash and tempers flare between talent and leadership. While some disagreements result in a better final product there are times when the conflict destroys the professional relationship entirely. Actors may feel disrespected by a director’s methods or simply find their personalities incompatible with the person calling the shots. These feuds can become legendary stories that circulate in Hollywood for decades after the cameras stop rolling. The following list highlights twenty actors who vowed never to work with specific directors again after difficult experiences on set.

George Clooney

The production of ‘Three Kings’ was plagued by severe tension between George Clooney and director David O. Russell. Clooney reportedly took issue with the way Russell treated crew members and extras during the chaotic shoot in the desert. The conflict escalated into a physical altercation where the two men grabbed each other and had to be separated. Clooney later remarked that life is too short to work with people who make the working environment miserable. He has maintained that the director is talented but the experience was not worth repeating.

Tippi Hedren

Alfred Hitchcock is celebrated as a master of suspense but his relationship with Tippi Hedren on ‘The Birds’ was notoriously abusive. The director allegedly became obsessed with Hedren and subjected her to dangerous conditions involving live birds. She endured days of birds pecking at her face and body which resulted in physical injury and emotional trauma. Hedren claimed that Hitchcock ruined her career because she rejected his advances. She has spoken extensively about the harassment she faced and her refusal to work with him after ‘Marnie’.

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis and director Kevin Smith had a highly publicized falling out after working together on the comedy ‘Cop Out’. Smith later described the experience as soul crushing and claimed Willis was uncooperative throughout the filming process. The actor reportedly refused to sit for promotional photos near the director’s posters. During the wrap party toast Smith thanked the entire cast and crew but specifically excluded Willis. Willis has generally remained quiet about the feud but has not worked with Smith since.

Björk

Icelandic singer Björk vowed to never act in a film again after her experience with Lars von Trier on ‘Dancer in the Dark’. She described the director as emotionally manipulative and stated that he thrived on creating conflict for his performers. The intense shoot required her to remain in a deep state of emotional distress for long periods. Reports suggest she would disappear from the set for days at a time due to the overwhelming stress. Although she eventually returned to acting years later she made it clear she would avoid von Trier.

Shelley Duvall

The filming of ‘The Shining’ required Shelley Duvall to endure months of psychological torment under the direction of Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick intentionally isolated Duvall from the rest of the crew to ensure her performance of hysteria felt authentic. She was forced to perform the famous baseball bat scene over one hundred times until she was physically exhausted. Duvall lost hair from stress and later described the experience as almost unbearable. She respected the final film but maintained that the personal cost was far too high.

Faye Dunaway

Roman Polanski and Faye Dunaway clashed frequently during the production of the noir classic ‘Chinatown’. Tensions rose due to the director’s demanding style and refusal to explain his motivations to the actress. One infamous rumor alleges that Dunaway threw a cup of urine at Polanski after he refused to let her take a bathroom break. While the details of that incident vary the mutual disdain between the two was undeniable. Dunaway has rarely spoken positively about the director in the years following the film.

Julia Roberts

Steven Spielberg and Julia Roberts had a difficult working relationship during the filming of ‘Hook’. Roberts was dealing with personal issues at the time and reports suggest she was often late to the set. The crew reportedly gave her the nickname Tinkerhell due to her behavior during production. Spielberg later admitted in an interview that it was not a great time for them to work together. Roberts was hurt by his comments and the two have not collaborated on a project since.

Sean Connery

The production of ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ was so disastrous that it contributed to Sean Connery retiring from acting. Connery clashed constantly with director Stephen Norrington over the creative direction and management of the film. The veteran actor felt that Norrington lacked the experience necessary to handle such a large production. Connery famously stated during the promotion of the film that the director should be arrested for insanity. He never made another live-action movie after the experience.

Gene Hackman

Wes Anderson wrote the role of Royal in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ specifically for Gene Hackman but the actor was reluctant to take the part. Once on set Hackman was reportedly hostile toward Anderson and questioned his authority as a director. Co-stars Bill Murray and Anjelica Huston often had to mediate the tension to keep the production moving forward. Anderson later admitted that he was scared of Hackman during the shoot. The two have not worked together again despite the critical success of the film.

Val Kilmer

Joel Schumacher directed Val Kilmer in ‘Batman Forever’ and the two personalities clashed almost immediately. Schumacher described Kilmer as childish and impossible to communicate with during the shoot. The director claimed that Kilmer was rude to the crew and refused to speak to him for weeks at a time. Kilmer felt the director prioritized style over substance and disregarded his input on the character. Schumacher later stated he would never work with Kilmer again and the feeling appeared mutual.

Harrison Ford

Ridley Scott and Harrison Ford had different visions for the character of Deckard in ‘Blade Runner’. The two disagreed on key plot points including whether the protagonist was a human or a replicant. Ford also hated the voiceover narration that the studio and Scott forced him to record in post-production. The grueling night shoots and constant rain added to the friction between the actor and director. While they have been civil in recent years Ford avoided working with Scott for decades.

Burt Reynolds

Paul Thomas Anderson directed Burt Reynolds in ‘Boogie Nights’ but the actor hated the filmmaking process and the subject matter. Reynolds nearly punched Anderson during a heated argument on set and was unhappy with the improvisational style. He fired his agent after viewing the initial cut of the film because he thought it would ruin his career. Reynolds refused to participate in the promotion of the movie despite receiving an Oscar nomination. He turned down the opportunity to work with Anderson on ‘Magnolia’.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox was fired from the ‘Transformers’ franchise after comparing director Michael Bay to Hitler in a magazine interview. She claimed that Bay wanted to be like a dictator on his sets and was a nightmare to work for. The comments drew the ire of executive producer Steven Spielberg who reportedly ordered her dismissal. Bay replaced her with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for the third installment of the series. Fox and Bay eventually reconciled years later for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ where Bay served only as producer.

Cher

Peter Bogdanovich directed Cher in the drama ‘Mask’ but the two fought constantly over casting and direction. Cher felt that Bogdanovich did not respect her instincts as an actress and ignored her suggestions. The director later complained that Cher was difficult to manage and often broke character. Their feud became public when Bogdanovich threatened to sue over comments she made about him in the press. Cher has since stated she would never work with him again despite the success of the film.

Bill Murray

The set of ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was the site of a major conflict between Bill Murray and director McG. Murray reportedly halted a scene to criticize the director’s technique and told him he had no talent. McG claimed that Murray headbutted him during the argument although the actor denied any physical violence. Murray refused to return for the sequel and was replaced by Bernie Mac. He later explained that he could not support the director’s way of working.

Marlon Brando

Frank Oz directed Marlon Brando in ‘The Score’ and faced constant mockery from the legendary actor. Brando refused to take direction from Oz and often addressed him as Miss Piggy in reference to his work with the Muppets. The actor would also refuse to wear pants during close-up shots to make the filming difficult. Oz later described the experience as a struggle because Brando was not interested in collaborating. It was one of Brando’s final film roles before his death.

Amy Adams

Amy Adams starred in ‘American Hustle’ but her experience with director David O. Russell was emotionally draining. She revealed in interviews that the director made her cry on set almost every day. Adams stated that she felt devastated by the constant pressure and harsh direction she received. While she delivered an Oscar-nominated performance she admitted the process took a toll on her mental health. She has since avoided working with Russell on his subsequent projects.

Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot clashed with Joss Whedon during the extensive reshoots for the superhero film ‘Justice League’. She reported that Whedon threatened her career when she expressed concerns about changes to her character’s dialogue. Witnesses claimed the director boasted he could make her look foolish in the final edit of the movie. Gadot immediately took her complaints to studio executives to handle the situation. She has publicly stated she was shocked by the way he spoke to her and would not work with him again.

Edward Norton

Tony Kaye directed Edward Norton in ‘American History X’ but the two fought bitterly over the final cut of the film. Norton was given permission by the studio to edit the film himself which infuriated Kaye. The director demanded his name be removed from the credits and replaced with Humpty Dumpty. Kaye took out full-page ads in trade magazines attacking Norton and the studio for ruining his vision. The public feud ensured that the two would never collaborate on another project.

Ed Harris

Ed Harris starred in ‘The Abyss’ and found the underwater shoot orchestrated by James Cameron to be physically dangerous. Harris reportedly almost drowned during one take and slapped Cameron in a fit of rage afterward. The actor refused to speak about the film for years and would not participate in promotional junkets. He was upset by the lack of safety precautions and the immense physical strain placed on the cast. Harris has never returned to work with Cameron despite the director’s massive success.

Tell us which of these actor and director feuds surprised you the most in the comments.