Hollywood loves its legends, but it also loves its villains — and not just the kind you see on-screen. Behind the glamour, the Oscars, and the red carpets lies a world of creative chaos where egos clash, tempers flare, and patience runs thin. Sometimes, a brilliant actor can deliver an unforgettable performance — but leave an unforgettable trail of hostility in their wake.
Some of these actors were method to the point of madness, others were consumed by arrogance or addiction, and a few were simply unmanageable. What unites them is how universally despised they became on set — even by co-stars who usually get along with everyone.
From Ed Wood–level disasters to Oscar-worthy films, these are 17 actors who were totally hated by their entire cast, ranked from the frustrating to the utterly unbearable.
17. Jim Carrey – Man on the Moon (1999)
Why He Was Hated: He refused to stop being Andy Kaufman
Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the eccentric comedian Andy Kaufman was so immersive that it crossed the line from method acting to full-blown possession. During the filming of Man on the Moon, Carrey insisted on staying in character — as Kaufman, or Kaufman’s obnoxious alter ego, Tony Clifton — 24/7.
Crew members were berated, co-stars were baffled, and even Kaufman’s real-life friends were unsettled by Carrey’s total disappearance into the role. Danny DeVito and others described the shoot as exhausting, with Carrey’s antics turning a biopic into a psychological endurance test.
It wasn’t until years later, in the documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, that the full chaos was revealed — showing a man so committed to method acting that he alienated nearly everyone around him.
16. Mike Myers – The Cat in the Hat (2003)
Why He Was Hated: He acted like a diva on a kid’s movie set
You’d think a goofy, Seuss-inspired kids’ movie would be a lighthearted set. Not with Mike Myers in a cat suit. Cast and crew from The Cat in the Hat later described him as miserable to work with — controlling, humorless, and prone to tantrums.
He reportedly banned anyone from making eye contact with him, refused to improvise unless he thought it was funny, and forced the director to reshoot scenes endlessly. Co-star Amy Hill called him “a nightmare,” saying he isolated himself and made filming “a horrible, nightmarish experience.”
The film tanked, and Dr. Seuss’s widow was so horrified that she banned any further live-action adaptations of Seuss’s work.
15. Marilyn Monroe – The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)
Why She Was Hated: She drove Laurence Olivier to madness
By the time she starred in The Prince and the Showgirl, Marilyn Monroe was already a massive star — but also plagued by anxiety, insecurities, and addiction. Laurence Olivier, who directed and starred opposite her, expected professionalism. What he got was chaos.
Monroe showed up hours late, forgot lines, and constantly demanded retakes. She clashed with Olivier over everything — her acting choices, her makeup, even her co-stars. Her acting coach, Paula Strasberg, followed her everywhere, whispering “method” advice during takes.
Olivier famously said working with her was “like trying to act with a cloud.” The film turned out fine, but the set was pure misery.
14. Wesley Snipes – Blade: Trinity (2004)
Why He Was Hated: He refused to come out of his trailer
Wesley Snipes’s feud with everyone on Blade: Trinity is legendary. Reportedly stoned for much of the shoot, he refused to interact with co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel, communicating only through sticky notes signed “Blade.”
Director David S. Goyer said Snipes became impossible to direct, accusing the crew of racism and demanding that Goyer be fired. Snipes would only come to set for close-ups, using stand-ins for most shots.
Reynolds later admitted that Snipes “wasn’t exactly a ray of sunshine.” Despite the chaos, Blade: Trinity was completed — but the franchise never recovered.
13. Christian Bale – American Psycho (2000)
Why He Was Hated: He took Patrick Bateman way too seriously
Christian Bale’s intensity is the stuff of Hollywood legend. But on the set of American Psycho, that intensity alienated just about everyone. Co-stars said he refused to socialize, keeping a chilling, emotionless demeanor even off-camera.
Bale later admitted he used Tom Cruise’s hollow charm as inspiration for Bateman — and it worked a little too well. Many found him cold, arrogant, and unsettlingly in character throughout filming.
The results were unforgettable, but no one missed him when the cameras stopped rolling.
12. Richard Pryor – Blue Collar (1978)
Why He Was Hated: He pulled a gun on the director
Paul Schrader’s gritty factory drama Blue Collar paired Richard Pryor with Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto — three brilliant but volatile personalities. The set quickly became a powder keg.
Pryor, battling drug addiction and paranoia, was constantly clashing with Schrader and Keitel. In one infamous incident, Pryor reportedly pulled a gun on Schrader after a heated argument, ending production for days.
Keitel and Kotto later called the shoot one of the most toxic experiences of their careers. The movie turned out excellent, but the making of it nearly ended in tragedy.
11. Shia LaBeouf – Fury (2014)
Why He Was Hated: He went full method — including cutting his own face
David Ayer’s WWII tank film Fury demanded intensity, but Shia LaBeouf took it to a disturbing level. To “stay in character,” he reportedly refused to shower for the entire shoot, cut his own face with a knife, and had a dentist remove one of his teeth.
Co-stars Brad Pitt and Logan Lerman respected his commitment — but not his odor or behavior. Tensions ran high, and LaBeouf reportedly isolated himself completely, sleeping separately from the rest of the cast.
The performance is undeniably raw, but it came at a real social cost.
10. Jared Leto – Suicide Squad (2016)
Why He Was Hated: The “gifts” that no one wanted
As the Joker, Jared Leto decided to make life hell for his co-stars. To “get into character,” he sent castmates disturbing gifts — used condoms, dead animals, bullets, and other grotesque items.
Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Viola Davis were all revolted. Leto’s antics became the stuff of tabloid legend, overshadowing the actual movie.
When Suicide Squad flopped, Leto complained his scenes had been cut. Nobody on set rushed to defend him.
9. Val Kilmer – The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
Why He Was Hated: He was a living nightmare on a doomed production
Few movie shoots are as cursed as The Island of Dr. Moreau, and Val Kilmer’s behavior didn’t help. He constantly mocked the crew, clashed with director John Frankenheimer, and refused to rehearse lines.
Marlon Brando hated him, Frankenheimer called him “psychotic,” and crew members described the set as “war.” Frankenheimer once said, “If I ever see Val Kilmer again, I’ll punch him in the face.”
The film became infamous for its behind-the-scenes disasters — most of them involving Kilmer.
8. Marlon Brando – Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
Why He Was Hated: He derailed an entire production
By the early ‘60s, Marlon Brando’s ego was out of control. On Mutiny on the Bounty, he demanded script rewrites daily, refused to take direction, and caused constant delays.
The film went wildly over budget — in part because Brando would show up hours late or insist on redoing entire scenes. Crew members and co-stars despised him, and the studio nearly fired him mid-production.
When the movie bombed, Brando’s reputation tanked — though he’d rebound a decade later with The Godfather.
7. Burt Reynolds – Boogie Nights (1997)
Why He Was Hated: He refused to believe in the movie
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights is one of the defining films of the ‘90s — but Burt Reynolds hated every second of it. He clashed with Anderson constantly, calling him “an egotistical kid.”
Reynolds thought the movie was “disgusting,” refused to do promotional work, and allegedly got into shouting matches with co-stars. Mark Wahlberg said Reynolds “didn’t want to be there.”
Ironically, Reynolds’s performance earned him an Oscar nomination — though he later fired his agent for recommending the role.
6. Faye Dunaway – Chinatown (1974)
Why She Was Hated: Total diva behavior
Faye Dunaway’s performance in Chinatown is brilliant — icy, fragile, mysterious. But off-camera, she was pure chaos. Director Roman Polanski and Dunaway famously clashed, with Polanski once yanking a stray hair from her head mid-scene.
Dunaway demanded endless retakes, refused to follow direction, and allegedly threw urine at Polanski after he wouldn’t let her take a bathroom break. Co-stars described her as unpredictable and self-absorbed.
Still, her performance helped make Chinatown a masterpiece — proof that misery sometimes makes magic.
5. Gene Hackman – The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Why He Was Hated: He bullied everyone, including Wes Anderson
Gene Hackman’s portrayal of Royal Tenenbaum is iconic — but he reportedly terrorized everyone on set.
Wes Anderson and several cast members, including Anjelica Huston and Bill Murray, said Hackman was “intimidating,” “abusive,” and constantly angry. He called Anderson “a cunt” and told the crew to “go fuck themselves.”
The tension was so bad that Murray would show up on days he wasn’t filming just to support Anderson emotionally. Hackman didn’t attend press events and retired from acting soon after.
4. Kevin Spacey – The Usual Suspects (1995)
Why He Was Hated: Arrogant and manipulative even then
Long before his public scandals, Kevin Spacey was already infamous for his arrogance. On The Usual Suspects, he alienated nearly everyone — talking down to castmates, mocking younger actors, and acting like he was above the film.
Director Bryan Singer and co-star Gabriel Byrne reportedly had to mediate constant conflicts. Even during press tours, Spacey’s smugness was a recurring complaint.
His later downfall only reinforced how toxic his presence had always been.
3. Lindsay Lohan – The Canyons (2013)
Why She Was Hated: Unreliable and volatile
Lindsay Lohan’s reputation for chaos reached its peak on The Canyons, Paul Schrader’s low-budget erotic drama. She was constantly late, often unprepared, and disappeared for days.
Co-star James Deen and the crew said working with her was “exhausting.” Schrader nearly fired her multiple times, but kept her on for the publicity. At one point, Lohan locked herself in a closet to avoid shooting a nude scene she’d already agreed to.
The film bombed, but its making-of stories became infamous — almost more entertaining than the movie itself.
2. Steven Seagal – Out for Justice (1991)
Why He Was Hated: Arrogant, violent, and delusional
Steven Seagal’s reputation as one of the most difficult stars in Hollywood is well-earned. On Out for Justice, his ego was legendary — claiming to have supernatural powers and calling himself a “real-life samurai.”
He frequently insulted crew members, refused to take direction, and even injured stuntmen by “accident.” One co-star described him as “a black hole of charisma and kindness.”
Seagal’s attitude eventually tanked his career, but during the early ’90s, he was one of the most despised men in Hollywood — both on and off the set.
1. Bill Murray – Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Why He Was Hated: He made everyone cry
It’s hard to imagine lovable Bill Murray as the villain of a film set — but on Charlie’s Angels, he made life miserable for everyone. He insulted Lucy Liu’s acting ability during a scene, leading to a physical confrontation where Liu allegedly threw punches.
Murray also mocked Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz, calling them “talentless,” and berated crew members for hours.
When the sequel was made, Murray was replaced by Bernie Mac — a decision everyone on set seemed thrilled about.
To this day, Liu remains one of the few actors brave enough to publicly call Murray out.
Conclusion: When Genius Meets Toxic Energy
Hollywood loves the myth of the “tortured artist,” but there’s a fine line between genius and cruelty. For every unforgettable performance, there’s often a trail of broken relationships, traumatized crews, and exhausted directors.
Some of these actors redeemed themselves; others never did. What’s clear is that the stories behind these films are often more dramatic than anything that made it to the screen.
Because in the end, being a great actor doesn’t mean being a great person — and sometimes, the most unforgettable performances come from the most unbearable people.
