10 Times Movie Stars Left Their Sets For Reasons That Might Leave You In Shock
Some can manage the pressure, but others will just walk out.
Some movie stars don’t just “take direction,” they straight-up leave the set when something crosses the line. And when you hear the reasons, it’s not always the glamorous, dramatic stuff you expect. Sometimes it’s a love triangle, a stray hair, or a green-screen setup that sends someone packing.
Take Michelle Rodriguez nearly quitting “The Fast and the Furious” over an on-screen love triangle, then getting talked into staying by Vin Diesel. Or Emma Watson refusing to do a cannibal scene on “This Is the End” and walking off. Meanwhile, Klaus Kinski and Werner Herzog’s feud on “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” reportedly got so out of hand that a gunshot injured an extra.
Here’s the wild part, these aren’t rumors from the internet, they’re the moments that changed the production in real time.
1. Michelle Rodriguez in “The Fast and the Furious”
Believe it or not, actress Michelle Rodriguez almost quit “The Fast and the Furious” due to an on-screen love triangle she was supposed to be involved in. Her co-star Vin Diesel convinced her to stick around.
The actress did not appear again until the franchise’s fourth installment.
Universal Pictures2. Gene Hackman in “The French Connection”
Gene Hackman has a reputation for picking fights—sometimes with the wrong people. While playing the lead role in the film “The French Connection,” Hackman found something unsettling about the film and made it known to the director.
After getting into a heated argument, he stormed off the set but returned soon after.
20th Century Fox3. Emma Watson in “This Is the End”
Although Emma Watson was rarely associated with scandals and controversy, she found herself in a situation where she had to leave the set. While filming for the movie “This Is the End,” the actress refused to do a cannibal scene and walked off the set.
Reddit
4. Klaus Kinski in “Aguirre, the Wrath of God”
Klaus Kinski and the director of “Aguirre, the Wrath of God,” Werner Herzog, had a strained relationship. It got so bad that Herzog reportedly pulled a gun on the actor to stop him from walking off the set, and unfortunately, one bullet blew the tip off an extra’s finger. Kinski then decided to leave the movie.
Filmverlag der Autoren
5. Faye Dunaway in “Chinatown”
Faye Dunaway played an extreme character in the movie “Chinatown.” During a scene, the director noticed that the actress had stray hair and plucked it.
Faye Dunaway was enraged and reportedly stormed off the set, shouting at the top of her lungs that the director had cut off all her hair.
Paramount Pictures
6. Ian McKellen in “The Hobbit”
While playing Gandalf in “The Hobbit,” Ian McKellen was unhappy about working with a green-screen set. It meant that he had to act all by himself, which caused him significant distress.
Warner Bros. Pictures
This chaos mirrors the AITA dispute over refusing to walk the dog after a disagreement.
7. Brad Pitt in “Interview with the Vampire”
Brad Pitt participated in filming for “Interview with the Vampire” and was far from satisfied with his role. He asked to be released from his contract but changed his mind once he discovered how much it would cost.
Warner Bros
8. Diana Rigg in “Game of Thrones”
Starring in “Game of Thrones” since 2013, Diana Rigg has built a reputation for being ambitious and thorough with her work. She left the set when she felt that those around her were not as motivated or prepared.
HBO
9. Carl Weathers in “Rocky IV”
During a boxing scene, Carl Weathers, playing Apollo Creed, was thrown clear across the ring by Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren, who portrayed Ivan Drago. Weathers was unhappy about that and stormed off the set.
MGM/UA Entertainment Company
10. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in “The Abyss”
In one scene of “The Abyss,” Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was being resuscitated, which involved her chest being repeatedly pounded. She eventually grew tired of this and walked away from the set.
20th Century Fox
Vin Diesel has to convince Michelle Rodriguez to stay in “The Fast and the Furious,” because that love-triangle plot was apparently a dealbreaker.
Then Gene Hackman storms off “The French Connection” after arguing with the director, because something about the film didn’t feel right to him.
After Emma Watson refuses the cannibal scene on “This Is the End,” Klaus Kinski’s chaos on “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” makes it look almost tame.
And when Faye Dunaway flips out over a stray hair in “Chinatown,” you start to wonder what it takes to keep these sets running.
Some incidents can occur on set that might lead to actors displaying a little drama, culminating in someone getting fired or even performers leaving the set of a big-budget movie. Which of these reasons shocked you the most?
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Half of these departures make you think the real plot twist was the casting.
Wait, it gets crazier, read how friends backed out last minute, leaving extra vacation costs.
