7 Times Actors Were Fired On Set, And The Secret Reasons Why Will Leave You In Awe

Hollywood has a way of making “just one little change” turn into a full-on firing. And in these on-set shakeups, it was never just about talent, it was about weight, attitude, and producers losing patience in real time.

Take Ryan Gosling, who was reportedly told to gain weight for The Lovely Bones, then got cut when the scale didn’t match what producers wanted. Or Taylor Momsen on Gossip Girl, where the diva rumors got loud, her lines apparently never stuck, and she ended up off the main cast. Then you’ve got Megan Fox and Michael Bay clashing hard enough to land her in the unemployment pile, plus Lindsay Lohan getting dropped because producers didn’t think she was “bankable.”

Keep watching, because the “secret reasons” behind these firings get way more wild than anyone expects.

1. It is difficult to see Ryan Gosling being passed up, given his attractiveness and acting prowess

He is in high demand from producers to appear in their films. In The Lovely Bones, Gosling was supposed to play Jack Salmon, the father of the murder victim.

Jack was heavier than Gosling believed, but the producers disagreed. To put on weight, he consumed junk food and melted ice cream.

When filming started, producers were upset by Gosling's weight gain, which ultimately led to his termination.

The Lovely Bones

2. On the Gossip Girl television adaptation of the book, Taylor Momsen portrayed Jenny Humphrey

On the show, Momsen struggled through challenging times and blossomed into her true self. She started The Pretty Reckless and became interested in rock 'n' roll, smoking, and music.

Producers and other crew members claimed she exhibited diva-like conduct and had an attitude problem. She never memorized her lines and was frequently on the phone.

As a result, she was fired from the main cast and was only used when needed by the producers.

Gossip Girl

3. Megan Fox is well known for her beauty, physique, and role in Transformers

In the first two movies and Dark of the Moon, she portrayed Mikaela Barnes. Filmmaker Michael Bay, according to Fox, was a nightmare to work with because he was dictatorial and inflexible, like Hitler.

Following his remarks, Fox was fired. She wasn't just uninterested on set, according to Bay, who claimed it made her difficult to deal with.

Transformers wasn't the same without Megan.

Transformers

4. Throughout her career, Lindsay Lohan has dealt with arrests, DUIs, and other issues

Her first role in a few years came when she was chosen for The Other Side in 2010. However, she was let go from the film.

Like other celebrities who have been fired, Lohan didn't throw a fit or act like a diva. She was let go by producers because they felt she wasn't "bankable."

After being replaced in the movie, Lohan has struggled to reestablish her career.

The Other Side

5. Robert Downey Jr. portrayed the romantic interest in Ally McBeal

Downey struggled with substance abuse. After being caught for drug use in public in 2001, he was fired.

Given that he had been detained on drug-related charges months prior, this was the final straw for the producers. Downey contributed accolades and opinions to the occasion.

It was painful to see him leave in such poor condition.

Ally McBeal

6. Conan O'Brien, who has hosted Late Night since 1993, was guaranteed by NBC that if he extended his contract, he would take over The Tonight Show in 2009

He took Leno's place as host of The Tonight Show in 2009. NBC granted Leno a prime-time program because they didn't want to lose him.

Due to poor ratings, NBC suggested relocating Leno to The Tonight Show's usual 11:35 PM time slot and moving O'Brien back by a half hour. O'Brien refused to shift time slots due to the alteration.

Leno was reinstated as anchor of The Tonight Show after NBC and O'Brien reached a $45 million settlement. On TBS, O'Brien hosted Conan.

The Tonight Show

7. The "tiger blood" and "winning"-related outbursts by Charlie Sheen are well-known

Producers of Two and a Half Men had had enough of his shenanigans and drug use. Sheen was recalcitrant on set for a variety of reasons, including drug use.

Additionally, he criticized Chuck Lorre, the show's producer. They initially decided to put the show on hold so Sheen could go to treatment and rehab.

Sheen was replaced with Ashton Kutcher, which changed the show. Evidently, he wasn't "winning."

Getty Images

Ryan Gosling’s weight-gain plan for <em>The Lovely Bones</em> sounded simple, until producers got mad the moment filming started.

It also sounds like the Fluffy-versus-partner standoff in choosing Fluffy's dinner over my partner's homemade meal.

Meanwhile, Taylor Momsen’s <em>Gossip Girl</em> problems escalated fast, from diva claims to forgetting lines and being shoved into “only when needed” status.

Megan Fox’s situation flips the script, because Michael Bay’s dictatorship accusations and Fox’s own blowback reportedly ended with her fired from <em>Transformers</em>.

And just when you think it’s all drama, Lindsay Lohan’s cut from <em>The Other Side</em> came down to producers deciding she wasn’t “bankable,” not because she threw a tantrum.

The producers and directors struggle to get things right because there are many variables that swing left and right. Although good planning can help you avoid some issues, sometimes changes come quickly but for the better.

One of these situations would be when actors were replaced, and the new actors took on the roles of the characters we now know.

Nobody wants to be the problem on set, but these productions clearly did not plan on keeping one.

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