Actors are undoubtedly one of the main reasons people tune into a movie or tv show. While some actors are disliked by fans, other are adored. For example, when it comes to the MCU, there are many fan-favorites among The Avengers, such as Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansen, and Chris Evans.
Another example could be the movie Halloween, which makes many fans instantly think of Jamie Lee Curtis, who has risen through the ranks. Action movies also have their fair share of fan-favorite actors. Fast and the Furious’ Vin Diesel as well as The Transporter series’ Jason Statham have become beloved by fans.
This only includes movie actors, however. There are also a lot of TV actors who have gained large fan followings.
From its beginnings, television has given viewers a variety of quality programming, from I Love Lucy, Bewitched, The Twilight Zone, The Brady Bunch, I Dream of Genie, to current-day hits like The Walking Dead, Orange is the New Black, American Horror Story, Agents of S.H.I.EL.D., and so many more.
Contracts with actors are extremely important when it comes to TV shows. However, forming contracts isn’t always easy. Many members of the cast and crew have particular requests or demands when it comes to how the project is filmed or how they are treated on-set.
Though a lot of these demands are within reason, there are a few that really stand out as truly bizarre.
With that said, here are the 15 TV Actors Who Made Crazy On-Set Demands.
9. Charlie Sheen Asked To Have His Co-Star Fired - Anger Management
Charlie Sheen is one of TV’s most controversial actors. From magazine tabloids, the internet, TMZ, to just about every form of social media, Charlie Sheen has left his mark on the world– and not necessarily in a good way.
The tip of the iceberg came when Sheen forcibly left Two and a Half Men, where he portrayed the titular role of Charlie Harpe. This happened after Sheen publicly bad-mouthed its creator, Chuck Lorre.
Nevertheless, Sheen still managed to land another starring role on Anger Management. It seemed like everything was smooth sailing for the show during its first couple of seasons, but it wasn’t long before problems revolving around Sheen came to surface.
During the show’s second season, Selma Blair approached its producers regarding Sheen’s work etiquette, describing him as a “menace to work with.”
When both Sheen and Blair were considered by the producers, Sheen was prefered and Blair was dismissed from the show. Though it was never officially confirmed, many fans have speculated that Sheen personally demanded that Blair be fired after she made complaints.
However, this might have made things worse on set, as Blair’s departure from Anger Managment seemed to accelerate the show’s cancelation.
As for Sheen, his deviant private life combined with this show’s cancelation have all but helped his acting career.
8. Teri Hatcher Wanted Everything Brought To Her - Desperate Housewives
No matter how many tabloid or magazine covers she’s on, it seems like Teri Hatcher’s on-set diva personality is always the main topic of discussion.
For years, Hatcher has been cataloged as one of Hollywood’s most difficult actors, as many co-stars have stated that he’s hard to work with.
However, it hasn’t only been cast members who have complained about her on-set behavior, but also crew personnel and even those who have cameoed alongside her.
When Desperate Housewives cast member Nicollette Sheridan left the show, she stated that Hatcher was “the meanest woman in the world.”
Another insider from the show said the following about Hatcher; “The woman doesn’t even go to her hair and makeup trailer– they go to where she is!”
Additionally, Hatcher’s previously requested for the wardrobe department to bring her entire apparel to her trailer for her to comfortably access.
However, actions speak louder than words, as the parting farewell card from crew members to the cast proves. The card was created as a simple but heartfelt gesture thanking them for the years that the team spent together, and each actor’s and actress’ name was in it– except for Hatcher’s.
7. Sarah Jessica Parker Decided When Scenes Started And Ended - Divorce
Sarah Jessica Parker hasn’t only made friends behind the scenes. She also has a long list of on-set demands that she maintains that the cast and crew must adhere to.
According to her contract on Divorce, “There will be no filming until she is camera ready and gives her verbal consent thereto, filming will stop upon request and there will no filming while eating or during breaks.”
Parker also decided when lunch breaks would be taken during photoshoots. These lunches included first-class catering services that were chosen by Parker. Parker also stated that she could not be filmed while she was eating or during any of her breaks.
Along with this, Parker also demanded a trailer with first-class facilities, as well as an exclusive bathroom that would be separate from the rest of her trailer or dressing room. If she needed to travel for filming, she also asked for first-class round-trips for herself and two guests, as well as separate amenities for herself and each guest.
Parker is currently amidst a legal dispute for violating the contract for her most recent work with Kat Florence Design. According to the jewelry brand, Parker made it difficult to schedule a launching event, refused to attend a store opening in London, and refused to participate in a promotional activity for the brand.
6. Lena Headey And Jerome Flynn Refuse To Be In The Same Room - Game of Thrones
Everyone’s gone through at least one bad breakup throughout their life.Because of this, this pair gets some sympathy over their crazy their on-set demand. Ultimately, Lena Headey and Jerome Flynn only have one on-set demand: they refuse to be in the same room.
Their reason is due to their turbulent past. Headey and Flynn dated many years ago, though there are only rumors about when they dated exactly. Though there is only speculation about what happened to drive them so far apart, it is clear that they still don’t get along.
Their relationship clearly ended badly and the result was a very specific clause in their contracts that stipulates that both Headey and Flynn cannot film a scene together.
However, it doesn’t just stop there– they also demanded that they never be asked to be on-set together under any circumstance.
According to a crew member, “they should be kept apart at all costs.”
Thankfully for these actors and the writing team of Game of Thrones, there are so many characters and so many subplots within this series’ universe that Headey and Flynn’s demand can be met.
Still, it can be assumed that this is very taxing and time-consuming for the production team.
3. Prince Only Cameoed As Long As Kardashians Wouldn’t Appear - New Girl
Prince is a well-known celebrity icon who began making music in the ’70s and sadly passed away in 2016. He isn’t known for his acting abilities, but he has appeared on screen a few times.
In 2011, Prince cameoed on New Girl alongside Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson, who portray two of the show’s main characters, Jess and Nick.
While Prince expressed a deep support of Jesse and Nick’s relationship in the episode and support of the show as a whole off-screen, he had one and only one condition for filming his cameo appearance: that there be no Kardashians on-set.
Prince and the Kardashians don’t get along. The feud started during Prince’s Welcome 2 Tour, during which he invites Kim Kardashian onstage. Prince is his usual self, energized, on-top-of his game and giving the show of his life, but Kim Kardashian barely moves a muscle throughout the performance.
This culminates with Prince telling her to “Get off the stage!”
It’s understandable that Prince took offense to Kim Kardashian’s disinterest during their time on stage together. After all, it was Prince’s moment in the spotlight and he decided to share it with her, only for her to exhibit utter indifference to his powerhouse performance.
Some of the Kardashians were scheduled to be a part of the same New Girl episode that Prince signed-on for. According to Deschanel, “Prince was running the show” so the Kardashian appearances were scrapped.
2. Julianna Margulies Demanded To Wear A $10,000 Wig - The Good Wife
This one doesn’t come as a complete shock considering the rocky moments that Julianna Margulies shared with co-star Archie Panjabi and executives during her time on The Good Wife, but it’s still a rather bizarre on-set demand.
For anyone who has watched The Good Wife even for just one episode, it goes without say that one of the most memorable qualities about Julianna Margulies’ character Alicia Florrick is that regardless of the situation she’s enduring, whether at home, on the go, in the law firm, in the courthouse, or on the verge of an emotional breakdown, she always flaunts impeccable hair.
By impeccable, we mean that her hair is flawless and that there are never any loose strands visible on-screen. Some viewers might even wonder how her hair is so perfect. Well, she certainly had help– a lot of extremely, extremely expensive help.
When negotiating her contract terms for the show’s first season, Margulies made it loud and clear that she’d have a wig at her disposal at all times.
This wig ultimately gives life to her picture-perfect look worthy of a Pantene commercial… at the costly total of $10,000.
However, at least Alicia Florrick always looks her best in the face of adversity, and that’s all that really matters, right?
15. Jennifer Aniston Refuses To Eat On-Set
Rachel Green has been one of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters for years, even long after Friends ended its run. Rachel quickly became a fan-favorite character due to her development and stories.
From holding a part-time job at The Central Perk, her on-and-off relationship with Ross, and eventually becoming a full-fledged mommy to Emma, fans were always rooting for Rachel.
Friends launched Jennifer Aniston’s career, cementing her as one of America’s Sweethearts. However, many fans would be shocked to discover that Aniston wasn’t quite as cheery in real life as her on-screen counterpart.
While there aren’t any specific accounts of Jennifer Aniston getting into feuds with her Friends cast members, a source from her most recent project, the Untitled Elmore Leonard Project, has disclosed that she isn’t the warmest person on-set.
Every day, Anniston grabs her lunch to go instead of eating with her fellow cast and crew members. This wouldn’t be considered so off-putting if the rest of her colleagues did the same, but she is the only member of the production that secludes herself, while the rest eats together.
She also doesn’t socialize with the rest of the cast and crew.
14. Katherine Heigl Wanted To Always Have A Say - Grey’s Anatomy
Katherine Heigl has been deemed as one of most demanding actresses since her days on Grey’s Anatomy. From bashing the writers of Knocked-Up for creating an offensive movie, getting into a feud with Sofia Vergara on a shared movie set, to insulting her material on Grey’s Anatomy, Heigl has not made a lot of friends in Hollywood.
One of Heigl’s final acts on the show became a hot tabloid issue during the 2008 Emmy’s race when she simply refused to partake in the awards.
When asked why she withdrew her name from the ballot, Heigl stated, “I did not feel that I was given the material to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention.”
Creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes stated that “on some level, it stung, and on some level, I was not surprised.”
In the past, Heigl questioned some of the drama that appeared on Grey’s Anatomy and the storylines that revolved around her character. She stated that she wanted to see “more cooperation between the business end and the creative end,” as she believed that her story arcs were a “rating’s ploy.”
Though its been years since Heigl’s departure from Grey’s Anatomy, Heigl has stated that she regretted making the comments.
13. Alec Baldwin Claimed The Air Was Dry - 30 Rock
Alec Baldwin isn’t as composed in real life as his 30 Rock type-A character, Jack Donaghy. As a matter of fact, it seems like the opposite holds true.
During an interview, an insider from the show stated that Baldwin’s list of complaints was limitless.
Baldwin apparently thought that the air was too dry, which he believed was bad for his voice. He was allegedly also always in a bad mood and spent much of the time yelling. Because of this, Baldwin allegedly wanted a humidifier on set in order to protect his voice.
Cheyenne Johnson, who had a recurring role on the show, recalled his past experiences with Baldwin in an interview. “He’s really, really great at what he does. What I learned from him is really good comic timing and don’t get in his light,” he said.
Another source said that Baldwin would only show up to set “an hour a week to prep for the show,” and when he was present, he was “red-faced” and angry.
Since Baldwin seemed to be in such a bad mood on set, one can only wonder whether his voice was hoarse because of the dry air, or whether it was because he was allegedly angry and yelling during production.
12. Lea Michele Expects Everyone On-Set To Adhere To Her Schedule - Glee
In recent years, Lea Michele’s on-set behavior has earned her title as one of Hollywood’s most demanding actors.
This seems to be a unanimous opinion among everyone who she has worked with. Kate Hudson (who had a cameo on Glee) told sources that she thought Michele was a “nightmare” to work with.
Other Gleecast members and crew have claimed that Michele acts as though she is superior on set, as she has freaked out during technical rehearsals, which have caused delays between scenes. She has also criticized any aspect of production that doesn’t quite fit her schedule.
Naya Rivera (who plays Santana Lopez Glee) details in her bookSorry, Not So Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up, that Lea Michele constantly complained about the unfit working conditions that she was subjected to, even threatening to call SAG’s union regarding them.
Rivera continues by highlighting Lea’s overall hypocrisy when she’s the one who turned the set of Glee into a tumultuous work environment.
During her most recent participation on Scream Queens, Lea made a non-negotiable stance regarding her “screaming.” She’d only scream twice and a voice recording would have to work for the entirety of the season afterward. Her reasoning was that her singing voice comes first.
11. Chevy Chase Complained About The Show - Community
Chevy Chase is known for his comedic, light-hearted roles. He’s most well known for the National Lampoon’s Vacation series. However, unfortunately, many of his co-stars found him anything but funny and kind on set.
From picking fights with Bill Murray, using foul language on set, slapping fellow cast member Cherry Oteri while working on SNL (which is the reason why he was ousted) to hitting his loyal fan Rob Huebel, Chevy Chase has no qualms with unleashing his temperamental personality on anyone who rubs him the wrong way.
Former SNL comedian Tim Meadows went public with his opinion, describing Chase’s time on SNL as “a car crash happening over and over again.”
The most recent case of Chase’s bad attitude getting the best of him was on Community, where he portrayed Pierce Hawthorne.
Chase might have contributed to the show’s high ratings, but its creator, Dan Harmon, as not a fan of Chase on set.
Chase left the show abruptly before the beginning of season 4, commenting during an interview that his participation was a “mistake” and berating TV sitcom as " the lowest form of television.”
In response, Harmon responded that Chase is the type of actor/comedian who knocks-down the funniest parts of his character, criticizing every step of the writing process. Chase also made several racist comments on set.
10. Jackie Gleason Refused To Talk To Screenwriters - You’re In The Picture
Jackie Gleason is one of television’s most reputable performers, having worked on multiple sitcoms, movies, and talk shows.
He’s best remembered for portraying Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a disgruntled bus driver who is always on the hunt for economic success.
As the saying goes, life imitates art, and Gleason proved this right.
In the 1950s, a game show called You’re In The Picture premiered on CBS. Though it was a short-lived show, Gleason’s participation as its host showed the world exactly how self-involved he was.
During its second episode, Gleason issued a 30-minute apology to the audience in response to their dissatisfaction with its premiere.
This apology quickly turned into a complete mockery of the show’s concept, with Gleason making jokes about how truly boring it was during the entire segment. Gleason’s public outcry ended any possibility of the show continuing on the air, and it was canceled a few weeks after.
Gleason’s most notorious exhibition of his self-serving personality was on-set, where he refused to have screenwriters speak to him. Reportedly, Gleason asked executives to have the writing team slide scripts under his trailer door.
He gave no reason for his request, except that it be followed.
5. Julianna Margulies And Archie Panjabi Refused to Film Together - The Good Wife
In The Good Wife, Julianna Margulies’ character Alicia Florrick goes through many obstacles when she decides to enter the workforce after spending years of her life being a stay-at-home mom. Not only this, but her husband’s known criminal activity doesn’t help her circumstances.
Additionally, Alicia has little-to-no friends to count on for emotional support during her journey. Eventually, she crosses paths with a new colleague named Kalinda Sharma, who is played by Archie Panjabi. Kalinda is an in-house investigator who develops an unlikely but strong friendship with Alicia.
However, it isn’t easy for Margulies and Panjabi to portray their close friendship on-screen. In real life, the two actors don’t get along.
In fact, Margulies and Panjabi dislike each other so much that they refused to film any scenes together at one point down the line. The two stars didn’t share a scene together for over 50 episodes due to the feud, despite the fact that their characters work together and are such close friends.
This led to many on-set headaches for the cast, crew, and production team, as all of their scenes had to be filmed separately and any form of verbal communication between the two could only happen over the phone.
When Panjabi left the show, the actresses shared a fair-well scene that was pieced together with CGI.
4. Kirk Cameron Demanded Script Rewrites And Had A Cast Member Fired - Growing Pains
Kirk Cameron rose to fame in the late-’80s with the help of his role on Growing Pains. In the show, Cameron portrays Mike Seaver, the oldest Seaver sibling who is known for his extremely active dating life.
Mid-way through the show’s run, Cameron went through some changes in his personal life and beliefs system.
From demanding constant script rewrites of material he deemed inappropriate for a family-friendly audience to his wanting a say in just about every detail of the production process, Cameron began taking liberties that were clearly outside his line-of-work.
While there aren’t any reported stories of Cameron having on-going feuds or grudges with the show’s cast, he became increasingly judgemental of their personal lives.
In one specific account, Cameron learned about co-star Julie McCullough’s, who portrayed his on-screen girlfriend, past with Playboy, he was not pleased. He became so appalled that he adamantly complained to the show’s executives and ultimately pressured them into removing her from the show.
Nowadays, Kirk Cameron can make any on-set demands that wishes, as his most recent projects are one-man shows where he’s their producer, director, and star.
1. Steve Harvey Refused to Be Approached By Most Of The Staff - The Steve Harvey Show
Steve Harvey’s been on the air for years and is by far one of TV funniest and most vivacious personalities. He’s been acting and hosting for nearly thirty years and continues strong, showing the world that through hard work and dedication, any dream is attainable.
So it may come as a surprise for fans to learn that someone who has strenuously fought to reach the pinnacle of success is not always as humble as we’d think.
When negotiating his contract terms for The Steve Harvey Show for its final season, Harvey created a long list of on-set demands.
Among other requests, Harvey demands that he must not be approached by staff members on set.
Some notable demands include: “Do not come to my dressing room unless invited … Do not open my door. If you open my door, expect to be removed … Do not approach me while I’m in the makeup chair unless I ask to speak to you directly. Either knock or use the doorbell.”
These are just some of the many exhaustive conditions that Harvey includes in his written agreement. Worse yet, any staff member who remotely violates one of these terms is to be terminated immediately.
Can you think of any other TV actors who made crazy on-set demands? Let us know in the comments!
