Julia Roberts
Most people consider Julia Roberts to be America’s sweetheart, but things weren’t always so sweet with the actress on set. While she doesn’t have a list of sins as long as some of the people on this list, she did apparently engage in some mild diva behavior in the '90s.
During the filming of Hook, director Stephen Spielberg referred to Roberts as “Tinkerhell” because of how she would sometimes behave on set. Say it ain’t so, Julia! Even Nick Nolte, of all people, didn't have anything good to say about the actress, revealing that Roberts was prone to temper tantrums on set when they co-starred on the 1994 movie I Love Trouble.
Jennifer Lopez
Honestly, half the fun of Jennifer Lopez is watching her act like a crazy diva all the time. I’m sure she’s a nightmare to be around, but she’s a lot of fun to watch from a distance! Lopez is almost talented enough to get away with her ridiculous demands and attitude...almost!
Lopez feels like she’s above it all, and she’s not afraid to put that into practice. In addition to your garden variety of on-set demands, Lopez has been known to communicate via an assistant instead of having a face-to-face conversation with someone she deems “inferior.” I wonder how she would react if the tables were turned and someone else deemed her inferior?
Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty ruled the '80s and '90s as Prue in Charmed and as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills 90210. While she's still beloved by fans for these iconic roles, she left on not-great terms with a few of the people behind those projects. However, before she passed away in 2024 from a decade-long battle with breast cancer, she aimed to set the record straight on an episode of her podcast.
She acquired a reputation for being difficult to work with, which ultimately seriously damaged her career. Back in February, she invited Holly Marie Combs, who played Piper to Doherty's Prue, to her podcast "Let's Be Clear" to discuss what really went down behind the scenes on the Charmed set all those years ago. When the two received some heat for sharing their side of the story, Doherty had this to say: “It is only through my battle with cancer that I decided to address this trauma and be open and honest about it so that I can actually heal from a livelihood that was taken away from me. A livelihood that was taken away from my family because somebody else wanted to be number one on the call sheet. That is the truth.”
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway is one of those actresses that people love to hate, mostly because she “rubs them wrong way.” There’s no problem with that, but there may be a reason. Hathaway can be a huge diva when she chooses to be. While shooting a commercial in Japan, Hathaway ordered sunny-side up eggs. Apparently, the order was wrong, and she sent them back four times.
Another diva moment occurred when she was on the set of Serenity. The set was all fine and dandy filming until Hathaway needed a Nespresso. She halted production until someone could find an outlet she could use for her coffee machine. While we get the need for coffee, there’s no need to halt filming for it.
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley has always positioned herself as a down-to-earth, no-drama actress. But are her claims really true? According to one director that worked with her--not at all. It always seems like the ones who are constantly proclaiming how chill they are are the most unchill people you will ever meet in your life.
Director John Carney said that working with the model turned actress on the film Begin Again was a real hassle. He mentioned specifically that she was unwilling to open up and take risks in her acting and that she was constantly followed by an entourage getting in the way of filming.
Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank was a hot-ticket item for a while there, especially after she won an Oscar for Million Dollar Baby. However, we haven’t seen her in a while. Why’s that? Apparently, she’s an absolute pain to work with. While some people say she’s great to work with, others have said she’s kinda egotistical.
After winning two Oscars, she dropped off the face of the Earth, maybe because no one wanted to work with her. Most of the comments are from 2005, so maybe she’s cleaned up her act since then. Recently, she’s been in the TV show Away, and many of her costars have great things to say about her. Hollywood politeness or truth?
Mischa Barton
Mischa Barton was once set to become one of the biggest names in Hollywood due to her roles as Marissa on The O.C. and Lilly on All My Children. However, Barton has struggled with numerous issues during her career, and that includes making more than a few enemies on set.
Once she started drinking too much, showing up late, and forgetting her lines while filming, that all went down the drain. However, things quickly got much worse than just some bad behavior on set. Barton's other troubles have included a DUI arrest, hospitalization in a psych ward, and suing her own mother for fraud.
Susan Sarandon
So this one doesn't involve stories of how she yelled at someone on set or threw things. Susan Sarandon isn’t that obvious. What we wanted to bring up is how she seems to have a snarky opinion about every woman castmate she’s ever worked with. One of the most obvious examples of that is when she filmed with Meryl Streep.
When interviewed about Streep, she stated, “I am one of those who think Meryl is a great actress. I don't elevate her to the goddess level, but she does get first crack at all the women's roles. If other women had the same shots she's had, they could equal her.” She also personally insulted her by saying If her household runs as perfectly as her press would have us believe, "I'll slash my throat." Wow. Okay, Susan. That definitely translates on screens since not everyone wants to make a film with her.
Megan Fox
Megan Fox was at one point the eye candy keeping the Transformers franchise alive. The plots of the movies might have gotten worse and worse, but there was always Megan Fox looking just as amazing as ever. But that all changed due to some diva behavior she allegedly exhibited on set.
The actress said she hit her lowest point when she compared Transformers director Michael Bay to Hitler. That cost her a job, but she says she’s learned and grown from the experience. And considering that we haven’t had any more public Hitler analogies from her, it seems she has!
Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball played the lovable title character on I Love Lucy, but Lucille was not so lovable in real life. Co-stars have said that Lucille always looked for ways to upstage other actors and cut some of their screen time. Fame can do crazy things to people, including the iconic Lucille Ball.
She had a cold, sarcastic attitude toward people which lead to her not making many friends on set. Ball also had a habit of speaking her mind, which, while endearing, can obviously get a person in trouble from time to time. While Ball may have been a diva, many who knew her said that wasn't the whole story and that she was a complicated, complex person.
Christina Aguilera
Young Christina Aguilera showed the sweetest side of herself on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but many people who worked with her have revealed that she is not so sweet in actuality. According to some that have worked with her over the years, she's prone to bad attitudes and some ridiculous demands.
She once refused to talk to or even look at The Wanted, a musical guest on The Voice! At least she showed up that day—according to others on the show, she's known for being very late and holding up production. Additionally, she's allegedly demanded to see every shot she's in on the show so that she can veto any scenes that she thinks are unflattering to her.
Rachael Ray
It’s best to just stay out of the kitchen when Rachael Ray is in town. She might cook you a delicious meal, but she’s just as likely to act like a diva. And that’s likely to leave a bad taste in your mouth. And there have been plenty of people to publicly speak out about their troubles working with the celebrity chef.
According to former audience members at her show, taping is a total “nightmare.” She’s been seen berating employees between takes in front of everyone, but her rudeness can apparently extend to service workers like hotel clerks. Additionally, other high-profile cooks like Martha Stewart and Anthony Bourdain have gone public with just how much they dislike Ray.
Teri Hatcher
Teri Hatcher won over fans as Susan on Desperate Housewives, but her co-workers did not share the same affection for her. In fact, almost everyone else on the show had some sort of negative experience with her, despite the fact that the cast was generally close with one another aside from her.
The show’s creator, Marc Cherry, called Hatcher “the meanest woman in the world,” and her co-workers even refused to participate in photo shoots with her because of her negative attitude. Her fellow stars even organized to keep her out of their plans to get gifts for the production crew at the end of the show's run.
Lindsay Lohan
It’s kind of sad to think about, but these days, Lindsay Lohan is neither beloved nor a diva--she’s pretty much just fallen off the map. But during her hot mess heyday, she was an actress people loved to hate. While she's made recent attempts to turn her life around, we honestly can't blame people for not wanting to associate with her in the past.
We could detail her public bad behavior and substance use, but that’s just run of the mill Hollywood garbage. What really solidified her reputation as a diva was her demand for a meeting with Vladimir Putin while she was in Russia for a talk show. Obviously, he didn't oblige, but who knows? Maybe they would have become besties if he had just given her a shot!
Gwyneth Paltrow
We all unfortunately know Goop--Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company that sells some of the strangest and most useless products known to man. But the real reason this Hollywood star is a diva is because she seems to have an opinion about everyone and everything. And she just can't seem to keep her thoughts to herself!
Paltrow is no stranger to speaking her mind, and it’s gotten her in trouble before. She’s publicly complained about everything from the Met Gala (it “sucked”) to Reese Witherspoon (she only does rom-coms for money and fame). So she’s clearly just an all-around great person to know. Maybe she can find a crystal that will improve her attitude.
Angelina Jolie
I think we can all see how Angelina Jolie can be a diva, but what are the specifics? While filming Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Jolie reportedly butted heads with director Doug Liman on an almost daily basis. She would change things mid-scene and decide which directions she wanted to take. Some directors were okay with it, but Liman certainly wasn’t.
It wasn’t just Liman, either. While on the set of Murder on the Orient Express, she made tons of demands, including script changes. She was also extremely persistent and refused to film scenes until the changes were made. We get her job is on the line, but so is everyone else’s. Calm down, Jolie.
Beyonce
One of the most successful entertainers in Hollywood a diva? Color me surprised! Sorry to all the Beyonce fans out there, but Queen Bey is a confirmed diva—and not in a cute way. Like many other superstars, Beyonce has a penchant for making bizarre demands on those around her...and usually getting her way!
Like every other person who’s too famous for their own good, Beyonce has a ridiculous rider for her performances. But her demands extend all the way to other people—crew members have to wear 100% cotton in her presence. If she’s not a diva, then she’s being blackmailed by some cotton farmers.
Lea Michele
Unfortunately, Lea is just snobby and self-centered. Kate Hudson said that she was a nightmare to work with on Glee, and Lea’s been known to avoid and complain about her fans at award shows. In her defense, Michele has since apologized for some of her behavior on the set of the show.
Madonna
Madonna ruled the 80s--there’s no denying that. But it’s clear that the Material Girl has let all the fame go to her head. But unlike some minor celebrities on this list, Madonna has the fame and clout to make most people look the other way when she behaves badly. But not everyone!
Like some other celebrities, she’s got some pretty crazy demands on her rider. These include importing Madonna’s own personal furniture to her dressing room, everyone calling her “M”, and flowers that are cut to be exactly six inches tall. She also reportedly refused to board a private jet because the pilot would not let her bring a cryotherapy chamber on board.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston played Rachel on Friends, but sources say that she was not very friendly on set. Whenever they were not filming, she would avoid socializing with everyone else, and she reportedly threw a chair at one of her previous directors! She made it more than clear that she wasn't there to be best friends with everyone.
The attitude also continued as she moved on to other projects including Life of Crime. During this film, everyone ate lunch together — cast and crew. however, Aniston would grab her lunch and leave immediately when it arrived. Other sources stated she wasn't "approachable." Is Aniston just shy or is she a full-blown diva? The jury is still out on this one!
January Jones
People who have worked with January Jones say that her name is appropriate because she is one of the coldest, most unapproachable people they have ever met. One Mad Men co-star said she was "really serious about what she does," but other people had more choice words for the actress' behavior.
She’s fond of throwing ex-lovers under the bus, including Jason Sudekis. She also has no problem telling off people who don’t deserve it, such as Zach Galifinakis. After she was rude to him at a party, he recalled saying this to her: "January, you are an actress in a show, and everybody's going to forget about you in a few years, so...be nice."
Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl has played some of America’s favorite characters, but her actions on set aren’t quite as lovable. She once turned down an Emmy nod for Grey’s Anatomy because she felt that the writing for her character wasn’t good enough. She is also known for being late, questioning the script, and refusing wardrobe pieces.
Heigl later defended herself against the accusations, saying that she refused to be pushed around by Grey's Anatomy producers when she learned they were planning to give her co-stars (but not her) a raise. And as far as refusing an Emmy nomination, Heigl says while she may not have handled the situation perfectly, she stands by her reasons for turning it down.
Naomi Campbell
Most people these days have no beef with model Naomi Campbell. However, she has a history of not just acting like a diva but a straight-up jerk. However, Campbell isn't just known for rude comments—she's been known to throw a punch from time to time, too. Being catty is one thing, but getting physical is just ridiculous.
Campbell is no stranger to court--she’s been brought up on charges multiple times, including by her personal assistant. And then this woman had the unmitigated gall to say publicly that the reason people don’t want to work with her is “racism” and not her highly-publicized history of violence and erratic behavior.
Oprah
Oprah is the sun—from a distance, she’s life-giving, but get too close and you’ll get burned. It turns out that becoming one of the biggest celebrities in history will turn you into a diva whether you want to be one or not. And Oprah definitely seems to have let all that fame go to her head.
According to one biographer, once when Oprah went to a gallery to consider buying some paintings, she spoke to the owner in the third person. When asked to follow him to the viewing room, she replied with, “Oprah doesn’t do stairs.” What a totally normal and sane thing for someone to say!
Sharon Stone
Audiences have loved Sharon Stone for decades thanks to her memorable roles in movies like Basic Instinct and Total Recall. But apparently, watching her on screen is completely different than trying to work with this world-class actress, who is apparently a bigger diva than we all have realized. She can steal a scene, but she also knows how to make a scene!
Directors have dished before about her on-set ego and diva-like behavior, but it looks like those extend into the real world, too. The actress was actually once detained in a Utah airport for throwing a fit about a checked bag. While Stone has denied the ordeal ever happened, witnesses on the plane and at the airport have all confirmed that she was making a major scene.
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s diva behavior puts basically everyone else on this list to shame. The singer and actor has been known for years as someone who’s difficult to work with, and it doesn’t appear that Carey makes any effort to hide it. And honestly, when you're as talented as Carey is, you really don't have any reason to!
There are plenty of stories of her acting like a run-of-the-mill jerk, but the story of her giving birth to her twins is probably the biggest diva moment she’s had. Not only was Al Sharpton there to help her renew her wedding vows with her husband--her twins also entered the world to a recording of their mother performing at Madison Square Garden.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was notoriously difficult to work with. Years after her death, The Guardian interviewed Tony Curtis and asked him some hard-hitting questions. Many of those were about his Some Like It Hot co-star, Monroe. He stated, “She was very, very difficult. Her personal madnesses were so destructive that it made her unhappy and anyone that surrounded her.”
Clark Gable also apparently didn’t have an easy time with her. After filming The Misfits, he’s quoted as saying, “Christ, I’m glad this picture’s finished. She...near gave me a heart attack.” The next day, Gable did actually have a heart attack. Richard Widmark (her co-star in Don’t Bother to Knock) also said, “She would hide in her dressing room and refuse to come out. Then, when she finally would show up, she was a nervous wreck.”
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood has risen to fame in the last few years with roles on shows like Westworld and Mildred Pierce. However, there are rumors that Wood is not the nicest person to work with. But if you ask the producers of her unreleased rom-com, they probably would have preferred her to show up in a bad mood as opposed to just deciding not to show up at all!
There were rumors about her diva behavior on set for Mildred Pierce. But the really bizarre accusation is that during filming for the unreleased movie 10 Things I Hate About Life, Wood just decided at one point she was done being in the film. Producers have sued Wood for $30 million for breach of contract, but so far, the case has not yet been settled.
Cybill Shepherd
Cybill Shepherd has been acting since the 70s, and it turns out that decades of fame are not good for your ego. She might make magic on screen, but behind the scenes, she doesn’t have many fans. While the show may have been TV gold, Shepherd allegedly fought constantly with her Moonlighting co-star Bruce Willis.
There is a CSI episode with a murdered character allegedly based on her. The writer of the episode worked for her sitcom Cybill in the 90s, and apparently he did not have many fond memories of the diva. In particular, screenwriter Ken Levine published a scathing blog post about the specifics of what a nightmare Shepherd was to work with. You know how fed up he has to be with her if he's making these accusations publicly!
Nicki Minaj
Whether it’s because of her acting career or her role as a judge on American Idol, it just seems like fans can’t get enough of Nicki Minaj. Unfortunately, Minaj doesn’t feel the same way about her fans. She's been known to be a bit of a diva, even to people who love her more than they probably should.
On the set of American Idol, the rapper was apparently rude to contestants and their families and wouldn’t allow anyone to take a photo with her. And that’s on top of her consistently showing up late for work. She also doesn't seem to be a big fan of the people she hires to help her, which was made perfectly clear after the cops were called to her home thanks to a heated argument she had with her maid.
Paz de la Huerta
Paz de la Huerta was a regular on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire for its first two seasons, but then she stopped showing up. What happened? Diva behavior, of course! However, things moved from run-of-the-mill diva behavior into criminal behavior after she publicly attacked reality star Samantha Swetra. She pleaded guilty to the charges against her and was ordered to take treatment classes.
For those familiar with Hollywood, it was no secret that this actress was a bit of a hot mess, and apparently that party-hard attitude crept into her work as well until she was fired from the show. Considering she hasn’t done much since then, it might have marked the end of her career.
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson has been embarrassing herself since her huge lip sync debacle on SNL, but that’s not what makes her a diva. She’s more than capable of being two kinds of awful. She may have upstaged her more famous older sister, Jessica Simpson, but it's been for all the wrong reasons.
Simpson had a brief role on the Melrose Place reboot on MTV, but she was eventually let go by the show. According to rumors, she would show up late, act like a diva, and turned the entire cast against her. It also didn't help that Heather Locklear was looking to reprise her role on the show, and producers needed a way to trim the budget to pay Locklear's salary. Cutting a disliked cast member was a no-brainer for them.
Shenae Grimes
Shenae Grimes was the lead for the 90210 TV reboot, but unfortunately, she let the fame get to her head. And that’s obviously why she made the list. It's one thing for a seasoned diva like Madonna to act superior to everyone, but it's not as endearing when you're a lesser-known actress just starting out in your career.
According to insiders, Grimes was rude to everyone on the set—from extras and crew members to her fellow cast. She was also apparently quick to remind everyone that she was the star and that everyone else was merely riding her coattails. Grimes managed to stick around for all five seasons of the show, but, by the end of it, she didn't have many friends left in her corner.
Lacey Chabert
Lacey Chabert is a pretty decent actress, and she’s been in dozens of things. Regardless, everyone still remembers her as Gretchen Wieners from Mean Girls. Part of that has always bugged her, and she’s tried really hard to stay away from roles that would typecast her. Unfortunately, she hasn’t offered a whole lot.
On top of that, she’s also extremely religious – Hollywood doesn’t really like those who are avidly religious. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s a mom. Chabert puts all of those things above her career and refuses to do anything that compromises her religion or her being a parent. Understandable, but it has still made her difficult to work with.
Kate Winslet
Since her role as Rose in Titanic, the world has loved Kate Winslet. And she’s one actor who has publicly spoken out about how annoying Hollywood diva behavior is. So why is she on this list? While her co-stars might not hate her, she has miffed another important group of people in her life—her fans.
Because apparently, that’s all talk. While she might behave on set, fans over the years have called her out for being cold or even downright rude. In particular, in 2012, Winslet famously snubbed a group of fans who had waited in the rain to catch a glimpse of her. Stars don't owe fans everything, but outright refusing to acknowledge their existence is pretty ridiculous.
Sean Young
Sean Young starred in several box office hits like Blade Runner. She was expected to become a huge star until her diva-like personality got in the way. In 2008, the actress checked herself into rehab, so it might be the case that being intoxicated is the root of her bad behavior.
She got fired from the movie Wall Street because she refused to act professional on set, and she got sued for harassment by one of her ex-lovers, James Wood. Most bizarrely, she was placed under citizen's arrest at the 2012 Oscars for slapping a security guard after she was denied entry into the event. However, charges against her were later dropped.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones has fallen from the spotlight, and some people aren’t sure why. Well, part of it has to do with her working on herself. In 2011, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which would explain the wild mood swings she’d had. This made her difficult to work with and even rocked her marriage.
On top of that, Catherine Zeta-Jones is quoted as saying she’s “so...sick of being humble.” She went on to say, “So sorry I’m rich. So sorry I’m married to a movie star. So sorry I’m not so bad looking.’ No sorrys. Enough!” If that isn’t a diva attitude, we don’t know what is.
Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz seems like a chill person, but apparently there are some seriously dramatic antics underneath her cool-girl persona. One person close to her claims when she was told to shave her underarm, she forced her personal assistant to do it. This occurred on the set of The Sweetest Thing, a movie she filmed back in 2001.
The source went on to say, “Instead of going back to her trailer to shave it herself, she lifted her arms high in the air and made her assistant do the demanding task right there in front of 200 extras.” She is also known to deliberately mess up lines because she didn’t like a scene – something she’s bragged about to Christina Applegate and Selma Blair.
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway may have tons of accolades and awards, but she’s awful to work with and work for. Now that Hollywood is exposing the drama queens of the industry, Dunaway was one of the first on the list. These are just some of her offenses. While on the set of Mommie Dearest, she slapped another actor when it was supposed to be staged. The actress said, “she slapped on me on the cheek, hard and for real.”
Dunaway also slapped an assistant because she didn't like how her hairpins were being presented. Another assistant of hers is suing her for verbally harassing him. If she’s unhappy, Dunaway will also throw things around the set. It's no wonder Bette Davis called Faye Dunaway the worst person in Hollywood.
Nicole Kidman
Is Nicole Kidman a good actress? Sure. Considering how many projects she gets, that isn't debatable. That doesn't change the fact she's pretty entitled and rude. On the set of Big Little Lies, she would do anything to avoid interacting with the public. That we can get, but she goes through extremely ridiculous lengths.
Those who have worked with her said she even tried to claim one of the two elevators in the whole building as her own – refusing to let anyone use it besides her! The only thing that stopped her was another A-Lister blocking the request. No, we sadly don’t know who.