Difficult Actors to Work With2 of 48
Val Kilmer
Acquired a legendary reputation during the height of his career for being one of the most difficult actors in all of Hollywood.
Kilmer was very rude during the filming of Batman Forever (1995). He fought with various crewmen, as well as director Joel Schumacher, who called him 'childish and impossible'. Kilmer refused to speak to Schumacher for two weeks after the director confronted him about his behavior. Due to his behavior, Kilmer was ultimately replaced by George Clooney in Batman & Robin (1997).
Most notably, Kilmer was also extremely hostile and antagonistic during the filming of The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996). Original director Richard Stanley, who was fired three days into shooting largely due to his inability to reign Kilmer in, said of working with him, "Val would arrive and an argument would happen."
Kilmer's many transgressions during the shoot included showing up to the set two days late, refusing to memorize his lines, antagonizing the cast and crew, refusing to leave his trailer until co-star Marlon Brando did so first, and clashing with director John Frankenheimer. Immediately after Kilmer finished filming his last scene, Frankenheimer said, "Now get that bastard off my set".
After production on the film wrapped, Frankenheimer said, "I don't like Val Kilmer, I don't like his work ethic, and I don't want to be associated with him ever again."
Kilmer also clashed heavily with co-star Tom Sizemore during the filming of Red Planet (2000). Kilmer antagonized Sizemore once he learned that the studio paid to have Sizemore's exercise machine shipped to the set, yelling, "I'm making ten million on this, you're only making two!" This led Sizemore to throw a fifty-pound weight at him. The tension was so severe throughout the shoot that many of Kilmer and Sizemore's scenes together were filmed with doubles, and things finally reached a breaking point when Sizemore knocked Kilmer to the floor with a punch to the chest.
Acquired a legendary reputation during the height of his career for being one of the most difficult actors in all of Hollywood.
Kilmer was very rude during the filming of Batman Forever (1995). He fought with various crewmen, as well as director Joel Schumacher, who called him 'childish and impossible'. Kilmer refused to speak to Schumacher for two weeks after the director confronted him about his behavior. Due to his behavior, Kilmer was ultimately replaced by George Clooney in Batman & Robin (1997).
Most notably, Kilmer was also extremely hostile and antagonistic during the filming of The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996). Original director Richard Stanley, who was fired three days into shooting largely due to his inability to reign Kilmer in, said of working with him, "Val would arrive and an argument would happen."
Kilmer's many transgressions during the shoot included showing up to the set two days late, refusing to memorize his lines, antagonizing the cast and crew, refusing to leave his trailer until co-star Marlon Brando did so first, and clashing with director John Frankenheimer. Immediately after Kilmer finished filming his last scene, Frankenheimer said, "Now get that bastard off my set".
After production on the film wrapped, Frankenheimer said, "I don't like Val Kilmer, I don't like his work ethic, and I don't want to be associated with him ever again."
Kilmer also clashed heavily with co-star Tom Sizemore during the filming of Red Planet (2000). Kilmer antagonized Sizemore once he learned that the studio paid to have Sizemore's exercise machine shipped to the set, yelling, "I'm making ten million on this, you're only making two!" This led Sizemore to throw a fifty-pound weight at him. The tension was so severe throughout the shoot that many of Kilmer and Sizemore's scenes together were filmed with doubles, and things finally reached a breaking point when Sizemore knocked Kilmer to the floor with a punch to the chest.
PeopleVal Kilmer
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez - © 2011 Getty Images - Image courtesy gettyimages.com