On-Screen Co-stars and Lovebirds Who Actually Hated Each Other in Real Life

It's Hollywood's most-coveted secret that some of our favorite celebs with sizzling chemistry on-screen couldn't stand each other off-camera. From co-stars who didn't speak for 21 years to those who walked out in the middle of a scene—these reel-life pairs and lovers reportedly hated each other in real life.

Often, actors who work together on the set tend to develop a lovely relationship behind-the-scenes and regard each other as family. Some may even see their friendship and camaraderie evolve into something phenomenal, such as love. But you may be surprised that this isn't always true for everyone.

Not all co-stars who play best friends and lovers on-screen feel the same about each other when the lights go out. In case you're wondering who we're referring to, let's cut to the chase and have a look at seven celebrity pairs who had rocky relationships and too much drama brewing when the cameras weren't rolling.

1. Joan Crawford and Bette Davis

Way before the world became accustomed to social media wars, Hollywood served as the arena for many famous arguments. One such feud existed between two of the most loved silver-screen stars of their time—Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and it lasted for almost four decades!

According to sources, the duo shared an array of personal and professional differences; their resentment was triggered by an industry that enjoyed drama on-screen and off-screen, especially between two women. And so, they constantly found themselves in tabloids, thanks to their heated off-screen tussles.

It all began in 1943 when Crawford signed with Warner Bros., which was known mainly as Davis' territory. When the two stars started choosing roles from the same studio, things were bound to take an odd turn, and they did. While the audience saw them exchanging gifts on the silver screen, only arguments ensued off-camera.

The tensions intensified when Davis saw her name listed atop the title for the first time for her movie, "Ex-Lady," in 1933. Crawford, who was no stranger to stardom when Davis came to Hollywood, overshadowed the promotional campaign for Davis in Warner Bros. by announcing her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

In 1935, Crawford married Franchot Tone—Davis' co-actor in the 1935 movie, "Dangerous." Davis confessed at the time that she would never forgive Crawford because Tone was said to be her unrequited love interest.

When the two ladies finally worked together on their 1962 film, "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane," they spent each day fighting. The on-screen sisters perfectly mimicked the sibling rivalry off-screen, resorting to extreme lengths to pull each other down.

Moreover, Crawford reportedly mocked the dress Davis wore to the 1936 Oscars ceremony, sending olive branches to her as a gift, which Davis later returned. Quite the cinematic feud, don't you think?

2. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey

Before Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey captivated millions of hearts with their romantic performance in the 1987 classic movie, "Dirty Dancing," they weren't on the best of terms. The pair had initially collaborated in the 1984 action film, "Red Dawn," where Grey reportedly had an awful experience with Swayze.

The actress noted how her co-star was extremely difficult to work with because he was hardly ever serious or sensitive to other people's needs. Grey said Swayze constantly played pranks on her and the others, forcing her to reach a point where she couldn't tolerate his antics anymore.

It wasn't hard to guess that Grey didn't want anything to do with Swayze after their first film until the pair was cast on the same project, which became one of their finest performances on the big screen. During their screen test for "Dirty Dancing," Grey admitted she was teary-eyed because she couldn't put up with Swayze again.

But she had a change of heart when Swayze reportedly pulled her down the hall, declaring his love and apologizing for his past behavior. Not only was Grey taken off-guard, but she melted in his embrace, and their tension gradually began to ease—reflecting in their brilliant on-screen chemistry.

In her memoir, "Out of the Corner," Grey disclosed that once the dust settled, she developed massive respect for Swayze and learned much from his dance experience and passion. Swayze, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2009, also appreciated his co-star, calling her one of the most gifted actresses of her time. All is well that ends well, right?

3. Sharon Stone and Billy Baldwin

Sharon Stone and Billy Baldwin's steamy performance in the 1993 psychological thriller, "Sliver," stunned the audience worldwide. Still, there was a lot that the movie didn't give away. Many might have thought the pair got along well off-camera, giving their on-screen sensual scenes a realistic touch.

But people didn't know that Stone and Baldwin couldn't stand each other when the camera rolled back, as revealed by their movie director, Joe Eszterhas, in his tell-all book. According to Eszterhas, the co-stars despised one another, and their on-camera sparks had nothing to do with their relationship behind the scenes.

Stone disliked her "Sliver" co-actor so much that she reportedly let her estranged feelings get in the way while shooting a love scene. In one of her kissing scenes with Baldwin, the actress went a little too overboard, biting his tongue in the process.

Although it made for an erotic scene in the film, Baldwin was said to be hurt so terribly that he couldn't talk for a week. But that wasn't all. Eszterhas also claimed that Stone used to rinse with mouthwash after sharing a kiss with her co-star. All of this shows that Billy wasn't her favorite Baldwin brother!

4. Betty White & Bea Arthur

Imagine a world where someone as amiable and lively as Betty White was disliked by none other than her co-star, Bea Arthur! That's true because the ladies who worked together on "The Golden Girls" shared a fantastic connection on-screen but had a somewhat contentious relationship behind the scenes.

Many believed that Arthur disapproved of White's happy-go-lucky attitude, especially how the latter would connect with the live audience between takes. Arthur was said to like immersing in her character and preferred to wait backstage or stay in her place.

Joel Thurm, casting director of "The Golden Girls," revealed that Arthur was so upset with White once that she ended up using profanity which he heard with his own ears. Arthur's son, Matthew Saks, also shared his thoughts on his mother's infamous tiff with White, touching upon her reserved personality.

Saks revealed that there was a time when the two ladies got along well and maintained a friendly bond. Arthur and White lived close by and even traveled to work together during that period. However, their future fallout made it hard for anyone to believe that they were once on good terms.

One theory for Arthur's disapproval of her co-star was her jealousy over White, who also made it big in the Emmys. While all the Golden Girls later earned nominations for the show's first season, White became the first actress to walk home with an award, which allegedly made Arthur angry.

5. Bill Murray and Harold Ramis

Bill Murray and Harold Ramis had already collaborated on six movies when they began filming "Groundhog Day" in 1993. Having worked together in blockbusters such as "Ghostbusters" and "Caddyshack," it wasn't hard to predict that the star duo would once again deliver their best performance.

But while their on-screen characters impressed the audience, Murray and Ramis lost their chummy sentiments, making the off-screen experience tense and conflicted. Trevor Albert, the producer of "Groundhog Day," revealed the rift between the actors was so intense they didn't talk to each other for 21 years.

Sharing his thoughts on the surreal comic film's 30th anniversary, Albert reflected, "It was a tense shoot for a number of reasons. It was unfortunate and probably made the movie considerably less fun to make. But you can still make a very good movie when people are not in perfect harmony."

After their companionship suffered on the set of "Groundhog Day," Ramis' daughter, Violet Ramis Stiel, revealed that although her father didn't take things personally, he was shattered.

Before Ramis' death in February 2014 from an auto-immune disease, Murray ended their 21-year estrangement and visited him in his Chicago home.

According to sources, Murray's brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, who had worked on seven movies with Ramis, played peacemaker and convinced Murray to put his differences aside and see his old buddy one last time.

The pair bonded over their love for baseball before saying their goodbyes. Despite their rocky relationship, Murray was godfather to one of Ramis' daughters.

6. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger

Much like Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, the legendary disagreement between Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger was bound to go down in the books of Hollywood lore. And it did, making headlines even today. When the two women came together in the 1984 movie, "Terms of Endearment," their relationship was anything but endearing.

The on-screen mother-daughter duo, MacLaine and Winger, became rivals off-screen, and their feud impacted the shooting process. In an interview with Andy Cohen in 2018, Winger replied in the affirmative when asked if she had tried to fart in MacLaine's direction and licked her leg as she filmed a love sequence with Jack Nicholson.

Although Winger and MacLaine earned Best Actress nominations at the Oscars for their performances, only one took the trophy home. After bagging the award, MacLaine exuberated sheer confidence and pride and expressed in her acceptance speech that she deserved it.

In an interview with the New York Times in 1986, Winger admitted having disagreements and tussles with her senior co-star, MacLaine. "We challenged ourselves, and when we got tired of challenging ourselves, we challenged each other. But I think there was always a respect between the two of us," she clarified.

7. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling had everyone swooning with their reel-life chemistry in the 2001 adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook." But many don't know these on-screen lovers were warring co-stars behind the cameras because they didn't get off to the best start.

According to director Nick Cassavetes, things went south between the pair when Gosling and McAdams began yelling at each other while shooting. Cassavetes said Gosling pulled him aside and requested him to bring in another actress because he couldn't do the scene with McAdams.

When the stars were taken into a separate room to resolve their conflict, they had an even major fallout, though thankfully, everything settled down later. Both McAdams and Gosling gradually mended their relationship, and their great chemistry made the period drama a worldwide phenomenon!

But that wasn't all. The actors turned from haters to lovers and became romantically involved later, dating on and off for two years before officially parting ways in 2007. Fans loved their reel and real-life chemistry, and "The Notebook" became a Hollywood blockbuster.

We hope you enjoyed reading this feature article just as much as we loved compiling it for you! Please don't hesitate to share your valuable feedback in the comments section on Facebook.