Real-Life Scandals Movies: Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial effort, “Don’t Worry Darling,” has stood out from the rest of 2022’s releases due to the seemingly endless controversy surrounding it. The film’s backstage drama first surfaced not long before its premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 2022, and some of the cast’s strange behavior during the premiere and press junket only added fuel to the fire.
While “Don’t Worry Darling” has received more attention for its rumored backstage turmoil than any other recent Hollywood film, it is hardly the only one.
We’re looking back at some of the most infamous scandals from the film industry’s past, and holy cow, there were some wild antics, affairs, and craziness on set. In fact, many of these films’ conflicts render those around “Don’t Worry, Darling” as bland as they were. As well as many other famously dramatic Hollywood productions, we will investigate the truth behind “Don’t Worry Darling” and its publicity tour.
Don’t Worry Darling: Real-Life Scandals Movie
Real-Life Scandals Movies: Since Olivia Wilde agreed to direct and cast Florence Pugh and Harry Styles in the starring roles, “Don’t Worry Darling” has been the subject of much anticipation. The picture was supposed to have a major release in 2022, but ever since the main filming began, suspicions have swirled about it.
Although she was engaged to Jason Sudeikis, with whom she has two children, during the production of the film, Olivia Wilde ended her engagement and began seeing her rumored boyfriend, Harry Styles.
There has been an abundance of controversy around the movie. Originally cast as the lead, Shia LeBeouf and Olivia Wilde found themselves at odds. LeBeouf refuted this accusation and stated he departed because Wilde didn’t give the actors enough time to prepare, while Wilde told Variety that he was dismissed because of the “combative intensity” of his acting technique (via Variety). While Wilde was gushing about Pugh, she declined to promote the film on Instagram, as did Pugh’s co-star, Pugh.
Real-Life Scandals Movies: The film’s debut at the 2022 Venice Film Festival was a climactic event. There was a whole conspiracy idea that Styles spat on Chris Pine at the premiere, which Wilde disputed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Variety reports that Pugh didn’t show up for the Q&A or even speak to Wilde on the red carpet. Pugh has been silent on the reported dispute she has with Wilde, but she did eventually talk about the film on Instagram, where she gave high marks to the cast and crew.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Real-Life Scandals Movie
Real-Life Scandals Movie: In 2005, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston announced their separation, although both parties stated that the breakup had nothing to do with the rumors about his connection with Angelina Jolie that had been circulating at the time (via People). One of the greatest Hollywood scandals of the 2000s revolved around Pitt and Jolie when they were seen on vacation together just a month after his divorce was completed.
Mr. & Mrs Smith” (2005), starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as undercover agents sent to assassinate each other, kicked off the trend. Soon after Pitt and Jolie met on-site, rumors began spreading that they were having an affair. Jolie told Vogue in 2006 that she and Pitt didn’t think about dating until the shoot was over, but by then the whispers had already spread (via People).
Real-Life Scandals Movies: The public’s fascination with the triangle of Pitt, Aniston, and Jolie grew so intense that “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” director Doug Liman had to station units on set to keep the paparazzi from interfering with filming (according to Entertainment Weekly).
In spite of Pitt’s denials that his affair with Jolie was the reason for his split from Aniston, reporters spent the greater part of the following decade hunting for ways to bring the scandal back to life. While the controversy surrounding the film had a significant effect on the public’s perception of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” the picture itself has not had the same enduring impact.
I Heart Huckabees: Real-Life Scandals Movie
Real-Life Scandals Movies: The renowned and Oscar-winning filmmaker David O. Russell has a reputation for being a harsh boss on set, particularly with his actors. A number of insiders have told Vulture that he is infamous for his physical and verbal abuse of cast, crew, and others, including yelling confrontations with A-listers like George Clooney and Jennifer Lawrence.
In the filming of his 2004 film “I Heart Huckabees,” a black comedy about existential detectives portrayed by Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin, he made a number of noteworthy mistakes. At least twice, Russell and Tomlin got into enormous yelling battles, and one of them was caught on a profanity-filled video.
Real-Life Scandals Movies: Tomlin started out by venting her anger that Russell’s actor notes were so confusing since he seemed to contradict himself. An enraged Russell screamed sexist epithets at Tomlin as he threw papers and other props about the room. Even while The New York Times detailed a number of other dramatic episodes that occurred during production, the viral video of the actor’s breakdown is what ultimately came to characterize the film.
Tomlin has said (via Entertainment Weekly) that she and Russell have no ill will, and she hasn’t worked with him since “I Heart Huckabees.” This is in line with the claims of many other actresses who have worked with Russell.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Real-Life Scandals Movies: The rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis was one of the most publicized in Hollywood history. After all, it was the impetus for Ryan Murphy’s anthology series’ first season, also called “Feud.”
In 1933, when Crawford announced her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Harper’s Bazaar said that tensions between Crawford and Davis started to rise on the same day that Warner Brothers planned extensive press attention for Davis’ first leading feature. Crawford’s private life quickly eclipsed Davis’s picture. The tension between Crawford and Davis further increased when they co-starred in the film “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” in 1962, marking the beginning of a long and bitter rivalry between the two actresses.
Crawford reportedly persuaded Davis to join the cast after reading “Not the Girl Next Door: A Personal Biography” by Charlotte Chandler.
Real-Life Scandals Movies: Davis first said no because she “didn’t want him favoring [Crawford] with extra close-ups,” but she eventually accepted when director Robert Aldrich assured her that he and Crawford were not romantically linked.
The relationship between Davis and Crawford on set was tense, to say the least. As a psychological thriller depicting a fight for control between two wounded sisters, “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane” makes use of their well-known antagonism.
Real-Life Scandals Movies: Reports in Harper’s Bazaar claimed that Crawford had loaded her pockets with pebbles for a scene in which Davis dragged her body about and that she had asked for a body duplicate for a scene in which Davis beats her character up because she didn’t believe that Davis wouldn’t genuinely injure her. Although Bette Davis was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” is most known as a symbol of the biggest quarrel in Hollywood history.