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Many modern-day actors are known for their luxurious and overly pampered lifestyles. Being a star means there are probably multiple people flattering and assisting you at any given time, so it is hardly surprising to discover some of the outrageous demands actors make when they are on set. Megastars are gifted with “contract clauses” that let most stars’ request (and get) any odd and outrageous demand they wish. In extreme cases, the list of demands can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and can run across multiple pages.
Celebrity contracts can each have their own unique demands and the demands usually get more outrageous the more famous the star is. Most stars request clauses, which will give them some sort of preferential treatment that would get them in the right frame of mind to help them with their roles. Other actors demand outrageous and borderline stupid things just because they are a mega-celeb. Everything from multiple dressing rooms, to specific foods, to outrageous facilities, and even live animals have been demanded by celebrities. We can’t blame these renowned actors though. If you were blessed to be a rich and famous actor in Hollywood, wouldn’t you be a little demanding with your contract? Everyone’s answer is probably yes. We pity the poor people that have to arrange all these outrageous demands though. But, it is frankly quite entertaining to learn about all of the extreme demands celebrities have on set.
Here are 20 actors who have ridiculous demands (And are total divas).
Keeping Up With The Kardashians - Jennifer Lawrence
At some point in their careers, most actors will be faced with filming physically demanding and emotionally draining scenes. Jennifer Lawrence seems like a very easy going, low-maintenance celebrity but when she was faced with filming very intense scenes for the spine-tingling film Mother! J. Law demanded some form of escape. Instead of being completely spoiled or outrageous with her demands, Jen only requested one thing during the production of the movie. All this starlet wanted was a “Kardashian tent.” J. Law is an avid watcher and vocal fan of the Kardashian-Jenner family so this demand is totally reasonable and understandable.
Jennifer admitted to being very distressed while filming the violent and disturbing movie. To mentally escape during filming breaks, J. Law watched Keeping Up With the Kardashians on repeat.
J. Law’s Kardashian tent sounds like a dream room for Kardashian fans. Apparently, the tent had pictures of the Kardashian-Jenner family, had the show constantly playing on a loop, and tons of gumballs. Whenever Jennifer felt like she needed to regroup and take a break from filming, she would enjoy this downtime with fellow reality TV fans. Now, this is a celebrity demand we can wrap our heads around.
All White Everything - Jennifer Lopez
Even though she claims to be “Jenny from the block,” Jennifer Lopez has been known to have a super demanding, diva image ever since her rise to fame decades ago. Whether she is singing, dancing, on tour, or acting, J. Lo has some of the most outrageous celebrity demands. Even when J. Lo is recording a music video that is benefiting victims of both terrorist attacks and epidemics, she chooses to be high maintenance. If there was a limit for how demanding a celebrity could be, J. Lo would have crossed that boundary a long time ago.
When Jennifer participated in a charity remake of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” she made sure she was the center of attention.
Instead of wholeheartedly filming her cameo for the charity video, J. Lo provided the production crew a list of demands that had to be met before she participated in the project. She demanded that everything in her room be white – white curtains, furniture, flowers, linen sheets, and even candles. Considering the charitable nature of the video, J. Lo’s demands were a bit much. In the past, J. Lo’s outrageous demands have almost cost her opportunities. In 2010, her American Idol deal was even in jeopardy because of her unreasonable demands.
Something Smells Fishy - Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton doesn't act much, but when she does, she has some crazy demands. If you need a refresher on the heiress’ acting career, she is best known for the reality TV show The Simple Life alongside former party girl Nicole Richie. She has also starred in The Hottie And The Nottie, National Lampoon’s Pledge This!, and Raising Helen. Like us, most of you are probably hearing these movie titles for the first time right now.
In 2009, Paris Hilton reportedly landed a cameo for Will Ferrell’s cop satire, The Other Guys, where she would be appearing as herself. Sometime between filming this cameo and editing the final cut of the movie, Paris’ scene was scratched.
Maybe the editors made this decision because Paris isn’t the best actor. Or maybe it was because she had some outrageous demands outlined in her contract. Even though Paris’ role was a short cameo, she apparently handed the producers a three-page list filled with demands. These included: A bottle of Grey Goose vodka and live lobsters that would be prepared for her after she was finished filming her one scene. Paris’ diva attitude and demands might be the reason why her cameo was cut from the movie.
A Mean Girl - Lindsay Lohan
Nowadays, it is hard to believe that Lindsay Lohan was once one of Hollywood’s A-Lister celebs. Movies like The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and Mean Girls, have won the hearts of fans all over the world. These movies were also pivotal in the success of her career. When she was at the peak of her career, Lindsay could probably get away with ridiculous demands on set. But as Lindsay got older, she became a bit of a Hollywood nobody. Sure, everyone still knows her name, but her acting career has completely plummeted. Lindsay doesn’t think so though.
When she books gigs, Lindsay still troubles producers with outrageous demands even though she isn’t the famous starlet she used to be.
After her spilt with fiancé Egor Tarabasov, the son of Russian businessman Dmitry Tarabasov, one of the most popular talk shows in Russia wanted to speak with her about the relationship. For this mere TV show appearance, Lindsay demanded that she have: a private jet, one-year Russian visa with extension, 500,000 British pounds, a security team, hair, make-up, and a manicurist on board the jet, a Ritz-Carlton penthouse suite, and a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
Refused To Learn His Lines - Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is an incredible actor – mainly because of his ability to take on such drastic and diverse roles and be able to execute them perfectly. After his minor, but super tragic role in A Nightmare on Elm Street, everyone knew Depp was destined for greatness. How could anyone forget such iconic roles as Cry-Baby in Cry-Baby, Edward Scissorhands in Edward Scissorhands, Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland? These famous roles are enough to deem Depp the most incredibly talented actor alive. But, he might actually be getting more credit for these roles than he deserves.
While filming the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Depp demanded that a sound engineer feed him his lines through a hidden earpiece because he refused to learn them.
One of the only tasks actors have to do is memorize lines, so Johnny’s demand is pretty ridiculous. Instead of doing his job properly, Depp had someone else guide him through each scene. And, he got credit for his leading role in the film, even though he technically didn’t prepare for it. This only makes us wonder what other iconic films Johnny Depp refused to learn his lines for.
Fresh Prince For Real - Will Smith
Will Smith is famously known for being one of Hollywood’s “nice guys.” Even though he is one of the most successful and bankable actors in Hollywood, Will remains quite humble with his fame and money. Along with his modesty, Will is also a complete family man. At events and gatherings, he is almost always photographed with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and his three children. But, nice guys can be demanding at times and this “Fresh Prince” sometimes thinks and acts like he really is royalty.
While filming Men in Black III, Will demanded that he get a 53-foot-mega-trailer that cost the filmmakers $9,000 a week for Smith to reside in.
This double-decker trailer was so large that it somehow managed to shade the sun from nearby New York residents. The exhaust fumes from the trailer even stunk up the surrounding neighborhood. Local residents complained about Will’s accommodation until filmmakers relocated the suite. Having a large, luxury trailer isn’t that shocking for mega Hollywood actors but, Will had a New York flat just a few blocks away from where the movie was being filmed. This outrageous demand wasted the filmmakers time, energy, and definitely their money.
I'll Be Back With Demands - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wow, what an incredible career Arnold Schwarzenegger had (so far). He went from being a professional bodybuilder to an actor, a businessman and investor, author, philanthropist and activist, and even the 38th Governor of California. If anyone deserves to be demanding with his contracts, it should be him. As an actor in the famous Terminator franchise, the action star made it clear that he had several demands he wanted the filmmakers had to adhere to.
Probably because of his bodybuilder physique, Schwarzenegger had a 33-page contract constructed outlining how he wanted a trailer stocked with gym equipment.
Considering he was a bodybuilder, Arnold probably listed an array of heavy and expensive gym machines he wanted in the trailer. On top of his own personal trailer gym, Schwarzenegger demanded that he get a personal team of bodyguards and a three-bedroom deluxe suite wherever he was filming. His most outrageous demand while filming the Terminator franchise (Particularly Terminator 3), was that he would select the director, his co-stars, the crew, the drivers, hair and makeup artists, and even the chefs. Who knows if he was actually granted this demand, but based on his celebrity status alone, there is a good possibility he had a lot of say while filming the franchise.
Has His Head In Space - George Clooney
Filmmakers must love working with George Clooney. When the talented actor appears in a film, chances are the movie will do really well at the box-office. George’s universal appeal attracts audiences from all different demographics. His superstar status gives him some leeway with his crazy, celebrity demands. With George Clooney in a movie, chances are filmmakers will make the money they spent on his costly accommodations back. Clooney had a small role in Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi thriller Gravity, but that didn’t stop him from demanding a variety of outrageous amenities from the filmmakers.
On site of the film, Clooney demanded that he have access to a hot tub, a basketball court, a private landscaped garden, and a custom-made beach hut to be installed right next to his trailer.
We understand the need for a basketball court, maybe George wanted to stay fit during filming, but we can’t exactly grasp what he would need a private beach hut for. His private area on set was more lavish than most people’s houses. These amenities reportedly cost $125,000 for filmmakers to build. But, George’s outrageous demands didn’t even make a dent in the film’s $100 million budget.
Let Me See That Thong - Tom Cruise
Whether he would like to admit it or not, Tom Cruise is a total Hollywood diva. This action movie veteran is known equally for his roles in movies like Top Gun, Risky Business, Mission Impossible, and Jerry Maguire as he is for his outrageous demands. Tom’s stardom and reputation must have gotten to his head because some of his crazy demands have caused drama and controversy with filmmakers, crew members, and even hotel owners.
One of Tom’s most notorious demands is that he requires custom-made thongs while filming action movies.
In order to ensure the most comfort and flexibility for himself, Tom asks costume designers to find soft and stretchy materials to create thongs that mold perfectly to his body. We can only imagine what custom-made thongs feel like to wear. If you think that demand is outrageous, Tom once demanded that a Montenegro hotel manager kick out all his guests from the restaurant so that he could dine alone. The hotel manager obviously denied Cruise’s request since it was unfair to other guests. Since his demand was dismissed, Tom ordered a seafood banquet to be delivered to his luxury yacht. Guess Tom really just wanted to eat alone.
It's Whats Outside That Counts - Julia Roberts
Just because someone is labeled America’s sweetheart doesn’t mean they are actually that sweet. Julia Roberts is a prime example of how fame can turn a once sweet girl into a demanding diva. For Julia, all her demands are linked to her outward appearance. Whether it be her hair, face, makeup, body, or clothing, Julia ensures that assistants are constantly helping her look her best.
A standard clause in all of Julia Roberts’ movie contracts is that filmmakers must provide her with four gallons of bottled Evian water every day no matter where in the world she is working.
That’s right, four gallons! She won’t settle for any other brand of water. What is even more outrageous is that she uses this bottled water to wash her hair. What an absolute waste of perfectly good drinking water. There is a penalty of six figures if this task is not completed. In addition to her hair, Julia demands that her face always looks its best as well. When she modeled for Lancome, Julia had a clause in her contract that prevented anyone from seeing untouched photos of herself. The approved photos of Julia were so edited and unnatural that the UK (and later the rest of the world) ended up banning the ad from circulation.
Black Bottom Heels - Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart is one of the world’s most recognized culinary and lifestyle TV personalities. Martha’s brand encompasses cooking, writing, entertaining, decorating, and even owning a magazine and television program. With that much success, Martha really can do whatever she wants, without being judged for it. She has a successful and hilarious TV show with Snoop Dogg – I’m sure none of us expected that pair to ever work together. Yet, Martha has continuously proven that she really does know what is best.
Martha has built her entire empire from being a crafty and creative entrepreneur. So when Martha demands that her assistants get a little crafty with her Christian Louboutin heels, she must know what is creatively and aesthetically pleasing right?
Even if it goes against the designer’s signature style? Apparently, Martha doesn’t like the classic and trademark red sole on Louboutin shoes. Shocking, we know. So, she makes her assistants paint all the soles of her Louboutin shoes black. Apparently, Martha has even asked Christian if she could paint over his trademark sole. The designer surprisingly said yes, but only because “she is Martha Stewart.” Only Martha Stewart can get her assistants and Christian Louboutin to approve this outrageous demand.
They See Him Rollin' - Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell is one of the best known and most loved comic actors in Hollywood. The hilarious actor has starred in famous comedies like Step Brothers, Anchorman, and Elf. Each of his movies has left us in a fit of laughter, usually gasping for air. Even if you aren’t a Will Ferrell fan, you can admit that the guy knows how to crack some hilarious jokes. When he isn’t being a funny man on screen, Will is usually behind the screens being equally as amusing. Even his on-set demands are comedic in nature.
While on a promotional comedy tour for his film Semi-Pro, Will Ferrell demanded that he get a Janet Jackson-style headset microphone, a mobility scooter, a tree on wheels, and a rainbow on wheels on stage.
Unlike other celebrities, Will’s demands are way more fun than they are lavish. He literally asked producers to paint (on a canvas) a picture of a tree and a rainbow. He only wanted a Janet Jackson, diva style microphone and an electric three-wheel scooter to get around. Will Ferrel might not be classified as a diva, but he should be everyone’s new spirit animal – These demands are hilarious!
Better Than Everyone Else - Uma Thurman
Everyone has been crushing on Uma Thurman ever since she became famous director, Quentin Tarantino’s muse. After playing Mrs. Mia Wallace in the iconic Pulp Fiction and Beatrix Kiddo/The Bride in the Kill Bill franchise, Uma became a Hollywood legend. It was said that Tarantino even wrote Kill Bill just for Uma because he loved working with her so much. To have a legendary Hollywood director write a series of films just for you is quite the accomplishment.
Uma must have let that stardom and privilege get to her head because her recent movie demands have been so outrageous that they might have actually cost her some gigs.
In 2010, Uma was set to appear in the aborted film Eloise in Paris, but there has been a breach of contract dispute. Along with already being paid $4.5 million to be in the cast, Uma demanded that she have the ability to veto director, co-stars, and script, first-class air travel everywhere, a "three-bedroom hotel suite", three cell phones and, not just a luxury dressing room but the most luxurious, “more favourable dressing facilities.” On top of all that, the contract gave Uma the option to purchase all of the wardrobe items and wigs created for her at 50% off.
Demanding Housewife - Teri Hatcher
Teri Hatcher might have played the friendly and lovable Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives, but costars say she was nothing like her character. Throughout the series’ eight-season run, there were rumors that the housewives had quite a bit of drama. These rumors had some truth to them. Teri was apparently a complete brat to work with on set. She was supposedly had a very difficult attitude towards the filmmakers, was cold to her fellow Desperate Housewives stars and had crazy demands.
An insider from the show leaked some of Hatcher’s unnecessary demands. During the filming of the show, Teri refused to go to her hair and makeup trailer, she would force the stylists to go to wherever she was.
She also demanded that the wardrobe department bring her entire closet to her trailer so that it was more convenient and comfortable for her to get dressed. As Desperate Housewives was coming to a close, Teri’s costars gifted the crew with a farewell gift card for all their hard work during the production of the show. Teri refused to include her name in the parting gift. If you thought the drama on Desperate Housewives was bad, it seems like the off-screen drama was even worse.
Doesn't Believe In Recycling - Eddie Murphy
Funnyman Eddie Murphy really isn’t all that funny when it comes to his demands. Murphy is best known for his hilarious roles in The Nutty Professor, Shrek, and Dr. Dolittle, but sources say he doesn’t have much of a sense of humor in real life. Whenever he is shooting a movie (even when it is animated) this outrageous actor demands a new set of underwear and socks every day.
His underwear and socks must still have their tags attached to them to prove that they are brand new. At the end of the day, he throws away (doesn’t recycle or donate) the brand new products.
Based on his movies, we would never expect Murphy to be this wasteful and outrageous in real life. Does he wear new underwear and socks every day or only when he is shooting movies? Does he know what a laundry machine is? Doesn’t he have assistants that will wash his clothes for him? We don’t really understand what triggered this outrageous demand for brand new, clean underwear and socks. This wastefulness continues to his toiletries as well. Apparently, he won't reuse anything that has already been opened. He won't even use the same mouthwash bottle twice.
Everything Is Peachy - Barbra Streisand
In the span of her six-decade career as a singer, songwriter, actress, and filmmaker, Barbra Streisand must have experienced a traumatic bathroom experience that would create an unnecessary demand for all of her future bathroom uses. First off, Barbra’s outstanding and successful career gives her the right to act like a total diva. At 76-years-old, this American sweetheart still remains a household name. Whether she is on tour singing or on set for a movie, Barbra has strict instructions that producers must follow. Her bizarre demands only have to do with the condition of all her bathrooms.
Streisand insists that all the bathrooms she uses have peach-colored toilet paper.
She claims that she wants her toilet paper roll to match her peachy complexion, but this weird obsession might be the cause of a past traumatic bathroom experience. Or maybe Barbra really is just a diva. Along with this peach-colored toilet paper, Streisand demands that all her toilets have rose petals inside the bowl. Are these petals a one-time thing? Or does Barbra demand that assistants restock her toilet bowls after every flush? We’re not quite sure, but we do know that this is an outrageous demand only a renowned, Hollywood diva could have.
Refuses To be written off In Movies - Queen Latifah
If you were a fan of the way Queen Latifah’s characters died in movies, don’t expect to ever see the famous actress die in a movie again. Queen Latifah has some of Hollywood’s most memorable character deaths. In the movie Set It Off, her character is shot multiple times in a showdown with the police following a car chase. In Sphere, she is stung to death by a jellyfish while exploring underwater. And in The Bone Collector, she is stabbed in the stomach by Leland Orser after she opens the door. Compared to a lot of dumb character deaths we see in movies and TV shows, Queen Latifah’s characters die in a really entertaining and original way.
All of her talent at acting out dying in multiple movies has led Queen Latifah to add a clause in all of her movie contracts so that her characters won’t be written off anymore.
Latifah’s ability to pull off a realistic scene was a double-edged sword for her. Sure, fans loved seeing the actress in that scene so realistically. But, one the main reason she added this clause was because she wanted to be considered for movie sequels and she can only be cast in sequels if her character stayed alive.
Golf Breaks - Samuel L. Jackson
When you have starred in everything from Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, Jackie Brown, Jurassic Park, and The Avengers, you can basically ask for anything in your contract. As a renowned actor, Samuel L. Jackson makes his own rules on set. He is all about that “work hard, play hard” life. If he works hard during filming, you best believe that Samuel L. Jackson is going to want some play time. This actor’s game of choice happens to be golf, so most of his leisure time is spent playing the sport.
Written into all of his contracts is a demand that Jackson gets leisure time on movie sets.
This demand doesn’t seem to be too outrageous considering everyone needs some downtime while working. However, Samuel L. Jackson won’t make a movie unless he can be assured that he can leave set whenever he wants to play some golf. So filmmakers have to make sure to either move Jackson onto a golf course so that he can play or pay for him join a nearby club. It is outlined in the contract that he must get leisure time at least twice a week to play golf without any complaints from the director.
Screech Who? - Dustin Diamond
Who is Dustin Diamond? If you heard this name recently it is probably because this former child star had a few scandals and run-ins with the law. But, if you are a former Saved by the Bell fan, you will remember him as the actor who played Samuel “Screech” Powers. This role represented young Dustin’s peak in Hollywood. Unfortunately, his stardom just went downhill from there. Whenever Dustin gets a role in something these days (which is very rarely), he has a clause in his contract that forbids anyone on set from mentioning Saved by the Bell or his character Screech.
Whenever someone does, he gets a $100 bonus per incident.
No actor wants to be typecast from a role, especially one they played back when they were a teenager. But, Dustin hasn’t had much fame or fans since his 1990s sitcom days, so it is a little shocking that he is actually offended when people mention his infamous role as Screech. At least people remember him from somewhere, even if it is a role that he is trying to outlive. If it weren’t for his role as Screech, not many people would even know who Dustin Diamond is.
A Realistic Heaven - Gary Busey
After appearing in over 150 films, it is safe to say that Gary Busey is quite the prolific character actor. His early movies like Lethal Weapon, The Buddy Holly Story, and Silver Bullet really paved the way for a successful acting career for him. But in 1988 Gary experienced a near-death experience after crashing his motorcycle and suffering a serious head trauma.
He apparently passed on the operating table for a bit. Ever since then, Gary claims he had visited heaven and knows exactly what it looks like.
One of the most outrageous, but actually quite genuine actor demands comes from Gary Busey on the set of the 2003 family comedy Quigley. Gary played a rich guy who dies, but instead of going to heaven, is reincarnated as a dog. However, there is a scene in the movie where Gary makes a pit-stop in heaven. Gary refused to film the scene because the set design looked nothing like the real heaven. Even though they were already days behind with the filming, the filmmakers let Gary reconstruct the set to make an authentic portrayal of heaven. The filmmakers really should have contacted Gary before they even designed the heaven set for the movie.
Sources: The Smoking Gun, InStyle, MTV, Express, Movie Fone, Ranker
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