5 Actors Who Stormed Off Sets While Filming

Famous Actors Who Got Too Fed Up

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have reached their breaking point right in the middle of filming. These actors got so fed up that they walked off set on the spot.

Patrick Stewart - Frustrated With His Castmates on Star Trek: The Next Generation

Patrick Stewart stormed off the Star Trek: The Next Generation set out of pure frustration. During the show’s first season, he felt his castmates weren’t taking their work seriously and called a meeting to lecture them. When co-star Denise Crosby joked that they needed to have some fun, Stewart sternly replied, “We are not here to have fun.”

Nicolas Cage - Outraged by Unsafe Gun Handling on The Old Way

Nicolas Cage walked off the set of The Old Way because of unsafe working conditions. The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, allegedly fired live ammunition twice within three days without warning anyone. After the second blast left him with ringing ears, Cage yelled, “Make an announcement, you just blew my f***ing eardrums out!” He stormed off in anger, furious about the lack of safety protocols.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - Pushed Too Far on The Abyss

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio stormed off the set of The Abyss because she was pushed past her emotional limit. Director James Cameron had her co-star Ed Harris repeatedly slap and scream at her during an intense revival scene and they filmed it over and over again. No one told them the camera had actually run out of film, meaning her painful effort wasn’t even recorded.

Gene Hackman - Pushed Past His Limits on The French Connection

Gene Hackman quit The French Connection just two days into filming because the director’s methods were too intense. William Friedkin pushed Hackman hard to capture the anger and brutality of his character, often taunting him with insults like, “You better get a day job.” Hackman, who wasn’t even the first choice for the role, struggled with playing such a racist and violent man.

Diana Rigg - Annoyed by On-Set Delays on Game of Thrones

Diana Rigg’s storm-off came from irritation with delays. On the Game of Thrones set, she showed up ready to perform but the crew was still preparing the scene. Ignoring the setup, Rigg delivered her lines twice anyway. When a crew member asked her to stay for a close-up, she cut them off and said, “I’m done!” before walking away.