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37 Bizarre Things That Went Down Behind the Scenes of Your Favorite Movies and TV Shows

Why can’t all these actors, directors, and paranormal entities all just get along?

37 Bizarre Things That Went Down Behind the Scenes of Your Favorite Movies and TV Shows

April 29, 2024

The stuff that happens between “action” and “cut” is just a small fraction of a set’s goings-on. Since months (even years) could pass between the first written word to the final edit in post-production, there’s all kinds of room for the bizarre to do its thang.

And if you think writing “thang” was a tad bizarre, then these instances will knock your socks off!

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37

Illegal filmmaking David Fincher took matters into his own hands on Alien 3. Producers thought the drooling Xenormorph was too much, so Fincher took a rogue crew, stole an alien costume, and took Sigourney Weaver to another location (without a permit) to shoot the scene against their wishes. CRACKED — Source

36

Illegal filmmaking Piano thievery on Be National Lampoon's Animal House. The production brought the Delta Tau brothers up to the University of Oregon five days before shooting to bond. They hit up a real frat party that involved hard drugs and a massive brawl, and they stole a piano. CRACKED — Source

35

Illegal filmmaking Alfred Hitchcock terrorized actors and birds) on The Birds. Hitchcock pelted actress Tippi Hedren with live birds (injuring and killing the birds), and force-fed whisky to seagulls to get them to stay still for longer. Hedren was hospitalized, and he ruined her career when she refused his sexual advances. CRACKED — Source

34

Illegal filmmaking Escape From Tomorrow illegally shot at Disneyland. In 2013, they shot several scenes in Disneyland without permission. The actors pretended to be tourists, the cameras were smuggled in, and the editing was done in South Korea. Disney avoided controversy by deciding not to sue. CRACKED — Source

33

The Hangover 2

Illegal filmmaking The Hangover 2 stole an artist S design. When Ed Helms' character gets Mike Tyson's exact face tattoo, they didn't ask artist S. Victor Whitmill for permission to use his original design. Не sued the production, and instead of digitally altering his face in post, they settled out of court. CRACKED — Source

32

Easy Rider

Illegal filmmaking Easy Rider's drug use and knife fights, The drugs used on camera were real, and the cast and crew partook off-camera as well. Director Dennis Hopper also threatened actor Rip Torn with a knife, but claims Torn pulled a knife first. CRACKED — Source

31

Illegal filmmaking Ryan Cosling was arrested for trespassing on Lost River. As a director, Gosling was location scouting in Detroit by trespassing in abandoned buildings without permits. Not recognizing him, police arrested him thinking he was stealing copper piping. CRACKED — Source

30

The Terminator

Illegal filmmaking CST-HOT The Terminator filmed without a permit and poisoned the crew. They didn't pay for permits, and snuck a lot of shots on L.A. streets. Worse, they didn't stop filming when pesticides were sprayed over the city, so the fog washing over the cast and crew was incredibly toxic. CRACKED — Source

29

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 2013 THE CONJURING Things mysteriously changed places in the Warrens' store room. Actress Joey King became covered with bruises, while Vera Farmiga woke up with three scratch marks on her thigh, and the same marks would also appear on her laptop and cellphone. Also, Farmiga would wake up between 3 and 4 a.m., the same time at which the witch dies in the film. CRACKED.COM — Source

28

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 2014 GHOST OF GOODNIGHT LANE A movie about a haunted set filmed at said haunted set... had a haunted set. Before production, a specialized team considered Media World Studios actually haunted. Then, while doing the movie, lights flickered, things would move around, and disembodied voices could be heard. People felt slapped by invisible forces, and even reported visions of unknown figures. CRACKED.COM — Source

27

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 2012 THE POSSESSION Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan did not believe in spooks, but he does now. While filming, Morgan would feel random cold breezes, a light went from being turned off to exploding, and a fire engulfed a storage room full of props (including the possessed Dibbuk box prop the movie revolves around). CRACKED.COM — Source

26

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 2005 THE RING TWO A burst water pipe flooded the production office, and weeks later a five-gallon water jug burst wide open and flooded it yet again. Then, on the set, a swarm of bees attacked and then simply vanished. Finally, a set decorator saw an antlered buck running in her direction (no reports on whether it was dodgy CGI, though). CRACKED.COM — Source

25

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 2012 THE LORDS OF SALEM Some sequences were shot at the Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, which has an infamous spooky reputation. Filming in the basement would make people sick, and the crew would report weird and random sounds at other empty parts of the hospital. CRACKED.COM — Source

24

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 1982 POLTERGEIST Tragedy followed this film. Actress Dominique Dunne was strangled and died in the same year the film came out, and Heather O'Rourke died of cardiac arrest at age 12, in 1988. A priest exorcized the set of the 1986 sequel, so maybe it all comes from the original using actual human remains for the pool scene. CRACKED.COM — Source

23

BTS STORIES FROM HORROR MOVIES 1976 THE OMEN On two separate occasions, airplanes carrying actor Gregory Peck and the film's executive producers were hit by lighting. The FX artists that designed the iconic decapitation scene were in a car crash and witnessed an actual decapitation not long after production. Oh, and the animal trainer was mauled by a tiger one day after filming the baboon scene. CRACKED.COM — Source

22

The actors were losing their minds, and their lunches. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE CRACKED.COM Conditions were hot, gross, and terrifying. Everyone was on edge all the time, and the cast routinely leaned out the window to puke during the dinner scene. — Source

21

The kids saw the ship for the first time while filming. THE GOONIES CRACKED.COM They reacted the way any kids would: by cursing. They had to get a second take to supplement the explitive-laden first reaction. — Source

20

Richard Gere will charm a laugh out of anyone. PRETTY WOMAN CRACKED.COM Не slammed the jewelry box shut on Julia Roberts' fingers, prompting her to recoil and laugh endearingly. — Source

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19

The Evil Dead

Sam Raimi injured and tortured Bruce Campbell for months. THE EVIL DEAD CRACKED.COM The whole cast was in the dark when it came to Raimi's practical effects, but Campbell took the brunt. For example, Raimi routinely re-sprained his ankle. — Source

18

Wes Craven threatened to murder Drew Barrymore's dog. SCREAM GRACKED COM In order to rile her up into the blubbering ball of fear she becomes, the director recounted acts of animal cruelty to her between takes, culminating in the graphic threat. — Source

17

This moment is the first time Tom Hanks met his costars. CAPTAIN PHILLIPS CRACKED.COM The director kept the pirates away from Hanks and CO. until the scene where they burst in and took them hostage, so they'd have the same experience as the real crew. — Source

16

The cast didn't fully grasp the concept of a chestburster until this very moment. ALIEN Ridley Scott wanted to document their authentic reactions, and he certainly got 'em. Veronica Cartwright fainted when she saw it. — Source

15

MARLON BRANDO & FRANK OZ GRAGKED.COM Having De Niro and Marlon Brando together on 'The Score' should've been a dream, but the shoot mostly became a fight between Brando and director Frank Oz. Brando hated being directed by a Muppeteer, mockingly calling Oz 'Miss Piggy' (the character he voiced). Oz said I was confrontational too, acknowledging it was partly his fault. — Source

14

CHEVY CHASE & CHRIS COLUMBUS CRACKED.COM On 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation', Chase's nasty behavior led to director Chris Columbus quitting, and being replaced with Jeremiah Chechik. To be completely honest, Chevy treated me like dirt. I called John Hughes and said there's no way I can do this movie. I know I need to work but I can't do it with this guy. — Source

13

BRUCE WILLIS & KEVIN SMITH CRACKED COM With multiple clashes on their 2010 film 'Cop Out', director Kevin Smith described Bruce Willis as unhappy, bitter, and mean. Willis was disruptive on set, telling Smith, I'm Bruce Willis, and I've been doing this for 25 years very successfully. Please don't put your loser stink on me. — Source

12

BURT REYNOLDS & PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON GRACKED.COM Reynolds felt that director Paul Thomas Anderson was unoriginal and cocky, and the pair once came close to blows on set. A 2018 article reported, Reynolds was so unhappy with Boogie Nights, despite never having seen it, he fired his agent afterward. — Source

11

JULIA ROBERTS & STEVEN SPIELBERG CRACKED.COM Her difficult on-set presence earned the nickname Tinkerhell by 'Hook' production staff. Spielberg knew she was dealing with a break up with Kiefer Sutherland, and said it was an unfortunate time for us to work together, before stating that he wouldn't make a movie with Roberts again. — Source

10

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Behind-the-scenes Drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer RIGS charisma carpenter was written out because she got pregnant (according to her). That was reportedly her latest in a long line of sins against regime head and Buffy god Joss Whedon. CRACKED.COM — Source

9

Behind-the-scenes Drama Spider-Man 2 Tobey Maguire was almost fired over his back. Maguire's back complaints, which some viewed as him being a prima donna, led to him almost being replaced by Jake Gyllenhaal. That didn't happen, but the writers added some back jokes which were later referenced in No Way Home. CRACKED.COM — Source

8

Community

Behind-the-scenes Drama Community Make Your chevy chase and Dan Harmon the kept fighting. behind That Pierce's disappearance reportedly from the show. was reason CRACKED.COM — Source

7

Invader Zim

Behind-the-scenes Drama Invader Zim Nick was Jhonen vasquez's revenge. AT CHE The show's creator added Nick for Zim to torture whenever Nickelodeon pissed him off. CRACKED.COM — Source

6

Behind-the-scenes Drama The Good Wife Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi couldn't be in the same room. Green screen was needed for the emotional final scene between main characters Kalinda and Alicia, because the actresses reportedly hated each other, according to crew members. CRACKED.COM — Source

5

Barbie Ferreira

Behind-the-scenes Drama Euphoria Barbie Ferreira had a fight with sam Levinson. Anonymous reports and rampant internet speculation have blamed Kat's reduced role on fight between the actress and the show's creator. CRACKED.COM — Source

4

Dodgeball

Behind-the-scenes Drama NO - - - - в Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story The team was supposed to lose. Keeping with its irreverent tone, the film originally ended with the team losing. When the studio changed that, the credits included Ben Stiller's White Goodman mocking the fact that they won. CRACKED.COM — Source

3

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Behind-the-scenes Drama Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness The movie had to be changed because of the pandemic. The entire plot was rewritten after Marvel's films were shuffled around and this became a sequel to Spider-Man: No Way Home. CRACKED.COM — Source

2

Behind-the-scenes Drama Glee Lea Michele is apparently as much of a diva as her character. That was said about her by many co-stars, including Samantha Ware, Heather Morris, Yvette Nicole Brown, Abigail Breslin, Melissa Benoist... and those are just the names you'd recognize. CRACKED.COM — Source

1

Behind-the-scenes Drama Captain America: Civil War Marvel's CEO tried to get Robert Downey Jr. fired. Kevin Feige and lke Perlmutter's long simmering feud came to a head when Perlmutter tried to get Feige to cut RDJ from the film over his steep paycheck. CRACKED.COM — Source

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