NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Tom Cruise, Christian Bale: The most dramatic actor meltdowns caught on tape

By Bianca Mastroianni
news.com.au·
19 Dec, 2020 07:18 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Tom Cruise had a major meltdown this week on set of Mission: Impossible. Photo / Getty

Tom Cruise had a major meltdown this week on set of Mission: Impossible. Photo / Getty

Audio of Tom Cruise absolutely losing it on the set of the Mission: Impossible movie went viral this week.

The actor screamed a foul-mouthed rant to workers who weren't abiding by COVID-19 rules.

"If I see you doing it again, you're f***ing gone," screamed Cruise, 58.

The Hollywood megastar has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to enforce tight social-distancing rules during the filming, taking place in Britain.

He flew into a rage after spotting two of the crew standing within two metres of each other.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

An audio recording, which The Sunhad obtained and published, captured Cruise shouting: "If I see you do it again, you're f***ing gone. And if anyone in this crew does it, that's it — and you too and you too. And you, don't you ever f***ing do it again."

He went on: "They're back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. "We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf***ers.

"That's it. No apologies. You can tell it to the people that are losing their f***ing homes because our industry is shut down. "

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We are not shutting this f***ing movie down. Is it understood? If I see it again, you're f***ing gone."

But Cruise isn't the first actor to blow up while working.

Christian Bale later apologised. Photo / Getty
Christian Bale later apologised. Photo / Getty

CHRISTIAN BALE

One of the most famous is Christian Bale losing it on set of Terminator: Salvation, originally obtained by TMZ.

The Director of Photography, Shane Hurlbut, walked in front of Bale's eye-line, distracting him.

During an explicit rant, Bale called him a 'p**ck' and demanded he leave the set.

"Am I gonna walk around and rip your f***ing lights down in the middle of the scene…?" he screamed. "Then why the f*** are you walking right through? Ah da da da da, like this in the background. What the f**k is it with you? What don't you f***ing understand?"

Bale issued a lengthy apology at the time, saying: "I was out of order beyond belief. I make no excuses for it."

Lindsay wanted her co-star to take the acting more seriously. Photo / Getty
Lindsay wanted her co-star to take the acting more seriously. Photo / Getty

LINDSAY LOHAN

Lindsay Lohan was heard cracking it with her co-star James Deen on set of the 2013 erotic-thriller The Canyons.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In one clip, Lohan can be heard saying, "Please do your f***ing job."

She continued: "No, you can do it... Please James, say your lines as you're walking over... cause we're doing rehearsal... do your f***ing job."

At the time he told TMZ that he wasn't upset. "Not at all. You didn't hear me laughing on that clip?"

The actor and director had a huge fight on set. Photo / Getty
The actor and director had a huge fight on set. Photo / Getty

LILY TOMLIN AND DAVID O. RUSSELL

Most blow-ups usually occur between actor and crew member, but this one was between Lily Tomlin and director David O. Russell on set of the 2004 film I Heart Huckabees.

In footage obtained by TMZ, Lily wasn't happy with the direction she was given.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Okay for Christ's sake, let's just take it one f***ing line at a time, instead of changing everything," she sighed.

"It's very difficult to even create what you're gonna do when it's a constant barrage of, 'Change this, change this, do this, do this, no, wait, wait, do it a different way, do it a different way.' Don't get me started."

Russel later kicks a piece of the set, screaming, "F**k you! I'm just trying to f**king help, you understand me? I'm being a f***ing collaborator.

"I worked on this f**king thing for three f**king years not to have some f***ing c*** yell at me in front of the crew when I'm trying to f***ing help!" he continued.

The director has allegedly gotten into fights with other actors on set too.

Most recently, in 2015, sources claimed he made Jennifer Lawrence have a "meltdown".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

On set of the movie Joy, sources said: "He was screaming at her. She was screaming at him. It was loud."

The director also had a blow-up with George Clooney on set of Three Kings.

Producer Charles Roven explained that: "George sees David talking to the extras' [assistant director], and it looks like he's yelling at him. But he's yelling to be heard. And George comes running over and goes, 'I told you, motherf***er, if you're going to pick on somebody, pick on me.' And David goes, 'Why don't you just f***ing remember your lines for once?' And boom! They grab each other, and they're tussling."

WILLIAM SHATNER

Star Trek actor William Shatner got into a tiff with a director when filming an advert, becoming truly passive aggressive when asking the director to give him an example of how to say his lines.

In doing so, Shatner copied him exactly which made for some incredibly awkward audio.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I think that came pretty close,' Shatner asserted, with the director asking: 'Are you making fun of me?

"Do the next paragraph for me, so I can get an idea of how you want it," Shatner continued, before insisting: "I would like to hear you read the second paragraph so I can do it that way."

The conversation gets a little more heated and even more condescending as it goes on.

ORSON WELLES

Orson Welles is an extremely famous filmmaker, but the star still did some voice adverts from time to time.

On one occasion, when doing an advert for frozen peas, Welles loses it at somebody who asks him to redo the lines.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Why?" Welles asks angrly. "I just did it right."

"I'm not used to having more than one person in there,' he continued. 'One more word out of you, and you go, is that clear? I take directions from one person, under protest. But from two, I don't sit still. Who the hell are you, anyway?"

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Premium
Entertainment

Oprah shamed him. He’s back anyway

15 Jun 06:00 AM
Premium
Entertainment

Scarlett Johansson unveils her newest role at Cannes: Filmmaker

14 Jun 07:00 PM
Entertainment

Chopper's favourite places in Auckland

14 Jun 05:00 PM

BV or thrush? Know the difference

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Premium
Oprah shamed him. He’s back anyway

Oprah shamed him. He’s back anyway

15 Jun 06:00 AM

NYT: A Million Little Pieces became a global scandal – 20 years later, James Frey is back.

Premium
Scarlett Johansson unveils her newest role at Cannes: Filmmaker

Scarlett Johansson unveils her newest role at Cannes: Filmmaker

14 Jun 07:00 PM
Chopper's favourite places in Auckland

Chopper's favourite places in Auckland

14 Jun 05:00 PM
Miriama Kamo reflects on Matariki, new projects and family legacy

Miriama Kamo reflects on Matariki, new projects and family legacy

14 Jun 05:00 PM
It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home
sponsored

It was just a stopover – 18 months later, they call it home

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP