Giant trailers, unnecessary nannies… and midgets; the film stars with first world problems.
Happy campers... movie stars aren't like the rest of us (Credit: Press Association)
Actors: they're not like us. They're special. As such, they need to be treated like special people, with wants and needs and the desire to drink fresh mochaccino lattes at every hour of the day. Usually, actors' unreasonable demands are kept secret by runners who fear for their jobs, but every once in a while, Hollywood's hottest stars are exposed as being needy, greedy divas – and we've rounded up the worst of them.
Bruce Willis - A ridiculous salary
Sensing yet another quick payday when 'The Expendables 3' rolled around, Willis upped his asking price to astronomical levels when Sly came calling. Apparently, $3 million for four days work wasn't something Bruce was willing to get out of bed for, so he told Stallone he'd only appear in the movie for $4m – that's ONE MILLION DOLLARS PER DAY. Supervillains have asked for less. Stallone, perhaps channelling some Expendables rage, tweeted in response: "GREEDY AND LAZY… A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE". Willis reacted by yawning and relaxing in a pile of money with his supermodel wife.
Will Smith - A giant trailer
Will Smith didn't get to be Will Smith by pinching pennies – if something’s worth doing, it's worth doing BIG WILLY STYLE. While filming 'Men In Black 3' in New York, Smith's gigantic trailer was nicknamed 'The Heat' and came with 30 staff, all of whom were born to wait on Will hand and foot. The 53ft trailer cost in the region of $2 million and featured two bedrooms, two baths (just in case any visitors needed a bath and Will was already in the tub), a cinema, a bar, a kitchen and – get this – an upstairs. Local residents complained that Will's trailer was so big, it literally blocked out the sun – all the better for Smith's star to continue to twinkle.
The Heat', blocking out the sun in New York (Credit: Splash News)
George Clooney - A custom-made beach hut
Perhaps aware he was putting in lots of physical activity into 'Gravity' to only have a small section of his face visible on screen at any given moment, George Clooney sure made the most of the shoot. The silver fox allegedly insisted that a hot-tub and a custom-made beach hut was constructed alongside his lavish trailer, along with a landscaped garden and decking area. Of course, we'd imagine Mr Clooney spent most of his spare time off-set shooting hoops on the basketball court he also demanded. Being George Clooney sounds fun.
Quvenzhané Wallis - Final cut
She's only 10, but little Quvenzhané Wallis is already well versed in getting what she wants. The Oscar-nominated ‘Beasts Of The Southern Wild’ star made her foray into blockbuster territory with the new Annie remake, where she apparently asked for second billing (after Jamie Foxx but ahead of Cameron Diaz), the power of veto over any of her footage and her pick of her wardrobe. Oh, and free WiFi in her trailer. Imagine! Wallis, or at least her people, also requested that her face not be used to promote the film in regards to booze, tobacco and firearms, which is fair enough and is probably just common sense.
Steve McQueen - A bizarre poster
Even iconic movie stars get a case of the green eyes. When McQueen signed on to star alongside Paul Newman in disaster classic 'The Towering Inferno', he insisted that he and rival Newman had exactly the same number of lines. Furthermore, he couldn't stand the thought of Newman being billed above him, so had designers develop a 'diagonal billing' which meant McQueen's name was read first from left to right, while Newman was seen first from top to bottom (see below). McQueen requested he not be approached on set and refused to do interviews – he probably prank ordered a pizza to Newman's address for good measure.
Check out the diagonal billing on this poster (Credit: 20th Century Fox)
Jim Carrey - A starring role for his private jet
When a star buys a private jet, it's understandable they'd want to get their money's worth – even if that means using it to pop to the end of the road to buy milk. Jim Carrey really wanted to justify his $59 million purchase of a Gulfstream V, from the sounds of it, as he reportedly demanded to studio bosses that any film he appears in that also features footage of planes in any context must include shots his own jet. Maybe he just wanted to be reminded that he bought it so it doesn't sit in his own private hangar, gathering dust.
Sharon Stone - Unnessesary nannies
Cinema's most infamous leg-crosser didn't rest on her laurels when her career was (briefly) resuscitated with 'Basic Instinct 2' – she switched straight back into Catherine Tramell diva mode. Part of her contract stipulated that Stone received a £3,500-a-week allowance for armed bodyguards (to be fair, Stan Collymore was also on the cast) and three nannies (presumably in case two got sick). It should go without saying that she got to keep her wardrobe and jewellery too. It should. But it didn't.
Angelina Jolie - Flying lessons for Brad
Erstwhile UN ambassador and saviour of the children of the third world, Angelina Jolie is still capable of having first world problems like the rest of us. Allegedly, Jolie once asked a movie studio (it's undisclosed which one) to pay for her partner, Brad Pitt, to have flying lessons as part of her contract. It's ludicrous, if only for the fact that if Jolie and Pitt really wanted flying lessons, we're guessing they could probably afford them. For fun, try this negotiating tactic in your next annual pay review and see how far it gets you.
Justin Timberlake - Sole use of lifts
The curly-haired prince of pop straightened his locks when he wanted to be taken seriously as a movie star, but he couldn't straighten out his diva-ish ways. According to sources, Justin was partying hard at the New York premiere of raunchy rom-com 'Friends With Benefits', but when he came to leave, his bodyguards insisted on the removal of three party guests from the elevator before Mr Timberlake was willing to enter. They claimed it was for "maintenance issues"; issues which magically disappeared once Justin got in the lift. The poor innocent partygoers presumably had to take the stairs, cursing JT with every step.
Marlon Brando - A midget
By 1996, Marlon Brando had already achieved it all – fame, fortune, respect: the whole package. Unfortunately for those casting directors looking to tap into a piece of that talent, Brando simply wasn't interested in playing ball – in fact, he activity messed with the filmmakers who hired him. Take mega-flop 'The Island Of Dr Moreau', for example. For one scene, Brando decided he wanted to wear an ice bucket on his head. Nobody stopped him. Brando befriended a midget on set and insisted he appear with him in all his scenes. Nobody stopped him (see below). Judging by the finished film, Marlon Brando's diva demands were offers that very much should have been refused.
Odd couple... Brando and midget on Dr. Moreau set (Credit: New Line Cinema)
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