Biggest Hollywood Rivalries-9 Celebrity Rivalries That Have Lasted For Years

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Feuding celebrities are sometimes more interesting to the gossip rags than glamor and style. It offers more material for the rumor mills and let’s face it, sometimes we enjoy the silly rivalries that stars indulge in. While Kanye and Taylor Swift’s clash is well documented and we all remember Joan Crawford and Bette Davis going at it, there are some that might surprise you seeing the star power of these feuding peers. 

Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel

The ongoing feud between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, two of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, has been a spectacle for fans of celebrity drama. The feud began in 2016 when The Rock took to social media to praise his female co-stars in the Fast and Furious franchise while simultaneously dissing some of his male colleagues. Although the specific post has since been deleted, it has indefinitely paved the way for a dramatic rivalry that includes indirect jabs, public rants, and more. 

Vin Diesel, known for his tough-guy persona, contributed to the conflict with his tough-love approach, claiming that he was simply pushing Johnson to deliver his best performance. As the tension between them escalated, it even began to impact their on-screen appearances. Reports emerged stating that they filmed separately in The Fate of the Furious 8. In a RollingStone interview, Johnson confirmed, saying,“ We were not in any scenes together.”

While the two might not be sharing screen time or holiday cards anytime soon, their on-screen and off-screen clashes have certainly added an extra layer of intrigue to the Fast and Furious saga.

George Clooney and Russell Crowe

The Clooney-Crowe feud is a prime example of how the behind-the-scenes drama in the celebrity world can turn into headline-grabbing sagas. It all began when Russell Crowe, known for his straightforward nature, publicly called out some Hollywood actors, including Clooney, for appearing in commercials, labeling them as sellouts. Of course, the Ocean’s Eleven actor was not going to take the jab lying down, now was he? In response, Clooney cleverly pointed out that Crowe’s band had sold its music for commercials, sparking an intense back-and-forth between the two actors that served as meaty headlines for gossip magazines for years. However, as time passed, the rivalry seemed to have cooled down, perhaps due to maturity or a mutual understanding. Their rivalry, while once a source of juicy gossip, has appeared to have evolved into a more cordial, if still slightly tense, relationship.

Madonna and Elton John

The legendary musicians, Madonna and Elton John are known for their larger-than-life personas and immense talent. Their relationship has been marked by a history filled with intense drama and public feuds that could rival the plotline of an award-winning soap opera. Now let’s go back to the early 2000s where the whole story began. During the 2004 Q Awards, Elton John accused the Holiday singer of lip-syncing during live performances. His scarring remark, “Anyone who lip-syncs in public on stage when you pay £75 to see them should be shot,” shocked the whole music fraternity. Madonna, famed for her elaborate and physically demanding shows, took the accusation head-on by continuously delivering extravagant performances, refusing the criticism to deter her morale.

However, Elton John continued to slam Madonna’s performances and music, further escalating the feud. In classic Madonna fashion, she dismissed Elton’s harsh words as a reflection of his character rather than stating her comments on her own abilities. In a surprising twist of events, John seemed to have ended this years-long feud with Madonna. He also put up a glowing social media post praising the Papa Don’t Preach singer, after she held a concert to pay tribute to AIDS victims.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall

The dynamic between Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall on-screen may have been crackling, but their real-life relationship has been rocky. Their feud is as juicy as a Sex and the City episode. Rumors of discord among the cast, especially between Parker and Cattrall, first surfaced during the show’s original run in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Allegations of salary disparities and Cattrall’s dissatisfaction only added to the problem, but the two did not let it affect their professional obligations. However, it seemed to have affected their relationship further with the release of the Sex and the City movies when Cattrall refused to entertain the idea of a third movie. Cattrall, in an interview with Piers Morgan on ITV, stated, “We’ve never been friends.” She further added, “This is really where I take to task the people from Sex and the City and specifically Sarah Jessica Parker, is that I think she could have been nicer. I really think she could have been nicer. I don’t know what her issue is.” This makes it clear that her issues were strictly with Parker, not the other cast members. Despite the drama, both actresses have continued to thrive in their careers.

Will Smith and Janet Hubert

The spat involving Will Smith and Janet Hubert is a classic tale that unfolds with a small misunderstanding, followed by public confrontations, and ultimately concludes with a reconciliation. In the early ‘90s, Will Smith rose to fame in the show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, while Janet Hubert portrayed the beloved Aunt Vivian who brought sophistication and sass to the Banks family on screen. However, behind the scenes, rumors of their ruffled relationship surfaced in the show’s third season. The tension kept mounting, leading to Hubert’s exit from the show and her replacement by Daphne Maxwell Reid. Hubert accused Smith of her exit, while Smith claimed that she was difficult to work with. Hubert also held him responsible for getting her blacklisted from the industry. This drama persisted for decades until a heartwarming reunion in 2020. The reunion for the show brought forward an emotional conversation between the two stars, clearing the air and culminating in a warm embrace.

Martha Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow

The rivalry between the two queens of the lifestyle empire adds a spicy twist to the world of perfectly laid table settings and wellness tips. For years, Martha Stewart stood tall as a sole expert in home and garden management. In 2008, Gwyneth Paltrow launched Goop, a simple newsletter that evolved into a powerhouse in the wellness and lifestyle realm, complete with controversies and a dedicated following. As Paltrow’s brand grew and expanded, Stewart believed her territory was being encroached. On the other hand, it was no easy feat for Paltrow to make her presence in the world that Stewart had dominated for decades. In a 2014 interview with Porter magazine, Stewart famously quipped that Paltrow “…just needs to be quiet. She’s a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn’t be trying to be Martha Stewart.” Paltrow responded with grace and expressed her honor to be compared to Stewart. The feud continued, with both parties taking jabs at each other, even creating recipes with titles like “Conscious Coupling” and “Jailbird Cake.”

Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey

Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey, the two pivotal characters in the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, have engaged in a longstanding feud that has led to lasting repercussions in the television world. The show started in 2005 and rapidly became a cultural phenomenon. Yet, the perfection of the show did not reciprocate in real life. By 2006, reports of altercations between the two male leads stunned everyone as the atmosphere on set wasn’t idyllic.

Isaiah Washington was accused of using homophobic slurs in reference to T.R. Knight, the actor behind the character Dr. George O’Malley. This incident was followed by media backlash and caused a rift within the cast. Some also believed that Knight was compelled to address the public shortly after. Despite Washington’s repeated denials, the controversy did not die down. The actor’s reiteration of his innocence during the 2007 Golden Globes only fueled the discomfort. Ultimately, Washington was let go from the show. On the other hand, Dempsey continued to be a major character until 2015. Years later, Washington revisited the incident and expressed his regret over it and its handling.

All this while, Dempsey chose to take the silent road, focusing on his own pursuits and endeavors.

Gabrielle Union and Simon Cowell

Gabrielle Union and Simon Cowell were wired together on the sets of America’s Got Talent, which gradually twisted because of power dynamics and the fight for fair treatment. The Being Mary Jane actor joined the judging panel in 2019, while Simon Cowell has been a longstanding judge on the show. Despite both Union and Cowell having keen eyes for talent, Union was let go from the show after one season that year. Officially, the reason was attributed to creative differences, but the unofficial reason indicated a toxic work environment filled with racism and sexism. The star’s concern about the lack of diversity on the show and the management’s failure to address concerns was a big part of her spat with Cowell and his habit of smoking indoors. Union even filed a complaint that shed light on the show and the network’s problems, leading to a high-profile case that resulted in NBC and Union reaching an agreement in 2020.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone

This list would not be complete without the mention of the legendary rivalry between Schwarzenegger and Stallone, which lasted throughout their acting careers. These two titans of action cinema engaged in a friendly competition filled with machismo and unexpected humor. Their rivalry extended beyond numbers and titles, frequently delving into personal jabs. Both were busy claiming superiority with respect to box office success, physical fitness, and cultural impact. Sallone’s acting skills and Schwarzenegger’s thick accent and physique were easy targets for their witty banter. One memorable moment was when Schwarzenegger expressed interest in the script for Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot as a plot to trick the Rocky star into signing it, leading to a full-blown movie. The movie eventually flopped. It was all part of a larger-than-life game of one-upmanship. Despite their fierce rivalry, deeply laid a layer of mutual respect underneath. The two realized that their competition drove them to push the boundaries of action movies, and today, their friendship stands as a shining example of how rivals can evolve into friends.