15 Scene Partners Who Only Liked Each Other in Front of the Cameras

Great chemistry does not necessarily require great friendship. Some actors have spent years playing lovers, best friends and trusted partners before revealing that things became much less friendly as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. Sometimes it was a clash of personalities, sometimes one argument poisoned an entire shoot, and occasionally the tension got so bad that keeping two stars in the same room became a production problem of its own. The strangest part is how rarely any of it shows up on screen. Audiences bought the romances, friendships and partnerships anyway, even when the people performing them could barely get through the working day together. Here are 15 scene partners who only liked each other in front of the cameras.

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams — The Notebook

Their romance became the entire reason to watch the movie, but director Nick Cassavetes said Gosling once asked for another actress to read McAdams’ lines because the two were getting along so badly.

Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey — Dirty Dancing

Johnny and Baby had effortless chemistry, while Swayze’s very real frustration with Grey even made it into the movie during the famous scene where she cannot stop giggling.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall — Sex and the City

Carrie and Samantha were inseparable, but Cattrall later said she and her co-stars had “never been friends”, describing them instead as colleagues.

Lucy Liu and Bill Murray — Charlie’s Angels

Liu later recalled Murray directing insulting comments at her during a rehearsal, prompting her to confront him rather than quietly take it.

Naya Rivera and Lea Michele — Glee

Rivera wrote that she and Michele were both strong-willed and competitive, and said their friendship deteriorated as Santana received more screen time.

Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer — Magic Mike

Pettyfer eventually admitted that Tatum did not like him and even conceded that at least some of the reasons were his own fault.

Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd — Moonlighting

Their bickering made Moonlighting irresistible, and Shepherd later admitted the fighting was real, saying their chemistry sometimes came directly from that friction.

Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth — Beverly Hills, 90210

Brenda and Kelly survived plenty of drama together, but Garth recalled one behind-the-scenes confrontation that got far enough for the men on set to physically hold them apart.

Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel — Fast & Furious

Their characters became allies, but Johnson later publicly acknowledged that his relationship with Diesel was considerably more complicated behind the scenes.

Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte — I Love Trouble

The movie sold them as sparring reporters with romantic chemistry, while Roberts later acknowledged that she and Nolte decidedly did not get along.

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Kiefer Sutherland — 24

Prinze did not soften his memories of working with Sutherland, saying years later that he “hated every moment” of his time on 24.

George Takei and William Shatner — Star Trek

The Enterprise crew looked united on screen, but Takei has spent decades speaking openly about his difficult relationship with Shatner, whom he once described as the exception to the cast’s camaraderie.

Debra Winger and Richard Gere — An Officer and a Gentleman

Their romance helped make the movie a classic, but Winger later described the shoot as a nightmare and acknowledged that she and Gere simply did not connect.

Jamie Foxx and LL Cool J — Any Given Sunday

A scripted confrontation between their characters spilled into reality, with crew members recalling that the two actors actually started trading blows before others intervened.

Bea Arthur and Betty White — The Golden Girls

Dorothy and Rose lived together as friends for seven seasons, but White later acknowledged that Arthur was simply not very fond of her, despite White’s own affection and admiration for her co-star.