These actors aren't close in real life...
Susan was part of the show's central female friendship group in Desperate Housewives. Unfortunately, there were reports of tension between Teri Hatcher and some of her co-stars, especially during the series' eighth season. Hatcher reportedly kept her distance from Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, and Felicity Huffman once the cameras stopped rolling, and they had allegedly clashed several times. | © Cherry Productions/ABC Studios
Buffy and Willow were inseparable members of the Scooby Gang in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There have been longstanding reports of distance and backstage tension between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan. Both actresses have openly acknowledged that it was natural for arguments and moments to arise, as they were both young adults working under intense conditions. | © 20th Century Fox Television
Reports suggest that Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic had a difficult and tense relationship away from the cameras. Regardless, their professional chemistry as Richard Castle and Kate Beckett, respectively, in Castle remained strong enough to carry the show's crime-busting partnership. | © ABC Studios/Beacon Pictures
Miley and Lilly were best friends on Hannah Montana, but Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment struggled to get along when the cameras stopped rolling. Cyrus admitted in her 2009 autobiography that the pair "tried to be friends, but it always ended in a fight." The relationship has reportedly improved, so it may not be as bad as some may think. | © It's a Laugh Productions/Michael Poryes Productions
Carrie and Samantha were practically inseparable in Sex and the City. However, the chemistry between Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall is fraught in real life, with tensions reportedly building behind the scenes. Cattrall has publicly said they were never close friends in real life, and their relationship has become openly strained over the years. | © Darren Star Productions/HBO Entertainment
Alicia and Kalinda developed an incredibly compelling friendship in The Good Wife, but there have been reports of a behind-the-scenes falling out between Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi. To this day, it is still a major topic among the series' fans. Fans believe the fraught relationship is true because of how little the two appeared together in some episodes. | © CBS
Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh worked together on Don't Worry Darling, with Pugh's character developing a close relationship with Wilde's character's husband. However, reports of tension between Wilde and Pugh dominated much of the movie's publicity. Pugh's limited promotion of the film and comments from people involved with the production fueled speculation about their relationship behind the scenes. | © New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. Pictures
Noah and Allie were romantic partners in The Notebook, but the two actors reportedly clashed heavily during the film's production. This was confirmed, rather accidentally, by the film's director Nick Cassavetes. However, the relationship between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams improved after the film's release, with the two dating between 2005 and 2007. | © New Line Cinema
In the hit musical drama series Glee, Rachel and Santana went from rivals to important friends and allies. However, Lea Michele and Naya Rivera had a well-documented relationship that was allegedly strained behind the scenes. Rivera later discussed their complicated dynamic in her 2016 memoir, claiming that both she and Michele are "strong-willed and competitive [...] and that's not a good mixture." | © 20th Century Fox Television
Elena and Stefan's relationship was a rather important element of The Vampire Diaries. Surprisingly, Nina Dobrev revealed that she and Paul Wesley initially couldn't stand each other and that she "despised" him. Ironically, their chemistry was so convincing that viewers assumed they were dating. They later became good friends. | © CBS Television Studios/Warner Bros. Television
Dominic Toretto and Luke Hobbs are allies in the Fast & Furious franchise, but Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel allegedly butted heads behind the scenes. Their feud became public after Johnson criticized an unnamed male co-star for his professionalism, with fans quickly connecting the comments to Diesel. The two later appeared to make peace, with Johnson posting on X that "Vin and I put all the past behind us." | © Universal Pictures
Sam and Cat became an unlikely best-friend duo on Sam & Cat, but Ariana Grande and Jennette McCurdy reportedly had a difficult relationship while making the Nickelodeon series. McCurdy's memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, famously details how she grew to resent Grande over her blossoming music career and her missing filming on multiple occasions. | © Nickelodeon Productions
Captain Kirk and Sulu were close crewmates in the original Star Trek series. However, William Shatner and George Takei have had a notoriously complicated relationship for decades. Takei has publicly criticized Shatner's behavior and described tensions between them dating back to their time in the series. Despite occasionally appearing together at Star Trek events, their relationship has remained notably strained. | © Paramount Television
Tony Stark and James Rhodes were close friends in the original Iron Man, but Terrence Howard and Robert Downey Jr. reportedly had a falling-out after Howard was replaced as Rhodey in later Iron Man films. Howard later claimed that he was pushed out after his salary was reduced and suggested that Downey did not support him during the dispute. | © Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures
Sacha Baron Cohen and Rebel Wilson played partners in The Brothers Grimsby, but their working relationship became controversial after Wilson accused the production of inappropriate behavior. Cohen disputed her account and said she had made false claims about him. In 2024, Wilson confirmed that she'll never work with Cohen ever again — not even for $50 million. | © Columbia Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures
Some of the best relationships on TV and film feel so convincing that it is easy to assume the actors must be just as close behind the scenes. But there have been plenty of exceptions. That said, here are 15 on-screen co-stars whose relationships behind the camera were far more complicated.
