Hollywood friendships can look unbreakable, especially when two stars spend years convincing audiences that their chemistry extends far beyond the screen.
But behind these bonds and decades of shared history, some of the industry’s closest co-stars have quietly drifted apart. Others have seen their friendships explode into bitter public feuds.
Even George Clooney and Brad Pitt, long considered one of Hollywood’s most enduring bromances, are now on thin ice.
On August 28, 2026, The Sun reported that the once-unshakeable bond is being tested after Clooney allegedly distanced himself from his Ocean’s Eleven co-star amid Pitt’s ongoing fallout with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.
A source close to Clooney’s wife told the publication that Pitt had been banned from a fundraiser organized by the couple’s foundation.
“For now, they have chosen to publicly put some distance between themselves and Brad. When it comes to the foundation, George and Amal will always do what they think is best. George had no choice but to freeze out his old pal,” they said.
Amid these reports, here are 9 other Hollywood co-stars who also fell out despite initially being close.
#1 Seth Rogen And James Franco’s Friendship Unraveled After A Major Scandal
Seth Rogen and James Franco first met after being cast on the short-lived but now-cult-classic NBC series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000).
The then relatively unknown actors bonded over their shared sense of humor, leading to a longstanding personal and professional relationship. During the 2000s, Franco’s fame grew with the Spider-Man franchise, while Rogen proved himself as a bankable comedy lead.
They collaborated on movies such as Pineapple Express (2008), This Is the End (2013), and The Interview (2014), while frequently making cameos in each other’s projects.
In 2014, Franco sparked controversy after a 17-year-old girl revealed the actor met her in a hotel room despite knowing her age. She also posted screenshots of alleged messages between her and Franco on Instagram.
Franco defended himself at the time, arguing that 17 was the legal age of consent in New York, where the encounter took place.
The actor faced further allegations in 2018, when multiple women accused him of inappropriate or se*ually exploitative behavior while he served as their acting teacher/mentor.
Franco denied the allegations, while Rogen said at the time that he would continue working with him. In 2019, Rogen appeared in Zeroville, which was directed by and starred Franco in the lead role.
Later that year, two students from Franco’s acting school sued him and his partners, accusing them of creating a “pipeline of young women” who were exploited by the Spider-Man star. The lawsuit was settled in February 2021.
In May 2021, however, Rogen changed his stance on collaborating with Franco, sharing that he had no plans to continue working with him.
“I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not, and I do not plan to right now,” Rogen said.
Rogen reiterated that position in 2026, saying he had no intention of reuniting with Franco. Rogen also said that he hadn’t spoken to his former co-star “in a long time.”
“I honestly think the nuance of it is too personal for me to get into right now. It is a very personal thing,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rogen has continued collaborating with Franco’s younger brother, Dave, including on Apple TV’s The Studio.
One X user joked that Rogen had “replaced his best friend with his best friend’s younger bro.”
Another questioned why Rogen continued working with Dave while seemingly distancing himself from James.
Image source: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
#2 Charlie Sheen’s Explosive Exit Shattered His Friendship With Jon Cryer
Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer played brothers Charlie and Alan Harper on the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, which premiered in 2003. However, their friendship dates back to the 1990s when both were relatively new to Hollywood.
Sheen, the son of Martin Sheen, had already found success with films such as Red Dawn (1984) and Platoon (1986), while Cryer broke out in the 1986 teen comedy Pretty in Pink. The duo first appeared together in 1991’s Hot Shots!, where they established a strong rapport on and off set.
In a 2006 interview with The Trade, Cryer reflected on working with Sheen in the comedy film, saying the experience enhanced their on-screen chemistry.
“Our relationship happened the second we auditioned together. We didn’t even need to talk about it. It was right there and was very easy and very natural,” he said.
The duo helped turn Two and a Half Men into a ratings juggernaut. By 2010, Sheen had become television’s highest-paid actor heading into the show’s eighth season, his last.
In January 2011, production on season 8 was halted after Sheen underwent a substance rehabilitation program. However, filming for four remaining episodes was canceled after Sheen went on a public tirade against creator Chuck Lorre.
After being fired from the series and replaced by Ashton Kutcher, Sheen publicly lashed out at his co-star because of Cryer’s silence on his abrupt axing, calling him a “turncoat, a traitor, a troll.”
The incident severely damaged their relationship, and the two remained largely estranged for years.
“He and I have not spoken in a few years, but he’s doing a lot better, which obviously I’m very happy about,” Cryer said during an appearance on The View in 2024.
He added, “I love him, I wish him the best, he should live in good health for the rest of his life, but I don’t know if I want to get in business with him for any length of time.”
In recent years, Sheen has expressed regret over his falling out with Cryer. In 2025, Cryer appeared in Netflix’s documentary exploring Sheen’s life and career.
Sheen later revealed that he had not reached out to Cryer because he “didn’t have the right number for” his former co-star. However, he later thanked Cryer with a text, which the Pretty in Pink star confirmed during his appearance on The View in May 2026.
Cryer said, “He did text me afterward at one point to say ‘Thanks for doing it.’”
While the 61-year-old described his relationship with Sheen as “complicated,” Cryer admitted that he was no longer angry with Sheen. He explained that there was no active feud between them and admitted he was open to continuing to repair their relationship.
“I am happy Mr.Sheen and Mr.Cryer are wanting to revisit their friendship. I love them both,” one said, reacting to their possible reconciliation.
Image source: Warner Bros. Television
#3 Shannen Doherty And Alyssa Milano’s Fallout Continues To Haunt Charmed’s Legacy
Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Alyssa Milano starred as three witch sisters in the fantasy drama series Charmed, which aired from 1998 to 2006.
At the peak of the show’s popularity, Doherty exited the series, and her character was written out towards the end of season 3. Initially, it was reported that the actress had left of her own accord, and Rose McGowan joined the cast as her replacement.
“There was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work,” Doherty later told Entertainment Tonight.
At the same time, Doherty described Combs as her “best friend” but refrained from talking about Milano, sparking speculation of behind-the-scenes drama.
Milano called Doherty’s exit “unfortunate” and criticized her former co-star for speaking negatively about the show’s cast, crew, and audience.
“She sounds really angry. I just hope I didn’t contribute to that anger,” she said.
In 2013, Milano reignited rumors of a fallout between her and Doherty after likening her time on the show to high school.
Doherty and Combs responded to her comments, arguing that it was nothing like high school and was a “very important job” for them.
“Considering it helped me support my family and pay for my dad’s medical issues, but everyone has their opinion and views,” Doherty said.
Following Doherty’s cancer diagnosis in 2015, Milano revealed in 2017 that she had reached out to her former co-star, and they made amends. In 2021, she told Entertainment Tonight:
“I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had. I think a lot of our struggle came from feeling that I was in competition rather than it being that sisterhood that the show was so much about. And I have some guilt about my part in that.”
In 2023, Doherty discussed her exit with Combs on her podcast Let’s Be Clear. Combs alleged that Milano was the reason behind Doherty’s firing, claiming that the actress made producers choose between the two.
Milano dismissed the claims as “revisionist history” on social media, saying that she played no part in the decision.
During an appearance at MegaCon Orlando in February 2024, Doherty publicly suggested that she was fired because of Milano, stating:
“A livelihood that was taken away from my family because somebody else wanted to be number one on the call sheet. That is the truth.”
In a lengthy Instagram post, Milano defended herself, arguing that a professional mediator was brought in to resolve tension between the cast, but Doherty and Combs allegedly refused to take part in any mediation.
“I did not have the power to get anyone fired,” she wrote.
In July 2024, Doherty passed away aged 53, with Milano acknowledging their “complicated relationship” in her tribute to the late actress. However, many fans believe the long-running feud between the co-stars has cast a shadow over the show’s legacy.
“Honestly, this stuff hurts the Charmed fanbase and makes the actors that continue a 20+ year feud look terrible,” one fan said.
Image source: Spelling Television
#4 A Bitter Behind-The-Scenes Feud Turned Vin Diesel And Dwayne Johnson Into Rivals
In the 2000s, Vin Diesel was catapulted to global stardom thanks to the success of the Fast & Furious franchise.
While working on Fast Five (2011), Diesel reportedly came across a fan’s suggestion that he and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson should appear together in the franchise, leading to Johnson’s casting as Luke Hobbs.
While Johnson had successfully transitioned from wrestling to acting, he was not yet a major box-office draw. However, that quickly changed, largely thanks to Fast Five, which became the franchise’s highest-grossing film at the time.
The film also marked the beginning of Diesel and Johnson’s apparent off-screen friendship. However, their tight-knit bond unraveled during the production of Fate of the Furious.
On August 8, 2016, Johnson shared a lengthy, now-deleted Instagram post, calling out an unnamed male costar from the Fast franchise for their alleged unprofessional behavior.
“When you watch this movie next April… my blood is legit boiling—you’re right,” he wrote.
One source described Diesel’s alleged “diva” behavior during the production of earlier installments, claiming that he frequently arrived late and caused delays to the filming schedule.
“It’s not surprising that he’s the one The Rock is calling out,” a source told Page Six.
Later that month, a separate source told People that tension between the co-stars had been “building up for months.”
“Vin has been having problems with The Rock because The Rock keeps showing up late for production. Sometimes he doesn’t show up at all, and he’s delaying the production,” they said.
In April 2017, Diesel downplayed the feud, explaining that the situation had been blown out of proportion.
“I don’t think the world really realizes how close we are, in a weird way,” he told USA Today.
Diesel said that, as a producer, it was his job to protect the franchise and his co-stars, including Johnson.
He continued, “Dwayne has only got one Vin in his life. Dwayne Johnson only has one big brother in this film world, and that’s me.”
In June 2021, Diesel admitted that he had used “tough love” in an effort to push Johnson’s performance.
As their feud continued, Johnson chose not to return for Fast & Furious 9 (2021), instead starring in a spin-off film alongside Jason Statham.
“I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me,” he told THR in July.
In November 2021, Johnson laughed off his co-star’s comment and clapped back at Diesel, stating:
“I have one big brother, and it’s my half brother. And that’s it.”
That same month, Diesel issued a public plea asking Johnson to return to the franchise.
“My little brother Dwayne… the time has come. The world awaits the finale of Fast 10,” he said in an Instagram post.
Diesel continued, “As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come.”
A month later, Johnson told CNN that he was surprised by his co-star’s comments and described them as “an example” of Diesel’s “manipulation.”
“I didn’t like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker’s de*th. Leave them out of it,” he said.
Johnson also reiterated that he intended to step away from the franchise. Despite those comments, Johnson ultimately made a surprise cameo in Fast X (2023).
On June 1, 2023, the Black Adam star officially confirmed his return in an Instagram video, where he also set aside his past feud with Diesel, stating:
“Despite us having our differences, me and Vin, we’ve been like brothers for years, and despite our differences, when you lead with — number one, resolve — but also you think about the future and plans that are much bigger than ourselves.”
By November 2025, Diesel appeared to have moved on from the conflict, praising Johnson’s performance in The Smashing Machine on Instagram.
Image source: Cinemax
#5 Rumors Of On-Set Tension Cast A Shadow Over Debra Messing And Megan Mullally’s Bond
In the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, Debra Messing played interior decorator Grace Adler alongside Megan Mullally, who portrayed Karen Walker, Grace’s wealthy, sharp-tongued assistant.
The series originally aired from 1998 to 2006 and concluded after eight seasons. In the years following the show’s original run, Messing and Mullally appeared cordial, mirroring their on-screen counterparts.
In 2017, the sitcom was revived amid a resurgence in popularity, with Messing and Mullally reprising their roles for three more seasons.
Reports of a rift between the actresses first emerged after Mullally allegedly unfollowed Messing and co-star Sean Hayes on social media in 2019 during the production of the show’s eleventh and final season.
Mullally was also absent from two episodes of the season, prompting further speculation about on-set tensions. In 2020, the actress addressed the rumors in an episode of her podcast In Bed with Nick and Meg.
“I’ve been bullied — I’m 60, and I’m being bullied right now,” Mullally said.
While she did not share specific behind-the-scenes details to support her claims, Mullally described a “recent situation” that forced her to stand up for herself, which only made it worse.
She added, “Because the person, the bully, it just lit a fire under that person where they just tripled their efforts, and it can get very dangerous.”
Although Mullally did not name Messing, some fans speculated that her comments referred to tensions between the two actresses.
“There was tension in the first run because, essentially, Megan got more laughs and accolades while Debra was being paid more,” one Reddit user claimed.
They added, “Debra was jealous of Megan having the breakout role.”
Mullally won two Emmy Awards for her performance, while Messing, who won once, reportedly earned $150,000 per episode during the early seasons.
Neither actress has publicly confirmed the alleged feud. However, co-showrunner Max Mutchnick appeared to confirm the falling out after admitting production on the final season proved difficult.
“It was not an easy year, but the permanent legacy of the show is much more important to us than any temporary squabble that would take place on the stage,” he said.
Image source: Megan Mullally/Facebook
#6 One On-Set Confrontation Left Ted Danson And Kelsey Grammer Estranged For Decades
Cheers was arguably one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1980s and helped catapult Ted Danson and Kelsey Grammer to fame.
In the series, Danson portrayed bartender Sam Malone, whose on-again, off-again relationship with waitress Diane Chambers became a central storyline. In season 3, Grammer joined the cast as Frasier Crane, who initially became Diane’s new romantic interest.
Despite starting out as romantic rivals, their characters eventually became friends. After Cheers concluded in 1993, Grammer went on to lead the spin-off Frasier, with Danson making a guest appearance in its second season.
Although Danson and Grammer worked together for nearly a decade, details of their falling out did not emerge publicly until October 2024.
Grammer appeared on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, which Danson co-hosts, and the actor confessed to an on-set argument that drastically affected their friendship.
“I have a memory of getting angry at you once,” he recalled.
Grammer later revealed that the incident had created a distance between them that lasted for decades.
Danson did not reveal further details about the incident but apologized to Grammer during the podcast.
“It’s stuck in both of our memories. But I feel like I missed out on the last 30 years of Kelsey Grammer, and I feel like it’s my bad, my doing,” Danson added.
In a subsequent interview with the New York Post, Grammer said the incident Danson recalled had been “blown out of proportion.”
According to Grammer, the incident occurred during a particularly difficult period in his life, when he was struggling with self-doubt, self-loathing, and “drinking a lot.”
“There really wasn’t an argument,” he said.
Grammer added that Danson approached him with a grievance, which essentially ended their friendship.
“Ted had just come up and said, ‘You know, I’m kind of mad at you that sometimes you don’t show up ready to go,'” he said.
Grammer said he respected Danson’s feelings and assumed the exchange had resolved the issue, but their relationship only grew more distant afterward.
“Maybe he just had to protect himself. I don’t really know,” he added.
Fan reactions to the feud were mixed, with many blaming Grammer for being “unprofessional.”
“So they didn’t speak for 30 years for something that happened on the Cheers set, yet Danson guest-starred on an episode of Frasier a few years later. Doesn’t add up,” one fan commented.
Another wrote, “Good they got it resolved & cleared up.”
Image source: teamcocopodcasts/Instagram
#7 On-Screen Brothers Drake Bell And Josh Peck Shared A Tumultuous Relationship
Drake Bell and Josh Peck became two of Nickelodeon’s biggest stars in the 2000s after first appearing together on The Amanda Show.
They rose to even greater prominence as the titular half-brothers in the teen sitcom Drake & Josh. Given their on-screen bromance, fans assumed the duo remained just as close off-screen after the show ended in 2007.
In the following years, Peck pursued more mature roles, while Bell shifted his focus to music. The pair briefly reunited on the sitcom Grandfathered (2015–2016), where Peck played a lead role, and Bell made a guest appearance.
In June 2017, Peck married his longtime girlfriend, Paige O’Brien, but Bell was notably absent from the wedding, sparking a fallout between the two. In a now-deleted series of tweets, Bell expressed his disappointment over not being invited to the wedding.
“When you’re not invited to the wedding, the message is clear,” he wrote.
“Aren’t they close brothers?” one devastated fan said of their feud.
At the VMAs that August, the former co-stars appeared to have reconciled, with Bell telling US Weekly that they had become “closer than we’ve been in a while” after the incident.
But in March 2022, Peck revealed that their relationship had never been as close as fans believed.
“The dirty little secret, I guess, was like, I knew that Drake and I didn’t stay in touch for the 10 years since we had made the show. But no one needed to know that,” he said on the BFFs podcast.
“Honestly, this doesn’t surprise me because it happens a lot when celebs work together,” one fan wrote.
Despite their complicated history, Bell and Peck appeared to turn over a new leaf in 2024.
That year, Bell appeared in the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, where he spoke about the ab*se he said he endured while working in children’s television. Bell later revealed that Peck had reached out to him privately and offered support.
“He has reached out to talk with me and help me work through this, and has been really, really great,” the actor-singer said.
Bell also appeared on Peck’s Good Guys podcast in 2025, further signaling that the former on-screen brothers had publicly reconciled.
Image source: shuapeck/Instagram
#8 Jennette Mccurdy Quietly Harbored Resentment For Ariana Grande
Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande emerged as scene-stealers during their respective Nickelodeon runs on iCarly and Victorious. They first interacted while filming a crossover episode and were later brought together for a spin-off series.
Sam & Cat, featuring McCurdy and Grande as their characters from their respective shows, premiered in 2013. At the time, McCurdy shared that she and the pop star had formed a close bond while working on the sitcom.
“We keep each other on track; we don’t really talk much about work stuff, because I feel like we talk about that so much with other people that we like to keep it to family, and just personal stuff,” she told E! News in 2013.
The same year, Grande expressed support for her co-star after McCurdy’s mother passed away.
“Times like this remind you of what’s really important,” she wrote on X.
In 2014, rumors of pay disparity between the lead stars surfaced online after McCurdy was absent from the Kids’ Choice Awards. However, Grande dismissed the rumors, saying that she and McCurdy had equal billing on the show.
“The rumors circulating about our contracts and our salary not being equal are absolutely ridiculous and false,” she tweeted.
The series ended its first season in July 2014 and went on hiatus before ultimately being canceled.
Rumors of a rift between the lead actresses resurfaced after Grande shared a farewell message for the show’s cast and crew but did not mention McCurdy.
In a 2015 interview with E! News, McCurdy reiterated that she and Grande remained on cordial terms and texted each other once a week to catch up.
However, McCurdy, who quit acting in 2018, later confessed to being angry with Grande during their time on the sitcom.
In 2022, McCurdy revealed that her resentment toward the singer stemmed from being treated differently than her co-star. She said Grande was frequently allowed to ditch filming to pursue other opportunities, while she wasn’t.
“I’m pis*ed about it. I’m pis*ed at her. Jealous of her. For a few reasons. So now, every time she misses work, it feels like a personal attack. From that moment on, I didn’t like her. I couldn’t like her,” McCurdy wrote.
Grande has not publicly responded to McCurdy’s comments, while many fans placed the blame on Nickelodeon and the show’s production.
“I relate and empathize with her so much. I completely understand,” one fan wrote.
Image source: ellzditz/Instagram
#9 William Shatner And George Takei’s Decades-Long War Of Words Isn’t Slowing Down
William Shatner and George Takei worked together on Star Trek: The Original Series, which aired from 1966 to 1969.
The actors’ feud reportedly began shortly after their rise to fame on the hit sci-fi series and has continued for decades. In his 1993 autobiography, Shatner accused his co-star of intentionally injuring him while filming a swordfighting scene.
By the 2000s, Shatner and Takei were openly trading jabs in public. However, their falling out took a drastic turn after Shatner called Takei “psychotic” and “sick” in a YouTube video after claiming he had not been invited to Takei’s wedding.
“If he had an issue, he could have easily just phoned us before the wedding, simple as that. But he didn’t,” Takei said in a 2015 interview with ABC News.
At the same time, he said that Shatner wasn’t a “team player,” claiming he often clashed with the cast and crew. Later that year, Shatner addressed his feud with Takei during an appearance at a Star Trek convention in Las Vegas.
“I don’t have any animus towards him. I don’t know who he is. I want you to hear this — I do not know who George Takei is,” he said.
Despite their public hostility, the duo appeared together for a photo opportunity at the Destination Star Trek event in Birmingham, UK, in 2016.
However, the truce proved short-lived as Takei took another swipe at Shatner during a podcast appearance in 2020, claiming the Canadian actor was jealous and insecure about co-star Leonard Nimoy’s fame.
Shatner retaliated on social media, suggesting Takei needed a new hobby and accused him of “making things up.” In 2022, Takei responded by describing Shatner as “a cantankerous old man.”
“He was self-involved. He enjoyed being the center of attention. He wanted everyone to kowtow to him,” he told The Guardian.
Their feud has persisted for decades, with neither actor showing much interest in permanently burying the hatchet.
“Both have massive egos. But Shatner was the star. It’s just the way it is, and Takei resents that,” one Reddit user said of their longstanding feud.
Image source: Paramount Pictures
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