Is there anything that can make you both laugh and cringe like an actor interview? Movie stars have long had to endure lengthy press tours to promote their films, fielding all manner of questions from journalists, and it surely leaves them with whiplash from time to time. For example, Harrison Ford might be asked in one interview about the professional challenge of playing the Red Hulk via motion capture in “Captain America: Brave New World,” while in another he might be asked whether Red Hulk is more afraid of snakes than Indiana Jones. In both cases, Ford is likely to respond in an endearing but grumpy way.

These awkward encounters are all part of the bizarre game of movie marketing. Actors are there at the behest of the studio, and journalists are there at the behest of their editors. But if a journalist doesn’t play the game the way actors or studios want, stepping over bounds set either by common courtesy or the public relations agents monitoring these interviews in real time, things can get chaotic very fast. Though incredibly uncomfortable, these moments often show an interesting side of the entertainment industry — as well as the fine line between performance and promotion.

In October 2013, “Ghostbusters” star Dan Aykroyd was invited on the Australian talk show “The Observer Effect” for an interview with host Ellen Fanning. Though the segment has been seemingly scrubbed from the internet, reports agree that the actor was totally game to chat about all things “Ghostbusters,” as well as other topics. This portion of the interview apparently aired as planned, with most listeners potentially unaware of how it actually ended.

Aykroyd was especially keen at the time to spread the word about Crystal Head Vodka, the relatively new liquor company he co-founded in 2008, and allegedly hoped Fanning would advertise the drink to “Observer Effect” listeners. When she refused during the recording, Aykroyd reportedly tried to rapidly and awkwardly plug it himself before deciding to storm out of the studio. A witness on the street claimed he referred to Fanning as a “f***ing hosebag” to an assistant trying to chase him down.

Australia has fairly strict rules about broadcasters advertising alcohol (including restrictions on what time of day these ads can be broadcast), which Fanning apparently felt she would be violating by participating in Aykroyd’s pitch. Despite alleged pressure from the studio, she refused to issue an apology to Aykroyd and instead requested one from him, which she never got. The network behind “The Observer Effect,” SBS, eventually addressed the incident in a statement (per the Daily Telegraph), noting that Aykroyd “was welcome to mention his vodka … but advertorials are not part of the show’s format.”

Ten years after “Gladiator,” Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott reunited to reimagine the classic story of Robin Hood for a new generation. Critics were mostly conflicted on the decidedly dour “Robin Hood,” and a number of commentators were particularly confused by the unplaceable accent Crowe and his dialect coaches developed for Robin of Locksley. Reports claimed the intent was to portray the character with an authentic Nottingham-adjacent accent, but some — including BBC Radio host Mark Lawson — felt the accent missed the target.

During an interview on Lawson’s “Front Row,” the host asked if Crowe had been making a deliberate artistic choice by including hints of an Irish accent in his performance. The response was immediately hostile. “You’ve got dead ears, mate,” Crowe said to Lawson (per The Independent). “You’ve seriously got dead ears if you think that’s an Irish accent.” Lawson tried to salvage the situation, proceeding to engage an increasingly impatient and seemingly defensive Crowe about his dialect work. Though Lawson eventually moved on to a question about “Gladiator,” Crowe exited the interview. “I don’t get the Irish thing, by the way,” he said on his way out. “I don’t get it at all.”

Nine years later, Crowe awkwardly abandoned another interview, this time while promoting the Showtime miniseries “The Loudest Voice.” It starred Crowe as Roger Ailes, the late CEO of Fox News. When the host of a talk show criticized Ailes in an introduction, Crowe left the building immediately, fearing “bias.”

While promoting the Steven Soderbergh movie “Che” about the controversial Argentine revolutionary leader Che Guevara, Benicio del Toro quickly ended an interview with the Washington Times. It’s difficult to ascertain exactly what line of questioning caused the actor to exit, though it undoubtedly had to do with Guevara’s controversial revolutionary tactics. “I’m getting uncomfortable,” he told the Times’ Sonny Bunch during the interview. “I’m done. I’m done, I hope you write whatever you want. I don’t give a damn.” 

At another point, an apparently exasperated del Toro admitted “[‘Che’] can’t cover it all,” before he suggested detractors claiming historical revisionism make their own film so that they can do their own research and include whatever they personally deem important. Again, it’s not clear what exactly this was in response to from the Times.

Bunch later told journalist Ann Althouse that his purpose in publishing an article about the interview at all was not to expose del Toro or the film, but to convey the divisive nature of the subject matter. “[The interview] wasn’t particularly heated or repetitious and never veered too far off topic,” he continued, “The last question he took was an innocuous one about how you portray a failed revolution on film as opposed to a successful one.” In a subsequent interview, del Toro explained (without mentioning the Times or Bunch) that he wasn’t against interrogation of Guevara or the film itself, but felt some journalists were more interested in attempting to educate him rather than engage in a genuine discussion.

Robert Downey Jr. struggled with addiction throughout the ’90s and early 2000s, spending much of this time in and out of rehabilitation and correctional facilities. It’s a part of Downey’s life that the actor has been fairly candid about — though he likely didn’t expect to be suddenly confronted with it by a journalist during the promotional tour for 2015’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”

Channel 4 News’ Krishnan Guru-Murthy, who has spoken about the promotional nature of entertainment interviews in the past, attempted to connect Downey’s rehabilitation to the evolution of the character of Tony Stark, but seemingly breached Downey’s comfort zone when he asked about an admittedly bizarre quote he once gave about emerging from prison no longer a “liberal.” Downey dismissed it entirely as a statement he’s not even sure he himself agreed with or even understood at present, but didn’t shy away from clarifying that he still didn’t consider himself a liberal or a Democrat or Republican (though he’s been a supporter of Democratic presidential candidates since Barack Obama).

Downey appeared uncomfortable from that moment on, but stayed and continued to push back as Guru-Murthy veered even further from the film. Eventually, someone off-screen (likely a publicist for Downey and/or Disney) cut the interview off and ushered Downey out of the room.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” actor Rhys Ifans is rather infamous when it comes to dealing with the press. Even in the friendliest of public environments like San Diego Comic-Con, he apparently can’t help himself from going on a drunken tirade about how much he hates comic book fans before stumbling backstage to allegedly assault a convention employee for not letting him smoke indoors. It’s a bafflingly overlooked pop culture moment (made all the more bewildering by the fact that he’s been re-hired by Sony for their Marvel films twice now) that is only eclipsed by an interview he gave to The Times’ Janice Turner, which earned a front page spread and the designation “the interview from hell.”

The impressively hostile profile starts with Ifans greeting the journalist by brushing past her (“I’m going out for a f** and a p***. Sorry to be crude.”), somehow finds its way to a witless discussion of U.K. politics sandwiched between multiple unrelated mentions of horse genitalia, then ends with him angrily ending the interview by calling her boring, all while the publicist nearby presumably starts mentally pre-gaming for the herculean feat of damage control that lies before her. 

“It was a horrible, almost menacing encounter…” Turner concluded. “Yet I also find myself admiring his magnificent refusal to play this awful PR game.” The experience extended past Ifans’ exit, with multiple panicked PR emails attempting to excuse the actor’s behavior (supposedly a bad reaction to antibiotics), followed incredibly by a bouquet delivered with a typed note: “Best wishes, Rhys.”

In 2014, Shia LaBeouf — a practiced headline-maker for many reasons, some good, mostly bad — once again drew the attention of the press when he unexpectedly walked out of a press conference following the premiere of the controversial film “Nymphomaniac” at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. The erotic drama from Lars von Trier had already made waves for featuring graphic and in some cases unsimulated sex scenes, which journalists were understandably eager to question the actors about.

But LaBeouf suddenly derailed the proceedings by delivering a cryptic maxim (per the Associated Press). “When the seagulls follow the trawler,” he began slowly, “it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much.” With that, he rose from his seat and lightly jogged off stage. LaBeouf’s bizarre statement was “plagiarized” from French footballer Eric Cantona, who came up with it as a retort to press questions about kicking a fan during a match (the actor found it amusing at the time to steal famous statements for himself, following an incident in which he was accused of plagiarizing another artist’s work and apologized by plagiarizing a famous apology).

The quote itself likens journalists to the hungry, pestering seabirds, though it’s unclear if LaBeouf genuinely felt any hostility toward them at all. If it wasn’t a simple troll, it may have been an expression of exhaustion at the prudish discussions surrounding the film, the treatment of von Trier by the press — or his own treatment at those same hands.

Robert Pattinson’s life was never the same after “Twilight,” the hit young adult fantasy franchise that turned him and co-star Kristen Stewart into household names overnight for their performances as vampiric hero Edward Cullen and his romantic obsession Bella Swan. The pair were together both on and off camera for some time before publicly splitting in 2013 (they’ve both moved on since and now seem friendly toward one another in real life). Before they began dating, however, there were many who were all too eager to gossip about various rumors floating around, including prolific Hollywood radio broadcaster Ryan Seacrest.

The “American Idol” host was given a dedicated trailer on the red carpet for the premiere of the 2009 “Twilight” sequel “New Moon,” from which he produced a special broadcast of his long-running radio program “On Air with Ryan Seacrest.” As Pattinson made his way down the aisle, his publicist steered him toward the small enclosure, giving Seacrest just two minutes with the star. Most of the conversation concerned the impact the films have had on fans, though Seacrest soon broached the topic of Stewart. 

Immediately, Pattinson’s publicist cut in vocally and began moving the actor back out to the carpet (for his part, Pattinson merely smiled and told listeners to see “New Moon”). Seacrest said at the time it was the first instance in which one of his interviews had ended in such a way.

Joaquin Phoenix’s transformation for 2019’s “Joker” drew near unanimous acclaim, the actor’s dedication to the role resulting in one of the darkest comic book films ever made and earning him an Academy Award for best actor. His well-deserved praise following the film’s release has somewhat softened memories of how hostile the press was toward “Joker” in the months leading up to its debut. 

Some commentators assumed early on that the film’s attempt to humanize the character would directly lead to acts of violence. Upon seeing the film’s trailer, survivors of the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shooting which took place during a screening of 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises” expressed their concerns about the movie’s potential impact in an open letter, worried that it may inspire others like the Aurora shooting’s perpetrator.

But it appears Phoenix was perhaps not aware of these concerns when he began the press tour for the film. While not obvious from the movie’s trailers, the film he had been working on was less a justification for random violence and more an (admittedly clumsy) exploration of class and social issues that create such violent climates, a theme that was likely deeply ingrained in Phoenix’s understanding of the character and the story. As such, he was so shocked and apparently disturbed when one reporter asked if he was concerned about inciting real violence that he walked out of the interview for an hour. He eventually returned and completed the interview, though he did not answer the question.

Few documentaries in 2023 were quite as explosive as Investigation Discovery’s “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.” The production team presented a wide range of stories about alleged misconduct on and around Nickelodeon sets — particularly accusations regarding the sexualization and abuse of child actors. In doing so, they sought the first-hand accounts and reactions of those who were closest to the network, including former stars like “Double Dare” host Marc Summers.

According to Summers, however, he was originally led to believe the documentary would be positively reflecting on Nickelodeon. “They ambushed me,” he said on “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” afterward. “They never told me what this documentary was really about. And so they showed me a video of something that I couldn’t believe was on Nickelodeon. And I said, ‘Well, let’s stop the tape right here. What are we doing?'” While he was appalled by the footage being shown to him, he felt so uncomfortable with how the interview was conducted that he ended it immediately and left the studio.

In 2014, actor and comedian Joan Rivers took part in a CNN interview to promote her comedic memoir “Diary of a Mad Diva.” Unlike other entries on this list, the conversation began in a relatively uncomfortable place (especially for what was essentially a promotional spot for a book), with CNN journalist Fredicka Whitfield striking a chord by referring to Rivers’ infamous fashion commentary as “mean.” Rivers was quick to defend what she said as voicing the honest opinions shared by viewers at home, but Whitfield gently pushed back by pointing toward her long history of shocking jokes.

One example Whitfield used was Rivers’ joke about Casey Anthony — the woman accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter in 2008 — which pushed the comedian closer to the edge. She finally reached her limit when Whitfield asked for her reaction to criticism of the comedian wearing fur on the book’s cover. “All you’ve done is negative,” she said loudly to Whitfield. “I made people laugh for 50 years, I am put on Earth to make people laugh, my book is funny! … Stop it with, ‘And you do this, and you’re mean…'” Rivers then said Whitfield was the wrong choice for the interview before she removed her earpiece and stepped off camera. For her part, Whitfield initially thought it was a joke, and later wondered if the experience had been a publicity stunt.

If Barry Keoghan wasn’t already on your radar because of Marvel’s “Eternals,” his Academy Award-nominated performance in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” or perhaps even his infamous deleted Joker scene in “The Batman,” chances are he finally landed there because of his starring role in 2023’s “Saltburn.” The dark, moody, highly sexual tragicomedy showcased his range as a shy, nerdy college student who deceptively befriends a wealthy, popular boy (Jacob Elordi) and gains an invitation to the titular mansion for a summer. 

The arc of Keoghan’s character in the film drew many, mostly unfavorable comparisons to the titular character of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” with Keoghan’s Oliver gradually revealed as a sociopath who destroys the family with whom he’s staying and inheriting both their mansion and fortune.

“The Talented Mr. Ripley” was adapted into a Netflix series soon after “Saltburn” came out, featuring Andrew Scott — Keoghan’s longtime friend — in the title role. The two Scottish actors are so close that a BBC reporter ambushed Scott on a red carpet to ask for his reaction to Keoghan’s “Saltburn” nude scene. It had gone viral following the film’s release, both because of its accompanying song and reports that Keoghan didn’t wear a prosthetic. The question understandably made Scott uncomfortable, with the actor not responding and instead slowly walking away from the mic with an exasperated mumble. The reporter was criticized for the question afterward, and the BBC eventually apologized for any potential discomfort the incident may have caused Scott.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, may be the victim of child abuse, has been impacted by incidents of mass violence, or are experiencing emotional distress related to incidents of mass violence, contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• Contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
• Call or text Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for support.