10 Actors Who Openly Hated Working With Their Directors

8. Debbie Reynolds Vs. Gene Kelly - Singin' In The Rain

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You don't necessarily think of musicals as being a particularly stressful movie genre; after all they tend to be cheery and lighthearted, or at least fun, but when you consider the complex choreography and the added trouble of singing your lines, it's easy to see how things can get troublesome, and it's generally a good idea to cast a lead with dancing experience.

For Singing' In The Rain, Debbie Reynolds was not that lead.

Throughout the film, director and co-star Gene Kelly repeatedly insulted Reynold's acting ability, to the point she was at one point found crying underneath a piano by Fred Astaire, who resolved to help her with her dancing. One particular number, Good Morning, took eleven hours to shoot and by the end Reynolds' feet were bleeding.

She would eventually say that childbirth and Singin' In The Rain were the two hardest things she'd ever done in her life. To his credit, Kelly admitted he'd been unkind to Reynolds, so there's that, at least.

Contributor
Contributor

My name's Lewis, I'm an author (tragically) based in South Wales.