8 Directors Who Admitted They Pushed Their Stars Too Far

4. Sidney Lumet

Sidney Lumet is responsible for some of the greatest films ever made: 12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and Network to name just a few.

However, in his legendary filmmaking book Making Movies, Lumet fully admitted that he took extreme measures to get the necessary performance out of an actress earlier in his career, though stopped short of admitting which poor actress it was (he said it was many years before 1976's Network, which narrows it down a little).

Lumet says it best himself: "I needed tears from an actor on a particular line. She couldn’t do it. Finally, I told her that no matter what I did during the next take, she should keep going and say the line. We rolled the camera. Just before she reached the line, I hauled off and slapped her.

Her eyes widened. She looked stunned. Tears welled up, overflowed, she said the line, and we had a terrific take. When I called, 'Cut, print!' She threw her arms around me, kissed me, and told me I was brilliant. But I was sick with self-loathing…and knew that I would never do anything like that again. If we can’t get it by craftsmanship, to hell with it. We’ll find something else that’ll work as well."

Considering how many successful directors believe in "art at all costs", it's a refreshingly compassionate, reflective stance from one of Hollywood's all-time great filmmakers.