Hollywood actors might seem to have it all: fame, fortune and millions of adoring fans – yet sometimes these perks just aren’t enough; sometimes actors want more control over their working environment – welcome to the world of outrageous actor contract demands!
Over time, actors have made headlines for making outlandish demands both on and off set. Ranging from extravagant luxuries to excessive creative control over creative decisions, these demands often leave us wondering to what lengths Hollywood is willing to go to please its biggest stars. In this article we’ll look at 10 outrageous contract demands made by actors that have left producers stunned and puzzled.
Prepare to be amazed by the lengths some actors go to in order to feel at home in their workplace and maintain their status. Who knows – perhaps you might learn a thing or two from these A-listers about negotiation! So take a seat, relax and explore this fascinating world of unreasonable actor demands!
Most Insane Actor Contract Demands
15. Eddie Murphy and a Brand New Pair of Underwear Everyday
Eddie Murphy likes to stay fresh when filming movies, which means wearing brand new underwear and socks each day he shoots a movie. While this might not seem unreasonable at first glance, we should clarify: when we say brand new we mean WITH tags still attached! Apparently Eddie wears everything once before disposing of it instead of washing and reusing like most of us would. In today’s eco-conscious society, perhaps he could consider changing this habit?
14. Queen Latifah and Her Trailer
Queen Latifah provides another great example of an actor’s contract demands when working on films; she always ensures her trailer contains certain essentials such as food, drinks, toiletries and other supplies for filming projects.
Fresh flowers make for a stunning display at any celebration or special event.
Top-grade champagne with delicious snacks like fruit platters, cheese boards and charcuterie platters makes for a delightful champagne event.
Although Queen Latifah may consider these demands minor, they’re essential in her comfort and focus on set. This shows just how crucial contract details can be in establishing the ideal work environment for actors.
13. Gary Busey’s Mirrors and Thongs
Gary Busey famously demanded in his contract a specific set of mirrors and thongs in his dressing room, including full-length, magnifying, two-sided makeup mirrors as well as five pairs of leopard-print thongs in various colors – something you wouldn’t believe unless it happened yourself!
Christina Aguilera of Christina Aguilera recently unveiled The Flintstones Vitamins.
Christina Aguilera made headlines for an unexpected request during her time on The Voice: she insisted on keeping Flintstones chewable vitamins in her dressing room every day! Although its purpose remains unknown, Christina’s unique character can certainly be enhanced by these childhood vitamins!
12. Van Halen’s M&Ms Rider
From rock legends like Van Halen and their M&M’s rider to film stars like Justin Timberlake, personalized contract demands in the entertainment industry can take many forms.
Van Halen’s 1982 world tour contract stipulated that backstage must receive a bowl of M&Ms with all brown candy removed in order to verify compliance with their technical specifications and specifications in their contract. This seemingly unusual requirement served a useful purpose: it allowed Van Halen to determine whether they had adhered to all technical specifications contained within it.
11. Barbra Streisand’s Rose Petals
Barbra Streisand is well-known for her timeless voice and legendary career; but did you know she also has an affection for rose petals? While on tour, Barbra requests that her dressing room be filled with various colored rose petals carefully arranged into an eye-catching display – not only red but also other hues as she asks that all shades be included!
10. Nicholas Cage with A Live Cobra
Reports indicate that Nicolas Cage requested the presence of a live cobra on set during filming of “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance“, to help him better get into character for one of his roles with an apparent link to snakes; sometimes also bats would help. Cage played an individual who had an intense affinity for snakes and felt having one help him better comprehend their character’s motivations and motivations.
9. Mariah Carey Asked For A Private Jet and $100,000 Bottle of Champagne
Mariah Carey requested a private jet and $100k bottle of champagne for every day she filmed her cameo role in “The House”, yet these requests were ultimately not fulfilled as part of her contract. Carey did, however, receive transport between set locations via private jet; however, her champagne demand went unfulfilled.
8. Johnny Depp and His Personal Sound Engineer
Johnny Depp recently requested his own personal sound engineer during filming of several of his movies. Depp is known to be an avid music enthusiast, having even played in bands in the past; having such an arrangement helped create an inviting and creative working environment, enabling Depp to deliver better performances overall.
7. Jennifer Lopez requires a white dressing room, white flowers, and white candles on set
Jennifer Lopez famously requested white decor such as dressing rooms, flowers and candles on set of her movies and television shows. Lopez is known to favor white in both her personal style and branding – something which being in a white setting could help with. A calm environment on set may have also allowed for stronger performances by Lopez herself.
6. Will Smith and A two-story trailer with his personal gym, lounge area and movie theater
Smith is well known for his fitness and health-conscious lifestyle, so having his own gym on set enabled him to maintain his workout regimen during filming. Furthermore, the lounge and movie theater provided comfortable spaces where he could unwind between takes.
5. Tom Cruise requires daily sushi delivery. A private chef would be ideal.
Cruise is famous for his rigorous workout regimen and healthy diet of fresh foods; hiring a private chef allowed him to keep to his diet while having meals prepared to his exact specifications.
4. Angelina Jolie Owns A $1.6 Million Helicopter For Personal Use
Rumors swirling that Angelina Jolie requested a $1.6 million helicopter for personal use during filming have spread quickly; however, no evidence supports these claims and there is no concrete proof she requested one.
3. Samuel L. Jackson has included in his contract an option allowing him to participate in golf tournaments whenever he desires.
Samuel L. Jackson has reportedly included in his contract an allowance to play golf whenever he wishes during filming of movies, in keeping with his passion for the sport in his free time. It is thought this clause exists so as to accommodate this passion of his and help maintain a healthy work-life balance while filming takes place.
2. Bruce Willis Wants A Private Jet For His Film Set Travel
Willis was known for being an active actor with other commitments that required frequent travel. Utilizing a private jet allowed him to get from point A to B quickly and without dealing with commercial air travel hassles.
1. Vin Diesel, The Rock & Jason Statham Don’t Lose Fights in Movies
Vin Diesel, Dwayne “the rock” Johnson and Jason Statham all appear in “Fast & Furious”, yet many of their fight scenes are carefully orchestrated to meet contract requirements that limit how harshly they can take hits while on screen – something which makes for complicated viewing when fighting against each other! Johnson noted to USA today: “It’s all about giving our audience what they want.”
Senior Writer, has been with Rottenpanda.com since 2017. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Nick specializes in finding interesting topics, gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Nick loves traveling, pets and happily married to Lucy.
