Martin Scorsese is renowned for his cinematic brilliance, but his exacting standards have occasionally led to on-set tensions with actors. From creative differences to intense personalities, here are six actors who reportedly found themselves at odds with the legendary director.

Don Rickles – ‘Casino’ (1995)

Comedian Don Rickles portrayed Billy Sherbert in Casino, but the grueling late-night shoot schedule in a working Las Vegas casino tested his patience.

Rickles reportedly yelled to the crew, “You don’t have to take this from him!” Despite this outburst, both Scorsese and star Robert De Niro spoke fondly of Rickles, acknowledging his frustrations due to the chaotic filming environment.

Mark Wahlberg – ‘The Departed’ (2006)

Mark Wahlberg expressed his frustration while working on Martin Scorsese’s award-winning film The Departed, where he played Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam.

Wahlberg initially expected to play a different character and agreed to portray Dignam, appreciating the role’s potential.

However, scheduling conflicts arose as he was also preparing for his role in Invincible, which required him to grow longer hair.

This change in appearance angered Scorsese, who demanded Wahlberg cut his hair. Wahlberg refused, leading to tension between the actor and director.

Despite these issues, Wahlberg and Scorsese ultimately resolved their disputes.

Wahlberg reflected positively on the experience, acknowledging the challenges Scorsese faced with the star-studded cast. His performance earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2007 Oscars.

Leonardo DiCaprio – ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)

In Killers of the Flower Moon, different acting styles of Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro created some tension on set.

The movie, which is Scorsese’s tenth with De Niro and sixth with DiCaprio, marks the first time the two actors have worked together under Scorsese’s direction.

According to Scorsese, DiCaprio’s improvisational and verbose approach clashed with De Niro’s preference for minimal dialogue, occasionally causing frustration.

Despite these differences, Scorsese remarked that their performances ultimately complemented each other beautifully.

Cybill Shepherd – ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976)

Cybill Shepherd starred in Taxi Driver, but her working relationship with Scorsese reportedly became strained during production.

Scorsese became frustrated with her performance and began showing her exactly how to say her lines just before shooting each scene.

Additionally, co-star Robert De Niro grew fed up with her forgetting lines during the coffee and pie scene. The environment on set was described as uncomfortable, with tensions between the cast and crew.

George Memmoli – ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976)

Actor George Memmoli was cast in Taxi Driver but had to turn down the role due to an injury sustained during a stunt while filming The Farmer.

Memmoli had to recover from the injury and missed out on the opportunity to work with Scorsese. In a 2002 interview, Scorsese attributed Memmoli’s death to the injury he received on set.

Robert De Niro – ‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)

Robert De Niro, a frequent collaborator with Scorsese, was offered a role in Gangs of New York. However, he declined the offer, stating, “Nah,” when asked if he was interested.

Despite this, there seemed to be no animosity between the two, and they kept in close communication about their artistic endeavors. They returned to their partnership when the time was right.