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Beverly Hills 90210, Dawson’s Creek, Gossip Girl, The O.C.—these teen dramas defined our teenage years. From first-love heartbreaks to parental misunderstandings, drug experimentation and sexual promiscuity, our junior high and high school days practically mirrored these programs. While it all made for great entertainment, the theatrics that unfolded behind the scenes of these shows is even crazier. Just look at Saved by the Bell.
As fame ran its course and consumed Hollywood's freshest faces, so did the tensions off camera. Catfights ensued, egos clashed, and relationships developed that sometimes interfered with the chemistry of a show. It’s tabloid fodder with the makings of an E! True Hollywood Story, and yes, we’re suckers for it.
Shannen Doherty Gets Fired From 90210 Cast
Disturbing personality and terrible attitude, Shannen Doherty has a reputation of being one of the worst actresses in the game. According to several co-stars, her bad-girl image and diva demands made filming a nightmare during the first four seasons of Beverly Hills 90210, which led to numerous catfights and verbal assaults with Jennie Garth. In fact, things were getting so bad to the point where Luke Perry put in a request to cool down the love story between the characters of Brenda and Dylan, suggesting to have fewer up-and-close scenes with Doherty. But the nail in the coffin was when she supposedly introduced the boss’s daughter Tori Spelling to a man that eventually beat her. You don't mess with Aaron Spelling's daughter and expect to keep your job.
Michelle Williams Jealous of Katie Holmes During Dawson's Creek Days
Fans of the WB drama Dawson's Creek could sense a storm brewing behind the scenes of the first season. As producers starting changing the storylines in favor of Holmes character (the charming tomboy, Joey Potter), Williams was offended that her role as Jen Lindley was being diminished. From then on, she distanced herself from Holmes, and though it's been said that she was the main aggressor in their split, she kept it professional throughout her tenure on the sitcom.
Adam Brody Plays Asshole With Everyone on The O.C.
At the height of the show’s success, Brody supposedly experienced a change in attitude that didn’t sit well with the crew of the teen drama. Reports of him criticizing actors during scenes, giving co-stars the cold shoulder, and starting on-set rants began surfacing online. His melodramatic demeanor was so bad that the producers were supposedly plotting ways to kill off his character. In the end, Brody received a reality check as executives told him to grow up and get it together.
Gossip Girl Cast Starts Hating On Each Other
If it wasn't the girls throwing dirt on each other's careers, then the guys were there to pick up the slack. The entire Gossip Girl ensemble was apparently struck with the jealously bug, envious of each others developments outside of the show. Actor Penn Badgley, who was dating Blake Lively at the time, told the NY Post that the two were not friends with the other cast members and didn’t waste their time trying to set up double dates with any of them like on-set couple Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr. Leighton Meester was heard slamming Taylor Momsen’s rock music career, whereas the bromance between Chance Crawford and Westwick fizzled out due to competitive issues. Needless to say, there was no love lost when the show came to an end.
Charisma Carpenter's Unexpected Pregancy Causes Major Angel Rewrites
The Buffy spin-off gained a ton of momentum and became one of the CW’s biggest shows during its millennial run. It wasn’t until the fourth season where the show was staked, as female lead Charisma Carpenter failed to inform the producers of her pregnancy at the time, leading to numerous script changes that required her taking on a less prominent role. The last-minute changes affected the series and caused my fans to tune out. It’s been said Carpenter and creator Joss Whedon were on good terms after Angel was canceled, though an interview with Whedon for TV Guide Online hinted a possible riff between the two: “Yeah, but that’s also stuff between us and not stuff that I would talk about in an interview.”
Ashley Benson Takes Out Restraining Order on 'Pretty Little Liars' Security Stalker
It’s bad enough being one of the hottest-looking young actresses in the biz with thousands of adolescent Stans. But imagine what it’s like to have one of the security guards on the lot going all stalker and stating God advised him to pursue you romantically. Our former cover girl recently went through this. The 24-year old beauty had to obtain a restraining order against a former Warner Bros. employee who was fired for creeping on her.
The Taylors Reportedly Engage in Off-Screen Affair During Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights was one of those shows that emotionally tapped into your soul, bringing forth incredible performances and realistic storylines that drew you in every week. The story of a high school football coach and his wife bettering the lives of high school teens in the fictional town of Dillon captured viewers, as the chemistry between its lead stars Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton proved to be enchanting. In fact, the duo got along so well, they began to develop a “very flirtatious, precocious relationship” off camera according to director Peter Berg. This led to the speculation they were having an affair, though it’s never been confirmed.
Ian Somerhalder Requests Death Wish From Vampire Diaries Because of Ex Nina Dobrev
Dealing with the emotional aftermath of a break-up is difficult. So imagine working on the same show with your ex, who just so happens to play your love interest as well. That's torture. Tweens across the world saw their favorite badass vampire, Damon Salvatore, get killed off in the past season of the Vampire Diaries, which didn’t sit over well with its massive female fanbase. However, the reason behind it does bring closure to the real-life troubles the actor faced with previous girlfriend Dobrev. Unhappy with the residual awkwardness exuding on set between the two, he talked with the producers about leaving the show in grand fashion.
Shannen Doherty's Diva Spell Wears Off on Charmed
Four years after receiving the boot from 90210, creator Aaron Spelling miraculously gave the brunette firecracker another shot by casting her as one of the three witches in his supernatural drama: Charmed. As the show grew in popularity, so did the personal theatrics between Alyssa Milano and Shannon Doherty. A beef developed between the two stars, forcing Milano to give Paramount execs an ultimatum: firing Doherty or quitting the show. Taking into account her latest DWI arrest and past production troubles, the studio blew out Doherty's candle and replaced the star with Rose McGowan.
Sarah Michelle Gellar Disconnects From Buffy Cast and Crew
During the first few seasons of Joss Whedon's beloved series, star Sarah Michelle Gellar was said to have distanced herself from the entire cast and crew. Onlookers noticed her unapproachable aura and many thought she was gearing up to use Buffy as a way to transition into film. As the show continued, Gellar grew tired of playing Buffy Summers and expressed grief with the role. Husband Freddie PrinzeJr. claimed she was dealing with “a lot of nonsense,” which reflected in her lackluster performances in the final season.
Beverly Hills 90210 Set Filled With Drugs
The industry will expose you to many vices, drugs being one of them. Once the cast of Beverly Hills 90210 became overnight sensations, it was just a matter of time before the production assistants turned into "suppliers" for the teen ensemble. Jennie Garth exposed such dirty laundry in her tell-all, Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde, recalling her experiences on set: “They wouldn’t have batted an eye if I asked for a bagel and a bump of coke, come to think of it, but I usually just had coffee.”
Sophia Bush Dates Every Male Lead on One Tree Hill
Dating co-stars is commonplace in Hollywood. But having real-life relationships with three of the leading actors from the same TV series isn't. One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush somehow accomplished this—calling Austin Nichols and James Lafferty her boyfriends after being briefly married to series staple Chad Michael Murray.
The O.C. Cast Falls Apart
At one point or another, each of the four main stars on The O.C. did something to piss off the entire cast and crew. As Adam Brody tried taking his high-profile douchery to an A-list level, the others apparently didn't fall far behind, at least according to these accounts from other actors on the show. Tate Donovan had no quarrels burying his on-screen daughter, Mischa Barton, saying she was a huge diva on set, while suggesting the entire foursome simply “just fell apart” at the height of the program. In addition, Cam Gigandet, who played Kevin Volchok, co-signed Donovan’s complaints by indicating the group was “fucking miserable” and how Ben McKenzie was a “bit of an ass” to him. Just imagine how the extras must have felt.
Lea Michele and Naya Rivera Spark Feud on Glee Set
A TV show based around a high school glee club featuring numerous lead female vocalists equals a recipe for drama—on and off camera. This is exactly what happened with co-stars Lea Michele and Naya Rivera. Art imitating life, the two divas spat over numerous personal issues from on-screen time to their real-life boyfriends, even reportedly engaging in fisticuffs during filming. The producers made the call to give Rivera the axe and moved forward with the series by writing her off.