20 Heated Celebrity Feuds (Past and Present) That Put Your Favorite Drama to Shame
20 Heated Celebrity Feuds (Past and Present) That Put Your Favorite Drama to Shame
Ah, celebrity feuds. As much as we may hate to admit it, we all love some good celebrity conflict now and then (maybe even more than a good celebrity love story!) — and there has been no shortage of them in recent years, with plenty of harsh words, Twitter fights and even full-out brawls between famous faces. But even before the infamous beef between Taylor Swift and Kanye West or the iconic rivalry between Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, there have been plenty of notorious celebrity fights (even back in the golden ages of Hollywood) that have had our biggest stars butting heads.
Here, we’ve rounded up some of the most famous celebrity feuds in history, from iconic rivalries between Hollywood legends to deteriorated celebrity friendships, intense falling-out's and more. While some of these famous feuds have ultimately ended with the stars making amends (and even becoming friends!), other messy fights have never been resolved or are still going on to this day — and some, of course, have only intensified over the years. Here's how 20 celebrities battled it out — whether on set, in the press or on the good old internet.
Joan Crawford vs. Bette Davis
How could we not start with one of Hollywood's most legendary feuds of all? Joan Crawford and Bette Davis' feud was so infamous that it even inspired an FX show called Feud. The rivalry between the two silver-screen actresses reportedly began in 1935 over a man, when Bette fell in love with her co-star, Franchot Tone, on the set of the movie "Dangerous" — only for Joan to quickly marry him shortly after the film was wrapped.
Joan Crawford vs. Bette Davis
Of course, the two actresses' feud didn't end there. Their rivalry reached its most famous heights during the filming of their 1962 movie, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, where things reportedly got intense on set. When Bette got nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role, Joan then hatched a plan so that she was able to go on stage to accept the very same award, on behalf of the winning actress Anne Bancroft. The two stars reportedly never amends before they both died.
Paris Hilton vs. Nicole Richie
Paris and Nicole were the iconic BFF duo in the 2000s, starring together on the reality show The Simple Life in 2003. But the friendship between the two socialites turned sour in 2005, when the former BFFs had a dramatic falling-out. "It’s no big secret that Nicole and I are no longer friends,” Paris told People that same year. “Nicole knows what she did, and that’s all I’m ever going to say about it.”
Paris Hilton vs. Nicole Richie
According to People, the feud between the two occurred when Paris apparently didn't invite Nicole to her Saturday Night Live hosting gig — to which Nicole retaliated by screening a private video of Paris' at a party. Eventually, though, the pair reconciled at the season 5 premiere of The Simple Life, and since then have seemingly continued to remain close friends.
Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West
Who could forget the notorious, long-lasting feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West? It all started, of course, when Kanye infamously interrupted Taylor's acceptance speech at the VMA's in 2009. In response to Kanye's apology following the incident, Taylor penned a heartfelt song for the rapper called "Innocent," and the two seemed to have made amends ...
Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West
... until old wounds opened back up again in 2016, when Kanye released a song called "Famous," in which he directed some crude lyrics about Taylor. When Taylor publicly denounced the song, Kanye's wife Kim Kardashian released secret recordings of a private phone call in which the pop star seemingly gave approval of the lyrics, which led to intense internet backlash against Taylor. Most recently, though, a leaked version of the full phone call seems to support Taylor's version of the story ... and the feud still doesn't seem to have any peaceful end in sight.
Kim Cattrall vs. Sarah Jessica Parker
The two stars may have played good friends on Sex and the City, but it turns out Kim and Sarah were nowhere as close in real life. Rumors of bad blood between the two co-stars began when Kim refused to participate in a third Sex and the City movie. Then, in an interview in 2018, Kim called out SJP in particular: "I really think she could have been nicer. I don't know what her issue is, I never have."
Kim Cattrall vs. Sarah Jessica Parker
Things escalated even further in 2018, when Sarah offered her condolences to her co-star after Kim's brother passed away, and Kim responded with a bitter Instagram post dismissing Sarah's words. "I don't need your love or support at this time @sarahjessicaparker," she wrote. "You are not my family. You are not my friend." SJP, however, dismissed the idea that there was ever a "catfight" in an interview with Vulture that same year, saying, "I’ve always held Kim’s work in high regard and always appreciative of her contributions."
David Letterman vs. Jay Leno
The biggest feud in late-night history occurred when Johnny Carson announced he was leaving NBC's The Tonight Show in 1992. David Letterman — who hosted his own show on the same network — was widely expected to be Carson's replacement, but much to everyone's surprise, comedian Jay Leno ended up landing the coveted gig. Not soon after, David left NBC to host The Late Show with David Letterman on CBS instead — right opposite Leno’s time-slot.
David Letterman vs. Jay Leno
Thus began the long-standing rivalry known as the "Late Night Wars," as the two talk shows — and the two hosts — competed for ratings over the next two decades, before both retiring from their respective shows. Jay then later said in 2017: “The idea that there was a huge rift between me and Dave — yeah, of course there was. And our shows were very competitive ... but it doesn't mean you don't respect each other."
Miley Cyrus vs. Nicki Minaj
Here's another famous celebrity feud that started with a shocking VMA's moment: When Nicki won the VMA for best hip-hop video in 2015, the rapper directly called out Miley during her speech for having "a lot to say about me the other day in the press." Then came her most famous line: "Miley, what's good?"
Miley Cyrus vs. Nicki Minaj
Apparently, Nicki's call-out was a reference to Miley's comments in an interview with The New York Times, where she criticized Nicki for tweeting about the lack of representation after her "Anaconda" video didn't receive a nomination for the VMA Video of the Year Award. In response to Nicki's call-out, Miley fired back on stage at the VMA's, saying “Hey. We’re all in this industry, we all do interviews, and we all know how they manipulate." Then, in 2019, the pop singer released a track called "Cattitude," which includes the lyrics: "I love you, Nicki, but I listen to Cardi."
Gwyneth Paltrow vs. Martha Stewart
Ah, the battle of the lifestyle gurus. The feud between Gwyneth and Martha started back in 2014, when Martha didn't hold back in revealing what she thought about Gwyneth's lifestyle business, Goop. "She's a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn't be trying to be Martha Stewart," she told Porter magazine.
Gwyneth Paltrow vs. Martha Stewart
The drama didn't end there, with Martha posting a pie recipe spread called “Conscious Coupling” in the November 2014 issue of Martha Stewart Living — a cheeky reference to Gwyneth's "conscious uncoupling" announcement of her divorce from Chris Martin. A month later, Gwyneth posted her own recipe called "jailbird cake," a dig at Martha's time in prison for fraud charges back in 2004.
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Vin Diesel vs. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
The feud between the two actors erupted during filming of "The Fate of the Furious" in 2017, when The Rock took to social media to slam some unnamed co-stars. "Some conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t," he wrote. "When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I'm not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you're right." Then, in another Instagram post celebrating the wrap of the film, The Rock thanked nearly everyone in the cast and crew .. but made no mention of Vin Diesel, the film's co-producer.
Vin Diesel vs. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
By 2017, the beef between the two stars seemed to have cooled down, with Vin Diesel addressing his relationship with Dwayne in an interview with USA Today. "I don’t think the world really realizes how close we are, in a weird way," he said. “I think some things may be blown out of proportion. I don’t think that was his intention. I know he appreciates how much I work this franchise. In my house, he’s Uncle Dwayne.”
Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry
The two pop icons may have been good friends for years, but it all went south in 2014 when a fight erupted over some back-up dancers who left in the middle of Taylor's Red Tour to go work for Katy's Prismatic Tour. Taylor then released a song called "Bad Blood," which she later revealed was about an unnamed female artist who “basically tried to sabotage an entire arena tour.” Katy then fired back with "Swish Swish," a song believed to be a diss track of her own.
Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry
Thankfully, the "bad blood" between these two seems to have ended at last, with Taylor and Katy eventually making peace over the years. Katy ended up extending an olive branch (literally by sending Taylor an actual olive branch!) in 2018, and the feud's end was confirmed in 2019 when Katy posted an Instagram of cookies from Swift's kitchen with the words, "Peace At Last." Katy then even appeared in Taylor's "You Need to Calm Down" music video, where the two stars hugged while dressed up in an adorable matching burger and fries costume.
Elton John vs. Madonna
Sir Elton John and Madonna have famously feuded for several years, and it all apparently started in 2002 when Elton criticized Madonna's track for the 007 film, Die Another Day, as "the worst Bond tune of all time." Over the past few years, Elton continued to make disparaging remarks about Madonna multiple times, including accusing the pop singer of lip-syncing at her live shows.
RELATED: A Look at Sir Elton John and His Husband David Furnish's Incredible Love Story
Elton John vs. Madonna
The beef between the two legendary musicians only escalated when both were nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes in 2012, and Elton said that Madonna had no chance of beating him. After Madonna won, she said about Elton backstage: "He's been known to get mad at me, so I don't know. He's brilliant, and I adore him, so he'll win another award. I don't feel bad." To this day, though, their decade-long feud still doesn't seem to have an end in sight.
Elizabeth Taylor vs. Debbie Reynolds
The complicated relationship between these two Hollywood icons started with an infamous love triangle, when Debbie Reynolds's husband, Eddie Fisher, walked out on her for none other than Debbie's longtime friend, Elizabeth Taylor. Reportedly, Eddie and Elizabeth's affair first started when Eddie attempted to comfort Elizabeth after her husband, Mike Todd, unexpectedly passed away in 1959 ... only for them to fall in love.
Elizabeth Taylor vs. Debbie Reynolds
Years afterwards, after Elizabeth had divorced Eddie, the two movie stars eventually reconciled. As Debbie revealed in an interview with Hollywood Reporter, she and Elizabeth made up in 1966 when the two stars found themselves booked on the same cruise trip. Then, in 2001, Elizabeth and Debbie starred together in the film These Old Broads, which was written by Debbie and Eddie's daughter, Carrie Fisher.
Tyra Banks vs. Naomi Campbell
Supermodels Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell had an intense feud back in the early '90s, with Tyra revealing that she did not feel welcomed by Naomi when she was a new girl coming into the modeling business. "As much as I was booking every single fashion show, people didn’t know I was going home at night crying my eyes out because a woman I was looking up to seemed like she just didn’t want me to be there,” she said. “And was doing everything in her power to make me go away.”
Tyra Banks vs. Naomi Campbell
Years later, Tyra and Naomi seemed to have buried the hatchet, eventually reuniting together on Tyra's talk show in 2005 to clear the air. But rumors of a re-ignited feud recently returned in 2020, with Naomi sharing an article on her Instagram titled “Here’s Why Fans Are Starting To Think Tyra Banks Is The Real Mean Girl, Not Naomi Campbell." Could it be that the beef between the two models isn't over after all?
Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera
Who could forget the rivalry between the two pop divas? Britney and Christina's relationship dates all the way back to when the two were in the The Mickey House Club together, but things apparently turned sour when the two stars were pitted against each other at the onset of their careers, with rumors of a love triangle with Justin Timberlake. From there on out, the two stars continued to take swipes at each other in the press, with Christina once calling Britney "a lost little girl, someone who desperately needs guidance."
Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera
In 2008, Christina put the rumors of a feud to rest."It must have seemed as if we were competing with each other, but, in reality, Britney is someone that I used to hold hands with," she said. "We were silly little girls together on 'The Mickey Mouse Club.' What a journey it has been for both of us!" Today, it seems as if the stars are in good terms, with Christina even posting a photo of her and Britney on Instagram in 2018.
Madonna vs. Lady Gaga
Rumors of a feud between the pop icons first started in 2011, when comparisons were drawn between Gaga's "Born This Way" to Madonna's "Express Yourself." Though Gaga denied any similarities, Madonna famously called Gaga's song "reductive." Then, in 2015, Madonna revealed that the only time she had an issue with Gaga was when she felt like she "blatantly ripped off" her song. "It’s got nothing to do with ‘she’s taking my crown’ or ‘she’s in some space of mine.’ She has her thing," she said. "I do think she’s a very talented singer and songwriter. It was just that one issue."
Madonna vs. Lady Gaga
Gaga then addressed the beef in 2017, saying that although she "admires [Madonna] no matter what she might think of me," she was bothered by the singer not coming directly to her. "No matter how much respect I have for her as a performer, I could never wrap my head around the fact that she wouldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that I was reductive," she said. Eventually, though, Madonna cleared the air in 2019, saying that she and Gaga were "never enemies."
Kanye West vs. Jay-Z
It isn't just Taylor Swift that Kanye has had beef with. Though Kanye and Jay-Z have been longtime friends and collaborators since the '90s, the relationship between the two hip-hop artists has reportedly had a falling-out in recent years. In 2016, Kanye publicly ranted about Jay-Z for not contacting him, saying "Jay-Z, call me, bruh. You still ain’t calling me." Soon after, Jay-Z hit back with a line about Kanye in his song "Kill Jay-Z": "You ain't a saint / This ain't KumbaYe / But you got hurt because you did cool by Ye."
Kanye West vs. Jay-Z
Jay-Z eventually addressed the feud in 2017, breaking his silence about his relationship with Kanye in an interview with The New York Times. “It’s a complicated relationship with us. Kanye came into this business on my label. So I’ve always been like his big brother," he said. "And we’re both entertainers. It’s always been like a little underlying competition with your big brother ... But it’s gonna, we gonna always be good."
Paris Hilton vs. Lindsay Lohan
Turns out Nicole Richie wasn't the only BFF that Paris had beef with in the 2000s. Once inseparable friends while being the "It" girls of Hollywood, Paris and Lindsay Lohan's bond quickly crumbled in 2006 when Lindsay was spotted with Paris' ex-boyfriend, and Paris noticeably remained silent while her friend Brandon Davis disparaged Lindsay on camera. From there on out, the two stars entered a vicious cycle of publicly insulting each other, making up then feuding again.
Paris Hilton vs. Lindsay Lohan
Today, it seems as if Paris and Lindsay are still at it in their rocky, back-and-forth "frenemy" relationship. Just back in 2019, Paris seemingly reignited their feud when she called Lindsay “beyond lame, and embarrassing.” Lindsay then responded by posting a sweet Instagram post about Paris, before jokingly pretending not to know who Paris was in an interview.
Katherine Heigl vs. Shonda Rimes
The drama between Katherine Heigl and Grey's Anatomy creator and producer Shonda Rhimes first came to light in 2008 when the actress declined her Emmy nomination for her role as Izzie Stevens on the medical show, stating that she did not feel that she "was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination." The strained relationship between Katherine and Shonda eventually led the actress to exit the show in 2010.
RELATED: 20 Shocking Character Exits in TV History — and the Real Reasons the Actors Left
Katherine Heigl vs. Shonda Rimes
In an interview with Oprah in 2012, Shonda said that she "was not surprised" with Katherine's Emmy snub, saying: "When people show you who they are, believe them." Later, in 2016, Katherine revealed that she was "embarrassed" about the incident and had apologized to Shonda herself, explaining that she did not mean to criticize the “material” on Grey’s Anatomy as much as her own performance.
Lauren Conrad vs. Heidi Montag
You might remember this iconic feud from the 2000's, when Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag's falling-out was famously documented on MTV's hit reality show The Hills. The drama started in 2007 when Lauren suspected that Heidi and her boyfriend Spencer Pratt had fabricated rumors of a sex tape between Lauren and her ex-boyfriend. Lauren then cut ties with her former friend — and kept her distance from the couple until she left The Hills in 2009.
Lauren Conrad vs. Heidi Montag
Now, over ten years later, it seems as if there's still no peace between the two former friends, despite Heidi saying she was willing to reconcile with Lauren in an interview in 2019. "I’d be willing to move forward and put things behind us," she said. “We would never be the way that we were again, but it would be fun to maybe catch up one day and be mature and be like, ‘Hey that was crazy, I wish you the best,’ type-of-thing. But I don’t think she would be ever ready for that.”
Lady Gaga vs. Perez Hilton
Lady Gaga and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton started out as good friends in the early 2000's, but had an intense falling-out in 2011, when Perez interviewed Gaga during a cooking segment. Reportedly, Gaga felt "betrayed" when Perez started asking her "really terrible questions" and "being very negative about 'Born This Way.'" Their feud only escalated in the coming years, with the two continuously exchanging insults and attacks on social media.
RELATED: How Lady Gaga Got Her Name and Why She Doesn't Use Her Real One
Lady Gaga vs. Perez Hilton
Nearly ten years later, it seems that the two still haven't resolved their bitter dispute — after all, Gaga had said that she was "done" after the incident in 2011, saying she didn't "want to be around fake people." In 2020, Perez confirmed that the two still weren't on good terms. "Gaga has never reached out to me," he said. "I have reached out to her to apologize, even though I don't think I was in the wrong."
Cardi B vs. Nicki Minaj
Ah, the notorious 2018 clash between Cardi and Nicki. Rumors of a feud between the two rappers started with the two seemingly taking swipes at each other in their songs. It all culminated, of course, in the infamous brawl at the New York Fashion Week Harper’s Bazaar party, where things reportedly got physical with Cardi throwing a shoe at Nicki. The same day, Cardi posted an Instagram directed at Nicki, saying that her rap rival had crossed the line by talking about her child and insulting her parenting skills.
Cardi B vs. Nicki Minaj
Following even more exchanges of vicious words on social media, the two hip-hop artists finally appeared to call a truce a month after the altercation, with Nicki seemingly calling a cease-fire on Twitter. "Let’s focus on positive things only from here on out," she wrote. Cardi then responded on Instagram with the caption, "Alright then! Let's keep it positive and keep it pushing!"
Kanye and Taylor are apparently *still* feuding.