Rebecca Ferguson refuses to work with co-star who screamed at her

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Actor Rebecca Ferguson attends the premiere of the film "Dune: Part Two" in New York City, U.S. February 25, 2024.Image source, Reuters
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Rebecca Ferguson attended the New York premiere of Dune: Part Two over the weekend

Actress Rebecca Ferguson has said she once refused to work with a co-star who screamed at her on set and left her in tears.

The Swedish star told the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, external that she once worked with an "absolute idiot of a co-star".

She said she learned to stand up for herself after the star criticised her and she eventually asked for them to turn their back while she was acting.

Ferguson did not reveal the co-star's identity or gender.

The Dune: Part Two actress said the other actor was "being so insecure and angry because this person couldn't get the scenes out" and "would literally look at me in front of the whole crew and say 'You call yourself an actor? This is what I have to work with?'"

She added that she felt "so scared" about the confrontation which saw her being "screamed at". Ultimately, Ferguson said she called them out on their behaviour.

"Because this person was number one on a call sheet, there was no safety net for me, so no one had my back," she explained.

She said she told the individual to "get off my set", and said to them: "I'm gonna work towards a tennis ball. I never want to see you again."

When producers told her the star had to be allowed on set as they were "number one", Ferguson instead requested to act to the back of her co-star's head.

"I thought it shouldn't have to be that way, and I remember going to the director afterward and saying, 'What is happening?'

"The director said, 'You're right, I am not taking care of everyone else. I'm trying to fluff this person because it's so unstable.'

"And it was great from that moment but it took so long for me to get to that," she said.

She added that she has only become confident enough to stand up to this type of behaviour "within my last 10 or 12 years, and I've acted since I was 16".

Although Ferguson did not name the co-star, she said it was not Tom Cruise who she starred alongside with in Mission Impossible, or Hugh Jackman, who played the main role in The Greatest Showman.

She added: "Doesn't matter who it is, I'm gonna try and not give this away."

Dwayne Johnson, who appeared opposite Ferguson in 2014's Hercules, replied to a video clip, external of the interview on X, writing: "Hate seeing this but love seeing her stand up to [it].

"Rebecca was my guardian angel sent from heaven on our set. I love that woman. I'd like to find out who did this."

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