Familiar with the phrase “never meet your heroes”? Sometimes even the most admired A-listers don’t quite match up to their polished TV personas IRL. From diva demands to off-duty outbursts, I’ve tracked down some of the most surprisingly rude celebrities who might not be as flawless as they seem on screen.
Wanna know what happens when Bieber fans get too close for comfort, or when a certain Hollywood star isn’t content with his coffee order? We’re bringing you the scoop on some of the rudest celebrities out there, according to former fans and industry insiders.
Always dreamed of meeting your idol? You should probably check out these distasteful celebrity encounters first…
METHODOLOGY: To create this list of the rudest celebs, I researched firsthand accounts of people on Reddit, as well as industry insiders who reported their celebrity encounters. I also scanned through clips on YouTube and TikTok where celebrities were called out for their behavior by fans.
A List of Celebs Who Have Been Exposed for Being Rude
1. Rihanna
RiRi may be known for her hits, but nobody expected the moment when she *literally* hit someone with a microphone in 2013. The incident, which occurred after a fan grabbed Rihanna’s arm, was captured on camera and shared online. Responding in a now-deleted Tweet, Rihanna wrote: “Purpose! That b— won’t let me go.”
Was RiRi’s rudeness one-off? Apparently not. One Redditor revealed: “My wife worked at a private jet company. Rihanna was one of the clients. She is an utter douche bag. The food she ordered was not loaded on the flight but a different menu was served. She flung the plates and cutlery inside the plane and threw a massive fit mid air.”
Best believe Rihanna lives up to her rep as a “good girl gone bad.”
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2. Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown certainly has a “butter wouldn’t melt” look about her, but according to Stranger Things extra Audrey Hope, she isn’t so innocent IRL. Audrey once approached Millie for a photo at a premiere, and despite agreeing to a pic, she apparently ended up walking off and not coming back…ouch.
Mils has also taken flak for her behavior in interviews. In one particular Stranger Things cast interview, the chatty star is shown enjoying a lot more mic time than her co-star, Sadie. Noticing this isn’t fair on Sadie, actor Caleb McLaughlin turns to Sadie, and says “Sadie, do you wanna talk?” #HeroBehavior
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3. Jennifer Lopez
2024 was a tough year for JLo. She was slammed for “narcissism” in her documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told; she was captured being icy with a reporter at the Met Gala; and THEN got accused of driving her husband to divorce.
Is JLo her own worst enemy? According to one Redditor, she’s certainly no saint:
“I knew a guy who owned a trendy restaurant in NYC where celebrities used to frequent. He said she was the worst customer they’ve ever had. Incredibly rude to everyone, no dish was to her liking, horrible tipper…every staff member who had to deal with her hated her by the end of the night.”
4. Adam Levine
He might have moves like jagger, but this feisty frontman is also earning a reputation for his rudeness. The Maroon 5 singer first faced criticism for acting “disgusted” after a fan jumped on stage, and now he’s being called out for acting salty with his staff. One Redditor wrote: “He constantly talks down to people and is super smarmy/smug if you’re not a fellow celeb.”
Another put: “Rudest [celebrity] had to be Adam Levine, he stayed in his room the whole time and took a picture for liberty and left. Was also quite rude to the staff and wouldn’t interact directly.”
Is he always rude IRL? It certainly makes you wonder…
5. Katy Perry
Even Katy Perry has been called out on a few occasions. As well as angering fans after “mom shaming” a contestant on American Idol, she’s also been accused of trying to steal dancers from Taylor Swift’s Red tour. “She basically tried to sabotage an entire arena tour,” Taylor once told Rolling Stone.
Is she really that rude? “My cousin used to work in Hollywood and said Katy Perry was quite rude,” one Redditor wrote.
It’s hard to tell, but people clearly aren’t sure what to make of Katy’s hot n cold behavior: “I can’t quite explain it, but Katy Perry gives me Ellen DeGeneres vibes. Aggressively friendly with no warmth, almost?”, another Redditor added.
6. Justin Bieber
Along with some awkward moments involving his wife Hailey—eg. that video of him not holding the car door for her, and the Instagram Live where he shaded her for speaking about his Lyme disease—Justin’s not-so-nice side has come out on other occasions, too.
In 2013, Justin’s neighbor accused him of reckless driving, and he reportedly retaliated by spitting in his neighbor’s face and threatening him. That’s some next-level road rage! On another occasion, Biebs was even filmed punching a fan in the face from his car.
Bieber’s past controversies definitely haven’t done him any favors, but at least he seems to be a changed man today (what with a baby, and all)!
7. Mariah Carey
Next on our list of rude celebrities is the ultimate diva, Mariah Carey. According to British newspaper The Independent, Carey once demanded that a record shop redecorate their bathroom for a signing event, and even destroyed a tea set to stop anyone else using it.
Could she be any more of a diva? Apparently, yes.
A clip of Mariah on HSN has been uploaded to YouTube, and although we can’t deny her rudeness, she does come across as kinda iconic. “Take the camera off me…last time we had an issue. I won’t get into it,” she remarks while live on air.
8. Bad Bunny
A fan went a step too far when she tried to get a selfie with the king of Latin trap, Bad Bunny…
In a short clip, the fan can be seen smiling and holding her phone in front of the rapper, before he grabs it out of her hand and throws it into the bushes. After the incident, he responded: “The person who comes up to me to say hello, to tell me something, or just to meet me, will always receive my attention and respect…Those who come to put a f–king phone in my face I will consider it for what it is, a lack of respect, and I will treat it likewise.”
Note to self: don’t mess with Bad Bunny!
9. Ariana Grande
Can you believe YouTuber James Charles once called Ariana the “rudest celebrity he’s ever met”? Despite the doe-eyed queen of pop exuding innocence, not everyone buys into her “good girl” image.
On one occasion, Ariana was caught on CCTV licking a donut in a donut shop before loudly exclaiming: “What the f*** is that? I hate Americans. I hate America.” She’s also been heavily criticized by Universal and Disney Park employees for being “the rudest person that has ever graced the parks.”
Apparently, she’s so rude that some employees won’t even show her round the park anymore! Say it ain’t true, Ari?!
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10. Ben Stiller
What brings out Ben Stiller’s rude side? Let’s just say, if you don’t make his coffee sweet enough, you might end up in the firing line…
“A friend of mine worked on the set of Tropic Thunder, and apparently Ben Stiller was a dick to everyone, he even fired someone because he thought they didn’t put enough sugar in his coffee in between scenes,” one Reddit user shared. Another wrote: “My family member works in the industry. Ben Stiller…[has] been described as very entitled.”
Maybe this funny man isn’t so funny when he’s off-screen!
11. James Corden
Obsessed with Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke”? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but James Corden is yet another celeb to be hit with the rudeness rumors. One Reddit user has suggested that the British funny man’s on-screen persona is just that—a persona:
“James Corden is an absolute jack ass, not the funny happy go lucky guy you see on TV.” While another wrote: “Can confirm. He has this thing where he won’t talk to anyone bar the most senior crew. He treats everyone else like crap…He thinks he’s above everyone.”
I mean, can we blame it on British bluntness? Or is he just genuinely rude?
12. Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj gets a lot of love from her Barbz, but she doesn’t always give it back. In one particular exchange, a fan innocently asked Nicki when she’d be releasing a Pink Friday album cover. Nicki’s reply? “Whenever I want to, when are you taking the next step in your education, boo?” So savage!
The star’s rude behavior has also been witnessed on stage. In one clip, Nicki can be seen rolling her eyes at an audience member for not knowing the lyrics to a song, while in another, she’s shown snatching the microphone away from a fan for praising Jesus instead of singing. Eek.
SEE ALSO:
11 Nicki Minaj Fights – Her Most Shocking Beefs
As you can see, our fave A-listers aren’t always as charming as they seem on screen. Whether it’s a sour moment on set or a snappy social media comment, some of these rude celebrities just don’t hold back when their patience runs thin!
Ever met your hero IRL? Were they different to what you were expecting? Share your experience in the comments below!
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