12 movies that had controversial press tours

Remember when Lady Gaga told every reporter ever some version of, “There could be 100 people in the room, and 99 don’t believe in you, and you just need one to believe in you,” while talking about her co-star Bradley Cooper? She said that while on the press tour for A Star Is Born. Luckily for Gaga, the movie was fantastic and earned her an Oscar, but the press tour was bizarre and also stirred up rumors that she and Cooper were romantically involved while Cooper was in a relationship. Talk about messy. 

Tower Heist’s press tour spawned a homophobic slur and two resignations from Oscars ceremony jobs — the slur and one resignation coming from director Brett Ratner.

Amid the press tour for Snow White and the Huntsman , photos of the film’s star Kristen Stewart and the film’s director Rupert Sanders leaked, ultimately causing a divorce between Sanders and his then-wife Liberty Ross. Stewart wasn’t cast in the sequel, either. Quite the press tour. 

There were many reasons Joker was vilified while on its press tour, but the most memorable were rumors that star Joaquin Phoenix was a menace on set. Phoenix got the last laugh, winning an Oscar for his performance.

You’d think that most directors would know not to jokingly declare that they’re a Nazi while on a press tour, but Melancholia director Lars von Trier did not know that he shouldn’t do that. He made other off-color jokes during the press tour that weren’t well-received, but the Nazi joke had the distinct honor of getting him banned from the Cannes Film Festival Palace. 

Kick-Àss 2 ’s press tour issues were merely a matter of bad timing. The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting happened just months before the film began promotion, causing star Jim Carrey to reconsider his connection to the film and ultimately decline to participate in the press tour. 

A feud, a spitting incident, an infamous salad recipe, a condescending nickname. Where to even begin with this one? Don’t Worry Darling’s press tour was far more entertaining than the film itself. 

No matter how little you remember of the War of the Worlds press tour, there is one event that you will never be able to forget no matter how hard you try: Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah Winfrey’s couch to proclaim his love for Katie Holmes. Need we go on?

When a cast begins a press tour, the intimate details of filming are revealed, and there were quite a few unbelievable details learned about Suıcide Squad . Most of the details revolved around Jared Leto’s strange behavior on set as he went to great lengths to fully become the Joker, and the stories overshadowed the entire film. 

Note to every actor ever: if you’re going to go full method in preparation for a role, it would be best to notify the public in advance. Had Joaquin Phoenix done so, the world would’ve been much less confused by him repeatedly saying he was retiring from acting during the Two Lovers press tour. 

House of Gucci should’ve performed much better at the box office and during awards season for how much Lady Gaga hyped it up. The press tour essentially amounted to her touting her own method-acting, only for it to fall short in the film. 

Amid the press tour of Cold Pursuit , the film’s star Liam Neeson made a racist remark, and the tour subsequently ended early. Even the film’s premiere was canceled.