comment #1

Celebrity Werewolf Hunter says ...

This doesn't even sound remotely like diva behavior. There are always going to be a few hurdles between any director and leading actor worth their salt.

comment #2

Rob says ...

If they were men, this wouldn't be a story, and no one would be using the term "diva fit."

comment #3

Strangeways says ...

I'd call Tom O'Neill an asshat, but that would be a disservice to asshats everywhere...

comment #4

Richardson says ...

I have experience with Ms. Leo's diva-like behavior. We were shooting a student film for no money, and she was in it. She was such a diva that she agreed to come and rehearse in my dorm room because I had no space to do it in! What a diva!

One day ballooned into an all-nighter, and she sat calmly and politely and waited for when she had to shoot, and even talked me through my own doubts (which will always come up when a day of shooting turns into a day-and-a-night). I can't believe anybody would hire her with that rep!

There were literally two moments when she got at all angry; one was because I was stretching myself too thin and had to also provide her with a cue she needed, and I missed it twice, and she was upset, simply as an actress who needed the cue and was already having to pretend she was talking to somebody who wasn't there. And her explosion was limited to telling me calmly, "it's hard enough pretending she's there when I'm looking right at you, but I need the cue."

DEEEEVA!

the other time was when she was doing a really emotional scene and somebody on crew was fucking around and being loud. She just said, firmly, "Listen, I need you not to do that right now." And he stopped. Later, she did apologize, as far as "I probably overreacted, but I really needed to be able to focus," and the guy agreed that he was in the wrong.

What a bitch!

Seriously... stirring up "diva" sentiment about Melissa Leo? Ridiculous.

comment #5

Scott Mendelson says ...

All things considered, it's amazing that Melissa Leo isn't more of a grump. Remember, this is a woman who was fired from her leading role on Homicide: Life On The Streets after five years partially because she wasn't officially sexy enough and partially because her ex-boyfriend was stalking her and NBC didn't like the negative publicity. Who's the ex-boyfriend? John Heard, who still works regularly on various NBC television shows. So the ex-husband is bonkers, so they fire his ex-wife, but continue to employ the offender.

Everything I've seen and read suggests she's a class act and this sounds like a bit of sexism at its basest. As someone above correctly stated, if this was two men arguing over a movie it never would have been news.

comment #6

Richardson says ...

If it was two guys, not only would it never have been mentioned again (certainly not "diva" behavior), but the actual "argument" would've been far worse. The actor would've refused to act until the director told him what to do, and they would've wound up yelling and screaming at each other for 15 minutes because suddenly neither one could back down -- and, presumably, the cameras would still be rolling for at least part of this, because no shooter worth his salt would stop rolling on something that interesting -- and then they'd finally do the shot and it would come out badly because the actor had no focus because he was still pissed, and then, for months afterwards, there would be a weird energy between them. They certainly wouldn't be laughing about it later, like Melissa.

I'd also like to point out, it sounds as if she handled it in absolutely the best way possible; she needed the director to know that she, being an actress, needs attention sometimes and needs answers to her questions before she can "just act", but if she confronted the director and told her herself, it could (a) cause a big defensive argument needlessly, or (b) shift the power balance too far away from the director. Instead, she asked the experienced producers to quickly talk to the inexperienced director about how to work with actors. It's so the polar opposite of diva behavior. In fact, up and down the line, the only time she gets "diva" like, it's standing up for the actual work as a whole. It's artistically-motivated which, to my mind, negates the "diva" label (which always seems to imply, to me, that it's completely baseless stuff where the star is just asking for it because they're a star so they know they can get it -- like, "Oh, send this bottled water back, it's not my brand").

comment #7

cjKennedy says ...

Actors can be very vulnerable and Leo was about to film a rough scene and the director sounded like she didn't quite know what she was doing. Leo fixed it. End of problem. "Diva" makes a better headline.

comment #8

Tom O'Neil says ...

How can you NOT see how cruel Melissa Leo is being to someone who's made enormous financial sacrifice to make this movie?

Bottom line: Leo tells a story where director/writer Courtney Hunt is obviously so upset by how Leo treats her that she asks her -- quite politely -- not to talk to her like that. Leo can respond with respect and talk about whatever problem exists or she can throw a hissy fit, summon the producer and scream "Talk to her!" We all know whas "Talk to her" means.

There's no denying those basic facts of this story Leo tells on herself. Where this gets interesting is Leo's claim that she was merely asking for a "clarification" when Hunt asked her not to speak to her that way. If that was true that would not solicit that response from Hunt. Obviously. Thus this interview is extremely revealing in what it tattles about Leo.

So you think Leo's response is appropriate to this situation? You don't think it would've been a better idea if Leo had chosen to address whatever problem came up by speaking respectfully with Hunt? Not only does she act this way, but sees nothing wrong with it and even tells this cruel story boastfully. Wow. Now YOU claim that it's a "slight that didn't exist." So you refuse to see it too.

Oh, come on! If no slight existed, why did Hunt ask Leo not to speak to her that way?

comment #9

Cassy2008 says ...

I'm just a bit curious.The Magazine HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP reported her profiles were found on the famous wealthy dating club ***R I C H L O V I N G.C O M*** last week and she was seeking her new guy there now! BTW, The girls there are really hot!