Sitcoms have brought comfort and humor to audiences for decades, with casts that seem like family and stories that feel timeless. But behind the perfectly timed punchlines and feel-good endings, real-life tensions, creative disagreements, and personal struggles have sometimes disrupted the harmony.
Roseanne: Roseanne Barr mistreated writers
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According to what Stan Zimmerman, a writer for the original Roseanne show in the 1990s, told CNN, Barr was a tough boss. “We were advised upon hiring, ‘Don’t let her see the whites of your eyes,’ because she could single you out and fire you,” he told the network.
Additionally, a TV executive told the Sun that lower-paid staff had to tread carefully on the set due to Barr’s disparaging remarks directed at them. When the series was rebooted in 2018, it premiered as the No. 1 show on television. However, it was quickly canceled following a racist tweet from Barr.
Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus says she was the ‘least paid person’ on set
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Miley Cyrus became a global superstar thanks to her role as the titular character on Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana,” one of the most successful sit-coms of the network. However, the show was filled with controversies along the way, including Cyrus’ comments about how she was “exploited” by the network as a kid.
She told Elle in 2016 that “at one point” she was “probably the least paid person on my cast because I didn’t know any better.” She also told Maire Claire in 2015 that she worked 12 hours a day, saying that she “was getting coffee jammed down my throat to wake me up (…) Everything happened to me on that set,” and explained that she started to suffer from anxiety attacks.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Janet Hurbet’s firing
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Janet Hubert was reportedly fired from her role as Aunt Vivian on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” after the third season due to “creative differences,” leading to Daphne Maxwell Reid being swiftly brought in as her replacement, according to E! News. Will Smith explained the backstage drama in a 1993 radio interview, where he said that Hubert wanted the show to revolve around her character.
Smith’s co-star Alfonso Ribeiro echoed these sentiments during a comedy set, recalling difficulties on set and asserting that Hubert’s behavior made it challenging to work together. Hubert, however, denied any wrongdoing in a 2016 interview on “The Real,” emphasizing her professionalism. Fortunately, the rift between Hubert and Smith was resolved during the show’s 2020 HBO Max reunion special, marking a reconciliation after years of public discord.
A Different World: Lisa Bonet’s firing controversy
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Lisa Bonet, who played Denise Huxtable, was the star of “A Different World,” a spin-off from The Cosby Show. While the series was conceived to follow Denise in college, Bonet only lasted one season in the spin-off as she was fired due to her pregnancy of daughter Zoë Kravitz.
In his memoir “Let Love Rule,” Bonet’s ex-husband Lenny Kravitz, revealed that Bonet talked to show’s producer Debbie Allen to discuss the possibility of Denise’s being pregnant and deciding to raise a child of her own. However, Cosby was opposed to the idea. Later, Bonet returned to “The Cosby Show” as Denise, but the relationship was never the same, according to Kravitz.
Full House: John Stamos tried to get the Olsen twins fired
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“Full House” is one of the most iconic and wholesome sitcoms of the late 1980s. It follows the life of widowed father Danny Tanner, played by Bob Saget, who enlists the help of his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) and best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier) to raise his three daughters, D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen).
While the Olsen twins were considered some of the most adorable kids on TV, Stamos wasn’t so fond of them at the beginning… And even almost had them fired! The actor revealed in 2023 that he, indeed, fired the twins, who were 11 months old, because he couldn’t deal with their crying. However, it only lasted a few days because the replacement kids were even worse, according to him.
Boy Meets World: Trina McGee said she was victim of racism on set
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“Boy Meets World” is one of the most iconic sitcoms of the 1990s, but it also has some dark secrets. Trina McGee, who played Angela, best friend of Topanga (Danielle Fishel) and love interest of Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong), on the last two seasons of the show, revealed in 2020 that she wasn’t treated fairly on set, and experienced racism.
McGee said that Will Friedle, who played Eric Matthews, called her “Aunt Jemima” while doing her make-up on set, as well as being the victim of other microaggressions over the years, including being met with coldness by Fishel when she guest starred in the spin-off “Girl Meets World.” However, since then, the three of them have reconciled.
Family Matters: Jo Marie Payton and Jaleel White’s tension
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Jo Marie Payton’s career took off in 1987 when she was cast as Harriette Winslow, the elevator operator on the ABC sitcom “Perfect Strangers.” Her character was so popular with viewers that it led to her own sitcom, “Family Matters,” in 1989. However, she left the show during its final season due to a strained relationship with co-star Jaleel White.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Payton admitted that she wasn’t happy with White’s “attitude” and that they once had to be physically separated, after he threatened to fight her on set. However, she also said that she understands now that he was “just a kid” and there aren’t bad feelings. Harriette Winslow was played by Judyann Elder in the show’s remaining eight episodes.
Martin: Tisha Campbell’s lawsuit against Martin Lawrence
Tisha Campbell, played the role of Gina Waters-Payne, Martin Payne’s girlfriend and later wife, on the popular 1990s sit-com. In January 1997, Campbell filed a lawsuit against Martin Lawrence and the show’s producers, alleging harassment and verbal and physical abuse. According to the lawsuit, Campbell claimed that Lawrence’s behavior created a hostile work environment, which included inappropriate comments and advances, as well as physical intimidation.
The lawsuit resulted in Campbell leaving the show temporarily. The situation was eventually resolved out of court, and Tisha Campbell returned to complete the final season of “Martin” under the condition that she would not have to share any scenes with Martin Lawrence. However, they have now reconciled.
The Big Bang Theory: The cast didn’t like the way the show was canceled
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The Big Bang Theory was one of the most popular sitcoms of the past decade. But all things must come to an end, and the show wasn’t an exception. However, how producers and star Jim Parsons, who played Sheldon, handled the news that there wasn’t going to be another season of the show. Parsons was clear that he didn’t want to do the 13th season, and so he talked with producers. Then, they told the rest of the cast, which were shocked by the news.
In the book by Jessica Radloff, Steve Molaro recalled tensions were a little high between Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, and Parsons. “The first run-through back was kind of icy and none of them were talking between scenes, but everyone was professional,” Molaro explained, saying that the tension lasted just a few days.
Step by Step: The real reason behind Cody Lambert’s disappearance
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Step by Step was another family-friendly television series that experienced some off-screen controversies. Actor Sasha Mitchell, who portrayed Cody Lambert, abruptly disappeared from the show… And the reason for that was that he was fired amid domestic abuse allegations.
In 1996, Mitchell was convicted of misdemeanor battery, spousal abuse and child endangerment stemming from an altercation with his wife. He later claimed that he was protecting his children from his ex-wife, who was addicted to drugs at the time of the arrests. He made a final appearance in Season 7.
