As a seasoned observer of the tumultuous world of Hollywood, I must say that the career trajectory of David O. Russell is as intriguing as it is enigmatic. From his early successes to the controversy that followed, his journey mirrors a rollercoaster ride through Tinseltown’s labyrinthine landscape.
Working with top-tier actors has become a routine for director David O. Russell. Movies like “Three Kings,” “The Fighter,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “American Hustle” have given him opportunities to work closely with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. His latest film, “Amsterdam,” boasts a star-studded cast that includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Chris Rock, Rami Malek, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Robert De Niro, and even Taylor Swift. However, unlike his previous works, “Amsterdam” did not garner acting nominations at the Oscars. Despite Russell’s personal history of five Academy Award nominations, including three for Best Director.
Despite receiving widespread praise in the past, Russell’s career has been marred by persistent accusations, some of which are quite troubling. For instance, he confessed to touching his 19-year-old niece’s breasts in 2011, justifying his actions by claiming she was acting provocatively. He has also faced numerous allegations of abusive behavior, verbal or physical, on his film sets. A notable example is an outburst during the filming of ‘I Heart Huckabees,’ which was caught on video and showed him cursing at Lily Tomlin and throwing props around.
In a 2000 interview with Playboy, George Clooney claimed that during the filming of “Three Kings,” David O. Russell frequently yelled and screamed at cast and crew members throughout production. He alleged that Russell publicly humiliated a driver operating a camera car and made a script supervisor cry. It was also said that Russell once became physically aggressive when an extra, who was hesitant about performing a stunt, felt nervous. Clooney recounted that Russell shoved the extra to the ground, kicked him, and asked if he wanted to be “in this fucking movie.” Furthermore, it was reported that Russell threw his walkie-talkie on the ground and swore at an assistant director who tried to protect the extra.
In a bid to smooth things over, Clooney recounts approaching Russell, wrapping an arm around him, and saying, “David, today’s a significant day. However, you can’t bully or belittle those who can’t retaliate.” This action, as it turned out, only fueled Russell’s rage further. According to Clooney, Russell reportedly demanded that he focus on his own acting, physically headbutted him, and choked him. In an interview with Playboy, Clooney described filming the movie as “undoubtedly, in all honesty, the most horrific experience I’ve ever had.
In contrast, Russell maintains he didn’t harm his co-star physically. He stated in 2004, according to The Guardian, “I never actually assaulted him.” If they crossed paths, he would allegedly say, “Shut up, you lying bitch,” referring to her. However, Three Kings producer Charles Roven clarified to The Hollywood Reporter that Russell was just trying to be heard over the noisy set and wasn’t specifically targeting the assistant director. Despite this, Roven verified that Clooney and Russell did indeed get into a physical altercation after Clooney intervened, which led to further insults. In 2012, Clooney told THR that he and Russell ran into each other at a party and decided to resolve their differences.
According to the New York Times, there was a physical altercation between Russell and Christopher Nolan at a Hollywood party in April 2003. It is said that Nolan wanted Jude Law for his movie “I Heart Huckabees,” but learned that Law had chosen a role in one of Nolan’s films instead. The Times reported that, with witnesses present, Russell put Nolan in a headlock and tightened his arm around the director’s neck. He demanded that Nolan drop Law from his cast to demonstrate “artistic solidarity.” Despite this incident, Law remained part of the “Huckabees” film.
2003, during filming of the show “Huckabees”, actress Lily Tomlin was captured on video venting about frequent changes being requested from her. In a playful manner, she remarked, “I’m not as brilliant as you. I can’t keep up with you.” The scene escalated when Russell was seen clearing props off a desk, which made someone in the corner retreat as items were thrown around. Russell exclaimed angrily, “Stop yelling at me! I’ve been working on this for three years and I’m not going to have someone yell at me in front of the crew while I’m trying to help you.” Russell continued to rant and stormed both on and off set.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=7SG43wa7Alo
Over the summer of that year, footage of an incident was shared among talent agencies. As reported by the New York Times in 2004, during this altercation, Russell is said to have locked himself in his office and refused to come out. It’s alleged that he didn’t rejoin the filming until Tomlin entered to apologize. The Times article, titled “Nudist Buddhist Borderline-Abusive Love-in,” further claims that Russell occasionally inappropriately touched the cast of Huckabee during private moments. Specifically, it is alleged that Russell physically harassed Mark Wahlberg on set, grabbing his genitals, and made lewd comments into actresses’ ears before filming began. However, these details tend to be eclipsed by the dramatic confrontation between Russell and Tomlin.
Apparently, Russell admitted he regretted his outburst when asked about it. However, he and Lily are okay now. Tomlin explains that both she and Russell lost their tempers in the heat of the moment, a behavior that’s not typical for either of them. In 2015, she confessed to The Hollywood Reporter that they had another argument shortly after reconciling, but they have since moved past it.
In March 2011, during a talk at South by Southwest, I, Paul Reubens, shared an incident from my time working on the movie “Nailed” (later known as “Accidental Love”). I alleged that the director, Russell, shouted at me loudly on my very first day. However, I remain baffled about what triggered this outburst of cursing and shouting during the initial take. With a chuckle, I stated that it didn’t seem like a realistic response to the situation.
In January 2012, Nicole Peloquin, who was 19 years old at the time, filed a police report accusing her uncle, Russell (then aged 53), of sexually assaulting her at a gym in Florida on December 30, 2011. The Smoking Gun obtained and released a copy of the police report that had been submitted to the Broward sheriff’s office. According to the report, Russell offered to assist his niece with abdominal exercises, positioning his hand just above her private areas. Peloquin, who was undergoing hormone treatment as a transgender woman, claimed that Russell then slid his hand underneath her shirt and touched both of her breasts.
Russell openly confessed to a police officer that he had touched his niece’s breasts, explaining that he was interested in understanding how hormonal changes might impact them. As per the report, Russell asserted that Peloquin was behaving flirtatiously and had transformed into a seductive figure following her transition. He also mentioned that he repeatedly asked his niece if she felt uneasy, and even made her promise using their pinky finger to allow him to touch her chest. According to the report, Peloquin expressed discomfort in the situation.
On January 6th, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s office informs TMZ that the case has been concluded and the police will not forward it to the state attorney as it involves an accusation of simple battery which was not observed by law enforcement. Consequently, Russell is not charged with any criminal offenses in this matter.
In September 2014, an email leaked due to the Sony hack revealed that journalist Jonathan Alter had shared allegations about Russell’s conduct on the set of “American Hustle” with Sony CEO Michael Lynton, who is also Alter’s brother-in-law. Alter expressed in the email that the stories of Russell reforming himself were false, and the new tales of his aggressive and eccentric behavior were extreme even by Hollywood standards. He alleged that Russell had grabbed someone by the collar, frequently cursed at people in front of others, and behaved so abusively towards Amy Adams that Christian Bale asked the director to stop acting unprofessionally. Additionally, Alter claimed that Russell mistreated his crew and caused fear among them. Lynton responded that he was already aware of these issues, mentioning that Russell would be working with Fox for his next project.
During the very same month, Michael De Luca – a co-president at Columbia Pictures – emailed Sony’s co-chairman Amy Pascal. In this correspondence, he claimed that he had once witnessed Russell crying with actress Sally Field at a party, alleging that Russell was responsible for making her cry. This exchange of emails later became public knowledge through the Sony hack.
On February 2015, an onlooker shared with TMZ that there was a heated dispute between Russell Crowe and his frequent co-star Jennifer Lawrence on the set of the movie “Joy” by Fox Studio. It’s said that David (Russell) let loose with a very loud, expletive-laden outburst directed at the actress. However, a representative for the studio confirmed to TMZ that the director was shouting, but insisted it was part of preparing Lawrence for a yelling scene. In a now-deleted Facebook post, Lawrence referred to the altercation as a “misleading story,” expressing her fondness for Russell and considering him one of her dearest friends.
As a devoted cinephile, I’ve come across some intriguing rumors swirling around Hollywood. According to an insider report from TMZ, it’s said that a high-ranking executive at Fox found herself on the receiving end of Russell Crowe’s displeasure after she defended a line producer he was keen on dismissing. The heated exchange over this producer on the set of ‘Joy’ is confirmed by Fox’s representative, but they deny any claims that the exec shed tears during the argument.
In October 2016, Amy Adams spoke to British GQ and discussed the leaked Sony emails, confirming that she experienced mistreatment by director David O. Russell on the set of American Hustle. Adams recalled that during the filming of Silver Linings Playbook in 2012, Russell’s working style became erratic and intense, which she described as “mania.” She asserted that Russell frequently shouted directions to actors throughout each scene, making for a chaotic atmosphere on set.
It’s said that Russell was quite tough on Adams during the filming of “American Hustle”, causing her to cry. As she looks back, she shares, “I was truly heartbroken on set.” The actress acknowledges that not every co-star shared the same experience, using Jennifer Lawrence as an example. “She’s like Teflon,” Adams said, “and I am not. But I also can’t stand to see others being treated unfairly, you understand?
In January 2020, it was announced that Russell will pen and helm a film featuring Christian Bale, to be produced by New Regency. This marks Russell’s return to directing a feature film since the release of “Joy” in 2015.
In June 2021, Taylor Swift was the final cast member unveiled for Russell’s upcoming film, now known as “Amsterdam.” Joining her are actors such as Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Rami Malek, Zoe Saldana, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Robert De Niro, Michael Shannon, and Timothy Olyphant.
The star-studded cast draws ire on social media, where Russell’s allegations resurface. “Did the cast not know before they signed on?” one Twitter user writes. “If you knew, why did you ignore it? What did David O. Russell say or do to deem him worthy of another chance?”
In September 2022, Amsterdam will debut for the first time in Manhattan. Ben Stiller, who was a part of Russell’s 1996 film “Flirting with Disaster”, will moderate a discussion with Russell and the film’s cast. As reported by Variety, Stiller reminisces that during the filmmaking process, Russell deliberately fosters a sense of “purposeful chaos”. Margot Robbie concurs, expressing that actors never know what to expect each day they arrive on set. “In essence,” she states, “you have no idea what scene you’ll be shooting that day, which is both nerve-wracking and thrilling.
Later on, Robbie shares with Jimmy Fallon during his appearance on The Tonight Show that Russell did not really terminate the filming at Amsterdam. Instead, as Robbie explains, a police officer had to halt production because they exceeded their filming permit’s time limits. “He refused to stop,” she remembers. “He could keep going indefinitely.
In an interview with IndieWire on October 4, Christian Bale expressed his eagerness to continue working with director David O. Russell for quite some time. He described their collaborations as exceptionally unique, stating that “David is unlike any other film director.” According to Bale, this uniqueness is the essence of what makes a great director; having a distinctive perspective and rhythm that sets them apart as one of the best in the industry, and Russell certainly falls into this category.
In a different article published by GQ on October 5th, Bale discusses the claims about difficult sets that Russell had. He admits to stepping in as a peacemaker when disagreements occurred, giving an example of intervening for Amy Adams during the filming of American Hustle and confirming earlier reports where he told the director to “step back” at one point. Despite this, Bale maintains that he holds no grudges against either Adams or Russell. As he puts it, “When you’re working with extraordinarily creative talents like Amy or David, there will be conflicts. But they are truly remarkable.
In February 2023, an unusual pairing: Russell will helm the movie “Super Toys,” featuring Keke Palmer and Sacha Baron Cohen in roles as a married duo of toy vendors, grappling to salvage their relationship.
In January 2024, it’s said that Russell is directing a Linda Ronstadt biopic featuring Selena Gomez. However, the movie is still in early stages of development, as throughout 2024, Gomez has been busy promoting her upcoming project titled Emilia Pérez.
On August 15, 2024: Russell, the director, will guide Nicolas Cage towards the finish line in a new biopic production. This time, the focus will be on the legendary figure of American football, John Madden.
On December 23, 2024: After not receiving any significant nominations for film awards with Amsterdam, it seems that Russell might be moving towards television. Rumors suggest he’s directing a new series in development with Apple TV+, created by Carolina Paiz. At present, the show is tentatively named Bananas, and there are reports that Ana de Armas and Oscar Issac could potentially star. Despite numerous discussions about upcoming projects, no release dates have been announced yet.
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2024-12-24 10:55