The best actress of Hollywood’s golden age was also the most hated: “Tired of working with people like you”

Katharine Hepburn remains one of Hollywood’s greatest legends—a four-time Oscar winner with eight additional nominations and a career spanning some of the most iconic films ever made, including Morning Glory, Alice Adams, Woman of the Year, Summertime, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond.

But Hepburn’s rise to the top wasn’t always smooth. For a time, she was branded “box office poison,” struggling to draw audiences despite her undeniable talent. And while she eventually overcame that stigma to cement her place in cinematic history, Hepburn also earned a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most difficult personalities—feared behind the scenes as much as she was adored on screen.

The star who took no prisoners

For every story praising Hepburn’s brilliance in front of the camera, there are countless anecdotes describing her as a nightmare off it. She had little tolerance for those around her, often lashing out over the smallest perceived slight. From Meryl Streep to Jane Fonda, director John Huston to fellow star Ginger Rogers, many felt the sting of Hepburn’s sharp tongue and uncompromising attitude.

Rivalry with Ginger Rogers

One of Hepburn’s fiercest rivals was Oscar-winning actress Ginger Rogers. While Hepburn dazzled with her acting, Rogers captivated audiences with her extraordinary dancing. The two even competed head-to-head for Best Actress at the Academy Awards, with Rogers taking home the statuette—a loss Hepburn reportedly took very personally.

Rogers later described Hepburn as “a snob, which is a shame,” adding, “She was never on my side.” Hepburn, for her part, infamously mocked Rogers’ legendary partnership with Fred Astaire, quipping: “Astaire gave her class, Rogers gave him sex.”

Fans? not her priority

Unlike contemporaries such as Joan Crawford and June Allyson, who personally answered fan mail and signed autographs, Hepburn refused to play along. She once recalled being chased by a crowd demanding her signature: “Get lost!” she shouted. “Sit on a tack!” When fans insisted, “We made you,” Hepburn snapped back: “No way!”

Clashes with co-stars

Even her co-stars weren’t spared. During the filming of the 1946 thriller Undercurrent, Hepburn reportedly told actor Robert Mitchum: “You know you can’t act. If you weren’t handsome, you’d never have gotten a role. I’m sick of working with people like you who have nothing to offer.”

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