Rebel without a clue: The bad behavior of TV’s actors

The fifth season of Silicon Valley returned to HBO last year with one crucial difference: T.J. Miller – who portrayed cocky grandstander Erlich Bachman – won’t be returning. The controversial actor left the series at the end of S4 after facing tumultuous accusations regarding his behavior on & off set.

The Hollywood Reporter published a profile about S5 of Silicon Valley in which Miller’s allegedly unruly onset behavior was discussed openly. Noting how “nearly everyone associated with the series is loathe to speak publicly” about what happened with Miller, the profile still delves into Miller’s apparent “demons”.

According to sources, the actor would self-medicate with alcohol, reportedly turning up late and under the influence where he was known to fall asleep between takes. Insiders praised his “raw talent” but ultimately revealed the actor had become unpredictable and “explosive”, sometimes failing to show up to set at all.

“It just wasn’t working,” insisted showrunner Mike Judge. In response, the actor explained he’s not someone who gets “blackout-drunk, bumping into things on set.” Instead he suggested, “What was occurring was I was out doing stand-up all the time, even if it meant I only got three hours of sleep. So, the thing I have a problem with? It’s pushing myself to do too much.”

Evidently the actor was still “pushing” himself too much as of last April. The United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut confirmed Miller was taken into custody after allegedly calling in a fake bomb threat.

The apparently troubled actor is alleged to have called 911 while traveling on an Amtrack Train from Washington D.C. to New York City where he reportedly told the dispatcher a female passenger “has a bomb in her bag.” Not only did authorities fail to find “evidence of any explosive device or materials,” it was also later discovered Miller was on a different train.

An attendant on Miller’s actual train alleged the actor “appeared intoxicated upon boarding in Washington, that he consumed multiple drinks on the train, and that he had been removed in New York owing to his intoxication. The attendant also advised that Miller had been involved in hostile exchanges with a woman who was sitting in a different row from him in the first class car,” according to the release.

Miller was released on a $100,000 bond on Tuesday. The charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, which incidentally is also the amount of lifespan the average person lost while watching The Emoji Movie.

Miller joins an ever-growing set of actors who have been fired from hit shows due to accusations of bad attitudes and unruly onset behavior. Here are eight of the most memorable TV actors who were cut from their shows for being too much to handle.

Taylor Momsen: Gossip Girl

The child actor who played (not so) little Jenny Humphrey on the hit teen soap was allegedly sidelined due to what sources called “unreliable and erratic” behavior on set. Tim Gunn (Sex and the City 2) – who delivered a spectacular guest appearance opposite Monsen on the show – drew his claws and commented, “What a diva! She was pathetic, she couldn’t remember her lines, and she didn’t even have that many. I thought to myself, ‘Why are we being held hostage by this brat?’”

Thomas Gibson: Criminal Minds

Gibson’s termination was apparently a long time coming after he was accused of being “aggressive and verbally abusive for years” towards writers & crew members on set. The actor was originally sent to anger management classes, but was subsequently fired from the show in August 2016 after he kicked Criminal Minds co-executive producer and writer, Virgil Williams (Mudbound), in a dispute over the script.

Charlie Sheen: Two and a Half Men

During a period of his life when he believed he had “tiger blood” running through his veins, Sheen raged against Two and a Half Men showrunner Chuck Lorre (Disjointed) in a series of nasty tweets & interviews. The actor went on a madcap “winning” adventure, including a strange publicity tour, before Lorre halted production on S8. By S9, Sheen was fired and his character enjoyed an ungraceful off-screen death.

Jeffrey Tambor: Transparent

In the wake of allegations the Emmy-award-winning actor sexually harassed two Transparent cast & crew members (Van Barnes & Trace Lysette), Tambor was fired from the show in February. Earlier this week, Barnes detailed the harassment claims against Tambor on Megyn Kelly Today by stating he’d confessed to secretly watching her sleep naked.

Shannen Doherty: Charmed

The star was alleged to have spent much of her time onset constantly bickering with co-star Alyssa Milano, resulting in Doherty being fired from the show in 2001. Prior to Charmed, Doherty was also allegedly kicked off the set of Beverly Hills 90210 for similar reasons.

Michelle Rodriguez & Cynthia Watros: Lost

Rodriguez (The Fate of the Furious) & Watros (Stolen from Suburbia) were written off Lost not long after both stars were arrested for DUI charges in 2005. Their characters were killed in the same sweeping episode, although the show’s writers claimed this was completely unrelated to the arrests and part of long-term plans for the series. We’re saying nothing.

Mischa Barton: The O.C.

Barton’s character Marissa Cooper was notoriously killed off at the end of S3 of The O.C., thus killing one of the greatest teen shows ever made. The showrunners reportedly got tired of Barton’s bad attitude & behavior – the actor once claimed she had a “Work hard, play hard” mentality while starring on The O.C. Make of that what you will.

Michael Pitt: Boardwalk Empire

Sources from the set of the hit HBO series claimed Pitt was often late, had trouble remembering his lines, and even “got into a little fist fight with William Forsythe,” subsequently leading to his termination. Pitt’s own agent reportedly shared the sentiment and announced, “UTA fired [Pitt] as a client . . . because he’s really difficult on set and otherwise.”