In February, Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson reflected upon a transformative moment in her decades-long career, remembering a time on-set where an “idiot” A-list co-star made disparaging remarks towards her, ultimately prompting her to tell them to “F off.”
Although she did not name the individual, her comments went viral, with Internet sleuths quickly trying to ascertain the actor’s identity.
“I was not expecting that, by the way,” the “Dune: Part 2” star recently said on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show” of her commentary gaining traction, confessing that a litany of former co-stars had since contacted her in a frenzy.
‘DUNE’ STAR REBECCA FERGUSON REFUSED TO WORK WITH ‘IDIOT’ CO-STAR AFTER MELTDOWN: ‘GET OFF MY SET’
Rebecca Ferguson says several co-stars reached out to her after her comments went viral, asking if she understood the gravity of her allegations and what not naming the person might mean for them. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
“Yes, I kind of enjoyed the grab,” Ferguson admitted of the attention. “But I realized, even at the age that I am now…it doesn’t matter. When you sit and do interviews…cause I’m me, right? I definitely think that I’m much more open. I also know where my boundaries are. But the point of the interview wasn’t about finding the person. Of course people will be interested.”
Ferguson said divulging her story wasn’t about naming the individual, but rather highlighting her strength. “The point was, ‘Is there a point in your career where you were treated in a way where you changed your decision on either – this is how I formulated in myself – You want change or you will not accept it, etcetera.”
Rebecca Ferguson says in some aspects, she appreciated the media attention of her story. (Mike Coppola/WireImage/Getty Images)
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“And it was such a clear moment for me working with this person,” she continued. “I’ve got phone calls from amazing co-stars who I’ve worked with going, ‘You understand what you’ve done, right?’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God. No, I didn’t. I didn’t think.'”
“I mean it’s not my responsibility to be honest, I don’t really care, you know. You’re great. But my story is my story and if you’re a good person, then don’t worry about it.”
Rebecca Ferguson admitted she didn’t really care that co-stars cared about her comments. (John Nacion/Getty Images))
The “Mission Impossible” actress has worked alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant in “Florence Foster Jenkins,” Emily Blunt in “The Girl on the Train,” Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in “Hercules” and Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh in “Dune.”
Both Johnson and Blunt have refuted any involvement, showing their support for Ferguson. Johnson wrote on X, “Hate seeing this but love seeing her stand up to bull—. Rebecca was my guardian angel sent from heaven on our set. I love that woman. I’d like to find out who did this.”
A representative for Blunt told The DailyMail, “Rebecca and Emily are friends, and there’s nothing but love between them.”
Two of Rebecca Ferguson’s co-stars, Emily Blunt and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, spoke out in support of Ferguson, after the Internet speculated who the Swedish actress might be calling out. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
Ferguson initially told her story on Josh Smith’s podcast, “Reign,” noting at the time that neither A-lister Tom Cruise nor Hugh Jackman, with whom she’s worked on several projects, were the people she was referencing.
Rebecca Ferguson has worked with Tom Cruise on several “Mission Impossible” films and says he is not the actor that she had a problem with on set. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
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“I did a film with an absolute idiot of a co-star,” she began. “This human being was being so insecure and angry because [they] couldn’t get the scenes out. And I think I was so vulnerable and uncomfortable that I got screamed at and I would cry walking off set.”
“This person would literally look at me in front of the whole crew and say, ‘You call yourself an actor? This is what I have to work with?… What is this?’ And I stood there just breaking.”
Rebecca Ferguson clarified that Hugh Jackman was not the individual she was referencing. (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Warner Bros)
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“And I remember the next day I walked on and I said, ‘You get off my set.’ That’s the first time I [had] ever spoken — I remember being so scared. And I looked at this person and I said, ‘You can F off. I’m gonna work toward a tennis ball. I never want to see you again.’”
Ferguson explained that she didn’t feel support from executives. “And then I remember the producers came up and said, ‘You can’t do this to No. 1. We have to let this person be on set,’” she explained. “And I said, ‘But the person can turn around and I can act to the back [of their] head.’ And I did.
“It took so long for me to get to that. It’s within my last 10 years or 12 years. And I’ve acted since I was 16. But from that moment, I have never let myself get to a point when I’ve got home and gone, ‘What did, why did that happen?’”