Hollywood is known for its glitz and glamour, but there, sometimes real-life fights happen too. People might remember the big fight between America’s favorite actress, Julia Roberts, and the super director Steven Spielberg while filming Hook back in 1991.
The film, a fantasy adventure that put a new spin on Peter Pan’s story, was highly anticipated, with Roberts starring as Tinkerbell and Spielberg at the helm. But what was supposed to be a smooth production turned bumpy when these two Hollywood heavyweights disagreed on how things should be done. This led to Roberts being nicknamed ‘Tinkerhell.’
The Hook Crew Reportedly Nicknamed Julia Roberts ‘Tinkerhell’
Julia Roberts wasn’t all smiles while filming the 1991 classic movie Hook. The actress, known for her bubbly personality, reportedly struggled on set. Unlike her usual film experiences, Roberts’ role as Tinkerbell required her to act in front of a green screen for most of the shooting.
Instead of acting alongside other actors on real sets, she found herself alone in a world of special effects technology. Being isolated like this, seemed to really frustrate her. According to some reports, the star’s emotional struggles created a lot of tension on set. It was said that Roberts would often spend long hours alone in her trailer and frequently arrived late for filming.
And because of her difficult behavior on set, the crew reportedly nicknamed her ‘Tinkerhell,’ playing off her character ‘Tinkerbell.’ In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, when she was asked if she had ever heard of the name, Jules said:
No, I never heard [the nickname]. But I’m a normal person. I mean, if I sit in my trailer for six hours doing nothing, I’m going to say: ‘What the f**k is going on?’
Despite the reported tension, there’s more to the story than meets the eye.
Julia Roberts Set Boundaries After Steven Spielberg Feud Experience
Steven Spielberg himself shed some light on the situation Julia Roberts faced. He revealed that she was going through a difficult personal time, dealing with the public breakup of her engagement to Kiefer Sutherland.
“It was simply bad timing for all of us,” the director said (via Independent), expressing empathy for the actress. However, as they say, the show must go on, and Hook went on to become a beloved classic (despite all the set conflict)! But the drama didn’t end with Spielberg. In 1994, Roberts confessed to having a rocky relationship with her I Love Trouble co-star, Nick Nolte.
Since then, reports have surfaced of her tensions with everyone from Hugh Grant to Meryl Streep. In an interview with director Richard Curtis for British Vogue, the 56-year-old talked about how she chose not to be overly friendly on movie sets.
Watch Hook on Amazon Prime Video!
Frequently asked questions
Why was Julia Roberts nicknamed ‘Tinkerhell’ on the set of Hook?
During the 1991 filming of Hook, in which Julia Roberts played Tinker Bell largely in front of a green screen, the crew reportedly gave her the nickname ‘Tinkerhell.’ The article reports that Roberts often stayed in her trailer for long stretches and arrived late to set, which reportedly created tension during production.
Did Julia Roberts ever respond to the ‘Tinkerhell’ nickname?
Yes. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Roberts said she had never actually heard the nickname, but added that if she had been sitting in her trailer for six hours doing nothing, she would understandably want to know what was going on. She did not confirm the reported on-set conflict in detail.
Did Steven Spielberg explain what happened with Julia Roberts during Hook?
Steven Spielberg later said Roberts was going through a difficult personal period during filming, reportedly connected to a broken prior engagement. He described it as simply bad timing for everyone involved, expressing sympathy rather than placing blame on her for the on-set tension.
