She Drank and Insulted People: Why John Wayne Hated Working With Rita Hayworth

Throughout his 50-year career, during which he starred in more roles than any other actor in film history, many had the opportunity to work with John Wayne at some point . While some remember him as a highly professional and dedicated actor, others recall less pleasant anecdotes, such as his habit of spitting tobacco or the scheduling problems his drinking sometimes caused.

In any case, it seems perfectly documented that John Wayne was a man of conservative ideas and a gruff character. He was taciturn and sometimes even intimidating. However, the Western icon also experienced situations working with other actors and actresses that weren’t always pleasant for him, such as when he happened to be filming a movie in Spain with an iconic Hollywood star and witnessed a scene in a restaurant that left him deeply embarrassed.

The Hollywood icon whose behavior enraged John Wayne was none other than Rita Hayworth.

At that time, Hayworth was around 46 years old and had a solid reputation in the industry thanks to her performances in films like “Cover Girls” with Gene Kelly and, of course, “Gilda“. However, Hayworth was going through a difficult personal period when she was cast in the film *The Fabulous World of the Circus* with John Wayne.

In The Fabulous World of the Circus , Wayne played a circus owner in the early 20th century who is touring Europe, while Hayworth played the mother of his pupil, played by a young Claudia Cardinale , and former lover of the protagonist.

The idea of giving this role to Hayworth came from producer Samuel Bronston, who faced opposition from director Henry Hathaway , because he was convinced that Hayworth would attract European audiences and thus guarantee the film’s financial success.

However, at that time the actress was battling depression and alcoholism, which greatly hampered filming: she frequently forgot her lines and was often in a bad mood on set. Hathaway recalled this in Michael Munn’s non-fiction book, John Wayne: The Man Behind the Myth.

She drank and insulted people. And the Duke had to film love scenes with her even though he couldn’t connect with her at all.

At first, Wayne tried to move on, but an awkward situation off-set finally pushed him to his limit. The actor had invited his co-star to dinner with his wife and daughter, but the date ended in disaster: “She hadn’t even had much to drink and she was already slurring her words. She was rude to the waiters, which was incredibly embarrassing,” according to the book.

“Apparently, Wayne tried to calm tempers and appease the staff by giving generous tips and handing out autographed photos, but he did not forgive the actress for that.

Hayworth ultimately received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for the film, which temporarily boosted her career, though she never fully returned to her former glory. The actress passed away in 1987, eight years after Wayne’s death.