Top 10 Actors Who Were Fired from Hit TV Shows

After 73 episodes as Will Smith’s feisty aunt Viv, Janet Hubert left “The Fresh Prince” – and it’s unclear exactly what led to her termination. Some reports say her pregnancy was a factor; others say salary negotiations broke down – but whatever the case, she and Smith haven’t been shy about blaming each other. Will claims that Janet grew resentful of him because he was young and successful. Janet says that Will was rude and egotistical, and when she confronted him about it, Will misread it as hostile. After what she described as a “feud with network officials,” she was fired and replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid. So, don’t expect a Hubert-Smith reunion anytime soon.

Short played Harrison Wright on “Scandal” for three seasons before his character was abruptly killed off. This stemmed from behind the scenes difficulties that eventually resulted in his termination. Short made headlines due to his legal and domestic issues, which included being charged with misdemeanor spousal battery and having a restraining order filed against him after he threatened his wife with a knife. At the time, he was also battling an addiction to cocaine and alcohol, which apparently further fueled his destructive tendencies. All this was enough for the show’s producers, and Short was let go after the third season.

Lisa Bonet became a household name in the 1980s by portraying Denise Huxtable, Cliff and Clair’s second child. But off camera, Bonet had a history of being unprofessional and late to tapings, so her character was moved to her own series, “A Different World.” However, around the same time, she also appeared nude in a risqué film, and would soon announce her pregnancy with husband Lenny Kravitz. While there are conflicting reports about whether she left the spinoff on her own or if she was written out of the college-based series, she did eventually go back to “The Cosby Show.” However, the old issues didn't go away, and Bonet was removed again due to “creative differences” in season seven.

Charlie Sheen and sitcoms seem to be a recipe for drama. Selma Blair starred in 53 episodes of Sheen’s comeback series “Anger Management,” portraying his love interest and therapist Kate Wales. Despite tensions onset stemming from Sheen’s allegedly not-so-great work ethic, those involved in the show remained silent. That is, everyone except Blair, who vocally complained about the star to the producers. When Sheen got word about her complaints, he threatened to walk away from the show should Blair remain employed. Since Sheen was the show’s main draw, Blair was quickly fired to appease him.

After filming a Top Gear segment in 2015, Clarkson got in an argument with one of the show's producers, Oisin Tymon, over the food situation. Frustrated, Clarkson punched Tymon, and since he was already on thin ice due to other – non-violent – incidents, he was subsequently suspended and his contract with the BBC was not renewed. Clarkson’s termination made headlines around the world, not only because it put “Top Gear”’s future in jeopardy, but because his manner of dismissal was extremely controversial, with a Change.org petition supporting him reaching over one million signatures. However, the BBC stuck to their guns, and Clarkson was not reinstated.

When you land a syndicated show like “Criminal Minds,” your career is pretty much set. That is, unless you cause problems and get yourself fired. Gibson caused many problems, like the time he reportedly got into an altercation and allegedly pushed an assistant director, leading him to anger management counseling. Soon after this, he was directing an episode when he allegedly got into a heated debate with one of the show’s writers and executive producers and kicked them in the shin out of frustration. Gibson was suspended and subsequently fired and, in order to explain his character’s abrupt absence, he was entered into the Witness Protection Program.