Who screamed at Rebecca Ferguson? All theories explained

Social media has been whipped up into a frenzy trying to decipher who screamed at Rebecca Ferguson on a set. Here’s a full theory rundown of possible co-stars who could have done it.

A 2024 viral video where Dune actor Rebecca Ferguson revealed a co-star screamed at her on set has drawn armchair detectives out.

Known for her charismatic soundbites and epic performances in movies like Doctor Sleep, The Greatest Showman, and the Mission: Impossible series, Ferguson is everywhere we look in big new movies — rightly so.

Here’s what people are saying and an update from Ferguson after theories started swirling.

Who screamed at Rebecca Ferguson?

Rebecca Ferguson has not stated which former co-star “screamed at” her on set, but the internet’s top suspects are Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Grant.

On the Reign podcast, Ferguson explained, “I did a film with an absolute idiot of a co-star, and this human being was so insecure and angry because this person couldn’t get the scenes out.”

“I think I was so vulnerable and uncomfortable that I got screamed at. I would cry walking off set. This person would 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?'”

She continued, “This happens, but because this person was number one on a call sheet, there was no safety net for me. No one had my back. And I remember the next day I walked on and I said, ‘You get off my set.'”

“I remember being so scared and I looked at this person and I said ‘You can f**k off, I’m going to work towards a tennis ball. I never want to see you again.’ I was so scared and I feel it now as I’m saying it, but from that moment I have never let myself get to a point where I’ve gone home and gone, ‘Why did that happen?'”

Fans have suggested a list of names who might fit the criteria, although nothing has been confirmed. Below are the suspects, from least to most likely according to the social media comments.

Emily Blunt

X/@badpostblunt

Working on the slightly less believable possibility that Ferguson might not be talking about a man, Emily Blunt was also considered following the pair’s time together in the 2016 film The Girl on the Train

However, according to the Daily Mail, this speculation has already been put to rest. A spokesperson claimed Rebecca and Emily are friends and there’s “nothing but love between them.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Paramount Pictures

One of the first names to be thrown into the mix was Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson, who worked with Ferguson on the 2014 film Hercules. However, he was also the first person to publicly support her after the comments were made, stating on X/Twitter: “Hate seeing this but love seeing her stand up to bulls**t. Rebecca was my guardian angel sent from heaven on our set. I love that woman. I’d like to find out who did this.”

While The Rock seems preoccupied with turning into Jessica Fletcher, some fans think his immediate expression of support suggests something entirely different. “This tweet is suspicious,” one response reads, with another adding, “That’s IMMEDIATELY 100% what I was also thinking. It looks like señor Rock is jumping on damage control to point/shift direction elsewhere. Whomever it was though, the truth always comes out. Eventually.”

Hugh Jackman

Warner Bros.

Jackman and Ferguson seem to get along well.

Another actor known for his disarming charm and good reputation — and who has worked with Ferguson multiple times — is Hugh Jackman, who fans have been quick to add to the pile of names. One tweet reads, “GUYS IT’S HUGH JACKMAN WHO YELLED AT REBECCA FERGUSON END OF DISCUSSION.”

However, there’s no concrete evidence, with Ferguson stating in a 2017 interview that Jackman is a “potpourri of scrumptiousness.”

ugh Grant

Paramount Pictures

“My money in the who offended Rebecca Ferguson sweepstakes is on Hugh Grant,” one social media post reads. Given Grant’s reputation in recent press interviews, it’s easy to see how the dots have been connected. Starring alongside Ferguson in the 2016 movie Florence Foster Jenkins, it’s possible that Grant could be ruled out for one specific reason: he was not number one on the call sheet.

That spot was taken by the film’s leading lady, Meryl Streep. Streep’s name has also cropped up in conversation, especially after tweets addressed that Ferguson’s culprit was assumed to be a man but could be a woman. “I can’t be the only person who thinks Rebecca Ferguson was talking about Meryl Streep. I know it’s *probably* a man, but she was *very* careful to not specify gender,” a fan speculated.

Tom Cruise

Paramount Pictures

Cruise is Ferguson’s most prolific co-star.

One of Rebecca Ferguson’s most famous co-stars is Tom Cruise, who starred together in the Mission: Impossible franchise (Ferguson was killed off in the last movie, and likely won’t be back for the final part of the saga).

However, Ferguson previously vouched for Cruise in press interviews. In 2017 she stated, “I get beautiful little support emails from Tom now and then… he checks up on people.”

However, some fans aren’t completely buying this, with one claiming, “Regarding the Rebecca Ferguson incident, she has worked with Tom Cruise who we all know loves to yell at people on set… Just saying.”

Ferguson later clarified she’s only been confident to stand up for herself, “within my last 10 or 12 years,” [via BBC] which could ultimately rule out Cruise.

Jake Gyllenhaal

BBC

Ferguson and Gyllenhaal worked on Life together.

In 2017, Ferguson starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the epic sci-fi movie Life. Several reports have addressed claims of alleged questionable behavior throughout the years — though nothing was tied to Life.

Outside of the infamous Taylor Swift relationship, Gyllenhaal also was at the center of controversy surrounding his film Suddenly, where accusations claimed he “ruined” the project.

Ferguson’s “tennis ball” part of the podcast interview about the event is interesting here, though, as inanimate objects are sometimes used on the sets of CGI-heavy movies as reference points for actors. Life was set in space and had plenty of visual effects.

Though there have been no clear suggestions that anything happened between the pair, Gyllenhaal’s precedent for erratic behavior seems to haunt him in this instance.

Michael Fassbender

Universal Pictures

A popular speculative choice is Michael Fassbender, who appeared alongside Rebecca Ferguson in 2017’s The Snowman. Social media users were quick to comment on Fassbender’s alleged violent history, with him being accused of domestic abuse in the past.

However, there is currently no evidence to suggest any problems on the set of their crime thriller.

Rebecca Ferguson responded to the story going viral

In response to some backlash, Ferguson shared, “I 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 think,’” on The Jess Cagle Show. “I mean, it’s not my responsibility, to be honest. I don’t really care. You’re great, but my story is my story, and if you’re a good person, don’t worry about it.”

“The point of the interview wasn’t about finding the person — of course, people will be interested. But I was excited about the question, which was a very good question by [Josh Smith].”

If you’ve had enough of real drama and are looking for some fictional, check out our lists of the best movies streaming, or get ready for Dune 3 with our Dune 2 ending explained and How to watch Dune 2.