Kevin Costner‘s feud with Madonna in Hollywood is just one chapter in the singer’s long history of celebrity conflicts, stretching across decades and industries. This legacy of turbulent relationships highlights how Madonna’s iconic status and outspoken personality have resulted in high-profile clashes with fellow actors, musicians, and entertainers.
Madonna’s Troubled Relationships Within Celebrity Circles
Madonna rose to prominence not through forging close bonds, but rather through bold moves and headstrong behavior that often led to animosity within the entertainment world. Over the years, many famous names—including Kevin Costner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga, and Mariah Carey—have found themselves at odds with the Queen of Pop. Her penchant for controversy has made her both admired and disliked in equal measure among Hollywood’s brightest stars.
Most recently, Pink shared her own account of tensions with Madonna, noting that the singer does not care for her, an insight that reinforces Madonna’s reputation for being easily offended. While some on this list have never reconciled with Madonna after the fallouts, others eventually mended these celebrated feuds.
15. Prince and Madonna’s Competitive Dynamic
Prince and Madonna’s brief romantic history began in 1985, which led to a collaboration on the track “Love Song” from her album Like a Prayer. However, Madonna later said in an interview Prince was “a little troll” and called out his reserved behavior at dinner.
He was just sipping tea, very daintily. I have this theory about people who don’t eat. They annoy me.
—Madonna, Singer
Their rivalry was not one-sided, as Prince once declared on stage,
“I got so many hits y’all can’t handle me. I got more hits than Madonna’s got kids.”
Publicly, the tension ended in 2011 when Madonna attended Prince’s concert at Madison Square Garden, marking a symbolic truce.
14. Gwen Stefani, Accusations of Imitation, and Laughing It Off
Gwen Stefani faced comparisons to Madonna early in her career, but their relationship soured when Madonna outright accused Stefani of stealing her style.
She ripped me off. We work with a lot of the same people. She married a Brit, she’s got long hair and she likes fashion.
—Madonna, Singer
Stefani responded by noting Madonna’s broad influence on their generation:
Some people say that I copy her. But show me one girl my age who was not influenced by her.
—Gwen Stefani, Singer
Despite their differences, Stefani and Pink were later invited to perform with Madonna at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, suggesting a degree of mutual respect amid the rivalry.
13. Patti LuPone’s Critique of Madonna’s Acting
Patti LuPone, having starred in the Broadway production of Evita, openly criticized Madonna’s performance in the 1996 film adaptation.
Madonna is a movie killer. She’s dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She should not be on – in film or onstage.
—Patti LuPone, Actress
LuPone appreciated Madonna as a performer, but did not see her as an actress. Recalling an encounter at Lincoln Center, LuPone described their brief interaction:
I did meet her after her opening night party, and the only thing that Madonna has ever said to me was, ‘I’m taller than you.’ Bada-bing.
—Patti LuPone, Actress
Their creative differences remained unresolved, leaving a lasting rift between the two performers.
12. 50 Cent Targets Madonna With Public Mockery
Rapper 50 Cent ignited ageism controversies by posting derogatory remarks about Madonna after she shared provocative photos in late 2021.
Yo this is the funniest sh*t! LOL That’s Madonna under the bed trying to do like a virgin at 63. [She] shot out, if she don’t get her old a** up. LMFAO.
—50 Cent, Rapper
He continued the mockery by comparing Madonna to the Wicked Witch of the East, making crude jokes about a possible movie remake:
STARZ ask me to do a remake, I said only if Madonna is gonna play the role because I need star power and sex appeal in this one.
—50 Cent, Rapper
Madonna fired back using a photo of the two appearing friendly, and condemned his public attacks:
Here is 50 Cent pretending to be my friend. Now you have decided to talk smack about me. I guess your new career is getting attention by trying to humiliate others on social media. The least elevated choice you could make as an artist and an adult.
—Madonna, Singer
50 Cent issued an apology:
I must have hurt Madonna feelings, she went and dug up a [sic] old MTV photo from 03
—50 Cent, Rapper
He clarified further:
Ok I’m sorry I did not intend to hurt your feelings. I don’t benefit from this in any way. I said what I thought when I saw the picture because of where I had seen it before. I hope you accept my apology.
—50 Cent, Rapper
Despite this, he later reignited the feud in 2023, criticizing Madonna’s appearance and cosmetic procedures at her London concert:
She’s rich how the hell she didn’t get it fixed I want the fvcking doctors name right now. I mean damn it man! LOL.
—50 Cent, Rapper
Their interactions highlight how social media can escalate and prolong public feuds between celebrities.
11. Mark Wahlberg’s Violent Fallout With Madonna
During his Marky Mark era, Mark Wahlberg had a hostile encounter with Madonna. Reports describe Wahlberg insulting someone in Madonna’s entourage, leading her to confront him directly, eventually prompting a physical altercation in a Los Angeles nightclub. In a later interview, Wahlberg recalled her reaction:
[Madonna] called the f**king cops on me. Told everybody this bulls story that I was doing sh*t that I wasn’t.
—Mark Wahlberg, Actor
He also described being contacted by director Penny Marshall after the incident:
What the f**k did you do?
—Penny Marshall, Director (as recounted by Mark Wahlberg)
Although Wahlberg received a role in the film Renaissance Man despite the controversy, the altercation marked the end of his professional rapport with Madonna.
10. Kevin Costner’s Feud With Madonna Beckons an Unexpected Apology
In the 1991 documentary Truth or Dare, Kevin Costner visited Madonna backstage after her concert and complimented her show as “neat.” Madonna, unimpressed, mimicked gagging after his departure and said:
Anybody who says my show is neat has to go
—Madonna, Singer
Costner later told the LA Times:
I just went back there because I was asked to go back. And I found the best word that I could. I never called her on it or whatever.
—Kevin Costner, Actor
Years later, Madonna publicly apologized to Costner during a concert, a gesture he deeply respected:
And about the third song in, the lights were down, and she said, ‘I want to apologize to someone.’ And all of a sudden, my face starts to get hot. She says, ‘I want to apologize to Kevin Costner.’ She just said it very simply. Ninety-eight percent of that audience didn’t know what she was talking about. But I really respected that, and it showed me the power of just keeping your own counsel for a long time.
—Kevin Costner, Actor
Costner appreciated the apology, even though he never directly thanked her, closing the chapter on this particular conflict.
9. Sinead O’Connor and Disputes Over Female Representation
Sinead O’Connor was infamous for her 1992 Saturday Night Live protest, which led Madonna to criticize her approach:
I think there’s a better way to present her ideas rather than ripping up an image that means a lot to other people
—Madonna, Singer
O’Connor responded by accusing Madonna of being abusive and judgmental, especially about her appearance:
Madonna is probably the hugest role model for women in America. There’s a woman who people look up to as being a woman who campaigns for women’s rights. A woman who, in an abusive way toward me, said that I look like I had a run-in with a lawnmower and that I was about as sexy as a Venetian blind.
—Sinead O’Connor, Singer
Now there’s the woman that America looks up to as being a campaigner for women, slagging off another woman for not being sexy.
—Sinead O’Connor, Singer
The discord stemmed as much from conflicting views on feminism as it did from personal clashes. O’Connor died in 2023 at the age of 56.
8. Courtney Love’s Chaotic MTV Encounter
The 1995 MTV Video Music Awards saw Courtney Love disrupt Madonna’s interview by throwing make-up compacts at her on live television. Madonna responded in her signature style:
Courtney Love’s in dire need of attention right now.
—Madonna, Singer
Love alleged Madonna had been mean to her, and Madonna retorted again:
I haven’t been mean to anybody, I never said anything bad about you.
—Madonna, Singer
Decades later, Love continued to express her dislike:
I don’t like her and she doesn’t like me. I loved Desperately Seeking Susan, but for the city of New York as much as her.
—Courtney Love, Musician
Their feud epitomizes how strong personalities can clash spectacularly in the public eye.
7. Mariah Carey and Musical Disdain
Madonna and Mariah Carey’s rivalry emerged from their differing opinions on each other’s music. Madonna disparaged Carey’s mainstream success:
I think she’s a very talented singer – but we have to realize that the same country that acquitted O.J. is the same country that makes a complete piece of sh*t movie number one, that buys Mariah Carey records. It’s this homogeneity. But it’s got nothing to do with art.
—Madonna, Singer
Asked whether she would trade places with Carey, Madonna said she’d “kill myself.” Carey, meanwhile, dismissed these comments, implying Madonna’s relevance to her was long past:
I really haven’t paid attention to Madonna since I was in like, seventh or eighth grade when she used to be popular, so I didn’t hear that.
—Mariah Carey, Singer
Their mutual snubs and public barbs have kept the rivalry simmering, each taking jabs in interviews and media appearances over the years.
6. Janet Jackson’s Competing Pop Ambitions
Madonna and Janet Jackson’s struggle for supremacy in pop music was complicated by rumors and indirect jabs. When asked about competing with Madonna, Jackson implied her own music was more refined:
It’s dance music, I’ll say that, which is very similar. I think… How do I put this? I think what I do has class to it. I’ll say that.
—Janet Jackson, Singer
Madonna claimed confusion over Jackson’s comments, but their rivalry became public knowledge. Later, at Super Bowl 2012, Madonna referenced Jackson’s prior “Nipplegate” moment:
I have not mainstreamed and I’m not planning anything naughty. I’m planning something super entertaining. You don’t have to show nipples to be interesting or and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re cutting edge if you do right?
—Madonna, Singer
Both artists have at times downplayed their competition, but pointed comments about each other’s talent and style have kept the rivalry alive.
5. Elton John and Madonna: Decades of Jabs and Reconciliation
The feud between Elton John and Madonna began when John criticized Madonna’s James Bond theme as the “worst Bond tune ever.” He later condemned her for allegedly lip-syncing at live shows:
Madonna, best live act? F*** off. Since when has lip-syncing been live? Anyone who lip-syncs in public on stage when you pay 75 pounds to see them should be shot.
—Elton John, Musician
Madonna’s publicist defended her, stating:
Madonna does not lip-sync nor does she spend her time trashing other artists.
—Madonna’s Publicist
John admitted he spoke in the heat of the moment:
It was something I said in the heat of the moment, and probably should not have said.
—Elton John, Musician
After Madonna’s Golden Globe win over John, his husband David Furnish labelled her acceptance speech as narcissistic:
Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit. Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissism
—David Furnish, Film Producer
John later revisited his attacks in a memoir, reflecting on Madonna’s treatment of Lady Gaga:
I think it’s just wrong — an established artist shouldn’t kick down a younger artist right at the start of their career
—Elton John, Musician
However, in a public encounter years later, John extended an olive branch:
I was in a restaurant in the south of France a couple of years ago and she walked in so I sent her a note saying, ‘You’ll probably never speak to me again but I am really sorry and ashamed of myself and can I buy you dinner.’ She was very gracious and accepted and we talked. We are fine—it was just me and my big mouth.
—Elton John, Musician
Madonna herself marked the feud’s end with a social post:
We finally buried the hatchet. I went to see Elton John perform on SNL this weekend!! WOW.
—Madonna, Singer
Their story illustrates how years of animosity can eventually be resolved through humility and conversation.
4. Cher’s Unfiltered Critiques Over the Decades
Cher’s attitude toward Madonna has swung from respect to open dislike and back again. In the early ’90s, Cher observed Madonna’s business acumen but criticized her demeanor:
I remember having her over to my house a couple of times, because [Sean Penn] and I were friends, and she just was so rude to everybody. She acts like a spoiled brat all the time. And it seems to me when you reach the kind of acclaim that she’s reached — and you can do whatever you want to do — you should be a little bit more magnanimous, and little bit less of a c**t.
—Cher, Singer and Actress
In another interview, Cher commented facetiously on their rivalry:
Do you mean like my best friend Madonna?
—Cher, Singer and Actress
She continued with her candid assessments:
She’s unbelievably creative because she’s not unbelievably talented, she’s not beautiful, but she’s kind of—she’s rude…
—Cher, Singer and Actress
really doesn’t have anything against her.
—Cher, Singer and Actress
By the 2010s, Cher’s attitude had softened publicly, joking about Madonna but saying she was “totally good” with her. During a game show appearance, she famously quipped about duets:
Adele, Pink, and… and not Madonna!
—Cher, Singer and Actress
Their occasionally frosty relations have left plenty of quotable moments in pop culture history.
3. Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna’s Broken Friendship
Once close, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna drifted apart around 2010. At the time, Paltrow obliquely referenced a friendship struggle in an interview:
I can be mean. I can cave in to gossip. I can ice people out and I can definitely harbor revenge. In fact, I’m having a situation right now with a friend where I’m feeling pretty angry. But revenge is corrosive and it doesn’t make me feel good.
—Gwyneth Paltrow, Actress
She then alluded to their shared personal trainer:
It’s good that [Anderson] doesn’t train Madonna anymore. It was too much. She keeps people waiting—it takes up your whole day.
—Gwyneth Paltrow, Actress
Anonymous sources claimed Madonna mistreated Paltrow:
Madonna would s**t on her, over and over
—Anonymous Source
Yet Madonna’s spokesperson denied any falling out:
There has been no falling out between the two.
—Madonna’s Spokesperson
The once-public friendship faded, marked by silent distance rather than loud confrontation.
2. Lady Gaga and Madonna: Borrowed Influence or Artistic Theft?
Initially friendly, Lady Gaga and Madonna’s relationship soured over ongoing comparisons and accusations of imitation. Madonna’s dismissive assessment garnered attention after ABC News asked about Born This Way and Express Yourself similarities. She performed a mashup during her 2012 tour to emphasize the point. Gaga, in turn, clarified her own creative path:
Madonna and I are very different… I wouldn’t make that comparison at all. I don’t mean to disrespect Madonna… But I play a lot of instruments. I write all my own music. I spend hours and hours a day in the studio. I’m a producer. I’m a writer… What I do is different.
—Lady Gaga, Singer
I’m not just rehearsing over and over again to put on a show. There is a spontaneity to my work. I allow myself to fail. I allow myself to break. I’m not afraid of my flaws… I just will not be compared to anyone anymore, I am who the f**k I am and this is me.
—Lady Gaga, Singer
Addressing Madonna’s “reductive” comment in her Netflix documentary, Gaga said:
The only thing that really bothers me about her is that I’m Italian and from New York, you know. So, like, if I’ve got a problem with somebody I’m gonna f—ing tell you to your face. But, no matter how much respect I have for her as a performer, I could never wrap my head around the fact that she wouldn’t look me in the eye and tell me that I was reductive or whatever.
—Lady Gaga, Singer
During A Star Is Born promotions, Gaga’s repeated quote about “100 people in a room” further irked Madonna, resulting in an Instagram post highlighting her earlier use of a similar phrase. Still, the pair were seen together at post-Oscars events, suggesting their feud may finally have cooled.
1. Pink Details a Childhood Idol Clash
Pink recently outlined her difficult relationship with Madonna while on The Howard Stern Show. She admitted outright:
Some people just don’t like me. I’m a polarizing individual.
—Pink, Singer
Pink described her early admiration for Madonna:
She is… man… F**k I loved her.
—Pink, Singer
She elaborated on a backstage encounter that led to friction:
She tried to kind of play me on Regis And Kelly and I’m not the one so. I didn’t work out.
—Pink, Singer
Pink explained that public perception of the incident was skewed, insisting she was not fangirling, but responding to Madonna’s invitation:
She was such an inspiration to me, but it sort of got twisted around that I was like fangirling and was dying to meet Madonna, when in actuality she invited me into her dressing room. And so, I just said a joke when Regis brought me out and said, ‘I heard you were just falling over yourself backstage [at a Madonna show]. How does it feel?’ I’m like, ‘I thought she wanted to meet me.’ It didn’t work out for us.
—Pink, Singer
Howard Stern suggested Madonna took offense, a statement with which Pink agreed. Despite being invited to join Madonna and Stefani at the 2003 VMAs, the collaboration never materialized. Madonna has not commented publicly on the situation.
The Culture of Celebrity Conflict and Its Ongoing Legacy
Kevin Costner’s feud with Madonna in Hollywood is emblematic of a broader pattern: Madonna’s tendency to ignite strong reactions from peers, leading to cycles of conflict and, sometimes, reconciliation. Whether involving harsh critique, social snubs, or public confrontations, these stories trace a clear portrait of a superstar who has never shied away from friction—or from patching things up over time. The ongoing public fascination with these feuds suggests that the Queen of Pop’s influence is as provocative as ever, continually shaping and challenging the boundaries of fame, collaboration, and personal expression in the entertainment industry.
