The Real Reasons Hollywood Won't Cast Gary Busey Anymore

Gary Busey was once an on-demand actor in Hollywood but has slowly faded out of the spotlight. Busey started his career in the late '60s and starred in notable films such as "The Last American Hero" and the original "A Star Is Born." His career took off when he played the lead in the 1978 film "The Buddy Holly Story," and back then, he was just as outspoken as he is now. During a chat with The Church Studio, Busey relayed how the producers told him an anecdote about the late musician, and he shot back with, "That's not right, here's how it was," before correcting the group.

After playing the iconic Buddy Holly, Busey went on to star in over a dozen more movies until his near-fatal motorcycle crash in 1988. "About 25 years ago, I had an accident on a Harley-Davidson. I went off the bike without a helmet, hit my head into a [curb], split my skull, passed away after brain surgery, and went to the other side," he recalled to The Guardian. Although he said he didn't end up with brain trauma, Busey's son Jake told The Hollywood Reporter, "The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988." Busey is certainly known for playing offbeat, quirky characters, but he often engaged in erratic behavior in real life as well — and it affected his once-prolific career greatly.

Hollywood's no stranger to tough cookies, and Gary Busey? Well, he's right in the mix. As reported by TMZ, while shooting "Mansion of Blood" in 2011, an unnamed woman claimed the actor made offensive remarks to her. A source told the outlet that Busey was ousted from the set and was replaced by another actor. Producers denied that he was fired, stating that the actor "committed no improper acts in connection with his role in the movie." However, Busey's rep shared, "The situation was plagued by contractual issues and misunderstandings from the outset. Gary considers this episode concluded and has no further comment on the matter."

The previous month, Busey was a contestant on "Celebrity Apprentice" and befuddled his castmates with kooky antics, such as eating chicken and throwing the bones on the floor. Lisa Rinna likened him to a 3-year-old, and Penn Jillette stated, "If I'm going to be judged on how well I can keep Gary Busey in line, then I would be fired instantly." Ultimately, Busey was the one who was fired after failing to deliver on a project. When asked what he had planned next, he told The Hollywood Reporter, "I'm learning how to stuff pantyhose into people's mouths and duct-tape their lips when they talk too much." Hopefully, he was just kidding!

The reality show "Big Brother" is dramatic enough, but add celebrities to the mix, and it's total mayhem. In 2014, Gary Busey was the source of the chaos when he attempted to fix his knee on a chair and pulled his pants down while filming "Celebrity Big Brother." The problem was that he wasn't wearing any underwear, which his housemates didn't take kindly to. The actor got into it with dancer James Jordan, and the producer had to take Busey aside and tell him not to expose himself in the house moving forward.

Busey also created problems with Jordan when he taunted him about being gay, even though the dancer was straight. The "Behaving Badly" actor's comments caused Jordan to reply, "I've never hit a 70-year-old. But people are going to get offended by him. He is rude." Stephanie Pratt of "The Hills" quipped, "He's like that person who'd boil people and eat them."

The other contestants became increasingly concerned over Busey's behavior, and a source told the Daily Record that the other housemates were scared of him. Despite all the trouble within the house, Busey ended up winning "Celebrity Big Brother," but the drama continued to follow him off the show.

Winning "Celebrity Big Brother" came with its perks, but according to Gary Busey's talent agent, Vie Marshall, he didn't give her his share of the pie. According to TMZ, she was instrumental in getting him the gig after he failed to show up to a meeting with the network's head honchos. After speaking with execs, Marshall allegedly got the bigwigs to book the actor. However, there was no written contract between Busy and the talent agent, so she never got her cut. Marshall went after Busey for 10% of what he made from the show, but his rep said the allegations had no merit.

His talent agent wasn't the only one Busey owed money to. In 2012, TMZ reported that he filed for bankruptcy and was half a million dollars in debt. According to the legal documents, Busey was in debt with the IRS, a medical center, a bank, and other businesses. Despite his money woes, he seemed in good spirits and was seen dancing on the street while loading his car.

The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Gary Busey just can't seem to stay out of the news. During a 2022 convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the "Under Siege" star was accused of groping three women, according to ABC News. Busey was charged with harassment and two fourth-degree counts of criminal sexual contact, as well as one fourth-degree count of attempting criminal sexual contact. In a video shot by TMZ, Busey claimed, "None of that happened." He described being at the Monster-Mania Convention with a camera lady and two women, stating, "It took less than 10 seconds. They left. Then they made the story that I assaulted them sexually when I did not."

A day after the alleged incident, Busey was caught with his pants down in public while sitting on a bench across the street from his house, Page Six reported. He sat for a while before pulling his sweats back up. His rep stated, "Gary often sits on the bench in front of his home to meditate and look at the ocean. Our only guess is that perhaps at his age, he realized he couldn't get to the bathroom in time which explains what happened in the video of him on the bench."

Busey's last acting role was in the 2021 movie, "Reggie: A Millenial Depression Comedy," in which he played a trainer. Whether Hollywood now considers him a liability or he's simply content spending his time gazing at the Pacific Ocean, it's clear that Busey's busy acting career has long since waned.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).