According to Far Out Magazine, Kelly was known for his tyrant-like behavior on movie sets. This attitude extended to his co-stars, especially when it came to Reynolds. In an interview with TCM, Reynolds explained that she understood Kelly’s pressure because he was one of the film’s directors (per Showbiz Cheatsheet). However, as a newcomer, she thought Kelly could become a mentor. Instead, he became her bully. As Reynolds explained in her 2013 memoir “Unsinkable,” she only had three months to learn the dance routines for “Singin’ in the Rain” (via Country Living). Even so, she stated that Kelly “came to rehearsals and criticized everything I did and never gave me a word of encouragement.”
Moreover, Kelly pushed Reynolds to the limit. Country Living states that the film’s “Good Morning” number (as seen on YouTube) took 15 hours to complete. By the end of it, Reynolds’ feet were bleeding and she was unable to move. She was reportedly put on bed rest for two days. In a 2013 interview with Express, Reynolds went on to explain that Kelly would yell at her to clean up the blood from her battered feet. Additionally, he insisted that she smile more.
Per PopCulture, the pressure became too much for the young actress and she hid under a piano on set and cried. Celebrated dancer Fred Astaire, who was also at MGM studios making a different film, found Reynolds and reassured her. Astaire told her that “You’re not going to die” and explained that the blood, sweat, and tears were part of the learning process.
