10 Celebs Who Were Nearly RUINED by Their Own Family

10 Celebs Who Were Nearly RUINED by Their Own Family

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most notable celebrities whose family members either tried to exploit them financially or put their lives in danger—actions that have often led to estrangement from these relatives.

Mariah Carey

Legendary singer Mariah Carey became an overnight sensation in 1990, but her journey to fame might have been derailed by her sister’s harmful actions. In her 2020 memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” she revealed that her estranged older sister, Alison, exposed her to drugs as a child and once caused third-degree burns by pouring boiling tea on her. Carey has also shared that after she achieved fame, her mother and siblings became financially dependent on her, often lashing out when they felt she wasn’t generous enough. This made her feel like “an A.T.M. with a wig on.” Despite their strained relationship, Carey penned a heartfelt tribute when Alison and their mother, Patricia, both passed away on the same day in August 2024.

Meghan Markle

Growing up, Meghan Markle was very close to her father, Thomas. Even though her parents separated when she was just two, she spent a lot of time with him and often referred to herself as a “daddy’s girl.” However, things soured after her engagement to Prince Harry. Thomas began selling staged photographs to the paparazzi and gave multiple interviews about his relationship with Meghan. Even after pleading in a letter for him to stop speaking with the media, Thomas ignored her request and even made the letter public. At one point, he was considered a potential witness against Meghan in a lawsuit with a British tabloid. These actions have only deepened the rift between them, as they haven’t been in contact since 2018.

Jewel

Grammy-nominated singer Jewel was just 21 when her debut album “Pieces of You” was released in 1995. It became a massive hit, catapulting the small-town Alaska native to international fame. Early in her career, Jewel’s mother, Lenedra Carroll, served as her manager, but it took years for the singer to discover that her momager was stealing from her. Jewel claims Carroll embezzled over $100 million. By the time she realized this, she was in her 30s and over $3 million in debt, which severely affected her mental health. This realization led her to cut ties with her mother, and they have remained estranged ever since. Fortunately, Jewel was able to recover and now advocates for mental health wellness through her company, Innerworld.

Corey Feldman

Actor Corey Feldman began his Hollywood career at the age of three. By his teenage years, he was already a familiar face, having starred in hits like “The Goonies” and “Stand by Me.” At 15, Feldman took his parents to court, asking to be legally emancipated. Despite earning over $1 million from his films, his parents had mismanaged his income, leaving him with only $40,000. To secure his father’s consent, Feldman had to give him that entire $40,000, which he claimed as compensation for neglecting his own business to manage his son’s career. Though legally emancipated, Feldman was left penniless. According to him, this event sparked what he calls the “Emancipation Proclamation in Hollywood,” which inspired other child stars to follow suit.

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan’s father, Michael, first ran into legal trouble back in 1990, years before her rise to fame with “The Parent Trap.” At the time, Michael was a Wall Street trader and was investigated for insider trading, which led to him serving jail time for criminal contempt of court. Since then, Michael has had multiple brushes with the law, including charges of assault and domestic violence. Lohan herself has had her fair share of legal issues, and surprisingly, some of her personal struggles were leaked to the media by none other than her own father. He even reportedly sold a voicemail she sent him during a difficult time and once posted her phone number online. With a father like that, who needs enemies?

Britney Spears

In the late 2000s, pop star Britney Spears suffered a very public breakdown, leading to a court-ordered conservatorship, primarily overseen by her father, Jamie Spears. This arrangement granted Jaime near-total control over his daughter’s life. According to the singer, during this period, Jamie forced her to go to rehab, constantly body shamed her and even controlled what she ate. Additionally, she was pressured into performing when she was sick. The situation got so bad that, during a court hearing regarding the conservatorship, Spears expressed her desire to press charges against her father for “conservatorship abuse.” In 2021, after 13 years under the control of her father, the arrangement was finally terminated and Spears regained her freedom.

Jackie Coogan

Considered one of Hollywood’s first child stars, Jackie Coogan shot to fame after starring opposite Charlie Chaplin in 1921’s “The Kid.” Before long, he became the top box-office draw in the U.S. and inspired several merchandise lines. All of this earned Coogan up to $4 million at the time, equivalent to nearly $90 million today. But he never saw most of this fortune. Instead, his mother and stepfather squandered nearly all of it on frivolous luxuries. In 1938, he sued them but managed to recover only $126,000, after legal expenses. This incident led California to pass the Child Actor’s Bill, or Coogan’s Act, ensuring that a portion of a child actor’s earnings is placed in a trust, to prevent similar situations.

Ariel Winter

On the hit ABC show, “Modern Family,” Ariel Winter famously played Alex Dunphy, the middle child in a close-knit family. But in real life, her experience was markedly different. The actress had a troubled relationship with her mother, whom she accused of maltreating her both physically and emotionally. Her mom also reportedly isolated her from the rest of her family and deprived her of a normal childhood. In 2012, Winter moved in with her older sister, who then sought legal guardianship of her. This sparked a two-year legal battle that ultimately ended with custody being taken from Winter’s mother and granted to her sister. By the age of 17, Winter became legally emancipated and gained control over her own affairs.

Jennette McCurdy

As a child, Jennette McCurdy was pushed into acting by her mother, who had always dreamed of becoming a performer. At that young age, McCurdy not only shouldered the financial responsibilities of the family, she also endured a traumatic experience at her mother’s hands. The former actress revealed that her mother micromanaged every aspect of her life, from controlling her diet and physical appearance to performing invasive examinations on her. This mistreatment occurred even as McCurdy found success on TV, starring in Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” and “Sam & Cat.” In 2013, her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer during McCurdy’s childhood, succumbed to the disease. McCurdy later shared her experience in her 2022 best-selling memoir, “I'm Glad My Mom Died.”

Macaulay Culkin

Throughout history, many child actors have risen to fame, but few have reached the heights of Macaulay Culkin. Culkin became a household name after starring in the “Home Alone” franchise, earning $4.5 million for the sequel alone. His father, Kit, who was a stage actor, had encouraged him to pursue acting, but Culkin’s immense success soon created problems. Kit apparently grew jealous of his son and maltreated him physically and emotionally. When Culkin was a teenager, his parents separated, and he realized that his multimillion dollar trust fund was at risk. To protect his assets, he sued his parents, successfully removing their names and appointing an executor. After Kit’s name was taken off, Culkin never saw or heard from him again.

Do you think it’s a good idea for celebrities to let their family members manage their finances? Let us know in the comments below.