10 Actor Downfalls That Surprised NO ONE
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at actors whose careers collapsed under scandal, but only after they cultivated a bad reputation.
James Corden
From “Gavin & Stacey” to many animated and musical blockbusters, James Corden worked hard on a lovable image. But Many felt that he was working too hard. Corden’s obtrusive interview style especially rubbed them the wrong way. Well, in 2019, a Reddit user recounted witnessing Corden verbally abuse a restaurant wait staff. This behavior got him banned from a restaurant in 2022. And just before he left “The Late Late Show,” Corden was ousted as a control freak by a director on the game show “A League of Their Own.” With his wholesome brand unraveled, Corden has fallen from the spotlight. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy? Not according to longtime critics.
Ezra Miller
Maybe there wasn't that much acting in the chilling breakout performance of “We Need to Talk About Kevin.” Ezra Miller went on to score acclaim and such big roles as the Flash in the DCEU. Their public image, however, was blemished by eccentric behavior and a volatile lifestyle. The world took notice in 2020, when Miller was filmed attacking a woman in Iceland. Two years later, a series of disorderly conduct complaints in Hawaii culminated in leaked body cam footage of Miller yelling at police during an arrest. Their disgrace would be cited as a factor in the franchise-killing flop of 2023’s “The Flash.” Of course, Miller’s former fans knew this meltdown was a long time coming.
James Woods
Noted for decades for his raw talent and intellect, James Woods is also known for saying some not-so-smart things. His behavior, particularly with women, was a source of controversy long before his outspoken conservative views. Woods is at least agreeable in his claim that it's wrong for actors to be blacklisted over their political beliefs. However, bigoted comments and conspiracy theories on social media are a different story. Since the Trump era, Woods’s statements have steadily drifted further to the right and even into violent rhetoric. He has not been on the screen since 2017. Woods may be a political martyr for some, but others feel that his hotheadedness has just caught up with him.
Kevin Spacey
The public was shocked when Oscar winner Kevin Spacey was accused of serial sexual assault in 2017. Even now, there's little talk about how rumors long persisted in the industry. Rosie O'Donnell tweeted, “We all knew about u,” just as allegations were starting. There may also be something to a 2005 episode of “Family Guy,” in which Stewie streaks while shouting, “Help! I've escaped from Kevin Spacey’s basement!” Finally, Anthony Rapp, Spacey’s initial accuser, had described being assaulted by an unidentified actor in a 2001 interview with The Advocate. More than 30 accusers and several legal victories later, Spacey’s guilt is still not formally confirmed. Still, the scale of the allegations and the state of his career suggest another dark open secret in Hollywood.
Johnny Depp
Neither actor survived the court of public opinion after Depp v. Heard in 2022. Amber Heard’s loss and history of abusive behavior may have changed her fans’ tune (xref), but ex-husband Johnny Depp is no stranger to backlash. His bad boy image has been supplemented by arrests and lawsuits for violent behavior as far back as 1989. In recent years, scandals have included glib threats toward President Donald Trump. And ex-girlfriends Ellen Barkin and Jennifer Grey have publicly spoken about his volatility. Only after Heard’s op-ed piece and Depp’s defamation suit was he burned by Hollywood. The scandal has sparked discussions not only about domestic abuse and gender dynamics, but about recognizing disturbing patterns in our favorite stars.
Lindsay Lohan
Downward spirals are sadly common among child actors. Lindsay Lohan seemed to be an exception, until her transition into more adult projects was derailed by scandal. After surviving an overdose at age 18, she spent most of her 20s in and out of rehab for substance use disorder. Multiple arrests for disorderly conduct further fueled extensive tabloid coverage. Meanwhile, what work she could get tended to be low-profile and critically panned. The once-wholesome Lohan suffered one of the most talked-about celebrity downfalls of the 2000s, foreshadowed by personal history and the trappings of stardom at a young age. She has been sober in 2013, and steadily rebuilding her career and public image.
Shia LaBeouf
From polarizing genre fare to acclaimed dramas and subversive art, Shia LaBeouf has always been a perplexing talent. But his public image has been condemned by everyone, including the actor himself. His volatile behavior and substance use disorder have led to many disturbing public incidents. Viral videos of arrests, public meltdowns, and even violence obliterated LaBeouf’s mainstream bankability. Even the art film industry mostly abandoned him after ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs sued him for severe abuse. It was a more gradual process than some feel he deserved. LaBeouf has expressed great remorse since committing to Christianity and sobriety in the 2020s. Still, he'd be the first to admit that he's blown too many chances for the public’s comfort.
Chevy Chase
Edgy and sardonic humor has cultivated a huge fanbase for Chevy Chase. It hasn't exactly won him many fans in the industry. Chase is notoriously difficult to work with for his ego, pranks and highly inappropriate gestures. For decades, the public has been well-aware of his feuds and antics. They just didn't take that very seriously until his attempt to reach a new generation of fans with “Community.” Chase was instead dismissed from the popular sitcom due to hostilities that his former castmates have been very vocal about. He has responded in kind, but makes no apologies for his behavior. If Chase’s reputation has burned bridges through the years, he's now practically blacklisted.
Steven Seagal
The combativeness that made Steven Seagal a star with audiences made him a pariah among colleagues. His on-set abuses, particularly with stunt performers, hold nothing for the off-set ones that took decades to bring him down. Allegations of sexual harassment go all the way back of 1991. Though Seagal has been consistently lucky in court, he has a bizarre history of dishonest branding. The sheer volume of controversies steadily eroded his status, until he was driven into obscurity amid the #MeToo movement and expression of extreme political views. Seagal’s friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is particularly unsettling. Of course, the always divisive action icon’s collapse has been a quiet process for some time.
Charlie Sheen
Granted, a downfall is to be anticipated when there have been several. Charlie Sheen spent the ‘90s entrenched in controversy for his personal life, particularly his substance use disorder. His love life has included many adult film stars and violent incidents. Sheen’s film career was practically over by the time he bounced back with the hit sitcom “Two and a Half Men.” But after years of further scandal and disturbing political claims, his feud with showrunner Chuck Lorre resulted in his termination in 2011. Sheen has been sober since 2017, but his past continues to haunt his career. Despite a history of comebacks, as well, no-one expects the next one to last for very long.
What are some other acting career derailments that you saw coming a mile away? Speak up in the comments.
