10 Celebrity Scandals of 2024
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VOICE OVER: Patrick Mealey
WRITTEN BY: Nick Spake
From courtroom dramas to social media meltdowns, 2024 was a year of jaw-dropping celebrity scandals. Join us as we count down the most shocking moments that had everyone talking, from Hollywood to the White House. Prepare for a rollercoaster of controversy, legal battles, and unexpected twists! Our list includes scandals involving P. Diddy, Justin Timberlake, Donald Trump, and more. We'll explore everything from movie controversies and legal troubles to political upheavals and shocking revelations that rocked the entertainment industry. Which scandal left you most surprised? Let us know in the comments!
10 Celebrity Scandals of 2024
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrity scandals that kept tabloids in business and swarmed social media feeds in 2024.
It Ends with Scandal
“It Ends with Us” was among the year’s most profitable films, although several controversies loomed over its success. Blake Lively requested reshoots and rewriters for the theatrical cut, supposedly causing tension between her and co-star Justin Baldoni, who also directed the film. Baldoni and Lively weren’t seen at many press junkets together, sparking rumors. Lively received further flack for launching her new haircare line while doing publicity and suggesting viewers attend screenings wearing flowery ensembles. Some found this in bad taste given the film’s serious subject matter. Colleen Hoover, who wrote the source material, came under fire as well, being accused of glamorizing domestic abuse. None of this stopped the film from grossing 14 times its budget, although the PR team might deserve a bonus.
“Baby Reindeer’s” Real Martha
While much of this Emmy-winning miniseries is based on Richard Gadd’s devastating experiences, he made changes for storytelling purposes and to conceal the identities of various people. This didn’t prevent viewers from trying to deduce who had caused Gadd such pain. Some theorized the abusive Darrien O’Connor was based on director Sean Foley, which Gadd says isn’t true. Meanwhile, Fiona Harvey insists she’s the inspiration behind Martha Scott, who relentlessly stalks Gadd’s character. Harvey pursued a $170 million lawsuit against Netflix, arguing there were falsehoods in this “true story.” Although the judge threw out a few claims, Harvey’s defamation case was permitted to move forward. The lawsuit has ignited debates about fact vs. fiction and whether Harvey should be rewarded for her alleged behavior.
Lil Durk Arrested on Murder-for-Hire
In October 2024, five individuals were arrested in an alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy that resulted in death. All five shared a common link with the hip-hop label Only the Family and its founder, Lil Durk. It wasn’t long until Durk was also taken into custody. Durk allegedly ordered a hit on rapper Quando Rondo, who was targeted in a 2022 L.A. shooting. While Rondo survived, his cousin Saviay’a “Lul Pabb” Robinson didn’t. The shooting was supposedly retaliation for the murder of King Von. Durk stands accused of offering his five colleagues money and career advancement to participate in the shooting. Denied bail, Durk could face life in prison or even the death penalty if found guilty, although he maintains his innocence.
Arrests Made in Matthew Perry’s Death Case
The world mourned a friend in October 2023 when Matthew Perry tragically died. It appeared Perry drowned in a hot tub with high ketamine levels found in his system, although numerous unanswered questions remained. Over the following months, authorities investigated where this fatal amount of ketamine came from, tracing it to five individuals. The accused include Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who received the ketamine from director Erik Fleming, who allegedly got the drug from dealer Jasveen Sangha. Doctors Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia were charged as well. Of the five, Iwamasa, Fleming, and Chavez have pleaded guilty while Plasencia and Sangha entered not guilty pleas. The ordeal has drawn parallels to Michael Jackson’s death years earlier, again sparking conversations about medical professionals abusing wealthy patients.
J.K. Rowling & Elon Musk’s Comments on Imane Khelif
The “Harry Potter” author and X owner added to their history of transphobic comments during the 2024 Summer Olympics when boxer Imane Khelif won a gold medal. Musk and Rowling targeted Khelif in bigoted posts about trans athletes, the latter sharing a video of the gold medalist facing opponent Angela Carini in a short fight. Not only were their words hurtful, but it’s unlikely either bothered researching Khelif, who isn’t trans. Khelif did fail a gender eligibility test at the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships supposedly due to high testosterone levels. However, Khelif was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman. What should’ve been a victorious moment for Khelif was overshadowed by hateful misinformation, leading to a lawsuit naming Musk, Rowling, and others.
Justin Timberlake’s World Tour Ruined
The Forget Tomorrow World Tour will be one to remember, but not necessarily for the reasons Justin Timberlake wanted. In June, Timberlake got pulled over in New York while under the influence. Reflecting how much time has passed since his *NSYNC days, the cop was apparently so young he didn’t recognize the superstar. Timberlake was heard commenting that his DWI would “ruin the tour.” When the officer asked, “What tour?,” Timberlake replied, “The world tour,” gifting the internet the meme of the summer. Eventually, after taking a plea deal, Timberlake was required to pay fines and commit to community service, with his license temporarily suspended. The tour would go on, but Timberlake probably should’ve practiced the advice he gave Britney Spears years ago.
Donald Trump, From President to Potential Prisoner… to President Again
In any other political era, RFK Jr.’s brain worm would be the craziest news story. During the Trump regime, though, it’s hard to compete. One day, he’s fighting multiple criminal indictments. The next, the Supreme Court is essentially granting him a Get Out of Jail Free card. Shortly after that landmark immunity ruling, Trump survived an assassination attempt. It wouldn’t be the last attempt on his life throughout another chaotic presidential campaign that saw Trump spread false rumors about Haitian immigrants and turn Madison Square Garden into what some compared to a Nazi rally. Most controversially, Trump won a second term and the popular vote for the first time. Love him or hate him, we’ll be discussing Trump for four more years… maybe more???
The Menendez Case Revisited
28 years after being sentenced to life in prison for the murders of their parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez were back in the zeitgeist thanks in part to the miniseries, “Monsters.” The Menendez family condemned the series, saying it was “riddled with mistruths and outright falsehoods.” At the same time, the show helped fuel the argument that the brothers had been unfairly sentenced. A year earlier, new evidence supported the brothers’ claims that their father had a history of sexual abuse. In October 2024, weeks after “Monsters” debuted on Netflix, LA District Attorney George Gascón announced that he was recommending a resentencing trial. The trial is set to take place in early 2025, potentially giving the brothers a path to parole.
Revelations from “Quiet on Set”
Dan Schneider’s reportedly toxic behavior during his time at Nickelodeon has been a talking point for several years. Watching “Quiet on Set,” audiences realized Schneider was only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to Schneider, the docuseries spotlighted predators like Jason Michael Handy and Brian Peck. While some might’ve heard of Peck before, the press largely overlooked his 2003 arrest and brief prison sentence at the time. The identity of Peck’s accuser had also been sealed until actor Drake Bell publicly spoke about his traumatic experiences for the first time. “Quiet on Set” has encouraged more former child stars to speak out. Not just the ones employed by Nickelodeon, but across the whole industry, demonstrating how Hollywood has repeatedly failed to protect young talent.
The Downfall of Diddy
If you follow WatchMojo regularly, you might’ve noticed a surge of videos concerning Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in September 2024. Some might’ve called it excessive, but few celebrity scandals this year proved more shocking - and it’s far from over. Diddy’s downward spiral started in late 2023 when Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit alleging sex trafficking and other crimes. The plot thickened in 2024 as video evidence corroborated Ventura’s claims. It didn’t end with Ventura, as more than 100 individuals came forward accusing Diddy of abuse, culminating in his indictment. As the incarcerated rapper awaits trial, a disturbing question towers over the industry: how many knew of Diddy’s alleged “freak-off parties?” If true, it’d take a village to keep such a secret under wraps.
Which celebrity scandal left you in disbelief? Let us know in the comments.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrity scandals that kept tabloids in business and swarmed social media feeds in 2024.
It Ends with Scandal
“It Ends with Us” was among the year’s most profitable films, although several controversies loomed over its success. Blake Lively requested reshoots and rewriters for the theatrical cut, supposedly causing tension between her and co-star Justin Baldoni, who also directed the film. Baldoni and Lively weren’t seen at many press junkets together, sparking rumors. Lively received further flack for launching her new haircare line while doing publicity and suggesting viewers attend screenings wearing flowery ensembles. Some found this in bad taste given the film’s serious subject matter. Colleen Hoover, who wrote the source material, came under fire as well, being accused of glamorizing domestic abuse. None of this stopped the film from grossing 14 times its budget, although the PR team might deserve a bonus.
“Baby Reindeer’s” Real Martha
While much of this Emmy-winning miniseries is based on Richard Gadd’s devastating experiences, he made changes for storytelling purposes and to conceal the identities of various people. This didn’t prevent viewers from trying to deduce who had caused Gadd such pain. Some theorized the abusive Darrien O’Connor was based on director Sean Foley, which Gadd says isn’t true. Meanwhile, Fiona Harvey insists she’s the inspiration behind Martha Scott, who relentlessly stalks Gadd’s character. Harvey pursued a $170 million lawsuit against Netflix, arguing there were falsehoods in this “true story.” Although the judge threw out a few claims, Harvey’s defamation case was permitted to move forward. The lawsuit has ignited debates about fact vs. fiction and whether Harvey should be rewarded for her alleged behavior.
Lil Durk Arrested on Murder-for-Hire
In October 2024, five individuals were arrested in an alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy that resulted in death. All five shared a common link with the hip-hop label Only the Family and its founder, Lil Durk. It wasn’t long until Durk was also taken into custody. Durk allegedly ordered a hit on rapper Quando Rondo, who was targeted in a 2022 L.A. shooting. While Rondo survived, his cousin Saviay’a “Lul Pabb” Robinson didn’t. The shooting was supposedly retaliation for the murder of King Von. Durk stands accused of offering his five colleagues money and career advancement to participate in the shooting. Denied bail, Durk could face life in prison or even the death penalty if found guilty, although he maintains his innocence.
Arrests Made in Matthew Perry’s Death Case
The world mourned a friend in October 2023 when Matthew Perry tragically died. It appeared Perry drowned in a hot tub with high ketamine levels found in his system, although numerous unanswered questions remained. Over the following months, authorities investigated where this fatal amount of ketamine came from, tracing it to five individuals. The accused include Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who received the ketamine from director Erik Fleming, who allegedly got the drug from dealer Jasveen Sangha. Doctors Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia were charged as well. Of the five, Iwamasa, Fleming, and Chavez have pleaded guilty while Plasencia and Sangha entered not guilty pleas. The ordeal has drawn parallels to Michael Jackson’s death years earlier, again sparking conversations about medical professionals abusing wealthy patients.
J.K. Rowling & Elon Musk’s Comments on Imane Khelif
The “Harry Potter” author and X owner added to their history of transphobic comments during the 2024 Summer Olympics when boxer Imane Khelif won a gold medal. Musk and Rowling targeted Khelif in bigoted posts about trans athletes, the latter sharing a video of the gold medalist facing opponent Angela Carini in a short fight. Not only were their words hurtful, but it’s unlikely either bothered researching Khelif, who isn’t trans. Khelif did fail a gender eligibility test at the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships supposedly due to high testosterone levels. However, Khelif was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman. What should’ve been a victorious moment for Khelif was overshadowed by hateful misinformation, leading to a lawsuit naming Musk, Rowling, and others.
Justin Timberlake’s World Tour Ruined
The Forget Tomorrow World Tour will be one to remember, but not necessarily for the reasons Justin Timberlake wanted. In June, Timberlake got pulled over in New York while under the influence. Reflecting how much time has passed since his *NSYNC days, the cop was apparently so young he didn’t recognize the superstar. Timberlake was heard commenting that his DWI would “ruin the tour.” When the officer asked, “What tour?,” Timberlake replied, “The world tour,” gifting the internet the meme of the summer. Eventually, after taking a plea deal, Timberlake was required to pay fines and commit to community service, with his license temporarily suspended. The tour would go on, but Timberlake probably should’ve practiced the advice he gave Britney Spears years ago.
Donald Trump, From President to Potential Prisoner… to President Again
In any other political era, RFK Jr.’s brain worm would be the craziest news story. During the Trump regime, though, it’s hard to compete. One day, he’s fighting multiple criminal indictments. The next, the Supreme Court is essentially granting him a Get Out of Jail Free card. Shortly after that landmark immunity ruling, Trump survived an assassination attempt. It wouldn’t be the last attempt on his life throughout another chaotic presidential campaign that saw Trump spread false rumors about Haitian immigrants and turn Madison Square Garden into what some compared to a Nazi rally. Most controversially, Trump won a second term and the popular vote for the first time. Love him or hate him, we’ll be discussing Trump for four more years… maybe more???
The Menendez Case Revisited
28 years after being sentenced to life in prison for the murders of their parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez were back in the zeitgeist thanks in part to the miniseries, “Monsters.” The Menendez family condemned the series, saying it was “riddled with mistruths and outright falsehoods.” At the same time, the show helped fuel the argument that the brothers had been unfairly sentenced. A year earlier, new evidence supported the brothers’ claims that their father had a history of sexual abuse. In October 2024, weeks after “Monsters” debuted on Netflix, LA District Attorney George Gascón announced that he was recommending a resentencing trial. The trial is set to take place in early 2025, potentially giving the brothers a path to parole.
Revelations from “Quiet on Set”
Dan Schneider’s reportedly toxic behavior during his time at Nickelodeon has been a talking point for several years. Watching “Quiet on Set,” audiences realized Schneider was only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to Schneider, the docuseries spotlighted predators like Jason Michael Handy and Brian Peck. While some might’ve heard of Peck before, the press largely overlooked his 2003 arrest and brief prison sentence at the time. The identity of Peck’s accuser had also been sealed until actor Drake Bell publicly spoke about his traumatic experiences for the first time. “Quiet on Set” has encouraged more former child stars to speak out. Not just the ones employed by Nickelodeon, but across the whole industry, demonstrating how Hollywood has repeatedly failed to protect young talent.
The Downfall of Diddy
If you follow WatchMojo regularly, you might’ve noticed a surge of videos concerning Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in September 2024. Some might’ve called it excessive, but few celebrity scandals this year proved more shocking - and it’s far from over. Diddy’s downward spiral started in late 2023 when Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit alleging sex trafficking and other crimes. The plot thickened in 2024 as video evidence corroborated Ventura’s claims. It didn’t end with Ventura, as more than 100 individuals came forward accusing Diddy of abuse, culminating in his indictment. As the incarcerated rapper awaits trial, a disturbing question towers over the industry: how many knew of Diddy’s alleged “freak-off parties?” If true, it’d take a village to keep such a secret under wraps.
Which celebrity scandal left you in disbelief? Let us know in the comments.
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