Top 10 Actors Who Opened Up About the Price of Fame

Kirsten Dunst’s Hollywood career began at a young age, but her breakthrough didn’t come until 1994’s “Interview with the Vampire.” Dunst enjoyed considerable success in her teens, but that high was followed by a devastating low in her 20s. During that period, the actress suffered from depression, which she revealed was partly due to societal expectations of celebrities and her own people-pleasing nature. In 2008, she sought treatment at the Cirque Lodge treatment center in Utah and managed to work through her condition with the help of medication. While she admits it is difficult to talk about mental health, she believes sharing her experience is important to remind everyone that no one is immune to such struggles.

Since her breakout with the “Transformers” franchise in the late 2000s, Megan Fox has been constantly scrutinized by the press. A naturally shy individual, Fox struggled to adapt to this intense media exposure. In a 2009 interview with GQ, she admitted that while she always craved the spotlight, she found it incredibly overwhelming when it finally arrived. Later on in 2013, she told Esquire Magazine that fame felt like being a teenager again, constantly harassed by high school jerks, but this time on a global scale. Nowadays, Fox has learned to manage the pressure and even finds herself enjoying some aspects of fame.

Many actors spend their entire careers without ever attaining global fame. Some are lucky to do so as adults, but only a rare few manage to achieve that as children. One notable example is Macaulay Culkin. Culkin became a household name thanks to the “Home Alone” film series. However, that level of fame came at a cost. Culkin’s success reportedly made his father, who was also an actor, jealous of him. A bitter dispute over control of Culkin’s earnings further strained their relationship, causing the actor to remove his parents’ names from his trust fund. Despite facing legal and personal challenges, Culkin has managed to create a happy life for himself, even if it means staying mostly out of the spotlight.

1994’s “Léon: The Professional” served as Natalie Portman’s breakthrough, but it sparked controversy for casting the then child actress in a film with intense sexual and violent themes. Two years later, Portman followed that up with “Beautiful Girls,” playing a precocious young girl who develops feelings for an older man. These roles led to the actress being sexualized early on in her career. Portman has said that this robbed her of the liberty to define her own sexuality as she grew older. To shield herself from the unwanted attention, Portman began avoiding similar roles, which was admittedly effective. However, she has stated that it left her feeling afraid to fully explore her identity at the time.

The “Twilight” film series skyrocketed its lead actors to an extraordinary level of fame. For the very private Robert Pattinson, this boost was a mixed blessing – it was great for his career, but a nightmare for his personal life. The actor had to come up with creative ways to dodge the paparazzi, resorting to disguises and even hiding in car trunks. The experience made him become more paranoid, wary of new people and their potential ulterior motives. Pattinson’s aversion to the media overexposure may have influenced his decision to step back from blockbusters after the “Twilight” franchise came to an end, choosing instead to focus on independent films for nearly a decade.

Being famous brings with it wealth, access to exclusive events and entry into influential circles, among other perks. However, for someone as recognizable as George Clooney, it can also mean losing the ability to lead a “normal” life. Clooney has spoken openly about the limitations his fame has brought, which prevent him from enjoying everyday activities like taking a walk in Central Park. While he is grateful for the opportunity to do what he loves, he also recognizes the risks of getting too caught up in fame. This is probably why he and his family choose to live mainly in Italy and London, far away from the constant glare of Tinseltown.

For British actor Idris Elba, the worst part of being famous is how it tends to complicate personal relationships. In that respect, Elba has likened being a celebrity to the 1998 film “The Truman Show,” in which a man begins to question his reality after observing a series of strange occurrences. Similarly, Elba has found himself questioning people’s intentions, especially in romantic relationships. This left him paranoid about potential love interests, and kept him single for a long time. Fortunately, despite his misgivings, Elba appears to have found genuine love. In 2017, he began dating Canadian model Sabrina Dhowre, with whom he tied the knot two years later.

Ever since she first came to prominence with the 2004 teen classic “Mean Girls,” Amanda Seyfried has risen steadily in both talent and fame. Watching her on screen, you’d never suspect that the actress has dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for much of her life. Getting thrust into the spotlight only seems to have worsened these issues. During a 2021 appearance on the “Today” show, Seyfried opened up about her condition, describing it as feeling “like life or death,” and something that simply “never goes away.” Being a famous person has also made it difficult for her to connect with others, even though she sees herself as a “normal” individual.