Top 10 Shocking Celeb Scandals of the Last Decade

The comedian presents herself on her talk show as a friendly, down-to-earth personality. However, rumors of mean remarks and actions have circulated for a while, and in 2020, employees began to speak out. In a report from Buzzfeed in July, employees alleged that Ellen presided over a toxic work environment where they were exposed to sexual harassment, racist comments, and other issues from the show’s producers. Following these revelations, ratings dropped by more than a million viewers. In 2021, DeGeneres announced that she would be ending her show after 19 years on the air.

The actor from “Empire” made headlines when he claimed in January 2019 to have been the victim of an attack outside a Subway restaurant in Chicago. Smollett alleged that two white males in MAGA hats put a noose around his neck, poured bleach on him, and beat him while yelling racist and homophobic slurs. It was later revealed that the men were Nigerian-born brothers who knew Smollett and said he’d paid them to stage the attack. The initial charges against Smollett were dropped, which also caused controversy. He was even so bold as to file a countersuit against Chicago. But he was later convicted of making false police reports and disorderly conduct.

Ever get suspicious emails asking for sensitive information? Some of them look legitimate as if they’re from Apple or Google - but they’re not. In 2014 several celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, and Kate Upton were the victims of such a scam. Their iCloud accounts were hacked, and private photos were uploaded to websites like 4chan. It was a horrible invasion of privacy that was enough to give anyone nightmares. Lawrence was perhaps the most vocal about her outrage, calling the hack a violation and a “sex crime”. At least five men who were involved in the hacking were convicted and given prison sentences.

This pro athlete and cancer survivor was seen as an inspiration by people around the world and raised millions for cancer research through his Livestrong Foundation. He was an example of what was possible if you worked hard and believed in yourself. However, in 2012, Armstrong disappointed the sports world and disillusioned his supporters when he admitted to using steroids to enhance his performance during his bike races. As a result, Armstrong was stripped of all seven of his Tour De France titles and was banned for life from the sport.

Wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein was able to cultivate a lot of relationships with powerful people based on his ability to traffic young girls. According to one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, Prince Andrew was one such person and abused her in 2001. The ties between Epstein and the Duke of York were reported by the BBC in 2011, and in 2019 the prince gave a disastrous interview where he infamously tried to dispute allegations by insisting that he was unable to “sweat”. The Epstein scandal has been a headache for the British royal family, and in November 2019, Andrew stepped down from his duties as a royal.

Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in 2018, leaving acting behind and becoming the Duchess of Sussex. However, British tabloids found much to criticize, from her choice of wedding flowers to the fact she eats avocados. Some commentators have linked this bias to prejudice against Markle’s nationality and biracial heritage. Due to the hostility, as well as invasions of privacy, Markle and Harry stepped down from their senior royal positions in January 2020. Among the public, some were understanding, especially given the fate of Harry’s mother Diana; others were outraged. Perhaps no-one was madder than Piers Morgan, who claims that Markle once “ghosted” him and has kept up a steady barrage of criticism.

An influential producer once considered a titan in Hollywood, Weinstein was accused of assault and harassment by numerous women, as detailed by the New York Times and The New Yorker. After these stories came out, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women around the world to share their stories on social media with the hashtag #MeToo. This would spark a movement that changed the way many industries viewed misconduct in the workplace. In February 2020, Weinstein was found guilty of multiple counts of misconduct and was later sentenced to 23 years in prison.

The R&B artist has long been suspected of having inappropriate relationships with underage girls. In 2002, R. Kelly was indicted on multiple counts of possessing obscene material involving children, though he was acquitted, and a year later, he was able to beat the rap again. However, in the late 2010s, more allegations of misconduct and abuse emerged, along with a series of high-profile documentaries, including Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly”. In July 2019, federal prosecutors charged Kelly with multiple felony counts, including racketeering, exploitation, and kidnapping. He was convicted of these crimes and went on to receive a sentence of 30 years in prison.

The Princess of Pop became an instant sensation in 1999 with “...Baby One More Time”. But in the mid-2000s, she had a very public breakdown, shaving her head, checking into and out of drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, and even crashing into a parked car. The media coverage was relentless, and the public couldn’t get enough. After child welfare investigators got involved, she lost custody of her kids. It all culminated in a conservatorship under her father Jamie, with conditions including time in a psychiatric facility and using an IUD. In response, her fans started a “Free Britney” movement to advocate for an end to the conservatorship. Britney Spears and her supporters finally got their wish in November 2021.

Before Hannibal Buress’ rant at a standup show went viral in 2014, Bill Cosby was so loved and respected as a comedian that he was known as “America’s Dad.” However, after the Buress video gained attention, several women felt encouraged to come forward and accuse Cosby of misconduct. In 2018, Cosby was indicted and convicted of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand and received a prison sentence of three to ten years. However, in 2021, he was released early after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction, citing a violation of due process. Other civil cases are still being brought against Cosby, and the scandal has forever tarnished his legacy.


Which of these scandals do you think had the biggest impact in the 2010s? Let us know in the comments.