Top 10 Celebs Who Fell At Their Highest Point

Formed in 1989, The Chicks rose from obscurity to become one of the most popular bands in a decade. By the early 2000s, they dominated country music, becoming the best-selling all-female band in history and winning multiple Grammy Awards. However, after the tragic September 11th attacks, lead vocalist Natalie Maines opposed George W. Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. During a 2003 performance in London, Maines criticized Bush, a move that was deemed unpatriotic by the country music industry. This backlash led to the group being blacklisted, resulting in a sharp decline in music sales and a loss of sponsorships. The Chicks eventually made a comeback with their Grammy-winning 2006 album “Taking the Long Way,” though it failed to reach their former level of success.

Throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, Charlie Sheen established himself as a leading man on the big screen. But it was the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men” that made Sheen a television powerhouse. By the eighth season, Sheen was earning a whopping $1.78 million per episode, making him the highest-paid actor on TV. Having attained such unprecedented heights, Sheen proved there was nowhere to go but down. The actor, who was grappling with substance use disorder at the time, publicly insulted creator Chuck Lorre during a radio show appearance. This ultimately led to him being fired and replaced with Ashton Kutcher. Sheen may no longer be the bankable star he once was, but at least, he appears to have achieved sobriety.

Many aspiring singers dream of winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. For Milli Vanilli, the R&B duo from Munich, that dream became a reality in 1990. The duo had seen an unprecedented rise to fame in the late ‘80s, fueled by their album “Girl You Know It's True.” This album not only won them the Grammy, it also produced three consecutive number-one singles, a remarkable feat for a new act. However, their rapid success was short-lived. It was soon revealed that the duo didn’t sing any of the songs on the album and only lip-synced during live performances. Just like that, their Grammy was revoked, their recording contract terminated and their legacy forever tarnished.

With multiple TV shows, a string of successful cookbooks and her own restaurant chain, Paula Deen was at the pinnacle of her culinary career. However, her reputation took a severe hit when a former employee sued her for racial and sexual discrimination. When she was deposed, Deen admitted to using racial slurs in the past. Although the lawsuit was eventually dropped, the transcript of the deposition leaked, resulting in a massive public backlash. Deen tried to quell the flames by releasing a series of bizarre apology videos online and appearing on the “Today” show to apologize further. But none of these attempts seemed to work. Consequently, the Food Network terminated her contract and she lost several other endorsement deals.

The Fox musical drama series “Empire” became a huge hit in the mid-2010s, propelling its lesser-known actors to global fame. Among them was Jussie Smollett, who portrayed middle son Jamal Lyon. This role seemed like the ideal launching pad for a successful Hollywood career, but Smollett confounded everyone when he fabricated a fake hate crime against himself in 2019. He then paid two brothers who had appeared as extras on “Empire” to go along with his elaborate hoax by posing as his attackers. Once this revelation came to light, Smollett was fired from the show and his character was written off. He was subsequently convicted of felony disorderly conduct for lying to the police and sentenced to 150 days in jail.

Following the original run of her eponymous sitcom, Roseanne Barr tried her hand at various other comedy series and reality shows, but none were nearly as successful. In 2018, her show was brought back for a 10th-season revival, which became a huge ratings hit and brought Barr renewed acclaim. The comedian seemed poised for a late-career resurgence, but she sabotaged all of that with her own hands. After posting a racially insensitive tweet aimed at former White House advisor Valerie Jarrett, Barr was heavily criticized by fans and her industry peers. She was fired by ABC and “Roseanne” was canceled that same day. The show was eventually retooled as “The Conners” and Barr subsequently faded back into obscurity.

After graduating from Yale in 2016, Jonathan Majors quickly rose to fame with roles in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” and the HBO series “Lovecraft Country.” In 2023, Majors debuted as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role that was considered transformative for his career. However, his portrayal of the villain was cut short in March when he was arrested for assault and aggravated harassment of his ex-girlfriend. The following month, more women accused Majors of assault, leading to his management and PR firm dropping him, and Disney removing his upcoming film “Magazine Dreams” from its release schedule. Majors was ultimately convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment charges, following which he was fired by Marvel Studios.

Throughout the 2010s, Armie Hammer was on a steady rise in Hollywood, starring in major projects such as “The Lone Ranger” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” His most celebrated role came with 2017’s “Call Me by Your Name,” which brought him international fame. However, in January 2021, all of that public favor dissipated when the actor’s text messages were leaked, showcasing his violent fantasies against various women. Hammer initially denied the messages were his, but multiple women came forward with corroborating claims. As a result, Hammer either pulled out or was dropped from several upcoming projects. He subsequently moved to the Cayman Islands, where he reportedly worked as a timeshare salesman.

Prior to the controversy that derailed his career, Kevin Spacey was a highly respected actor with two Academy Awards to his name. In the early 2010s, he transitioned smoothly to TV, producing and starring in the highly acclaimed political series “House of Cards.” In 2017, after the fifth season premiered, Spacey was accused of sexual assault by actor Anthony Rapp, in an incident from 1986. This prompted more individuals to come forward with their own allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Spacey’s career quickly collapsed. His contract with Netflix was terminated and he was dropped from his future projects. Although he has been cleared of legal charges in these cases, Spacey’s public reputation appears to be permanently damaged.

In one year, Lance Armstrong went from being one of the most celebrated athletes to an international pariah. How did he manage that? Well, Armstrong had brought global attention to cycling by winning seven consecutive Tour de France titles. Even more impressive, he achieved that remarkable feat after beating testicular cancer just a few years prior. Despite this acclaim, Armstrong was dogged by allegations of doping for years, which he consistently denied. Those allegations made headlines in 2012 when an investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency found that he not only used enhancement drugs, but also ran a doping ring. He was stripped of his record-setting titles and received a lifetime ban from the sport.


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