Top 20 Hollywood Conspiracy Theories of All Time

As we all know, two little-known actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon shot to superstardom in the late ‘90s when they wrote and starred in “Good Will Hunting.” They even won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, but it seems unbelievable for some that two good-looking dudes in their twenties penned such a stirring drama. Sure, they’d been around before then, but the meteoric rise is admittedly sudden. Instead, it’s been suggested that “The Princess Bride” scribe William Goldman was actually behind it. Goldman did indeed read the script in pre-production, but otherwise denied his involvement. Rather, he maintained that he merely agreed with the previous suggestion that the movie not be a thriller. What a different movie that would be…

It’s an understandable reaction not wanting to believe it when someone needlessly dies so young. Such was our shock when actor Paul Walker perished at just forty when the car he was a passenger in crashed while traveling at high speeds. But the alternative explanations people have proposed to make sense of the whole thing are farfetched, to say the least. Prior to the crash, Walker was attending a charity event set up to help those affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Some speculate that Walker uncovered conspiracies in the relief efforts, which led to the vehicle’s brake line being tampered with, which is obviously untrue. And of course, you can’t have a tragic celebrity death without someone blaming the Illuminati.

No, notorious gangster Johnny Stompanato wasn’t a Hollywood figure. But his death did involve big-screen icon Lana Turner. Stompanato and Turner were involved at the time of the former’s death, and by all accounts, it wasn’t a healthy relationship. Stompanato was known to be violent, with a particularly heated row in 1958 resulting in his death. Stompanato had reportedly threatened to kill Turner, her mother, and her daughter. Turner’s teenage daughter Cheryl Crane looked to defend her mother with a kitchen knife, leading her to fatally stab Stompanato. It was deemed a justifiable homicide, but rampant speculation followed that Crane had taken the blame to protect Turner. Despite the rumor’s persistence, Crane has maintained her culpability.

Tom Cruise’s associations with the Church of Scientology are well founded. But pair any A-list actor with the religious organization, and you’re sure to get more than a few conspiracy theories. Unlike most on this list, though, this one was reported on by a major publication. As the story goes, in 2004, following Cruise’s breakup with Penélope Cruz, the Church of Scientology launched a campaign to get him matched up again. This supposedly resulted in Iranian-British actor Nazanin Boniadi dating Cruise for a few months before he eventually wed Katie Holmes. Legal representatives from both Cruise and the Church denied the claims and threatened to sue Vanity Fair, citing the magazine’s “religious bigotry.”

Thelma Todd was a prominent screen actor in the 1920s and ‘30s before her untimely death at just twenty-nine. On December 16, 1935, Todd was discovered dead in the front seat of her car parked in a garage. The cause of death was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning, but the explanations that it was an accident or that she took her own life never really stuck. The LAPD went with the former, claiming she could’ve been using the car to keep warm overnight after being locked out. But informal accounts that she had extensive injuries and the fact that she’d previously come from a party where she had a negative exchange with her abusive ex-husband Pat DiCicco make people suspect foul play even today.

Now if any of these theories are true, it’s likely this one. Many would be forgiven for thinking that 1982’s “Poltergeist” was flat-out directed by Steven Spielberg, seeing as it feels so similar to his other works. But he officially only served as a writer and producer, whereas “Texas Chain Saw” director Tobe Hooper took the reins. Spielberg’s contract for “E.T.” meant he couldn’t direct another film during production, but that didn’t stop him from frequently visiting the “Poltergeist” set. Spielberg’s level of creative influence had many questioning whether he was the de facto director. Both Hooper and Spielberg have denied the claims, but they keep surfacing all the same.

Actor Natalie Wood’s drowning in 1981 was officially ruled accidental, but accusations of foul play have persisted. Wood was aboard her husband Robert Wagner’s yacht near Santa Catalina Island along with him, her “Brainstorm” co-star Christopher Walken, and the ship’s captain. Some cited Wood’s blood alcohol content as the factor that led to her falling in the water, but some doctors claim the bruises found on her body are in keeping with what might’ve been inflicted had she been forced off the boat. In 2011, Captain Dennis Davern redacted his original statements that Wood and Wagner had an argument beforehand, specifying that it was about Wood flirting with Walken. Wagner was named a person of interest in 2018, but for now, it remains a theory.

Seemingly every time a celebrity dies tragically young, you’ll find someone claiming it was all a hoax, and that they’re really alive and well. While we’d love for that to be the case, sadly all evidence points to actor James Dean dying at just twenty-four in a car crash. But in recent years, theories started circulating that Dean made a deal with the studio to fake his death and get him out of the spotlight. From there, Dean supposedly moved to Canada and grew old, before dying in 2018 in a real car wreck, ironically enough. It’s a fanciful theory, but the sad truth is that the actor was taken in the prime of his youth and the prime of his career.

Well, it’s only erroneous if the conspiracy theorists are right, which… eh. By all accounts, Marisa Tomei gave a tremendous comedic performance in “My Cousin Vinny.” But those who would deny her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress are only right in that it’s not the kind of role the Academy usually recognizes. We can see Vanessa Redgrave or Judy Davis being heavier favorites that night, but surely there have been upsets before. Well, according to some, the goof came when presenter Jack Palance accidentally read Tomei’s name on the list of nominees, rather than the winner’s name, and the Academy simply let it slide. While Tomei walked away with gold, she later called out the rumor for being “extremely hurtful.”

George Reeves was best known for playing Superman on TV in the 1950s. So it came as something of a shock that the seemingly invulnerable man had died at just forty-five. The official ruling was that Reeves had taken his own life while party guests were downstairs, but this became highly contested. Some alleged that he was accidentally shot by his fiancée Leonore Lemmon, with she and the party guests taking a fair amount of time to alert the authorities. Others suspected MGM vice president and fixer Eddie Mannix of putting a hit on Reeves, who had previously had an affair with Mannix’s wife Toni. Whatever the case, it’ll likely stay one of Hollywood’s most enduring mysteries.

The late Jayne Mansfield was a major sex symbol in the ‘50s and ‘60s. She was a Playboy Playmate, she allegedly dated Robert and John Kennedy, and she was the first actress of the sound era to don her birthday suit for a film. The movie was 1963’s “Promises! Promises!” She was also, allegedly, a Satanist. Mansfield visited the Church of Satan in 1966, and she was named “High Priestess of San Francisco's Church of Satan” by its founder, Anton LaVey. This was a media sensation throughout the late ‘60s, and it led many to believe that Mansfield was a practicing Satanist. LaVey’s daughter Karla later “confirmed” (quote-unquote) that Mansfield was a Satanist and that she had dated her father.

2006 saw the release of a musical comedy called “A Prairie Home Companion.” The film was directed by Robert Altman, who is perhaps best known for directing the “M*A*S*H” movie in 1970. This was Altman’s final film, as he passed away just five months after its domestic release. Unfortunately, some people didn’t believe that Altman would finish the movie. He was eighty years old and sick, likely suffering from the leukemia that would eventually take his life. To secure insurance, Paul Thomas Anderson was hired as a backup director just in case Altman couldn’t complete the filming. The theory posits that it was Anderson who actually directed the film, not the ailing Altman. Altman denied this shortly before his death.

Nicolas Cage was born in January 1964. Or was he? Back in 2011, an antiques dealer named Jack Mord posted an old picture on eBay. The picture shows a man from the 19th century who shares a striking resemblance to Cage. But it goes further than a mere resemblance. Mord claims that Cage is a vampire who reinvents himself every half-century or so. In this lifespan, the immortal vampire decided to become a popular actor. Cage’s lack of aging is also presented as a clue to his supposed immortality. This theory became so popular that David Letterman confronted Cage about it on his talk show. Cage humorously denied the accusation, but he did admit that he shared a resemblance to the older gentleman.

The name Tommy Wiseau is synonymous with bad movies. The Poland-born filmmaker - maybe - famously created “The Room,” having produced, written, and directed the film himself. He also infamously starred as its lead character, Johnny. However, some people believe that the movie was actually directed by the script supervisor, Sandy Schklair. Schklair told Entertainment Weekly that it was actually he who directed the movie, as Wiseau was too busy acting. This story was corroborated by an anonymous actor who worked on the film. Co-star Greg Sestero also corroborates the legend in “The Disaster Artist,” claiming that Schklair often took over filmmaking duties from Wiseau. Wiseau has denied the allegations.

Bruce Lee’s death is famously shrouded in mystery, and has generated a number of conspiracy theories. Lee seemed a paragon of health, which made his premature death at just thirty-two highly suspicious. The official cause of death is a cerebral edema that was possibly exacerbated by an allergic reaction to meprobamate. The drug is found in Equagesic, which was given to Lee to quell a headache on the night of his death. Others aren’t so sure. One leading theory posits that Lee was assassinated by the Chinese Triads. Their motives are numerous, including business investments and Lee refusing to pay protection money. No one can agree on why the Triads supposedly had Lee killed, but the unfounded theory has persisted nevertheless.

Similar to the Nicolas Cage conspiracy theory, this one claims that Keanu Reeves is some type of immortal being who has transcended the centuries without aging. Some people believe that historical figures bear a striking physical resemblance to Reeves, including the French actor Paul Mounet. Mounet studied to become a doctor before pursuing acting, and maybe he unearthed some kind of everlasting formula during his studies. Of course, the biggest clue towards Reeves’s immortality is his distinct lack of aging. Many people think that Reeves has aged exceptionally, even suspiciously well. The “John Wick” series certainly hasn’t quelled the theory. There’s just no way a man in his fifties can do what he does…

The original “Star Wars” trilogy is widely credited to creator George Lucas. What some people might not know is that he only directed the original movie. “The Empire Strikes Back” was directed by Irvin Kershner, and “Return of the Jedi” by Richard Marquand. However, there’s a long-standing theory that Lucas essentially ghost-directed the latter. Lucas was reportedly on set quite often overseeing the inexperienced Marquand, and there are rumors that Lucas personally shot some of the second unit work. Some people believe that Lucas controlled Marquand, essentially directing the director. Others claim that the movie was made in post-production, with Lucas and his then-wife Marcia molding the finished product in the editing room. As it is, Lucas was only given screenplay and story credits.

If a popular entertainer dies young under mysterious circumstances, you better believe there are going to be conspiracy theories. Screen icon Marilyn Monroe died at just thirty-six on the night of August 4, 1962. The official cause of death was acute barbiturate poisoning, and the general consensus is that Monroe took her own life. However, no one really knows for sure. Cue the conspiracy theories. Some believe that Monroe was killed and that her death was staged to look like an intentional decision or accidental overdose. Norman Mailer famously claimed in his book “Marilyn: A Biography” that Monroe was killed by government agents owing to her alleged affair with Robert F. Kennedy. Mailer, and the theory in general, were widely lambasted.

You get two conspiracy theories in one with this entry! As many as 20% of Americans believe that the moon landings were faked, with the supposed footage being filmed on a Hollywood soundstage. And that footage was directed by none other than acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. No one really knows where this theory came from or why it even started in the first place. That’s when you know you have a sound conspiracy on your hands. The leading theory about the theory is that NASA contacted Kubrick owing to his work on “2001: A Space Odyssey” and asked him to help them trick the world. But what about the flags and footprints on the moon, you ask? Don’t worry about it…

Believe it or not, the Illuminati has been the subject of conspiracy theories for centuries. The Illuminati began as a German secret society in 1776 but was quickly suppressed by the Bavarian monarchy. However, many people believed that the secret society continued in some capacity, and they were blamed for starting the French Revolution. Some conspiracy theorists now believe that all major celebrities, not to mention most people belonging to the upper class, are part of the not-so-secret Illuminati. They supposedly wish to start a New World Order and are using their fronts (like film, television, and music) to propagate their convictions. Is Hollywood really just a front for Illuminati propaganda? You tell us.