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10 People with the WORST Reputations in Hollywood
WatchMojo
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5/30/2024
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrities whose reputations have been tainted by controversy.
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00:00
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at celebrities whose reputations have been
00:09
tainted by controversy.
00:21
After coming out in the late 90s, Ellen DeGeneres weathered a storm of prejudice, emerging as
00:26
an LGBTQ plus icon, and one of comedy's most beloved figures.
00:30
By 2020, DeGeneres' reputation seemed as golden as ever.
00:34
It quickly turned to fool's gold as several ex-employees claimed that her talk show personality
00:39
created a toxic work environment.
00:51
Despite her human rights activism and upbeat on-screen personality, DeGeneres was accused
00:55
of discrimination and harassment.
00:57
An investigation was launched, as more people ranging from former staff members to celebrities
01:02
spoke out.
01:05
Three executives exited, but DeGeneres continued to host her show until its conclusion in 2022,
01:11
shy of its 20th anniversary.
01:13
While DeGeneres hasn't left the spotlight completely, the industry isn't known for
01:17
having a short-term memory.
01:25
The artist, formerly known as Kanye, has repeatedly found new ways to top himself in
01:33
the infamy department.
01:35
Even during a time when many Americans were getting fed up with George W. Bush, West's
01:39
comments about the President's views toward black people felt jolting and random.
01:44
Not as random as the time he crashed Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance speech, though.
01:53
That might have been the most viral blow to West's reputation, but his views on politics,
01:57
slavery and the Holocaust made him a pariah.
02:00
Although West has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, people still question how much of
02:04
his behaviour is rooted in mental health, and how much is just Kanye being Kanye.
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Either way, various brands and celebrities have distanced themselves from him.
02:20
In a flash, we went from we need to talk about Kevin to we can't stop talking about Ezra
02:24
for all the wrong reasons.
02:25
The actor's prominent roles in the DCEU and Fantastic Beasts franchise became an afterthought
02:30
following a video where they seemingly strangled a woman.
02:34
Just when it looked like the backlash was dying down, Miller raged through 2022 like
02:38
a tornado of peon nightmares.
02:48
In addition to multiple arrests, the actor would be accused of theft, assault, grooming,
02:52
harassment and child endangerment, with the media struggling to keep up.
02:56
Whether or not their actions are the main reason why movies such as The Flash underperformed,
03:00
Miller's reputation may be beyond reversing, with projects like Invincible already recasting
03:05
him.
03:16
When Marvel cast Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, it was considered a risk given his
03:20
past.
03:21
Conversely, there appeared to be few risks when Marvel made a similar long-term commitment
03:25
in Jonathan Mayer's.
03:27
Where Downey now has one of the most glowing reputations in Hollywood, Mayer's A-lister
03:31
status ended before it even started.
03:41
On the heels of several acclaimed performances and debuting as Kang the Conqueror, Mayer's
03:45
was at the forefront of an assault case.
03:47
The writing seemed to be on the wall, as Mayer's management dropped him as a client, but it
03:52
wasn't until after he was found guilty that Marvel officially severed ties.
03:56
While Mayer's avoided any jail time, his career remains in limbo, along with undistributed
04:01
magazine dreams.
04:13
Gaining a reputation as the Norman Lear of kids' TV, it was hard to imagine Nickelodeon
04:18
without Dan Schneider.
04:19
When Schneider and Nick parted in 2018, a joint statement described it as a quote, natural
04:24
time to pursue other opportunities and projects.
04:27
With Schneider being accused of temper tantrums and further misconduct, many suspected something
04:32
more troubling was afoot.
04:41
This became more apparent after Jeanette McCurdy alluded to the iCarly creator in her 2022
04:46
memoir.
04:47
In the coming years, former child stars, female writers and others who worked with Schneider
04:52
opened up about their trauma.
04:54
And Schneider wasn't the only controversial Nickelodeon employee, with Brian Peck going
04:58
from pickle boy to convicted predator.
05:07
In terms of industry influence and power, though, few have fallen farther than Schneider.
05:19
Combs didn't have a spotless record going into November 2023.
05:23
Even with multiple arrests and high-profile feuds, Combs maintained his image as a respected
05:28
performer and businessman, until ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing him
05:33
of assault.
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While that case was settled, three more lawsuits followed with Combs' alleged behaviour spanning
05:41
from 1991 to 2003.
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By December 2023, Combs had lost 18 brand deals and taken a step back as Revolt TV's
05:50
chairman.
05:51
The following March, the authorities raided Combs' home in Miami and LA, with an investigation
05:56
underway.
05:57
Combs has since been implicated in another assault case with his son, Christian.
06:01
Whatever the verdicts are, Combs will likely spend more time in court than in the recording
06:05
studio for the foreseeable future.
06:21
It seemed like Danny Masterson would be forever remembered as the guy who played Hyde on That
06:25
70s Show.
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Since 2017, the actor has been primarily known for more notorious reasons, casting a dark
06:31
shadow over the sitcom's legacy.
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The assault accusations against Masterson not only shined a light on the widespread
06:40
history of abuse in Hollywood, but also on the Church of Scientology's reputation for
06:45
allegedly sweeping scandals under the rug.
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Once that rug is lifted, the mess is difficult to overlook.
06:55
Following a lengthy legal battle, Masterson was found guilty in 2023, receiving a sentence
07:00
that could keep him behind bars for anywhere between 25 and a half years, and life.
07:05
Even if Masterson is released before turning 75, his career appears deader than disco.
07:18
Sometimes it takes a documentary to get the wheels of justice moving.
07:21
Surviving R. Kelly marked the beginning of the end for the infamous singer, but his reputation
07:25
had been shrouded in shame for nearly two decades.
07:29
From his illegal marriage to the underage Aaliyah, to the assault accusations brought
07:32
forward by the underage Tiffany Hawkins, to a leaked video allegedly depicting him doing
07:37
the unspeakable to another underage victim, it seemed like there was no controversy Kelly
07:41
couldn't bury in the closet.
07:52
The industry repeatedly turned a blind eye until the 2019 documentary debuted, motivating
07:57
RCA Records to drop Kelly.
07:59
The law also re-evaluated Kelly, who has since been convicted on multiple charges, including
08:04
abuse, resulting in a combined sentence of 31 years.
08:14
For decades, Harvey Weinstein was among Hollywood's most powerful and feared producers.
08:19
By 2015, though, the Weinstein Company was on shaky financial ground, with the studio's
08:23
Oscar wins also declining.
08:25
It was probably not a coincidence that it was around this time Hollywood stopped ignoring
08:29
the elephant in the room.
08:39
Between the New York Times and the New Yorker, Weinstein's years of abuse became public
08:43
knowledge in October 2017.
08:46
Losing his company and Academy membership, Weinstein soon found himself in the centre
08:50
of multiple trials and serving prison time.
08:53
Many have ruined their reputations throughout the MeToo movement, but the fact that this
08:56
former movie mogul provided the Weinstein effects namesake is a testament to how far
09:01
his misconduct reached.
09:28
Like Weinstein, the allegations against Bill Cosby were something of an open secret for
09:32
years.
09:33
Yet, people seemed in denial that America's Dad and the spokesman for such wholesome products
09:37
like Pudding Pops could be a monster.
09:47
After another swarm of accusations hit in 2014, though, the public's perception of
09:51
Cosby was shattered for good.
10:02
This culminated with a guilty verdict in 2018, although Cosby only served roughly three years.
10:07
Since his release, Cosby has expressed interest in staging a tour, saying in 2022, quote,
10:12
When I come out of this, I feel I will be able to perform and be the Bill Cosby that
10:16
my audience knows me to be.
10:18
The Bill Cosby that audiences now know, however, is vastly different than Cliff Huxtable.
10:22
And that's the end of this list.
10:24
Who else in Hollywood is beyond salvaging their reputation?
10:28
Let us know in the comments.
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