8 Actresses Whose Reputations in Hollywood Took a Hit Due to Massive Controversies

These Actresses' Reputations were Marred by Controversy

There is a darker side to the beautiful world of Hollywood, where celebrity and money frequently shine brightest, which is rarely discussed in glossy publications and tabloids. There are controversies, court cases, and damaged reputations hidden behind glamorous grins and red-carpet appearances. Some celebrities have permanently damaged their reputations based on incidences that have marred their work image, per Radar Online. Here are eight such actresses who have experienced failures and scandals that have affected their public image and careers.

1. Amanda Bynes

Before her legal issues brought her down, Amanda Bynes was one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors. In 2013, she was placed under conservatorship after a successful career in acting due to her unpredictable, strange tweets and contentious public appearances. Her first mishap was starting a fire in a neighbor's driveway. The now-37-year-old actress from She's the Man has also had many DUIs and hit-and-run incidents. She was charged with reckless endangerment and illegal marijuana possession in 2013. Moreover, March 2023 marked her most recent incident when she was once more placed under a  72-hour psychiatric hold after going around on the streets naked.

2. Amber Heard

Amber Heard is no longer unfamiliar with controversy and disappointments, thanks to her much-publicized courtroom battle with Johnny Depp and her claims of domestic abuse. But before that, the Aquaman actress was taken into custody in 2009 after reportedly grabbing Tasya van Ree. Van Ree later said the accusation was 'misinterpreted and over-sensationalized,' and Heard was never prosecuted for the charge. After that, Heard fought her ex-husband, who filed a libel lawsuit against News Group Newspapers for a story calling him a 'wife beater.' The Pirates of the Caribbean star sued Heard for $50 million, claiming that she had defamed him, even though he lost the case. Heard responded with a $100 million lawsuit, but in June 2022, Depp prevailed in court, angering many Depp fans against Heard.

3. Katherine Heigl

After a string of scandals in the media, Katherine Heigl was dubbed 'Hollywood's most hated actress.' In conversation with Vanity Fair, she called the film Knocked Up 'a little sexist' in 2007 because it portrayed women as 'shrews, humorless, and uptight.' She didn't think she was given the material that warranted an award, so she passed on the 2007 Emmys as well. Heigl received outrage for her statements but apologized — though she said she should have only apologized once. "I kept apologizing, which I now realize just kept giving the whole thing a heartbeat," she continued. "I thought self-flagellation in front of everybody would make them happy, but actually, it made me weaker in people's eyes and made me feel weak. I now think that one apology was enough."

4. Kristen Stewart

When Kristen Stewart cheated on Robert Pattinson with married director Rupert Sanders, the entire world abandoned her and sided with Pattinson. When images of Stewart kissing the Snow White and the Huntsman director surfaced in 2012, Sanders referred to it as a 'momentary lapse.' She talked about what went wrong that led her to cheat on her former co-star in an interview with Marie Claire. "I'm proud that I can move forward and not fall into every mental crater. That's a new thing for me," she added. "Age has made me smarter and calmer. And it is f------ awesome." Stewart continued, "Between ages 15 and 20, it was really intense. I was constantly anxious. I was kind of a control freak. If I didn't know how something was going to turn out, I would make myself ill, or just be locked up or inhibited in a really debilitating way."

5. Lindsay Lohan

Even if Lindsay Lohan's career has still not fizzled out, her journey wasn't without its challenges. She had previously been hospitalized as a result of her drinking and partying habits, which cost her many projects and roles. Her drinking problems contributed to the DUI incidences. In 2011, Lohan also made news after she was charged with attempting to kidnap a child and stealing expensive items. As per HuffPost, in the video, she claimed, "Hey, everyone, I just want to show you a family that I met, a Syrian refugee family that I’m really worried about." Initially, the people she was confronting tried to flee before they had to push her away to get away from the Freaky Friday star. In an email statement, Lohan apologized, "I’ve read the situation wrong. I’ve learned from it. And that’s all I have to say.”

6. Megan Fox

After appearing in the first and second installments of the Transformers trilogy, Megan Fox was kicked out of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, marking the lowest point of her career. Her dismissal followed her comparison of filmmaker Michael Bay to Adolf Hitler and her description of him as a 'nightmare to work with.' She also accused him of exploitation during her audition for the part, costing her a lot of work. However, the pair seems to have no bad blood between them anymore, with Fox saying in 2018, "I was young when a lot of that was happening, and I was really self-righteous in my anger. I thought I was right to speak the way that I spoke. As I got a little older, I understood regardless of whatever my issues were, they should always have remained private. You should never blast someone like that in public," according to Business Insider.

7. Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell's lengthy history of outbursts and anger management problems drew condemnation worldwide. She admitted to assaulting her former assistant and struck her in the head with a phone in 2000, according to The Guardian. As she was about to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006, her anger issues came up again when it was revealed that she threw her phone at her cleaner. As a result, Campbell was mandated to do community service and anger management programs. From there, the Prisoner of Love actress was involved in other assault charges, which included an incident in 2007 while traveling on a British Airways aircraft and an assault case in 2010 involving a driver in New York City.

8. Roseanne Barr

Roseanne Barr's racist tweets, dubious conspiracy theories, and Islamophobic remarks have garnered attention and controversy over the years, as is evidenced by this Vanity Fair report. Despite losing everything, including the revival of her hit sitcom Roseanne for perceived racism towards Valerie Jarrett, a senior Obama aide, she talked about her future goals. "I don't think they'll ever stop trying to come after me, particularly now that I am getting the last laugh on their ass," she stated. "That's why I'm coming back."