Ellen DeGeneres
Once upon a time Ellen DeGeneres was one of America’s most popular talk show hosts. Outwardly DeGeneres championed the phrase ‘be kind’, but it was revealed that she was actually a bit of a bully. Former employees on the show came forward anonymously and criticized the star for creating a toxic work environment.
Cameron Diaz
Although once one of Hollywood’s elite, in recent years Cameron Diaz has taken a backseat from acting. She won over a legion of fans with her rom-com work, but in reality Diaz has a reputation for being mean. She not only refuses to give autographs, but also berates those that ask, lecturing them about their rudeness.
Adam Levine
As the front-man of Maroon 5, Adam Levine has amassed a huge following. Over the years there have been reports of him being rude to fans, but it is the treatment of his wife, Behati Prinsloo, that makes him truly ghoulish. The singer cheated whilst Prinsloo was pregnant with their third child, and even wanted to name their unborn child after his mistress.
Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball may have made a career out of playing joyful, grounded characters, but off-screen she was a huge snob. She judged everyone, and was notoriously rude to anyone outside of her celebrity circle. One infamous story tells of Ball refusing to talk to a flight attendant on a plane, getting her assistant to tell them, “I’m sorry, Ms. Ball doesn’t speak to the help.”
Justin Timberlake
Whilst many still think of Justin Timberlake as a squeaky clean boyband member, truths continue to come to light that prove him to be the opposite. Former flame Britney Spears’ autobiography, The Woman in Me, shares several troubling truths about the star, including his serial cheating and his push for a secret abortion.
Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel has made a career out of playing lovable, cool, and quirky characters. Unfortunately, behind the scenes she is a bit of a nightmare to work with. Her temper tantrums have caused no end of disruption on projects as Deschanel insists that all sets and schedules run to her, rather than the other way around.
Jonah Hill
On-screen, Jonah Hill made a name for himself playing lovable outsiders in a string of comedy films. Hill played these character types for so long that audiences assumed that they reflected his true side. In recent months Hill has been outed as being extremely controlling with messages surfacing that forbade former partners from posting pictures of themselves in swimsuits or being seen with other men.
Chris Brown
Chris Brown was once a hugely popular musician, and was dating international superstar Rihanna. The two seemed perfect, but then it was revealed that he had assaulted Rihanna. Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault, and has had a string of run-ins with the law ever since.
O.J. Simpson
Once America’s golden boy of football, O.J. Simpson has become one of the most villainous celebrities in history. The athlete was tried for the brutal murder of his girlfriend Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman, in what became known as the “trial of the century.” Despite a staggering amount of evidence against him, Simpson was cleared, though eventually served time for armed robbery.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande has carefully cultivated an image as a sweetheart, but the harsh truth is that she is a massive diva. The singer routinely blocks fans who say anything unfavorable about her, and has a list of demands longer than your arm. Her strangest act of meanness came when she deliberately licked several donuts in a store despite having no intention of buying them.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts, daughter of Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts, rose to fame as a teenager. Roberts starred as the kind lead character in tween movies such as Aquamarine and Nancy Drew. Former co-stars have accused Roberts of being toxic and bigoted. In addition to these accusations, Roberts has been arrested on domestic charges on more than one occasion.
Katherine Heigl
Actress Katherine Heigl shot to fame starring in the beloved Grey’s Anatomy, she even earned an Emmy nomination for her part. Heigl however, refused the nomination, citing that the show’s writing was not worthy of nomination. Bad-mouthing the day job publicly is never a good idea, and the tirade earned her the reputation of being difficult to work with.
Tom Cruise
Whilst Tom Cruise might be the last true Hollywood icon, his films routinely raking in the money purely based on his involvement, he is no longer the golden child he once was. His relationship to the much younger Katie Holmes was toxic both during, and after, their marriage ended. Holmes was forbidden from seeing other men or speaking with fellow Cruise ex, Nicole Kidman.
Patrick Dempsey
When Grey’s Anatomy hit the big time, actor Patrick Dempsey became a star. His character Derek ‘McDreamy’ Shepherd was a fan favourite, and that popularity went to the actor’s head. His rude behaviour towards his co-stars and crew became so appalling that Dempsey was written out of the show.
Lance Armstrong
Cyclist Lance Armstrong was once viewed as one of America’s greatest heroes. The athlete won the Tour de France a record seven times, and he was heralded as a living legend. Armstrong’s eventual admission of using performance-enhancing drugs saw public opinion turn, and Armstrong now is a stark reminder that cheaters never prosper.
Shia LaBeouf
An entire generation grew up watching Shia LaBeouf in comedy series Even Stevens and was viewed as either an older, or kid brother. Sadly, the more LaBeouf ages, the more travesties he commits. First, he plagiarized someone else’s script, and didn’t understand why people were upset. Then, more recently, his former partner, FKA Twigs, filed a lawsuit against him citing physical and emotional abuse.
Lea Michele
The first season of Glee took the world by storm and made an instant star out of Lea Michele. In the show she played the driven and determined Rachel Berry who, for the first season at least, was meant to be the heroine. Michele’s rise to fame also came with a proclivity for bullying with several co-stars branding her as vicious and mean-spirited.
Kanye West
Kanye West’s rise to fame was tough, but eventually he became known as one of the best music producers and musicians in the world. He had a slew of hits, and an adoring public, but behind closed doors West began his own demise. West’s list of sins includes a very nasty public split from ex-wife Kim Kardashian, plus some very questionable decisions that led to him losing most of his advertising deals.
Reese Witherspoon
It is hard to believe that the actor who played Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon, could have a mean bone in her body. Sadly, Witherspoon is a star who has let her ego take over. In 2013, she was arrested for dangerous driving. During the arrest she attempted to leverage her fame, asking officers, “do you know my name?”
Russell Brand
English comedian Russell Brand made the transition from stand-up to Hollywood, and was once the hot comedy star to have in your film, but over the last few years opinion has changed. First, came the news he ended his marriage to Katy Perry by text, and most recently allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse from several former partners have arisen.
Chevy Chase
For many, Chevy Chase is the loveable idiot from the National Lampoon movies. Sadly, his actual personality is far more abrasive, and the actor has a reputation for being rude. His rudeness was a massive issue during his time on SNL, as was an incident where he made lewd remarks about a female writer. Chase also has a history of being mean to fans, making him a bad egg all round.
Mike Myers
Be it the shagadelic Austin Powers, cocky dork Wayne Campbell, or everyone’s favourite ogre, Shrek, Mike Myers has created several long-standing loveable characters. In reality though, Myers is a lot of work. He has made a name for himself as being difficult, and once fired someone for making eye contact with him.
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts is one of Hollywood’s original American Sweethearts, she even starred in a film with that title. However, it appears that this image is all false; the actress reportedly received the nickname ‘Tinkerhell’ after being exceptionally difficult on the set of Hook. Roberts also absconded with fellow actor Jason Patric three days before she was due to wed Kiefer Sutherland.
Sandra Bullock
Famous for her work in comedy, Sandra Bullock is viewed by many women as one of the celebrities that they would most like to have as a best friend. Unfortunately, Bullock would not be agreeable to that as she has a history of not being kind to fans. Bullock’s most shameful fan encounter saw her yelling at a disabled veteran.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is an actor that has had one of the biggest falls from grace. Once a heartthrob who adorned the walls of teenagers around the world, Depp is now better known for his mood swings, violent behavior, reluctance to learn lines for the films he stars in, and a toxic relationship with ex-wife Amber Heard.
Mel Gibson
Public opinion on Mel Gibson began to change after he was arrested in 2006 for a DUI. Prior to that, Gibson had been one of the best loved actors of eighties and nineties cinema. Then in 2010, Gibson was handed a domestic violence restraining order and several bigoted rants hammered the final nail into his former nice guy persona.
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher and former wife Demi Moore Kutcher set up anti-sex-trafficking charity DNA, proving him to be one of the good guys. But after his That 70’s Show co-star Danny Masterson was incarcerated for thirty years for assaulting two women, Kutcher shocked everyone by writing to the judge pleading for leniency on the sentencing.
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods used to be best known for his impeccable golfing career. The sportsman won numerous championships, and was viewed as the golden boy of the sport. Then a series of cheating scandals revealed Woods’ less wholesome side as several mistresses came forward with their stories.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez, aka J-Lo, once sang about still being “Jenny from the Block”, and while that image helped win her a legion of fans, it appears to all be an act. Lopez is notorious for ignoring fans and also has several diva-like tendencies, including closing down an entire dog grooming salon so her pooches could be pampered in private.
Charlie Sheen
During the noughties, Charlie Sheen was the highest paid actor on television for his role in Two and a Half Men, but then his behavior became erratic. He began to talk in an increasingly misogynistic manner, which included ranking his female co-stars. Then came the allegations of abuse from then wife Denise Richards.
Meg Ryan
With When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail on her resume, Meg Ryan is the Queen of romantic comedies. This image was shattered when in 2000 it was revealed that she had been cheating on her husband Dennis Quaid with her Proof of Life co-star, Russell Crowe.
Jared Leto
A heartthrob in the nineties, actor turned singer, turned Academy Award winner, Jared Leto has seen his devoted fanbase dwindle in recent years. In a professional capacity, Leto came under fire for his odd behavior whilst playing Joker in Suicide Squad. His actions in his personal life are more troubling, with the star having been accused of mistreating women.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones may have withdrawn from the spotlight slightly since marrying Michael Douglas; she has not given up the celebrity lifestyle however. Zeta-Jones stands accused of being a terrible tipper, and insists on extreme privacy in hotel gyms. Her worst offence though, was when she told an eight-year-old that she “supposed she was pretty enough” after being asked advice about getting into acting.
Mariah Carey
It is no secret that Mariah Carey is something of a diva, and fans love her regardless. Although diva demands are expected from Carey, her ill treatment of her sister is harder to ignore. When Carey’s sister Allison was diagnosed with HIV, the star never helped contribute to the medical bills in spite of her expansive wealth.
Bill Cosby
During his time on The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby became one of the country’s more adored TV fathers. Then over sixty women came forward with allegations of assaults, some of which stemmed back to the 1970’s. In 2018, Cosby was convicted on three counts of assault and was sentenced to ten years in prison, but served only three.
Rihanna
Whilst Rihanna will always be a queen of music, her once untarnished reputation was shattered in 2016. The singer caused controversy when she began cyberbullying a sixteen-year-old girl for trying to create an outfit similar to one she herself had worn. Rihanna tweeted an image of the teen’s dress side-by-side with hers, with the hashtag #PromBat, and gleefully reposted the meanest fan comments.
Tonya Harding
The antics of Tonya Harding are now better known to modern audiences thanks to Margot Robbie playing the figure skater in I, Tonya. Even an actor as charismatic as Robbie though couldn’t mask the darkness hiding within Harding. Her once burgeoning career imploded after she conspired to cause injury to her main competition, Nancy Kerrigan.
Liam Hemsworth
Australian actor Liam Hemsworth and singer Miley Cyrus were one of the hottest couples in Young Hollywood. Then they broke up and many sided with Hemsworth, believing Cyrus’ partying was to blame. The couple then reconciled and married, and fans were elated. Then came a divorce in which Hemsworth was outed as having repeatedly cheated throughout their relationship, and the tables were turned.
Roseanne Barr
Nineties sitcom Roseanne was watched across the world, entrancing audiences with the portrayal of Roseanne Barr and her fictional family as down-to-Earth. Audiences were elated when the show was resurrected for a reboot, but the joy was short-lived when Barr wrote a barrage of racist tweets. Thankfully, she was swiftly ejected from the show and has struggled to find work since.
Ezra Miller
Landing the role of The Flash in the DC cinematic universe was to be the start of great things for Ezra Miller. They were already popular in independent films, but this casting was going to make them a star. Then in 2022, Miller was met with allegations of grooming and starting a cult. Worse still, they also threatened a family, including children, with a gun.
