12 Unbelievable Reasons Movie Actors Were 'Canceled'

Nowadays, it can take very little for an actor to go from a beloved pop culture icon to an enemy of the people. Social media has made it easy for rumors and allegations to spread, especially about celebrities. However, cancellation was happening to the careers of movie stars long before the days of Twitter or Deuxmoi. 

Even in the past year, there have been notorious cases where popular actors lose everything overnight, like when Jonathan Majors' arrest cost him his future in the MCU. There have also been situations in which a movie actor receives hate online for seemingly no reason, such as Brie Larson's comments on the lack of diversity in Hollywood and related fields drawing review-bombing for her "Captain Marvel" movies. 

We're not here to commentate on whether these iconic movie stars deserved to be criticized, or even judged, for their nearly career-ending moments, but there's one thing they all have in common: their cancellations make for pretty unbelievable stories.  

Ingrid Bergman was Hollywood royalty throughout the 1940s thanks to "Casablanca" and "Gaslight." In the early '50s, Bergman began a collaboration with Italian director Robert Rosselini on "Stromboli," which snowballed into an off-screen collaboration outside of their marriages. 

This was way before the days of "Brangelina," when on-set affairs were not only common but far less frowned upon by the general public. Once the affair became public, it damaged Bergman's image in the U.S., especially during the fallout of her divorce and custody battle. Talk show hosts like Ed Sullivan refused to let her appear on his talk show, and the United States Senate even got involved when Edwin C. Johnson of Colorado called the actress a "powerful influence for evil" for "[perpetrating] an assault upon the institution of marriage" (via The Daily Beast).

"Stromboli" bombed at the box office when it was released in the U.S., and Bergman's subsequent collaborations on the screen with Rosselini didn't fare well critically at the time, thanks to the bad press surrounding their names. They've since become some of the iconic director's most underrated movies. After a short absence from America, Bergman returned to Hollywood in 1956 with "Anastasia," a role which won her an Oscar for best actress, though she wouldn't appear at the ceremony in person until 1959. 

It's not surprising that an actor known for playing a family-friendly character got caught up in controversy for his off-screen actions. Paul Reubens became famous for playing Pee-wee Herman after Tim Burton's 1985 film "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." The film's success led to a children's television show in 1986, a sequel in 1988, and many public appearances by Reubens as the Pee-wee character.

In 1991, Reubens was arrested at an adult theater in Florida for indecent exposure. His behavior was the subject of countless media jokes, and Pee-wee toys were removed from stores. Following his return to Hollywood, Reubens expressed confusion towards the media's obsession with him, telling Vanity Fair, "Jeffrey Dahmer's story broke the same time as my story, and for a week I was leading the news, followed by Dahmer eating people, boring holes into their heads and turning them into zombies."

Reubens later landed in trouble in the early 2000s for possessing obscene material that included minors, but the charges were dropped when it was clarified that the children's TV star was an avid collector of vintage pornography, unaware of the exact content as he typically purchased in bulk. By the time Reubens passed away in 2023, he was remembered less for his private interests than for the joy he brought the public. 

Laura Dern has little to prove to Hollywood. She was a '90s icon with "Jurassic Park" and "Wild at Heart," she's an Oscar winner for "Marriage Story," and she's wowed television audiences with roles in "Big Little Lies" and "Twin Peaks." However, there was a time when Dern became a pariah after a guest appearance on an episode of Ellen DeGeneres' sitcom "Ellen."

"The Puppy Episode" was a TV show moment that made history, as the comedienne used her sitcom character to publicly come out as a lesbian and kiss Dern's character, Susan. Not everyone who watched the episode in 1997 was as supportive as today's audience: several sponsors pulled their ads from ABC, and some local TV stations refused to air the episode.

Dern told Vulture years later that starring in the episode risked her safety enough to require a security detail and had drastic effects on her career, saying, "It was significant because I was doing successful independent movies, and, only months before that, I was in 'Jurassic Park,' the most successful movie ever. So it was like, you're being offered this, you're being offered that — and it just stopped." Luckily, the rest of the world caught up to the episode's importance, and Dern's career survived the blacklisting. 

Winona Ryder's career hit the ground running in the mid-'80s with iconic roles in two of Tim Burton's best movies, "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands," as well as her work in "Heathers," "Little Women," and "Girl, Interrupted." Her career seemed bright in the early 2000s, but the potential comeback was cut short in 2001, when Ryder was arrested for shoplifting over $5,000 of designer clothes in California.

The accusations snowballed from there, with Ryder nearly charged for possession of narcotic drugs as well, which was later dropped when it was revealed they were prescribed. She later publicly claimed there was no malicious intent behind her theft, just clouded judgment from painkillers that a doctor had given her for a broken arm. She told Esquire, "It's so funny, because there's so much lore around that story, but it really couldn't have been more of me thinking I'm going to my car to get something."

Nevertheless, the shoplifter label stuck, and Ryder stepped back from Hollywood for several years in a much-needed break for her mental health at the time. Today, she's back to mainstream success with her Netflix series "Stranger Things" and reprising her role as Lydia Deets in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." 

Mel Gibson has a complicated history with his own public image in Hollywood. The actor first gained fame in the 1980s with franchises like "Mad Max" and "Lethal Weapon," while later directing successful films such as 1995's "Braveheart" and 2004's polarizing "The Passion of the Christ." However, the late 2000s saw him experience one of the harshest media lashings of a celebrity before the age of social media. 

It all started in 2006, when Gibson made headlines for a confrontation with a police officer, which spiraled out of control when it was alleged that an intoxicated Gibson made antisemitic remarks towards the officer. While the industry was already recoiling from that particular controversy, audio recordings of Gibson berating his then-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, also revealed a plethora of violently racist and sexist remarks from the movie star. 

As a result of the scandals, Gibson was largely excommunicated from the entertainment industry, though it didn't last long. He made a divisive comeback in 2016 with his film "Hacksaw Ridge," which won two Academy Awards while Gibson himself was nominated for best director. His acting work has yet to reach the heights of his '80s glory, but the controversies may rear their head again once Gibson comes out with his sequel to "The Passion of the Christ."

Despite being a quintessential 2000s sex symbol, it's astounding that Hollywood dumped Megan Fox after just a few controversies. While she was becoming a household name, Fox drew negative attention for her candid comments on the film industry and its treatment of women, which were quite ahead of her time. However, her honesty got her in trouble when she turned the criticism towards "Transformers" director Michael Bay.

In an interview with Wonderland, Fox said that Bay "wants to be like Hitler on his sets," calling him "a nightmare to work for," although the full quote also included her saying, "[When] you get him away from set ... I kind of really enjoy his personality because he's so awkward, so hopelessly awkward. He has no social skills at all. And it's endearing to watch him. He's vulnerable and fragile in real life and then on set he's a tyrant." According to Bay, producer Steven Spielberg advised him to fire the actress from pre-production on the third "Transformers" movie.

While the firing negatively impacted Fox's ability to land future roles, it was even more unbelievable when she reunited with Bay for the live-action "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" films, which he produced. The actress has made headlines in recent years thanks to her high-profile romance with rapper Machine Gun Kelly, but some roles, like 2021's "Till Death," have suggested that there may be an audience for a proper Fox comeback. 

If there's anything that Katherine Heigl could be blamed for, it's honesty. The actress had a breakthrough in the 2000s with appearances in "Knocked Up" and "27 Dresses," as well as winning an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress for "Grey's Anatomy." Heigl used her spotlight to highlight her concerns with Hollywood's portrayal of women, telling Vanity Fair of "Knocked Up," "It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys ... [98%] of the time it was an amazing experience, but it was hard for me to love the movie."

Her criticisms made headlines, but headlines turned into controversy when Heigl opted out of Emmy consideration in 2008, claiming the material she was given during Season 4 of "Grey's" wasn't up to par. The choice naturally angered producers, as behind-the-scenes rumors claimed Heigl wanted out of her contract. She returned for Season 6 of "Grey's," but after failing to turn up to the set in 2010, it was confirmed she would no longer be a part of the show. 

Heigl walked away from "Grey's" with the stigma that she was difficult to work with and ungrateful toward the crew and writers. While continuing to work since — albeit at a far lower profile — she protested the label in an interview with The Washington Post in 2021, saying, "What is your definition of difficult? Somebody with an opinion that you don't like?"

Few movie stars have owned up to their controversies before they're public. Liam Neeson's resume as an Oscar-nominated actor and, later, action star was fairly stable in the late 2010s, with films like "Schindler's List," "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace," and "Taken" etched into cinematic history. However, his career hit a stalemate during the press tour for 2019 thriller "Cold Pursuit," in which he plays a man hell-bent on revenge.

In an interview with The Independent, Neeson explained how he connected with the film's themes by sharing a personal anecdote about how, after a friend of his had been sexually assaulted by "a black person," Neeson "went up and down areas with a cosh" — a small, blunt weapon — "hoping some 'black bastard' would come out of a pub and have a go at me about something, you know?" Rather than shed light on his acting process, the revelation baffled the public and incited criticism towards Neeson on social media. 

Although Neeson tried to correct his statements and emphasize it was an anecdote about him realizing his mistakes, the red carpet premiere of "Cold Pursuit" was canceled and Neeson took a step back from the public eye. Thankfully, Neeson won back the public's approval with a satirical guest spot on "Atlanta," in which he visits a speakeasy called "Cancel Club" for shunned celebrities, only to reveal to Brian Tyree Henry's character Alfred that he actually is racist. 

The 2019 film "Honey Boy," written by Shia LaBeouf, enlightened many in the public about the actor's personal struggles as a child actor on the Disney Channel sitcom "Even Stevens." The film, in which LaBeouf portrays his own father, was written while the actor was in rehab for drug abuse and PTSD. Upon its release, LaBeouf's performance was acclaimed for his vulnerability, but in 2022, LaBeouf revealed that a lot of the story was fabricated.

This was one of many controversies that muddied LaBeouf's career in the 2020s. The actor already made headlines for disorderly conduct due to alcohol and provocative performance art pieces, but in 2020, former partner FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit against the actor for physical abuse, also making the shocking claim that LaBeouf killed stray dogs to get into character for "The Tax Collector." 

Alongside these very serious allegations, LaBeouf was reportedly fired from Olivia Wilde's "Don't Worry Darling," with WIlde citing Florence Pugh's discomfort with LaBeouf's behavior as a main reason. LaBeouf refuted those claims, telling Wilde in an email he shared with Variety, "I know that you are beginning your press run for 'DWD' and that the news of my firing is attractive clickbait, as I am still persona-non-grata and may remain as such for the rest of my life." Yet that "persona-non-grata" status actually got LaBeouf cast in Francis Ford Coppola's controversial film "Megalopolis."

Actors have been canceled for all sorts of reasons, from speaking their mind to inflicting abuse onto co-stars and romantic partners. However, Armie Hammer might be the only one canceled for cannibalism. The actor had significant roles in Oscar-nominated films like "The Social Network" and "Call Me By Your Name," but in 2021 he was the subject of several abuse allegations that caught the public's attention. 

These weren't regular accusations of sexual abuse, as Hammer's exes claimed the actor allegedly expressed a desire to harm them and consume their flesh and/or blood. As Courtney Vucekovich told Page Six, "He said to me he wants to break my rib and barbecue and eat it ... If I had a little cut on my hand, he'd like suck it or lick it." Another ex, Paige Lorenze, told the tabloid that Hammer had physically abused her and pressured her into dangerous sexual situations. 

As a result of the allegations, Hammer was not only dropped from several projects, but became the subject of an LAPD investigation. Hammer has been completely out of work since, recently sharing on social media that he has been struggling financially since the controversy erupted.

Amber Heard's lega battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp was the subject of a seemingly-endless media cycle in 2022. The actress divorced Depp in 2016, alleging verbal and physical abuse. Depp sued Heard in 2019 for defamation, claiming she had actually been the abuser in the relationship. Heard countersued, resulting in one of the messiest celebrity trials in recent history. 

While the Internet mostly took Depp's side, launching vitriolic harassment towards Heard, the trial wasn't exactly a fair judgment of her. Heard's testimony was interrupted by audible reactions from spectators, as she claimed, "I am harassed, humiliated, threatened every single day ... People want to kill me and they tell me so every day," (via The New York Times). Heard's attorneys even revealed texts sent from Depp where he fantasized about killing her and admitted to harming himself even as he accused Heard of doing so. 

Although Heard was far from innocent given the drama revealed during the case, the media painted her as the villain of a situation that was a lot more gray than black-and-white. Nevertheless, Heard's role in "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" was significantly cut down in editing, and the actress allegedly quit Hollywood to focus on her family and privacy, while Depp is preparing for a comeback. 

It would take several articles to recount the entire Will Smith Oscars controversy, but luckily there aren't many people who need reminding. Smith shocked television audiences in March 2022 when he struck comedian Chris Rock during the Academy Awards' live broadcast, after Rock made an insensitive joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Not much later, Smith stood on the same stage to accept the award for best actor, but what should have been his crowning moment as an entertainer had been tainted.

The controversy that followed ranged from defenses of Smith for defending Jada, while others pointed out the unprofessionalism of confronting Rock on live TV. In response, the Academy banned Smith from the awards ceremony for 10 years, while Smith resigned from his Academy membership. 

But it seems that Smith is already on a redemption arc after initially having projects canceled as a result of the Oscars incident. 2024's "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" saw him reunite with Martin Lawrence on-screen, and he even returned to music with the single "You Can Make It." However, the actor likely won't be seen at Oscar celebrations until at least 2032. 

If you or anyone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, needs help with addiction issues, may be the victim of child abuse or sexual assault, has experienced a hate crime, or needs help with mental health, contact the relevant resources below:

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453), or contact their live chat services.
• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
• The VictimConnect Hotline by phone at 1-855-4-VICTIM or by chat for more information or assistance in locating services to help. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
• The Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.