10 Movie Stars Who Were Completely Destroyed By Fame
Being a famous celebrity may look like a lot of fun, but many stars will tell you that it’s much harder than it looks. Although actors and actresses love their craft, sometimes all of the extra attention that comes with being famous can be more than they bargained for. Can you imagine what it would be like to know that millions of people all over the world know who you are? Sure, it sounds cool – but after a while it would definitely get exhausting. While some people would love all of the attention, others genuinely find it unbearable – and as a result, they may engage in behavior that can help take them away from reality. Unfortunately, in many cases – the thing that people wanted the most is the thing that ended up causing them trouble. Here are 10 movie stars who were completely destroyed by fame.
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Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes was once one of the funniest young stars on the scene. She was able to successfully transition from a TV actress to a movie star, and from a child star to an adult. However, as an adult Bynes didn’t stay in the spotlight for long. In 2012, Bynes announced that she was retiring from acting, and her substance abuse, legal issues, and personal problems became clearer than ever. After a series of ups and mostly downs, Bynes was admitted to a mental facility after suffering a break down in which she went on a Twitter rant accusing her father of sexual assault.
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Corey Feldman
During the 80s and early 90s, Corey Feldman was one of the hottest young stars to grace the big screen. He appeared in dozens of films and was well-known for his somewhat bad boy image. However, like many other stars who achieve fame at a young age, Feldman was introduced to drugs and alcohol at a very young age and eventually found himself addicted. In his adult life, Feldman has struggled with substance abuse issues which have greatly effected him and his career.
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Mackenzie Phillips
Mackenzie Phillips wasn’t just destroyed by her own fame, but by her father’s as well. She and her father, a singer in the group The Mamas & The Papas, have had a very rocky relationship and 2009 she alleged that her father had had an incestuous relationship with her when she was a child. Phillips also suffered with addiction throughout much of her life, and was arrested several times. In 2010 she appeared as a cast member on Celebrity Rehab to work on getting sober.
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Edward Furlong
Throughout the 90s, Edward Furlong built up a pretty impressive film resume, and the possibilities for his career seemed endless. However, trying to keep up with the rich and famous lifestyle lead him down an unhealthy path of constant partying and substance abuse. Throughout the early 2000s, he continued to struggle with his addictions and admitted to being a cocaine and heroine addict. More recently, he was arrested on charges of domestic violence on multiple occasions – which eventually caused him to be fired from two films.
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Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf got his start on the Disney Channel, but was able to successfully transition into a successful adult star. However, the spotlight proved to be a little too much for him during the mid 2000s, and he had several run ins with the law which left many of his fans feeling baffled. His legal and personal problems continued throughout the years, including a car accident in which he seriously injured his hand, and an altercation outside of a bar in Los Angeles. In 2014, he apparently got sick of being famous, and instead of bowing out gracefully, he decided to show up on the red carpet with a paper bag over his head which read, “I am not famous anymore.”
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Tatum O’Neal
As the youngest (competitive category) Academy Award Winner, for her role in Paper Moon at age 10, Tatum O’Neal has gone down in history. However, one of the hardest things for a star to do is watch themselves become irrelevant. Although O’Neal had early success, her later career has not been as noteworthy. Also, similar to Mackenzie Phillips, O’Neal’s father was a celebrity whose fame impacted his daughter. O’Neal also claims to have been abused by her father, and suffers from addiction issues which led to her arrest in 2008 for possession of crack cocaine.
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Macauley Culkin
Macaulay Culkin was once the biggest child movie star in the business, but unfortunately, his fame and wealth tore his family apart. Culkin’s parents, argued over his finances which eventually led to a very heated custody battle. When he was 16-years-old, Culkin took his parents to court in an attempt to gain control of his finances.
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Charlie Sheen
At the height of his career, Charlie Sheen seemed to be a little overwhelmed with all of the attention and suffered a very public melt down which led to him being fired from his leading role on the hit sitcom, Two and A Half Men. During this time he went on public rants in which he made statements claiming to be a “war lock” with “tiger blood” running through his veins. Although he has since landed another starring role, his career remains tainted by his strange behavior.
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Lindsay Lohan
For a while, it seemed like Lindsay Lohan had it all. She was young, successful, and beautiful and the possibilities for her acting career seemed endless. However, years in the spotlight had taken their toll on Lohan, and it was clear that she could no longer handle living under a microscope. Over the last several years, Lindsay has suffered from addictions and both personal and legal problems. Although she hopes that her career will get a second wind, it looks like the damage has already been done.
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Dave Chapelle
At the height of his career, Dave Chapelle literally decided that the fame was too much for him. Chapelle, who initially got his start as a standup comedian, had become even more famous for his sketchy comedy show which drew in millions of viewers. However, Chapelle felt like his fame was getting in the way of his stand up, and abruptly withdrew. Although his show was slated to film another season, Chapelle disappeared during production and fled to South Africa. At the time, Chapelle stated, “Coming here, I don’t have the distractions of fame. It quiets the ego down. I’m interested in the kind of person I’ve got to become…” Although he has since returned to the spotlight, he is no longer the megastar he once was.
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