New details on why these stars disappeared from the screen
Once-popular performers came under the pressure of accusations. Some have since returned to fame, while others remain in the shadows.
In recent years, several prominent figures in the entertainment industry have found themselves at the center of high-profile scandals that temporarily or permanently changed the course of their careers. However, some managed not only to endure public backlash but also to partially or fully rebuild their professional lives.
Photo: Mariusz Kubik, CC BY-SA 4.0
In May 2024, a Paris court acquitted director Roman Polanski in a defamation case filed by actress Charlotte Lewis.
The lawsuit was triggered by the filmmaker’s statements in a 2019 interview, in which he called Lewis’s rape allegations “a vile lie.”
As BFM TV reports, the trial did not evaluate the truthfulness of the accusations, but rather whether Polanski had the right to express such an opinion publicly.
The court ultimately found no abuse of his freedom of speech.
Charlotte Lewis claimed the director assaulted her in Paris in 1983, when she was 16. However, no rape charges were ever filed.
In court, the actress stated that Polanski’s interview harmed her reputation and “nearly destroyed” her life. The court found no defamatory intent in his remarks.
The ruling reignited public debate over past allegations against Polanski, beginning with the 1978 case involving the sexual assault of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer.
Johnny Depp lost major roles and advertising deals after domestic violence allegations. His 2022 court victory over ex-wife Amber Heard sparked a wave of online support and marked his return to the screen.
In 2023, a film starring Depp opened the Cannes Film Festival, where he received a standing ovation.
Kevin Spacey, accused of inappropriate conduct with a minor, was also removed from projects. In 2022, a U.S. court acquitted him, followed by a similar verdict in the UK in 2023.
The actor returned to public life and starred in the thriller “Control.”
Will Smith sparked controversy during the 2022 Oscars by slapping host Chris Rock. He later apologized publicly but received a ten-year ban from attending the ceremony.
Months later, Smith starred in the drama “Emancipation,” and in 2023 he signed on for the next installment of the “Bad Boys” franchise.
At the start of the pandemic, Vanessa Hudgens faced backlash for careless remarks about COVID-19 victims.
After apologizing, she stayed out of major productions for over a year before returning to the screen in the 2021 musical biopic “Tick, Tick… Boom!”
Ellen DeGeneres ended her talk show in 2022 following accusations of a toxic workplace behind the scenes.
She took a break and later returned with documentary projects, including a 2023 wildlife series on television.
Each of these artists followed a different path: some were vindicated in court and returned to work, others had to change direction or audience, and some are still fighting for a second chance.