List of 15 blacklisted celebrities who find it difficult to work in Hollywood

List of 15 blacklisted celebrities who find it difficult to work in Hollywood

Hollywood is where people go to fulfil their dreams. Men and women, young and old, from all over the world save up their last coins to move there and pursue their dreams. Making it in Hollywood is not for the faint-hearted. Unfortunately, Hollywood spits out stars just as quickly as it makes them. Many celebrities once at the pinnacle of fame and success have now become outcasts. How many blacklisted celebrities do you know?

blacklisted celebrities
Taylor Lautner, Katherine Heigl, Shia LaBeouf. Photo: Vera Anderson, Albert L. Ortega, Jeff Kravitz (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

With the recent wave of cancel culture, it is clearer than ever that anyone who steps out of line will have an example made out of them. As a result, some have been blacklisted in Hollywood for poor performance, voicing contrary opinions, or even just being boring or difficult to work with. While the reasons may vary, one thing remains true: being blacklisted in Hollywood is the worst fate for any performer.

15 blacklisted celebrities

Read also

Bangladesh factory disaster survivors plead for justice 10 years on

The Hollywood scene has forced many performers into early retirement. While there is no official blacklist, it is common to see someone who was previously famous suddenly disappear and not be seen again. Here is a list of a few blacklisted celebrities you did not know about.

1. Katherine Heigl

Blacklisted celebrities
Katherine Heigl as Samantha Wheeler. Photo: Shane Mahood
Source: Getty Images

Not many years ago, Katherine Heigl was one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. However, this quickly changed due to her reputation as being notoriously difficult to work with. This reputation quickly earned her another one as one of those blacklisted celebrities who no longer work in Hollywood.

Many accusations against her include repeatedly questioning scripts, refusing to leave her trailer, and her ridiculous wardrobe.

2. Rose McGowan

blacklisted celebrities
Actress Rose McGowan attends a press conference outside court on January 6, 2020 in New York City. Photo: Kena Betancur
Source: Getty Images

Rose McGowan's story is one of the saddest ones in Hollywood history. Although she has been known to make several public insensitive remarks, many fans concur that she did not deserve to be blacklisted. McGowan is best known for her role in the TV series Charmed.

Read also

The Big Sort: Twitter ticks check out

In 2017, Rose was one of the women who accused Harvey Weinstein of sabotaging their careers after becoming victims of his assault and harassment. Weinstein allegedly assaulted McGowan in the late 1990s, and while she did not press charges, they settled it out of court.

After that, Weinstein reportedly tried to blacklist her from Hollywood and bury the films she was a part of. As a result, McGowan went many years without getting any offers for roles.

3. Vince Vaughn

blacklisted celebrities
Actor Vince Vaughn looks on prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship game between the Clemson Tigers and the LSU Tigers at Mercedes Benz Superdome. Photo: Kevin C. Cox
Source: Getty Images

A decade ago, it was hard to turn on your television and not see Vince Vaughn on your screen. As one of the busiest actors in Hollywood at the time, Vaughn starred in many classic comedies. His greatest hits include Wedding Crashers and The Break-Up, some of the longest movies ever made.

He was a fan favourite, known for his quick wit and affable smile. But his blacklisting still happened. Hollywood's lack of desire for Vaughn was initially subtle and mainly attributed to his limited acting range. However, the media spins a different story.

Read also

Man from Date Rush goes swimming with US lady in her 50s

4. Charlie Sheen

blacklisted celebrities
Charlie Sheen, an actor, during a panel discussion at the NFT LA conference in Los Angeles, California, U.S. Photo: Bing Guan
Source: Getty Images

Previously known as one of the best-paid actors and comedians for his show on CBS, Two, And A Half Men, Charlie Sheen has fallen far from his throne. The actor reportedly earned $2 million for every episode he appeared in, a dream job that came to an abrupt end. Now, he has joined the long list of blacklisted actors.

Sheen was blacklisted for his lack of accountability. Many prospects in the entertainment business avoided him due to his severe breakdowns resulting from years of heavy drug and alcohol use. His fate was sealed when he publicly humiliated the sitcom's co-creator, Chuck Lorre.

5. Cee-Lo Green

blacklisted celebrities
Cee-lo Green performs at 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course. Photo: Erika Goldring
Source: Getty Images

Green has been in the limelight since the mid-1990s, when he began as a musical act. In 2010, his fame grew when his hit song F**k You came out. He parlayed this success into being a judge on The Voice and getting his TV show.

Read also

Margot Robbie's feet: Why is the internet obsessed with the actress's feet?

Unfortunately, the singer posted some insensitive tweets about abuse and homophobia that automatically got him on the blacklist. As a result, he lost his show, his spot on The Voice, and many of his scheduled concert gigs.

6. Isaiah Washington

blacklisted celebrities
Isaiah Washington attends 50th NAACP Image Awards Nominees Luncheon - Arrivals at Loews Hollywood Hotel. Photo: Leon Bennett
Source: Getty Images

With dozens of television and movie credits to his name, Isaiah Washington also got blacklisted. He was let go from his role as Preston Burke in Grey's Anatomy after using a homophobic slur twice about a cast mate.

7. Shia LaBeouf

blacklisted celebrities
Shia LaBeouf attends the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards on February 08, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jeff Kravitz
Source: Getty Images

Why was Shia LaBeouf blacklisted from Hollywood? The actor was blacklisted after he approached a bystander and a police officer asking for a cigarette. He became disorderly when he did not get one. In addition, videos of LaBeouf telling a black police officer that he would go to hell because of his skin colour surfaced.

Recently, the actor's ex-girlfriend Tahliah Barnett, aka FKA Twigs, sued him for battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress. She stated that her one-year relationship with the former star is the worst thing she has ever been through.

Read also

25 of the best Christian movies based on true stories you should watch

8. Brendon Fraser

blacklisted celebrities
Brendan Fraser attends 'No Sudden Move' during 2021 Tribeca Festival at The Battery. Photo: Santiango Felipe
Source: Getty Images

Is Brendan Fraser blacklisted? Yes, Fraser was one of the household names of the late 90s and early 2000s. This was mainly due to his leading role in The Mummy franchise, and also being one of the hottest men in Hollywood. The actor claims Phillip Berk assaulted him at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 2003. He believes that this is why he ended up blacklisted.

9. Kirk Cameron

blacklisted celebrities
Kirk Cameron on Friday, Feb. 22, 2018. Photo: Nathan Congleto
Source: Getty Images

Another former child star, Kirk Cameron, appeared in many movies and shows as a child. He is best known for his role as Mike Seaver in Growing Pains. These days, however, the actor is hardly known for his acting but for his radical Christian views.

10. Stacey Dash

blacklisted celebrities
Actress Stacey Dash attends The Diaspora Dialogues' 3rd Annual International Women Of Power Luncheon at Arbat Banquet Hall on March 07, 2020 in Burbank, California. Photo: JC Olivera
Source: Getty Images

Dash is an actress and talk show host who rose to fame for her role in Clueless and Outnumbered. However, these days, she is more famous for her controversial views. In 2008, Dash was vocal about her decision to vote for the Obama presidency. However, by the time he was vying for re-election, Dash had made a shift and made several controversial remarks.

Read also

Top 25 Chicago rappers you should watch out in 2024

While there is nothing wrong with airing one's views, fans had issues with her call for the end of Black History Month, which even got her fired from Fox. She also made controversial comments about transgender people in 2016.

11. Mo'nique

blacklisted celebrities
Mo'Nique attends the premiere of Universal's "Almost Christmas" at Regency Village Theatre on November 3, 2016 in Westwood, California. Photo: Tommaso Boddi
Source: Getty Images

When she won an Oscar for her role in Precious, no one suspected that the actress's career in Hollywood was approaching its end. However, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Mo'nique stated that director Lee Daniels confirmed she had been blacklisted over a phone call.

The reason for the actress being blacklisted was because she did not want to do additional press engagements for the movie as she was not being paid for them.

12. Mel Gibs

blacklisted celebrities
Mel Gibson attends Columbia Pictures' "Father Stu" Photo Call at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills on April 01, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth
Source: Getty Images

Mel Gibson, a famous actor in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, had a public freak-out that damaged his career beyond recognition. First, he had a drunk driving incident, after which he went on an anti-semitic rant, which made headlines worldwide. Though he attempted a career revival in 2016, he was unsuccessful.

Read also

The seven dwarfs names in Snow White and their meaning.

13. Roseanne Barr

blacklisted celebrities
Roseanne Barr participates in "Is America a Forgiving Nation?, a talk on forgiveness hosted by the World Values Network and the Jewish Journal at Saban Theatre. Photo: Rachel Luna
Source: Getty Images

Barr was already almost on the list for being a vocal supporter of President Trump and her outspoken political rants on Twitter. However, she cemented her place on the blacklist in 2018 when she wrote a racist tweet about Valerie Jarret, a senior advisor to former president Barrack Obama.

14. Thora Birch

blacklisted celebrities
Actor Thora Birch on the red carpet during the 2022 Roger Ebert Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois. Photo: Timothy Hiatt
Source: Getty Images

As a child, Thora Birch was one of the busiest actors in Hollywood and was in many notable films of that time. Her career grew, and in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Birch had all the signs of becoming an even bigger star. Unfortunately, this was not to be.

Birch is rumoured to have been blacklisted due to her father and her manager repeatedly threatening a co-star. This led to her getting fired.

15. Taylor Lautner

blacklisted celebrities
Taylor Lautner speaks at the 2022 CMT Music Awards at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: Mike Coppola
Source: Getty Images

Why was Taylor Lautner blacklisted? Almost everyone has watched The Twilight Saga, a show that propelled stars like Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart to stardom. Unfortunately, the third party of the supernatural love triangle that had many teenagers hooked did not meet the same fate. So, why did he disappear from Hollywood?

Read also

80+ of the funniest Helen Keller jokes and memes that are just awesome

Although Lautner has participated in several projects since then, none have impacted his success. Many fans have posed many theories about why this happened, but the truth remains that he has yet to stage a comeback.

What does it mean when a celebrity is blackballed?

A celebrity is said to be blackballed when they no longer receive any job offers after doing something that negatively affects their rep. This spells doom for performers who wish to have a Hollywood Walk of Fame star that cannot be stepped on like Muhammad Ali.

Blacklisting in Hollywood is an age-old punishment that has played havoc on the careers of some of its brightest stars. Any perceived grievances against those in power or the general public are sufficient grounds to ensure that one never gets work. These are some of the blacklisted celebrities who went through this horrific experience.

Have you watched Euphoria? Yen.com.gh has a comprehensive list of the cast of this show that has captured the world. The storyline and talented cast make this show a must-watch for those who haven't seen it yet.

Read also

Top 20 talented plus-size actresses who are making it big in the movie industry

The Euphoria cast has done an excellent job portraying the characters of the series. Some of them have even received accolades and awards for their outstanding performances.

Subscribe to watch new videos

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Ann Steffie avatar

Ann Steffie Ann Steffie is a content creator with 2+ years of working experience in the industry. She graduated from the Technical University of Kenya with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and Technology. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya and spends her free time pursuing her interests which include web development, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Email: madigoann@gmail.com

Tags: