Celebs Who Have Been Blacklisted by Hollywood

The concept of the Hollywood blacklist dates back to the mid-20th century but remains relevant today as careers are stalled or destroyed for various reasons. Industry professionals may find themselves exiled due to political affiliations, on-set behavior, criminal allegations, or personal scandals. Some celebrities manage to stage comebacks after years in the wilderness while others never regain their former status. The following individuals experienced significant periods where major studios and casting directors refused to hire them.

Brendan Fraser

This actor was a box office staple in the late 1990s and early 2000s before vanishing from the limelight. Fraser alleged that he was sexually assaulted by Philip Berk, the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in 2003. He claimed that speaking out about the incident led to him being silenced and excluded from major industry opportunities for years. His career resurgence only occurred recently with his acclaimed performance in ‘The Whale’ after a long period of professional stagnation.

Tippi Hedren

Alfred Hitchcock discovered this actress and cast her in ‘The Birds’ and ‘Marnie’ before their relationship deteriorated. Hedren claimed the director became obsessed with her and ruined her career when she rebuffed his advances. Hitchcock reportedly refused to release her from her exclusive contract, preventing her from accepting roles offered by other filmmakers. She remained under contract and paid but unemployed until her agreement finally expired years later.

Mel Gibson

The actor and director faced a severe industry exile following a 2006 DUI arrest during which he made antisemitic remarks. His public image worsened with the release of controversial recordings involving his former partner Oksana Grigorieva. Hollywood studios and talent agencies dropped him as he became a persona non grata for nearly a decade. He eventually returned to directing with ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ although he remains a polarizing figure within the entertainment community.

Katherine Heigl

Her transition from television to film hit a roadblock after she made disparaging comments about the projects that made her famous. She called her breakout film ‘Knocked Up’ a little sexist and withdrew her name from Emmy consideration for ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ due to the writing. These comments earned her a reputation for being difficult and ungrateful among industry executives. High profile offers dried up as studios became wary of her potential to generate negative publicity.

Charlie Sheen

The production of ‘Two and a Half Men’ halted in 2011 after the star made derogatory comments about creator Chuck Lorre. Sheen engaged in a bizarre media blitz where he touted his tiger blood and winning lifestyle while struggling with substance abuse issues. Warner Bros. Television eventually fired him from the highest paying role on television due to moral turpitude. His erratic behavior made him uninsurable and kept him away from major studio projects for a significant period.

Roseanne Barr

ABC revived the hit sitcom ‘Roseanne’ to massive ratings before cancelling it abruptly after a single season. Barr posted a racist tweet regarding former Obama administration advisor Valerie Jarrett which caused an immediate backlash. The network fired her and retooled the show as ‘The Conners’ to continue without her involvement. She claimed that she was effectively wiped from the industry and lost her intellectual property rights over the scandal.

Kevin Spacey

Allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against the actor in 2017 regarding incidents spanning several decades. Netflix fired him from the lead role in ‘House of Cards’ and Ridley Scott reshot his scenes in ‘All the Money in the World’ with Christopher Plummer. He faced multiple legal battles in the United Kingdom and the United States while his acting career came to a complete halt. The industry completely distanced itself from the two-time Oscar winner following the severity of the accusations.

Isaiah Washington

The initial success of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ was marred by backstage drama involving this actor and his co-star T.R. Knight. Washington used a homophobic slur during an on-set argument which eventually leaked to the press. ABC decided not to renew his contract for the fourth season after the incident caused a public relations crisis. He struggled to find mainstream work for years until appearing in the CW series ‘The 100’.

Mo’Nique

This comedian and actress won an Academy Award for her role in ‘Precious’ but saw her career stall immediately afterward. She claimed that director Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey blackballed her for refusing to campaign for the film without pay. Industry insiders labeled her as difficult to work with for prioritizing her family over studio demands. She later sued Netflix for pay discrimination and eventually settled the lawsuit years later.

Shia LaBeouf

A series of legal troubles and bizarre public art installations shifted the public perception of this former child star. He faced plagiarism accusations for a short film and was later sued by FKA Twigs for alleged physical and emotional abuse. His talent agency dropped him as he sought treatment and stepped away from acting to focus on recovery. Hollywood studios paused his casting in major projects pending the outcome of his legal and personal issues.

Lindsay Lohan

Constant tabloid coverage of her partying and legal issues overshadowed her acting talent during the late 2000s. Insurance companies reportedly refused to bond her for films due to her history of unreliability and missed call times. She was fired from independent projects and replaced in others as producers deemed her too high of a risk. She moved overseas and stayed out of American productions for years before slowly returning to acting.

Armie Hammer

Graphic text messages allegedly sent by the actor leaked online in 2021 and contained disturbing fantasies. Multiple women subsequently came forward with accusations of sexual assault and emotional abuse against him. His talent agency dropped him and he was removed from several upcoming film and television projects including ‘Shotgun Wedding’. The scandal effectively ended his career as a leading man in mainstream Hollywood productions.

Gina Carano

Lucasfilm fired the actress from ‘The Mandalorian’ following a series of controversial social media posts. She shared content comparing the political climate in the United States to Nazi Germany alongside posts questioning mask mandates. The production company stated that her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities were abhorrent. She was subsequently dropped by her talent agency and moved to working with conservative media companies.

Jim Caviezel

The actor played Jesus in the blockbuster ‘The Passion of the Christ’ but found mainstream roles scarce afterward. He claimed that accepting the role led to him being shunned by a largely secular industry. His vocal adherence to conservative religious views further alienated him from liberal Hollywood circles. He found a niche in television with ‘Person of Interest’ and later in faith-based independent films like ‘Sound of Freedom’.

James Woods

Once a respected character actor with multiple Academy Award nominations, Woods became known for his aggressive political commentary online. His talent agent dropped him on the Fourth of July in 2018 citing a difference in political views. The actor claimed that his conservative stance landed him on a blacklist maintained by liberal industry gatekeepers. He rarely appears in mainstream films anymore and focuses primarily on producing.

Stacey Dash

The ‘Clueless’ star transitioned from acting to political punditry as a contributor for Fox News. Her controversial statements regarding race relations and accolades like Black History Month drew ire from many in the entertainment industry. She claimed that her conservative political beliefs made it impossible for her to get auditions in Hollywood. Dash eventually expressed regret for some of her past comments but remained on the fringes of the acting world.

Kirk Cameron

This former teen heartthrob from ‘Growing Pains’ experienced friction with producers as he became increasingly religious. He refused to perform scenes that conflicted with his strict Christian values and allegedly demanded script changes. His career shifted entirely away from secular Hollywood productions toward faith-based movies and documentaries. He now operates almost exclusively within the Christian entertainment market and produces his own content.

Thora Birch

The actress delivered acclaimed performances in ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Ghost World’ before disappearing from major films. Reports surfaced that her father and manager caused significant disruptions on film sets by threatening co-stars. She was fired from an off-Broadway production of ‘Dracula’ allegedly due to her father’s interference with the cast. Birch admitted later that her father’s protective nature may have rubbed industry professionals the wrong way.

Sean Young

Her career suffered after she gained a reputation for eccentric behavior and clashes with directors. She famously dressed as Catwoman in an attempt to confront Tim Burton and win the role in ‘Batman Returns’. Oliver Stone reportedly reduced her role in ‘Wall Street’ after on-set conflicts with the cast and crew. This reputation for being difficult made studios hesitant to hire her for major roles in the 1990s.

Randy Quaid

The character actor fled to Canada with his wife after claiming that a group of Star Whackers was trying to kill them. He faced various legal charges in the United States including burglary and vandalism of a property he once owned. His erratic behavior and conspiracy theories made him unemployable in the traditional studio system. Quaid has remained largely absent from mainstream acting while dealing with his legal entanglements.

Wesley Snipes

The action star served a three-year prison sentence for misdemeanor failure to file tax returns. His reputation was also damaged by reports of difficult behavior on the set of ‘Blade: Trinity’. Director David Goyer claimed Snipes communicated via post-it notes and refused to open his eyes for certain scenes. These issues combined to keep him out of major studio blockbusters until his recent supporting roles.

Ashley Judd

Her career momentum slowed significantly in the late 1990s despite her initial success as a leading lady. Peter Jackson later revealed that Harvey Weinstein told him Judd was a nightmare to work with and should be avoided. This smear campaign prevented her from being cast in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and other major projects. She was one of the first women to go on record exposing Weinstein’s predatory behavior and professional retaliation.

Mira Sorvino

This actress won an Oscar for ‘Mighty Aphrodite’ but suddenly stopped receiving offers for high-profile films. Like Judd, she was the victim of a calculated smear campaign by Harvey Weinstein after rejecting his advances. Directors eventually confirmed that they were told she was difficult and should not be hired for their movies. Her career suffered for years before the truth about the blacklist was revealed during the #MeToo movement.

Cee Lo Green

The singer and television personality faced legal trouble in 2012 regarding drug charges. He subsequently posted a series of tweets discussing his definition of non-consensual acts which caused public outrage. TBS cancelled his reality show ‘The Good Life’ shortly after the social media controversy erupted. He lost several concert bookings and retreated from his prominent position as a judge on ‘The Voice’.

Bill Cosby

Dozens of women came forward with allegations of sexual assault and drugging against the comedian. NBC scrapped a proposed sitcom that was in development and Netflix indefinitely postponed his comedy special. Reruns of ‘The Cosby Show’ were pulled from syndication across multiple networks as the scandal grew. His eventual conviction and imprisonment cemented his status as a permanent pariah in the entertainment industry.

Please share your thoughts on which of these celebrities deserves a second chance in the comments.