- 3 months ago
Some celebrity splits don't just break hearts — they coincide with professional nosedives and public meltdowns. Join MsMojo as we examine high-profile breakups that intersected with scandals, box-office bombs, and lost sponsorships. From political fallout and leaked tapes to messy divorces and tabloid storms, we trace how fame unraveled for major Hollywood and sports stars — and who fought to reclaim their spotlight. We spotlight actors, musicians and athletes whose personal crises fed into public career downturns.
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00:00Yeah, I'm nervous and, uh, I'm scared, but I'm ready to face it.
00:07Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're looking at celebrities whose careers took a hit while
00:11their relationships fell apart. We're also including those who've managed to claw their
00:15way back into the mainstream. For all that I have done, I am so sorry.
00:24Ryan Phillippe. Most people likely think back to cruel intentions or his high-profile marriage to
00:29Reese Witherspoon when Ryan Phillippe's name comes up. There's something I have to tell you.
00:34Tell me. This isn't working out for me anymore. That era marked his peak in media visibility.
00:40During their marriage, Witherspoon shot to the A-list and established a lasting legacy in pop
00:45culture. On the other hand, Phillippe's career was overshadowed by allegations of infidelity
00:50that have never been confirmed. Did you have a rep as a Hollywood bad boy?
00:54Was that part of your rep? I didn't know that.
00:56You know, I don't either. This is something that comes up with relative frequency,
01:00and I'm not always sure where it comes from.
01:02While he's remained consistently active, he hasn't captured the same spotlight that films
01:06like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Crash have brought him. Once a tabloid fixture,
01:11Phillippe has remained low-key ever since he and Witherspoon went their separate ways.
01:16I wonder sometimes how they feel about it, we talk about it too, but I think we've all made peace
01:21with the fact that we're out there in the public and that people are going to choose
01:24to key on whatever is interesting to them.
01:27Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many expected a heartwarming farewell when the Terminator star's term as
01:32governor was nearing its end. Instead, that period is now remembered as the worst time in both his
01:37personal and professional life.
01:39It's just one of the disaster situations that I've created, and it's the worst thing that I've ever done.
01:46Worst thing you've ever done?
01:47Yeah, because it's...
01:47The worst secret?
01:48It's... well, not just the worst thing, it's just the worst thing because it hurt so many people.
01:53The revelation of a decade-and-a-half-old affair and a secret child shattered the
01:57governator image Schwarzenegger had worked so hard to build. It didn't take long for the public to link
02:02his admission of guilt to his separation from Maria Shriver, announced just days prior.
02:07That's the house that Arnold Schwarzenegger clearly hoped that Patti Bainer would raise his
02:11secret son in oblivion, but clearly it was not to be.
02:15The fallout was swift and brutal, with the scandal effectively destroying his political career.
02:20It was only after a prolonged apology and taking full responsibility for his child
02:24that Schwarzenegger was able to salvage his reputation. However, his marriage to Shriver was irreparably broken.
02:30Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver are officially divorced, more than 10 years after
02:36Maria's initial filing.
02:37Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee
02:39He gained fame as part of the metal band Motley Crue, while Baywatch turned her into a mainstream
02:44icon. However, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's infamously volatile relationship became a tabloid
02:49obsession.
02:50Will you tell your version of it?
02:51No, you know what, it's been told. I respect her for telling her version,
02:55because the version they told was somebody else's version.
02:59A stolen, explicit personal tape wreaked further havoc for the pair.
03:02Legal battles over its release coincided with the end of their marriage.
03:06Despite clear violations of their privacy, a largely unsympathetic public opinion forced
03:10them to adapt to save their careers.
03:12I don't think they really portrayed Tommy or I positively. I don't know, I mean, I've only
03:17heard that it was a very shallow kind of representation of us, but you know, of that time.
03:24Both continued in show business, but neither controlled their own narrative anymore.
03:28Lee relied on various gimmicks to reshape his personal brand, while Anderson leaned into the
03:32provocative persona that the media had slapped her with, only reclaiming her voice over two
03:37decades later.
03:38It's really touching, and how we all have to beg forgiveness to our adult children,
03:42because there's no perfect way to do it.
03:44No.
03:44No perfect way to be a parent, especially in this industry, if you've been objectified in
03:47any way and having your kids go through it with you.
03:50Mel Gibson.
03:51Given the many controversies that he's been embroiled in, it's hard to pinpoint a single
03:55turning point in Mel Gibson's career.
03:57But don't shed too many tears for Mr. Mel Gibson. Not in jeopardy of going broke, but
04:02his bank account is certainly a lot smaller this morning, by about half.
04:07His divorce from Robin Denise Moore coincided with an anti-Semitic outburst that turned him
04:12into an industry pariah.
04:14That's what happens. Too much pressure, too much work.
04:15You do things that go against good judgment.
04:21Just when he was poised for a comeback, a messy breakup with Oksana Grigoriva derailed
04:26those plans. Allegations of misconduct and a restraining order, barring him from seeing
04:31his daughter, sent Gibson's career into another steep decline.
04:34So to answer your question, as a human being, as a mother of his child, I would forgive him,
04:40but he really needs to come and acknowledge what he's done.
04:45Films like Edge of Darkness and The Beaver bombed at the box office, the latter seen
04:49as a direct casualty of his scandals. It would take another hiatus from mainstream cinema and
04:54pleas for forgiveness from friends like Robert Downey Jr. before Hollywood was ready to welcome
04:59Gibson back.
05:00Those comments from Robert Downey Jr., how are they being received?
05:03Well, I think you've got to start with Robert Downey Jr. You can't begrudge someone for asking for
05:07forgiveness for his friend. You know, you could look at that as courageous and he's standing by his
05:12friend.
05:13Denise Richards
05:14With bold roles in Starship Troopers and Wild Things, and as a Bond girl in The World Is Not Enough,
05:19Denise Richards became one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces of the 90s. However, her marriage to Charlie
05:25Sheen drew the most media attention, especially once it spiraled into a contentious divorce.
05:30It does seem like we're together. Well, right now we're focusing on the kids.
05:34Okay, good answer.
05:38I don't know what else to say at the moment.
05:41At the same time, failing to build on early success cost Richards her place in the industry.
05:46During her highly publicized split from Sheen, the actress pretty much disappeared from the Hollywood
05:50radar. It was a very, very public and negative divorce. It was very hard for her to deal with.
05:55Although she dabbled on both the big screen and TV, Richards' pre-divorce fame is behind her.
06:01She's since shifted her focus to digital platforms and reality TV, namely the Real Housewives of
06:06Beverly Hills.
06:07I don't have the cleanest mouth either.
06:09I apologized at Sasquatch Coffee. I said, you know what, I'm very sorry.
06:13You brought it up. I didn't bring it up. You did.
06:15Tiger Woods. Although Woods' name is synonymous with golf, he hit his peak in 2008.
06:21Rather than confront his professional struggles, he was forced into hiatus after the revelation
06:25of his extramarital affair with Rachel Uquitel.
06:28You know, so many people put him on such a pedestal and here he was in my bed and he was
06:35my tiger.
06:39Soon after, multiple other women alleged their own affairs with the golfer.
06:42They wanted to be the one and they found out there was more than one.
06:46It's only got worse as brands like Accenture, AT&T, Gatorade and Gillette, among many others,
06:52all swiftly cut ties with him.
06:54I've got my finger on the pulse of American public opinion using focus groups and public
07:01opinion polls to see how bad this death of a thousand cuts really ends up being.
07:07The ensuing public humiliation raised any chance of reconciliation with wife Ellen Nordegren,
07:12who reportedly received a divorce settlement worth over $100 million.
07:17Despite regaining his wealth and fame since then, that dark chapter in Woods' life remains
07:21impossible to ignore.
07:22You know, these are tough times and to live months upon months like that, it was not fun.
07:30Sonny Bono.
07:31She's kind of punched you around a little here, as you mentioned.
07:34She's dropped boulders on my head for about 15 years.
07:37Do you work on her at all of this or you let it go?
07:39Are you a big enough man to just kind of let it go?
07:41No.
07:41While Cher has carved out a remarkable solo career, Sonny Bono's name is always linked
07:46with hers.
07:47Breaking through as one half of the Sonny and Cher duo, Bono channeled this momentum into
07:52television, co-starring with his then-wife in the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
07:56Oh, Raggedy Sonny, you're imagining things.
08:00Well, Raggedy Cher, I'll just check to be sure.
08:04Good.
08:05However, their divorce led to the show's cancellation, marking the downfall of his
08:09entertainment career.
08:10A solo musical attempt failed to gain traction, and occasional appearances in film and TV were
08:16a far cry from his earlier fame.
08:18Ironically, brief reunions with Cher brought him the most cultural relevance in later years.
08:22Babe, I got you babe, I got you babe.
08:30Bono would eventually find success as a politician, leaving his entertainment legacy forever tied
08:35to Cher.
08:36Robin Thicke
08:36There's nothing blurry about what the high point was for Robin Thicke's career.
08:40The singer became a household name in 2013, and the sky seemed to be the limit.
08:44But Thicke's dissent came as quickly as his rise.
08:47Accusations of plagiarism marred his success before personal troubles took centre stage.
08:52It was supposed to be a romantic getaway.
08:55Paula claimed she fell asleep, and when she woke up, she says she saw Robin Thicke in another
08:59room with a naked woman.
09:01That episode, she says, was her breaking point.
09:05Thicke's image plunged amid allegations of infidelity, erratic behaviour and substance use.
09:10His hopes of winning back both love and career backfired with the 2014 album Paula, a failed
09:15appeal to his estranged wife, Paula Patton.
09:17It's so very private, and you are doing it so publicly.
09:21Well, you know, when you lose the love of your life, you don't have much to hide anymore.
09:26Ultimately, his efforts didn't take, as Patton filed for divorce, and Blurred Lines
09:30still remains his biggest brush with mainstream success.
09:33It's very adult.
09:34You talk about, hey, we are forever family.
09:38Right.
09:39Was that, was that...
09:41The album, I didn't want it to be all depressing, because I didn't want her to listen to it
09:44and make her sad only.
09:46Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.
09:48It's turkey time.
09:52Huh?
09:55Gobble, gobble.
09:55Misfires like Jilly and Jersey Girl coincided with the end of their first relationship,
10:01and neither Affleck's nor Lopez's fortunes took a turn after the breakup.
10:05After a decade of floundering results, Affleck regained acclaim as a director, but enjoyed
10:09a divorce from Jennifer Garner.
10:11The timing of this divorce report is interesting, because for a while now, it really seemed that
10:15Ben and Jen have been on a path to reconciliation.
10:18Meanwhile, Lopez appeared in several poorly received romantic comedies, though her musical
10:22career remained her saving grace.
10:24Unfortunately, Benefit 2.0 mirrored their previous setbacks.
10:28And ask for what exactly caused their breakup.
10:30Ben is keeping that to himself.
10:32Adding, the reason I don't want to share that is just sort of embarrassing.
10:36It feels vulnerable.
10:38By the time of their divorce, Affleck had appeared in The Flash, Hypnotic, and Air,
10:42none of which were successful at the box office.
10:44JLo's music couldn't bail her out this time either, and with disappointing album sales
10:49for This Is Me Now, she opted to cancel her planned tour and focus on her family.
10:53Being in a relationship doesn't define me.
10:56I can't be looking for happiness in other people.
10:59I have to have happiness within myself.
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11:15Johnny Depp and Amber Heard
11:19Amber Heard has filed for divorce from actor and husband Johnny Depp, citing irreconcilable
11:25differences, and she did it, I should point out, just three days after the death of Depp's
11:30mother.
11:31By 2016, Depp was reeling off flops like Alice Through the Looking Glass and Mordecai, while
11:36the DCEU was Heard's primary claim to fame.
11:39When their separation was announced, both still had films like Fantastic Beasts and Aquaman in
11:44the Pipeline, but by the time legal proceedings were in full swing, their careers were in
11:48shambles.
11:49Depp found himself blacklisted from mainstream media after Heard's allegations in an op-ed.
11:54Johnny's career taking a hit in the aftermath of their public battle.
11:57He's only returned to the big screen in foreign projects.
12:00Although his lawsuit won back significant public favor, it was years before he would return to
12:05Hollywood with Daydrinker.
12:06If I'm back, it feels great.
12:08The Oscar nominee suited up with long gray hair and a matching beard.
12:13Heard in this snap from his upcoming film, Daydrinker.
12:16Heard mostly stepped away from show business following the intense legal backlash, moving
12:20to Spain to be a mother and appear in smaller projects.
12:23Remember Heard looks like she is actually really enjoying life in Spain.
12:27Remember, she moved there with her daughter.
12:29Which celeb couple breakup hit you the hardest?
12:32Let us know in the comments.
12:33Nobody deserves to have that happen.
12:36Nothing happened.
12:37You did it.
12:43You did it.
12:45You did it.
12:46You did it.
12:48You did it.
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