- 2 hours ago
One moment changed everything... Join us as we examine the devastating choices that altered celebrity lives forever. From fatal accidents to career-ending scandals, these decisions had irreversible consequences. Some were simple errors in judgment, while others revealed deeper struggles with fame and personal demons. Which celebrity's tragic choice affected you most?
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00...in the joyride that ended in a fiery crash taking actor Paul Walker's life.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at tragic choices made by celebrities that led to devastating or even fatal consequences.
00:12The next night, Richie won a coin toss to get his seat on that small plane.
00:19Allison Mack, joining the NXIVM cult.
00:22Allison Mack's decision to join the NXIVM organization transformed her from a fan-favorite actress into a convicted felon.
00:28Drawn in by the group's promises of empowerment, the Smallville star climbed its ranks, all while aiding the coercive sex cult led by Keith Raniere.
00:37As one of his top lieutenants, she recruited women who were allegedly manipulated, branded, and abused.
00:43Allison Mack left court with her head-down hair covering her face.
00:46When NXIVM was finally exposed, her involvement shocked Hollywood.
00:50Mack later pleaded guilty, but Bemorse couldn't undo the damage.
00:53Her tragic decision to seek belonging in a toxic environment cost her freedom and reputation, not to mention her career.
01:00The 38-year-old tearfully apologized, saying she was, quote, filled with remorse and guilt, and that her actions were abusive, abhorrent, and illegal.
01:08Nick Hogan, street racing.
01:11In the summer of 2007, Nick Hogan, son of late wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, made a reckless decision that changed lives forever.
01:18At just 17 years of age, Nick decided to street race his Toyota Supra in Clearwater, Florida.
01:24Unfortunately, he lost control and crashed into a tree.
01:28His passenger, Marine John Graziano, suffered severe brain damage from the accident and will require lifelong care.
01:34I have apologized to the Grazianos, but I want to say that I will never, ever be able to say I'm sorry enough.
01:40Nick served jail time for reckless driving, but the emotional consequences were far greater.
01:45Once poised to ride his family's fame into his own spotlight, his dreams perished by one night of poor judgment.
01:51And I understand why people would be angry with me.
01:55Sinead O'Connor, tearing the Pope's photo.
01:58Everywhere is war.
02:02In 1992, Nothing Compares to You singer Sinead O'Connor made a bold but career-altering decision on Saturday Night Live,
02:09tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II to protest abuse in the Catholic Church.
02:14Fight the real enemy!
02:20The act was meant as a plea for justice, but it was meant with outrage instead of empathy.
02:25Blacklisted and vilified, O'Connor's faced severe mainstream backlash.
02:30Years later, history would vindicate her protest.
02:32But at the time, it left her isolated and deeply misunderstood.
02:36O'Connor said that the incident took a heavy toll, fueling the mental health struggles that haunted her for years.
02:41And we can't heal ourselves unless we fight the right enemy.
02:44The right cause is no good just dealing with the symptoms.
02:47Anton Yelchin, exiting his car to check the mail.
02:50Russian whiz kid, what's your name?
02:51Chanko, Chirpov?
02:53Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreevich, sir.
02:55Fine.
02:56Chekov, Pavel Andreevich.
02:57Begin ship-wide mission broadcast?
02:59Yes, sir.
02:59Happy tune.
03:01Ensign authorization code 95, Victor, Victor 2.
03:05Authorization not recognized.
03:06Anton Yelchin's death in 2016 was a freak accident that left Hollywood in shock.
03:12And it all stemmed from a simple, mundane decision.
03:15You see, the Star Trek actor decided to step out of his Jeep Grand Cherokee to check his mail.
03:20The problem?
03:20The vehicle was among vehicles of that era, implicated in roll-away complaints due to a faulty gear system.
03:26And, because it was part on an incline, it rolled backward.
03:30Trap between the car and a brick pillar, Yelchin's life would come to an end at just 27.
03:35He was killed, trapped between his SUV and his driveway gate.
03:39And it turns out his Jeep is one of hundreds of thousands included in a recall.
03:44A rising star with critical acclaim, Yelchin's potential was extinguished in an instant of cruel fate.
03:50Natalie Wood, going out on the yacht.
03:52In November 1981, actress Natalie Wood made a seemingly simple decision
03:56to join her husband, Robert Wagner, and co-star Christopher Walken on their yacht, Splendor.
04:02This, despite her lifelong fear of dark water.
04:05The following morning, Wood's body would be found drowned.
04:08Good evening everyone, tonight our metropolitan area and the whole world
04:11mourns the death of 43-year-old movie actress Natalie Wood.
04:14Conflicting witness statements and decades of speculation have left the truth uncertain,
04:19making her death one of Hollywood's biggest mysteries.
04:21The real story of her death is that she drowned, and nobody knows how she drowned or what happened except her.
04:37Whether an accident or the result of foul play, Wood's choice to board that yacht led to a terrible tragedy.
04:44A brilliant career and a vibrant life were lost because of one night on the water.
04:48Dino Bravo, getting involved in organized crime.
04:52When Canada's strongest man, Dino Bravo, retired from professional wrestling,
04:56he faced a stark reality filled with dwindling opportunities and mounting financial pressure.
05:01He ultimately made a fateful choice, to involve himself in organized crime.
05:05Bravo reportedly joined a cigarette smuggling operation tied to the Montreal Mafia
05:10and associated with organized crime figures.
05:12In 1993, he was found murdered in his home, shot numerous times in an alleged mob hit.
05:18Once a celebrated star of the squared circle, Bravo's post-wrestling life became a tragic descent into danger,
05:24thanks to his decision to trade the gridiron spotlight for a life of crime.
05:28I honestly think that when Dino was, at the end of his days,
05:32that he may have done something that he wasn't supposed to, a lot of rumors run.
05:35Richie Valens, tossing a coin for a seat on a flight.
05:38In February 1959, 17-year-old Richie Valens decided to flip a coin, sealing his fate in the process.
05:45Touring with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, Valens won a seat on a small plane,
05:49meant to skip the cold bus ride via coin flip.
05:52However, minutes after takeoff, tragedy struck as the plane crashed in an Iowa cornfield,
05:58killing everyone aboard.
05:59The next night, Richie won a coin toss to get his seat on that small plane.
06:05It crashed shortly after takeoff.
06:07Known for hits like La Bamba, Valens was a rising star, cut down before his career truly began.
06:12His decision to play the coin flip for a seat on that flight became one of rock and roll's
06:19defining tragedies, remembered forever as The Day the Music Died.
06:23The Day the Music Died, as that phrase goes, it was a seat.
06:28And in that seat was Richie and Buddy and the Big Bopper.
06:32Ryan Dunn, driving after heavy drinking.
06:35Ryan Dunn, about to do some skiing up here in the Pennsylvania mountains.
06:39Jackass star Ryan Dunn's reckless decision to drive after drinking proved fatal in 2011.
06:44After a night out in Pennsylvania, Dunn reportedly got behind the wheel of his Porsche 911 GT3,
06:50with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.
06:53Traveling at over 130 miles per hour, he crashed, killing himself and his passenger instantly.
06:59Known for his humor and wild stuns, Dunn was beloved among fans and friends alike.
07:04He was just the sweetest guy. You know, he had so much love about him.
07:11He made us smarter. He made us funnier. He made us sweeter. He brought a lot of love to the group.
07:18His death devastated the Jackass family and served as a grim reminder that one poor choice behind the wheel
07:23can erase everything in mere seconds.
07:26Michael Jackson, trusting Dr. Conrad Murray.
07:29When Michael Jackson chose to place his health in the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray,
07:38it led to an unimaginable tragic ending.
07:40Exhausted from preparing for his This Is It tour, Jackson relied on Murray to help him sleep.
07:45Dr. Murray said the day he died, Michael Jackson begged the doctor to help him sleep.
07:50Then he complained. I got to sleep, Dr. Conrad. I have these rehearsals to perform.
08:00I must be ready for the show in England.
08:03It's said that Murray administered nightly doses of propofol, a powerful anesthetic not meant for home use.
08:09On the fateful day of June 25th, 2009, Jackson suffered acute propofol intoxication
08:13and ultimately passed away at 50 years of age.
08:16The king of pop's trust in Murray cost him his life and left the world mourning.
08:21Fame may have made him untouchable, but his trust made him vulnerable.
08:25With many people saying they will always remember precisely where they were when they first heard the news.
08:30And that, in its own way, is a tribute to Michael Jackson.
08:34Tonya Harding, involving herself in Nancy Kerrigan's attack.
08:37I mean, what kind of friggin' person bashes in their friend's knee?
08:43Who would do that to a friend?
08:44Figure skating superstar Tonya Harding saw her ambition turn to self-destructive disaster
08:49when she became entangled in the attack on her rival, Nancy Kerrigan.
08:53While Harding denied planning the assault, her decision to associate with those responsible,
08:58including her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, ruined her career.
09:01The assault, meant to secure her Olympic edge, only ensured her own downfall.
09:06Harding was banned from competitive skating for life,
09:09her name forever linked to one of sport's darkest scandals.
09:12I mean, she's moved on, I've moved on.
09:15It's part of history that will always be with us.
09:17What could have been a triumphant story of perseverance became a cautionary tale of poor judgment.
09:23Owen Hart, agreeing to entrance stunt.
09:25Canadian Owen Hart, known as the Blue Blazer, was killed performing a pre-match stunt.
09:31Beloved pro wrestler Owen Hart's tragic death in 1999 stemmed from agreeing to perform a risky entrance stunt
09:37that he was reportedly uneasy about.
09:39Spended from the arena rafters, Hart, as his Blue Blazer persona,
09:44was meant to descend dramatically into the ring during the WWE's over-the-edge pay-per-view event.
09:48But, a release mechanism failed, and Owen fell over 75 feet in front of the live audience.
09:54Last night in Kansas City, Missouri, with more than 18,000 people in the arena
09:59and a large worldwide pay-per-view audience,
10:02Hart was getting ready to make a spectacular entrance, similar to one he'd made before.
10:07Known for his humor, skill, and heart,
10:09Owen's decision to proceed with a stunt, likely out of professionalism and trust,
10:13became terribly disastrous.
10:15One that left his friends, family, and fans devastated.
10:19It doesn't look good at all.
10:21Shocked ring announcers tried to tell the home audience what they were seeing was no act.
10:25Aaliyah, boarding an overloaded plane.
10:32On August 25th, 2001, R&B star Aaliyah made a faithful decision for the sake of convenience.
10:38A choice that will become one of music's most heartbreaking what-ifs.
10:42After filming her Rock the Boat music video in the Bahamas,
10:45Aaliyah decided to board a small plane.
10:47However, the aircraft was overloaded with equipment.
10:50Despite reported concerns, the princess of R&B chose to board anyway,
10:54eager to return home early.
10:56Moments after takeoff, the plane crashed, killing all nine on board.
11:00An inquest also called into question the pilot's credentials.
11:03The plane, just after taking off for Florida in perfect weather, suddenly plummeted to the ground.
11:09Investigators now saying one of the engines apparently failed.
11:12Along with eight passengers, Aaliyah, a young Brooklyn native and a talented singer and actress.
11:17Aaliyah's death stunned fans worldwide, and halted a promising career at just 22 years of age.
11:23James Dean, speeding in his Porsche.
11:25In September 1955, Hollywood icon in the making James Dean made a choice that sealed his legend and his fate.
11:33The Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden Star decided to drive his brand new Porsche 550 Spyder,
11:38nicknamed Little Bastard, to a racing event instead of towing it.
11:42Reportedly obsessed with speed, Dean ignored warnings to take it easy.
11:47Just hours later, he collided head-on with another car, dying instantly at only 24.
11:51There was a car coming in the opposite direction that was going to turn in front of James Dean.
11:59I think that his reaction was, I'm a race car driver and I'm going to have to outmaneuver this car.
12:06But he lost control and the two cars basically hit head-on.
12:10The crash, deemed an accidental death, immortalized him as the embodiment of youth, rebellion, and danger.
12:17Dean lived fast, died young, and became a reminder that no one is invincible.
12:22Why do we do this?
12:24You gotta do something.
12:26Now don't you?
12:27Aaron Hernandez, leading a secret life of violence.
12:31NFL tight end Aaron Hernandez had it all.
12:33Talent, fame, and fortune.
12:36But off the field, he chose to follow another path.
12:39One of crime and violence.
12:41Surrounded by dangerous influences,
12:43Hernandez became involved in multiple criminal altercations,
12:46and ultimately, murder.
12:48He acted in a manner,
12:52like a tough guy all the time.
12:56Like, is the way I would explain it.
12:58Despite flashes of remorse,
12:59his violent lifestyle caught up to him.
13:01And in 2013, he was convicted for the killing of Odin Lloyd.
13:05Family members say Lloyd played some semi-professional football.
13:08They say he was an honest, hard-working young man.
13:11In 2017, Hernandez tragically took his life in prison at just 27.
13:16His story became one of wasted potential,
13:18a promising future undone by his own decisions,
13:21and inability to escape his darker instincts.
13:24Selena Quintanilla, trusting Yolanda SaldÃvar.
13:27Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight.
13:32She was the voice behind Dreaming of You and Bidi Bidi Bomb Bomb,
13:36and her heart was just as pure as her music.
13:39Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla's trust and kindness, however,
13:43proved tragically fatal.
13:44In 1995, despite growing suspicions that her fan club president and close friend,
13:49Yolanda SaldÃvar,
13:50was embezzling money,
13:52Selena chose to believe in her,
13:53until she couldn't anymore.
13:55When she finally confronted SaldÃvar in a Corpus Christi motel,
13:58the encounter turned deadly.
14:00Selena has been shot dead at a Corpus Christi motel.
14:03Selena was shot by Yolanda,
14:05and died at just 23.
14:06Her decision to face a friend she still trusted,
14:09cost her everything,
14:10leaving an entire culture mourning its once brightest star.
14:13It's not like we thought that this person
14:16was possible of the act that she committed.
14:19John F. Kennedy Jr.,
14:21flying in poor conditions.
14:22A seemingly charmed life
14:24until the plane he flew with Carolyn and her sister Lauren
14:27crashed into the waters off Martha's Vineyard.
14:31It was like a fairy tale without an ending.
14:34For America's prince,
14:35flying was freedom,
14:36but it became his undoing.
14:38In July 1999,
14:40John F. Kennedy Jr. chose to pilot his plane to Martha's Vineyard,
14:43despite poor visibility and limited instrument experience.
14:46JFK Jr. almost smashed into an American Airlines commercial plane
14:53because he wasn't talking to ground control,
14:55he wasn't talking to air traffic control,
14:56turned off his autopilot,
14:58turned off everything.
14:59As night fell and haze thickened,
15:01Kennedy Jr. lost his bearings over the Atlantic,
15:04crashing and killing himself,
15:06his wife Carolyn,
15:07and her sister.
15:08The loss of John Kennedy's plane
15:10has touched the entire nation in an astonishing way.
15:13The tragedy may have reignited talk of the Kennedy curse,
15:16but it was ultimately a painfully human mistake.
15:19The decision to fly in poor conditions
15:21ended hope of a new chapter
15:22for one of America's most storied families.
15:25Princess Diana, getting in the getaway car.
15:28Now there is confirmation that Diana,
15:30Princess of Wales, has died.
15:33What was supposed to be just another escape
15:34from the flashing cameras became her last.
15:37On August 31st, 1997,
15:39Princess Diana climbed into a car driven by Henry Paul
15:42to flee relentless paparazzi in Paris.
15:44The vehicle sped into the Ponte Alma tunnel
15:48and crashed, ending the lives of Diana,
15:50her companion Dodi Fayyad,
15:52and the driver,
15:53who was also found to be intoxicated.
15:55Diana, Princess of Wales,
15:57has in fact been killed in that car accident.
16:00At 36, the people's princess,
16:03adored for her grace and humanity,
16:05was gone.
16:06Her desperate decision to run from the press that night
16:08was heartbreaking.
16:10In fact, the tragic incident would forever change
16:12how the world views celebrities,
16:14privacy,
16:15and obsession.
16:16And it seems to me
16:17you lived your life
16:19like a candle in the wind.
16:23Kurt Cobain,
16:23leaving rehab early.
16:25Now my candles,
16:27in our days,
16:29cause I found God.
16:31Yeah!
16:32Yeah!
16:32For a man who gave voice to a generation,
16:35Kurt Cobain was drowning in silence.
16:37And in 1994,
16:39the Nirvana frontman checked into rehab,
16:41seeking help for depression and addiction.
16:43Either I've accepted it
16:45or I've gone beyond insane
16:46to where I can deal with it emotionally.
16:49I just,
16:50I really don't care.
16:51But within just a few days,
16:53he escaped.
16:54A decision that would prove tragic.
16:56Alone in Seattle,
16:57Cobain took his own life at just 27,
17:00joining the haunting ranks of the 27 Club.
17:03His exit from rehab ultimately symbolized
17:05the push and pull that defined him.
17:07He seemingly craved peace,
17:09but rejected confinement.
17:10His choice to leave treatment
17:12led to the moment
17:13Rock's brightest flame burned out for good.
17:15For younger fans,
17:16his music captured the spirit
17:18of the difficult transition
17:19from youth to maturity.
17:21Paul Walker,
17:22riding in a high-speed car.
17:24In a fiery crash,
17:25taking actor Paul Walker's life.
17:28The driver, Walker's friend,
17:29Roger Rodas,
17:30was a pro racer
17:31with championship titles to his name.
17:34It's not his first time
17:35driving a car like that.
17:36Right.
17:36That's why I'm shocked.
17:38He's driven cars faster than this.
17:39In 2013,
17:41Fast and Furious megastar Paul Walker
17:43joined his friend Roger Rodas
17:44for a quick joyride
17:45in a Porsche Carrera GT.
17:47But the car,
17:48traveling close to 100 miles per hour,
17:50lost control
17:51and crashed into power poles and trees.
17:54Yeah, I'll be right back in five minutes.
17:55That was the last words I heard.
17:56Exploding in flames,
17:57the crash killed them both instantly.
18:00Known for his humility
18:01and humanitarian work,
18:02Walker's death was shocking.
18:04The tragedy cuts even deeper,
18:06knowing the actor's own love of speed.
18:08Walker's life ended
18:09in the very kind of high-octane crash
18:11his movies were famous for.
18:13Hey,
18:13thought you could leave me.
18:14I'll say goodbye.
18:18With one spontaneous decision,
18:20a franchise hero
18:21became a real-world tragedy.
18:23And Walker is survived
18:24by a 15-year-old daughter,
18:25Meadow.
18:26This is that scene
18:27where he crashed and died, Rob.
18:28And police now say
18:29that speed was a factor.
18:31Before we continue,
18:32be sure to subscribe to our channel
18:33and ring the bell
18:34to get notified
18:35about our latest videos.
18:36You have the option
18:37to be notified
18:38for occasional videos
18:39or all of them.
18:40If you're on your phone,
18:41make sure you go into your settings
18:43and switch on notifications.
18:46Steve Irwin,
18:48swimming above a stingray.
18:49For Steve Irwin,
18:51danger wasn't a risk.
18:52It was a calling.
18:58While filming a documentary in 2006,
19:01the beloved crocodile hunter
19:02decided to swim above a stingray
19:04to capture a better camera shot.
19:06However,
19:07the creature,
19:08startled,
19:08struck Irwin in the chest
19:09with its barb,
19:10piercing his heart.
19:11Well,
19:12it's reported
19:12the environmentalist
19:13was killed
19:14after being stabbed
19:15by a stingray barb
19:16in the chest
19:17while filming
19:18an underwater documentary
19:19on the Great Barrier Reef.
19:20Known for his fearless
19:21love of wildlife,
19:23Irwin's death
19:23was a cruel twist of fate.
19:25His decision to get close
19:26to the stingray
19:27was rooted in passion
19:28and purpose,
19:30making his loss
19:30all the more heartbreaking.
19:31the man who lived for animals
19:33died doing what he loved.
19:35He died what he did.
19:37He loved doing best.
19:39He left this world
19:40in a happy
19:41and peaceful state of mind.
19:43He would have said,
19:45Crocs rule.
19:46Which of these tragic
19:47celebrity decisions
19:48hit you the hardest?
19:49Let us know
19:49in the comments down below.
19:51and we'll see you then.
19:52Let us know
19:52in the comments below.
19:53Let us know
19:53in the comments below.
19:54We'll see you then.
19:54We'll see you then.
19:54We'll see you then.
Recommended
21:04
|
Up next
11:29
11:22
11:08
7:50
11:36
10:21
23:47
12:53
22:07
10:40
21:53
12:39
33:10
22:26
10:21
13:28
11:46
10:56
21:47
14:11
35:16
0:31
Be the first to comment