Actors Who Had Terrible Public Apologies

Actors are people just like the rest of us, but unlike everyone else, the world tends to take notice when they say or do something negative. This often results in a celebrity publicly apologizing for bad behavior or something they said that was deemed offensive, bigoted, or inappropriate. 

For example, after delivering a drunken antisemitic rant during a DUI arrest, Mel Gibson posted an apology and more or less moved on with his life and career. Most actors can do this, but not all of them — even if an actor is apologizing for something as inconsequential as a bad role, some are just terrible at it. Many actors' apologies fall flat if they lack sincerity, seem rehearsed, or leave people dubious of their contrition. When this happens, the story shifts from whatever landed them in hot water in the first place to their unsatisfying atonement. 

Often, this results in a follow-up apology, where the actor apologizes for their first apology for whatever bad thing they did. Granted, this is less frequent, but it happens. In most cases, actors try to distance themselves from a crummy apology, one way or the other. Most of the time, actors can say they're sorry and move on, but these actors all wrote or filmed a public apology that was almost as bad as the thing they had to apologize for.

In 2018, social media influencer and pro wrestler Logan Paul posted a since-deleted video on YouTube that infuriated many, and calling it controversial doesn't even begin to cover it. Paul shot the video in the Aokigahara forest at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest is known for being a place where many go to die by suicide, and Paul thought it appropriate to film the body of a suicide victim he came across.

The video garnered millions of views before Paul took it down, leading to an apology that didn't sway many to his side. Paul initially apologized on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying he was "misguided by shock and awe" (via BBC). However, he followed up with a video apology, admitting that he was ashamed and disappointed with himself.

In the nearly two-minute video, Paul apologizes and states that his discovery of the body was not planned. He adds that his reactions were "raw and unfiltered," saying he should have put the cameras down and stopped recording. While Paul seemed to show contrition, his words still deflected responsibility away from himself. His apparent insincerity didn't undo his comment in the original video: "What, you never stand next to a dead guy?"

For years, Michael Richards was at the top of his game, playing Cosmo Kramer on "Seinfeld" for the entire run of the series. The show made him an international star, and when it went off the air, he returned to his roots and traveled about doing stand-up. Unfortunately, some African-American attendees caught his attention during a gig in Los Angeles by talking through his act.

He handled this in the worst way possible, relying on tried and true stereotypes and overtly racist comments to try and denigrate them. Richards threw the N-word around numerous times, leading many people to walk out of the show. This left Richards in a bit of a pickle, seeing as he crossed a line and left it so far behind that he couldn't see it any longer.

Richards appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" via satellite feed, explaining that he "went into a rage" and said horrible things to some audience members. While he appeared to show remorse and insisted that he wasn't a racist person, his inability to explain why his outburst turned overtly racist fell flat for many, and his reputation never recovered.

Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher became famous together on "That '70s Show," but they weren't alone. Another cast member, Danny Masterson, made a name for himself on the series, but later ran afoul of the law after he was charged with three counts of rape stemming from the early 2000s. Kunis and Kutcher came out in support of their former cast member, and they issued a letter to the presiding judge, which went public.

The two actors claimed to support victims while attempting to persuade the judge to give Masterson, who was found guilty of two counts of rape, a lighter sentence. He ultimately received 30 years in prison, and when Kunis and Kutcher's letter came to light, the blowback hit them pretty hard. They were accused of supporting a convicted rapist, which brought some unfavorable attention to the couple.

The pair posted a one-minute apology video, admitting that they caused Masterson's victims pain by submitting their letter to the judge. They explained that they wrote the character letter after Masterson's family asked for their support. Their video comes off as overly rehearsed, not heartfelt, and meant solely to improve their image after it was damaged by a letter that praised Masterson, a convicted rapist, for being a man of "exceptional character" (via Variety).

Paula Deen was once one of the world's preeminent celebrity chefs, but she chucked her reputation into the bin when she began planning a Southern plantation-style wedding in 2013. Deen wanted to have the serving staff of middle-aged African-American men dress as slaves, and she admitted to using the N-word. Not long after, one of her employees sued Deen for sexual and racial workplace discrimination, and the fallout was damaging and immediate.

The National Enquirer broke the news of a deposition from the case, in which Deen admitted to realizing people might misinterpret her intentions. Because the news broke with such egregious allegations against Deen, a great deal of scorn was cast her way, so she made the media rounds and appeared on the "Today Show," where she vociferously insisted, "I'm not a racist."

Deen apologized multiple times for using the N-word and posted a direct apology on YouTube. But Deen's apology lacked remorse and came off as little more than a failed PR move. Deen's food empire collapsed, and the Food Network severed all ties with the former celebrity chef, upending her career and significantly diminishing her standing in the industry.

Adam Levine found himself in hot water in 2022 after allegations arose that he cheated on his then-pregnant wife, Behati Prinsloo. The Maroon 5 frontman, who's also done some acting in "American Horror Story: Asylum," found himself on the receiving end of an allegation leveled by Instagram model Sumner Stroh, who claimed that she and Levine had a year-long affair. Stroh posted her accusation on TikTok, and Levine was relatively quick to confront the claim, denying its legitimacy.

Despite denying the affair, Levine issued an apology that few considered to be heartfelt or even appropriate. Levine accepted full responsibility for being inappropriate, likely referring to messages he sent Stroh, but he didn't go into detail. He wrote that he and his family were working through his indiscretion, but many took his apology as either insincere or an indication that he wasn't truly taking responsibility.

Many celebrities, including Emily Hutchinson, Chrishell Stause, and Emily Ratajkowski, publicly called out Levine for his so-called apology. Most comments decried him for speaking for his wife, and some pointed out how his apology was little more than an "only sorry I got caught" situation in which he attempted damage control rather than properly showing remorse.

In 2023, SAG-AFTRA and the WGA declared a strike, forcing production across the industry to come to a crashing halt. The writers' strike impacted everything from film production to daytime television, which is where Drew Barrymore entered the story. Barrymore's show, "The Drew Barrymore Show," announced it would restart production without its writers, breaking the WGA strike.

This declaration angered the union and made Barrymore look terrible for disrespecting picket lines and failing to support her writers. The reaction was swift and damaging, pushing Barrymore to issue a since-deleted apology video via X. Barrymore took full responsibility for violating WGA rules. She explained that having made it through the COVID-19 pandemic, she believed the show could move forward through a similar disruption.

The apology didn't sway many to her side, and Barrymore took on more criticism. She eventually posted on Instagram in a since-deleted message, "I am making the decision to pause the show's premiere until the strike is over," having realized that moving forward would likely destroy her show and career (via Vox). The whole affair cost Barrymore a hosting gig at the National Book Awards, and while she didn't ruin her reputation, it was significantly, if only temporarily, tarnished.

Louis C.K. launched his popular stand-up career in the early 1990s, going on to appear in multiple specials, TV series, and feature films. But in 2017, C.K. found himself on the wrong side of the #MeToo movement. Numerous allegations of sexual misconduct came to light, putting C.K. directly in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Unlike others accused of similar misconduct, C.K. admitted to everything alleged against him. He issued an apology statement explaining that the allegations against him were completely true and accurate, even going so far as to list the names of four of the five women who accused him of misconduct. While his apology was unusual in that he admitted to everything, it didn't help the situation where his career was concerned.

C.K. lost his publicist, HBO removed all of his comedy specials, and Netflix canceled another special. FX cut all ties with C.K., and, for the most part, his career was all but finished. Eventually, C.K. returned to stand-up and launched an international tour. He also made two semi-apologetic comedy specials and continues working to repair his incredibly damaged career and reputation.

Kevin Spacey had a long and illustrious career, earning two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, and a Tony Award. He played the lead in many feature films and TV series, but is probably best known these days for starring in Netflix's "House of Cards," where he played the unforgiving and power-hungry Frank Underwood. But that series came to an early end when accusations of sexual misconduct against Spacey were made public.

Numerous allegations claimed that Spacey sexually harassed several actors, including Anthony Rapp, who was only 14 at the time of the alleged incident. The scrutiny of Spacey resulted in the termination of his Netflix contract and a decision to cancel "House of Cards" after Season 6. He apologized while coming out at the same time, but his apology lacked remorse. Soon after, he made a strange Christmas video addressing the allegations in character as Underwood.

The video didn't help him in any way, as it implied that the allegations against him were false. He not only didn't show remorse but also showed contempt for his accusers. Spacey's career was permanently marred, and he was completely removed from Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World," with all his scenes reshot with Christopher Plummer.

For decades, Ellen DeGeneres cultivated an image of being one of the most likable people on television, energetically hosted "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" for nearly 20 years. While the series presented DeGeneres as a kind and caring person, claims by staff members that surfaced in 2020 painted a picture of a much more hostile work environment behind the scenes.

It came out that several employees were subjected to fear, intimidation, and racism while working on the show. Her staff members didn't accuse DeGeneres directly, but seeing as it was her program, she was ultimately responsible for fostering a toxic workplace. DeGeneres opened her 18th season by apologizing in her monologue at the top of the show. But the apology included several jokes and made light of the situation, which her former employees didn't appreciate.

The apology hurt DeGeneres more than the initial accusations. "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" ended after Season 19, and while she explained that the show's ending was a long time coming, few believed it, calling her apology tone-deaf and disingenuous. DeGeneres' career took a significant hit, and she's been largely out of action since ending her show.

Colleen Ballinger established her career via YouTube before going mainstream as a comic. She created and starred in Netflix's "Haters Back Off" and boasted millions of social media subscribers. Unfortunately, it all came crashing down in 2023 after several people accused Ballinger of inappropriate conduct. At least four former fans claimed that Ballinger was hurtful, toxic, and exploitative, which brought about an incredibly cringy apology.

The most serious allegations included grooming by Ballinger of a 13-year-old boy, though other accusations alleged similar conduct with other young teenagers. Ballinger posted an apology video in which she played the ukelele while singing that the allegations weren't true, saying it didn't matter because it was entertaining, and crooning about "the toxic gossip train." Ballinger accused people of lying about her past behavior while deflecting for over 10 minutes.

Ballinger's video was widely criticized and even parodied, but it was made all the worse when her accusers posted evidence of her past activity. She canceled her live appearances and disappeared for much of the year before returning to vlogging on YouTube in November 2023. She later apologized for her tone-deaf apology video, explaining, "I just let my ego take over."

Will Smith dominated the box office for decades, headlining numerous feature films and franchises while also continuing his successful music career. Unfortunately, Smith let his emotions get the best of him while attending the 2022 Academy Awards. In an event now dubbed "the slap heard around the world," Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock in the face after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Soon after the incident, Smith won the Academy Award for best actor for his work in "King Richard." However, he failed to apologize to Rock during his acceptance speech, while apologizing to the Academy and his peers. This didn't please Rock, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), or the public, so he followed up with a more heartfelt video apology posted a few months after the incident.

Smith's apology didn't repair the harm done to his career, and he paid for his actions. The AMPAS banned Smith for 10 years, and his reputation was indelibly marked by his actions. His career took a hit, but he has continued to work in the industry even though he's ineligible to win another Academy Award for quite some time.

Kim Kardashian is a celebrity who is famous for being famous. She marketed herself into building a massive multimedia empire, and regardless of how she initially attained fame (via a sex tape), there are no illusions about her success. Kardashian is an entrepreneur with numerous businesses to her name, but in 2022, she made a comment that raised more than a few eyebrows.

Kardashian told Variety, "I have the best advice for women in business: get your f****** ass up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days." Because of Kardashian's family fortune, which helped make her an international superstar and a billionaire, her comments made it seem that she was either insincere or extremely out of touch with entrepreneurial women not worth $1.7 billion.

Kardashian addressed her comments and apologized on "Good Morning America," but insisted she was taken out of context. She also apologized for being taken out of context, which didn't do much to improve her image. Of course, Kardashian's apology may have failed to convince many, but it hardly damaged her image or career, which seemingly weathered the storm without taking much heat.

Jimmy Fallon presents a fun and entertaining personality while interviewing celebrities on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," but things aren't always what they seem. According to present and former staff members, Fallon fostered an environment of employee abuse that made his staff absolutely miserable.

Staff members alleged that Fallon's excessive drinking and subsequent hangovers made him a nightmare to work with, and that was only the beginning. Two current and 14 former employees explained that the staff designated so-called "crying rooms" where they could go and recover from Fallon's toxic behavior. The article resulted in an apology from the host via an all-hands Zoom call.

During the call, he said (via The Hollywood Reporter), "It's embarrassing, and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends." Many had problems with Fallon's apology because he appeared to deflect blame, putting it on his alleged victims without properly accepting accountability for his actions. NBC didn't fire Fallon, and the show continued, but the host's reputation has yet to recover fully.

If you or anyone you know is struggling or in crisis, or may be a victim of sexual assault, contact the relevant resources below:

• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).