10 Celebrity Social Media Meltdowns That Changed Their Careers

This article contains references to substance abuse and sexual assault.

The bigger the celebrity, the bigger the meltdown. At least, that's the adage for a large group of famous folks who have caused their status to slip away with the push of a button. From Twitter threats and hate-speech spreading to bizarre rhetoric that confused more than just fans, a number of celebrities have spearheaded serious damage to their reputation — whether intentionally or not. Some want their voices to be heard no matter the volume, while others have made confessions that damaged their career. Some have even thought their past likes and reshares wouldn't see the light of day. But in the online age, there's generally no such thing as forgive and forget. Plus, the power that social media holds over the masses must be good for business, despite the risks of overuse ... right? "It's definitely harder to avoid it than it is to give into it," musician Adele once said of social media to i-D. "I think most people tend to give into it because it is easier, but I just can't."

In 2020, "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling tarnished her pop culture icon status, along with her book sales, after she published a series of tweets that shared her anti-transgender opinions, which caused an immediate online backlash from fans around the globe. But even with the calls for boycotting the series abound, Rowling chose to double down on her comments over the years through retweets, personal essays, and continued discourse around her disapproval of the trans community. As a result, companies began distancing themselves from the author. Quidditch, the actual sport inspired by her writings, announced it would be changing its name to Quadball. Her family members reportedly received death threats.

We've now found out more of what happened to J.K. Rowling since she got canceled: not only did her book sales go down, but there have also been a number of celebs who have called out Rowling, including the series' film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. Radcliffe himself went so far as to pen an essay for The Trevor Project to decry the author's comments while simultaneously encouraging Potterheads to continue believing in the magic of the wizarding world she created. "If you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred," he wrote on the project's website. "And in my opinion nobody can touch that."

After making positive waves for her role in the first season of "The Mandalorian," former MMA fighter turned actor Gina Carano was suddenly let go from the show. We now know that the real reason Carano was fired from "The Mandalorian" was that the entertainer had shared a number of controversial, politically leaning posts that caused major fan backlash online. Specifically, she had reposted images and text to her Instagram story that compared Republicans in America to Jewish people in Germany during the Holocaust. To add further fuel to the social media fire, online sleuths also uncovered previous posts she had made or interacted with that mocked transgender people and mask mandates during the peak of the global pandemic.

Needless to say, the responding discourse was swift and severe. Carano was not only fired from the show, but she was also dropped by her agency. "Her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable," a spokesperson for Lucasfilm, the producer of "The Mandalorian," said in a statement at the time (per NPR). But Carano herself wouldn't back down. She sued Lucasfilm and parent company Disney for wrongful termination, and the case was settled in 2025 for an undisclosed sum. It seems that time has tried to soften Carano's vitriol, at least when it comes to her former employer. "I hope this brings some healing to the force," she said in a statement (per CBS News).

There's no mystery behind how Kanye West became a controversial figure in Hollywood, arguably becoming more well-known for his outlandish antics than his music. West is no stranger to backlash — from his infamous outburst at the 2009 VMAs to his misogynistic diss tracks about Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian, and everything in between, the rap mogul has made himself a villain of the pop culture pantheon. But that status was elevated even further when the rapper began an online frenzy after sporting a "White Lives Matter" shirt at Paris Fashion Week. After eventually disgraced entrepreneur, Sean "Diddy" Combs, posted a video lambasting West's actions, Ye fired back with claims that Combs was being controlled by Jewish people. Cue the deals being pulled, removals from talk shows, and a continued spiral into vitriol-powered disgrace. "Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech," the brand released in a statement regarding ending their partnership with Ye (per BBC). "Ye's recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company's values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness."

West's continued posts caused both X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to ban him from their platforms, the former on multiple occasions. But it hasn't stopped West from sharing his outlandish opinions for the world to see, hear, and endure.

Among all of the Oscars' shockers, one of the most controversial moments in the ceremony's history actually came before the big night. Actor Karla Sofía Gascón from the nominated film "Emilia Pérez" saw her Academy Award chances go up in flames after a barrage of old, derogatory, and mean-spirited tweets were discovered and subsequently brought back into the spotlight. The posts, which were shared between 2016 and 2020, viciously attacked various cultures, ethnicities, and ideologies; the performer went so far as to compare Islam to a "hotbed of infection for humanity" and called the murder victim George Floyd a "drug addict swindler." "This is all from the star of a movie that is campaigning on its progressive values," posted Sarah Hagi, who first revealed the vitriolic remarks, on X.

While Gascón deactivated her X account in the aftermath of the scandal, the damage was most certainly done. The irony of the performer's posts was not lost on the actor, whose performance in "Emilia Pérez" paved the way for Gascón to become the first transgender actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. "As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well, and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain," Gascón said in a statement from Netflix (via NPR). But the statement was too little too late for audiences and critics alike, and they were pulled from the promotional tour for the film and became ostracized from the industry. While they did attend the Oscars ceremony, they did not walk the red carpet and subsequently did not win.

Even before the tragic death of Gilbert Gottfried, the "Aladdin" voice actor landed himself in hot water with a lucrative advertising deal after sharing a series of offensive remarks online. In 2011, the controversial comedian posted a number of mean-spirited tweets about the tsunami and earthquakes that caused more than thousands of deaths in Japan.

Needless to say, public backlash was immediate, and as a result, he was fired from his voiceover deal with insurance provider Aflac, whose dealings operated 75% of its business in Japan. "Gilbert's recent comments about the crisis in Japan were lacking in humor and certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac," Aflac Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said in a statement (per TMZ). "There is no place for anything but compassion and concern during these difficult times." A casting call was announced for his former position as Gottfried was officially ousted.

Gottfried's career never quite bounced back after the scandal, and the performer passed away after battling an illness in 2022. He never apologized for his jokes.

Some outspoken celebs, like Gottfried, tend to skip the public remorse campaign that follows their various outbursts. But that's not the case for Roseanne Barr, former star of the generational television show "Roseanne." After sharing a racist tweet about former White House advisor Valerie Jarrett, ABC canceled the revival of her self-titled sitcom in 2018. "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show," then ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said in a statement (per PBS News).

Barr didn't just lose her show — she also lost her agency, ICM Partners. "What she wrote is antithetical to our core values, both as individuals and as an agency," they shared in a statement with PBS' NewsHour. As for the comedian herself, apologizing for her statement didn't stop her from losing her career almost instantaneously. "It cost me everything," she admitted in an interview with Sean Hannity for Fox News (via PBS). "I wish I worded it better." But her apology didn't stop her from defending her creative license, or from claiming that her comments were blown out of proportion. "This is not a good feeling for an artist to be treated this way, and it's not a good feeling for a citizen, either," she continued.

As one of many rappers who ruined their careers on social media, Azealia Banks has had her fair share of controversies. But it was her 2016 tirade on former One Direction member Zayn Malik that caused catastrophe. After a series of hateful, racist tweets, the "212" artist had her Twitter account suspended. She continued her rants on Instagram before eventually coming to her senses and making an apology. "Coming from an ethnicity that is largely discriminated against does not warrant a licence to use derogatory, abusive terminology nor does it give me the right to make hurtful remarks," she said in a statement (per BBC). "There is a lot of love in my heart and there is good in my soul. What I did was wrong and I am committed to being a better person."

Banks was subsequently dropped from the lineup of that year's hip-hop festival Born & Bred and arguably lost artistic credibility as a result of continued personal attacks online. But even losing gigs hasn't stopped the performer from going after other artists like Lizzo, Lana Del Rey, and even Beyoncé.

In what can only be described as "#winning," actor Charlie Sheen experienced one of the most infamous public falls from grace at the height of his career in 2011. The then star of megahit comedy "Two and a Half Men" (which subsequently made him the highest-paid TV actor at the time), Sheen was very publicly fired by show creator Chuck Lorre after sharing a series of tweets attacking Lorre. The star, who was at the time battling addiction after a relapse, continued to make matters worse by doubling down on the hate in interviews and even in his own short-lived web series "Sheen's Korner." By February, production on the show was shut down, and by the summer, Sheen was officially fired.

For a time, Sheen continued his downward spiral, causing many to wonder how Sheen lost so much of his money after being paid millions per episode just months prior. Years later, the actor spoke about his meltdown and the impact it had on his career and personal life. "To this day, I'm not sure how I created such chaos and wound up in that headspace," he shared in an interview with Loose Women. "It's as though there were some alien or demonic possession going on." While he hasn't seen his career bounce back to "Two and a Half Men" levels of success, he has continued to act and even starred in another Chuck Lorre show, "Bookie," from 2023 to 2025.

For every time Kathy Griffin has been controversial, this moment stands above the rest: her graphic 2017 photo holding a fake severed head of President Donald Trump caused major waves in the media and beyond. CNN fired Griffin from their New Year's Eve program, and she even faced threats from federal officials to charge her with conspiracy to assassinate the president. This serious allegation went so far as to reportedly put Griffin on the no-fly list for two months. "Nobody's got a shovel for me and is going to help me dig my way out of it," she revealed in an interview with NPR. "I'm keeping the faith. I'm being positive. I'm a little bitter, but hopefully funny first."

Griffin released a film, "Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story," in 2019 to share her side of the controversy. She's tried to continue touring, but not to the level that she had prior to "The Photo." She still remains proud of standing up for herself and her beliefs and continuing to move forward in spite of the serious allegations and repercussions she has faced. "Even though I'm on the actual president's open enemies list, there are audiences all over the world that want to hear the 59-year-old redhead tell it like it f****ing is because I've lived it — I'm still living it," she told Paper Magazine in 2020.

Despite being a millennial icon with hit songs like "Crazy" and "Forget You," former "The Voice" coach CeeLo Green's successful career came to a crashing halt after he posted a series of controversial comments about sexual assault. "Women who have really been raped REMEMBER!!!" he shared in since-deleted tweets (via Billboard). At the time, he was being accused of spiking a woman's drink while on a date, and his ill-timed comments served as kindling to the publicity fire that erupted. His reality show was axed as a result, and he also lost his chair on "The Voice."

Despite it all, Green expressed remorse for his quick-to-act response. "I do realise in retrospect that it was highly sensitive, what I tweeted — highly irresponsible," he admitted to The Sunday Times (via NME). "In those instances I do realise I'm an artist, that I'm flawed; and sometimes, you know, you don't think." Previously, Green had faced charges over sexual assault but was later sentenced to three years of probation and community service hours. At the time of the tweets, he was also working on an album, ironically titled "Girl Power."

If you or anyone you know needs help with substance abuse or sexual abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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