Stars Who Won't Be Relevant In 5 Years
As of this writing, one of the biggest celebrities out there is a video game-playing YouTuber named PewDiePie, so the current definition of what makes a star is pretty loose. Because of social media, literally everyone has access to millions of potential fans out there, making it possible for anyone to become famous. At the same time, it's becoming harder for current celebs to remain relevant. Whether they're choosing one too many crappy projects, suffering from ruinous scandals, or are just getting lost in the ever-growing shuffle of content, here are some huge stars that no one will remember in five years.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande was a Nickelodeon star before transitioning into pop royalty with an unlikely hit collaboration with Nicki Minaj and Jessie J. While she admittedly has a fantastic voice, Ariana already has a pretty negative reputation as an unpleasant diva, as well as that whole donut-licking, "I hate America" scandal on her resume. She'll probably chart a few more songs, but her generic brand of top 40 pop is always looking for the next sensation. Just ask Samantha Mumba how that goes. Who? Exactly.
Kate Upton
For two years, Kate Upton had a lock on the supermodel game, landing countless magazine shoots, including back to back Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers. While that distinction lands her in the rare company of Christie Brinkley, Elle Macpherson, and Tyra Banks, who have all proven their staying power wearing more than just a bikini, Kate Upton hasn't done much since. Her roles in The Three Stooges and The Other Woman were essentially just live-action bikini shoots, and the general consensus is that Charlotte McKinney has already surpassed her on that front as well. Plus, six years from now, Kate Upton will be 30, which in model years translates to being a senior citizen.
Jon Hamm
The initial success of Mad Men catapulted Jon Hamm to leading man status, but the mixed reviews of the show's final seasons, as well as his failure to churn out another megahit are bad signs for his future. It's always difficult to make the transition from playing a once-in-a-lifetime character like Don Draper to virtually any other role. Even other great actors like James Gandolfini had trouble doing it, and so far Hamm is walking the same path. He looks to be completely focused on his film work as well, with his IMDb page showing several projects for next year, but none that have any significant buzz around them. Here's hoping Hamm can find another round of success, even though we'll always be secretly waiting for him to yell at Peggy whenever we see him.
Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner became a spokesperson for the transgender community after her Vanity Fair cover story in which she came out to the world. Despite public backlash, it seemed like the former Olympian was going to be a formidable voice. Then, she signed with E! to star in her own reality show, I Am Cait, which was supposedly going to offer "a better understanding of the challenges those in the transgender community often face." But the show was just run-of-the-mill reality TV with some transgender rights lip service shoehorned in, and it was canceled in August 2016 after two seasons. Somewhat ironically, her outspoken and conservative political views, in particular her mixed feelings about gay marriage, have actually alienated her from much of the LGBTQ community. It appears Caitlyn's star is fading fast. Hopefully she can find a way to continue advancing the cause of transgender rights, but it'll be tough if her stardom starts to dwindle.
Amber Heard
At the time of this writing, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have finally settled their divorce. Slinging allegations of physical abuse as well as possible drug and alcohol problems at each other in the tabloids, the A-list couple aired out their dirty laundry in a way that's more typical of a Jerry Springer episode. Both celebrities' public personas took a hit, but Depp is already a well established, bankable star, and Heard wasn't exactly posting Jennifer Lawrence-level box office numbers, so the ugliness of their divorce could affect her career more than his.
Blac Chyna
We're admittedly stretching the definition of "huge star" for this one, but it seems impossible to ignore the endless stories about Blac Chyna. So if the media is paying her so much attention, then it seems she's a celebrity, but we have a feeling her relevance will fade. The former exotic dancer/soon-to-be wife and baby mama of Rob Kardashian's child is the literal definition of famous for being famous. Actually, she's just a former friend of Kim Kardashian, which makes Blac Chyna famous for being friends with someone who's famous for being famous, which is even worse than it sounds.
Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf has already declared himself "not famous anymore," burned bridges with high profile directors, and transformed into a performance artist known for basically just inserting himself into normal situations like sharing an elevator or watching films in a movie theater. But he's also been at the center of some public ugliness like bar fights, multiple plagiarism scandals, and even harassing a homeless guy. At this point, it is impossible to tell whether what he's doing is some strange "artistic" performance or just plain madness, but what is clear is that LaBeouf no longer cares about traditional fame. In fact, we predict that within five years, he may vanish to work on some weird, long-term project of his that no one will get.
Selena Gomez
It may seem like Selena Gomez isn't going anywhere. She sells out concerts all over the world, and has become the spokesperson for roughly a million products. But she's also showing some telltale signs that a downward spiral is imminent. In this now deleted Instagram post, she indicates a deep, almost existential problem with the work she's doing. She's also currently attempting the dreaded pop-to-film crossover that has claimed many victims. Anyone who's seen Jessica Simpson in the Dane Cook bomb Employee of the Month knows exactly what we're talking about. So, if Gomez continues to need a deeper sense of fulfillment than what she can get singing songs like "Me & My Girls" and starring in movies like Spring Breakers, we might see her pull a Macaulay Culkin and exit the business indefinitely.