Stars Who Got Caught Telling Huge Lies

Steve Rannazzisi told multiple interviewers that his entertainment career was inspired by his near-death experience on September 11, 2001. The comedian and cast member on The League spun a tale taller than the Twin Towers, saying he was working in a Merrill Lynch office in the World Trade Center on the day of the worst terrorist attack in America's history. He obviously claimed to have escaped, but through the years, details about his 9/11 survival story changed. 

A New York Times piece outed him as a liar, who gradually downplayed his story. He went from claiming he was "jostled all over the place" while working in the south tower when the first plane hit the north tower, to backtracking that in a later interview to: "I was outside, really. I was working downtown at that time." After the damning revelation, Rannazzisi apologized in a statement, calling the lie "inexcusable."  

The same day of the NYT piece, Rannazzisi tweeted his remorse at letting his lie spiral out of control. "For many years, more than anything, I have wished that, with silence, I could somehow erase a story told by an immature young man," the comedian wrote, adding, "It only made me more ashamed." A few weeks later, Rannazzisi further owned up to Howard Stern, offering what appeared to be a heartfelt apology, and basically chalking the lies up to his way of seeking acceptance from more famous comedians when he first moved to Los Angeles. 

Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson was exposed for lying about her age and her real name. She was previously believed to be 29. But when she filed papers with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, according to People, it was revealed that the funny gal was born in 1980 and is therefore actually 35 at the discovery in 2015.  The Australian press also claimed she lied about her real name — it's Melanie Elizabeth Bownds, although she claimed her parents legally named her "Rebel"— and she once told Conan that she grew up in "the more gangsta" side of Sydney. 

Wilson shot back at the press on Twitter with, "OMG I'm actually a 100 year old mermaid formerly known as "CC Chalice" ....thanks shady Australian press for your tall poppy syndrome x." According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Wilson sued Bauer Media for defamation in 2017, and her mother appeared in court, claiming that although her daughter wasn't a "spoilt little rich kid who went to private school," she admitted the family lived in "an average Sydney suburb."

When the "Ice Ice Baby" rapper rose to mainstream prominence back in the '90s, his handlers made an effort to position him as hard and from the hood, even if his smash hit was anything but. To force some cred, stories were circulated, suggesting Vanilla Ice "went to the same Miami high school as 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell," according to People. It was later revealed by multiple outlets (via the Los Angeles Times) that Ice, born Robert Van Winkle, did not attend that school and that his label had taken serious liberties with biographical information it shared with the media. It made him look like even more of a poser.

His mother, Beth Mino, told  that "the lies were a smoke screen to protect the privacy of the family." However, she made it clear he wasn't some rich boy. "But a lot is true. Economically, we weren't able to live in an elite part of Miami. He was raised predominantly with blacks, and he definitely was in a lot of trouble. When he was stabbed, I nearly died. But things were better for a while in high school."

There was a time when cyclist Lance Armstrong was an international hero until a lie tarnished his legacy forever. His myth was perfect. He beat cancer and the odds, inspiring millions of people who also battled the disease; his Livestrong culture, ethos, and his successes let them know that they, too, could defeat the odds. But an investigation revealed that the long-held rumor — that Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs to help win seven Tour de France titles — was true. However, this wasn't an ordinary lie. Armstrong vehemently denied the allegations for years, and even made a Nike commercial blasting the doping rumors – all while doping in real life.

Despite initial denials, he eventually admitted to doping in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, and was subsequently stripped of his titles and hit with a lifetime ban from competitive cycling in 2012. Armstrong's confession seemed like a watershed moment after his decades of denials and alleged vicious smear campaigns against anyone who tried to blow the whistle on him. However, 60 Minutes later reported that he "didn't tell Oprah Winfrey the full truth about his doping and lied several times on significant issues." Yeesh. 

Girl, you know it's true. You can't have a list about stars who told huge lies without the sad saga of Milli Vanilli. The pop twosome stylishly sang and danced their way up the charts in the late '80s and early '90s. The won a Grammy. Then a backing track skipped during a live performance, proving that they were lip synching and they did not sing the lead vocals on their songs. They were merely the faces of the voices. They were stripped of their award and their fame and secured a dubious spot in music and pop culture history.

"Fame is really interesting, because usually when fame disappears it's a gradual process. But with us it went from one day to the next day," surviving member Fab Morvan said in a rare 2013 Yahoo Entertainment interview. (Sadly, Rob Pilatus died "of a suspected alcohol and prescription pill overdose in" in April 1998, according to CBS News.) "We were pushed aside suddenly. You had to live with that."

The tragic irony of this scandal is that if it happened 20 years later, would anybody care? "It's very interesting, because I've been getting this question more often: 'Do you think it's weird that you were hung out to dry for lip-synching, and now people are using AutoTune?'" Morvan continued. "I'm not going to point the finger at anyone, but I've been getting that question a lot. And I'm like, 'Hey, this is the way it is.' The world has changed."

When The White Stripes rose to fame in 2002, their garage rock took over the airwaves. Consisting of singer and guitarist Jack White and drummer Meg White, their infectious music was almost as popular as the fact that the duo were brother and sister. Except, they weren't. They just presented themselves that way. In reality, they were husband and wife who married in 1996.

Jack White, born Jack Gillis, took Meg's surname, and a band name was born. In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone, Jack explained their reasoning for the ruse. "I want you to imagine if we had presented ourselves in another fashion, that people might have thought was the truth. How would we have been perceived, right off the bat?" he said. "When you see a band that is two pieces, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, you think. 'Oh, I see . . .' When they're brother and sister, you go, 'Oh, that's interesting.' You care more about the music, not the relationship — whether they're trying to save their relationship by being in a band. You don't think about that with a brother and sister. They're mated for life. That's what family is like."

In a Jan. 2013 interview with Cosmopolitan, the former Hannah Montana star referred to Liam Hemsworth and her "hubby" and said she was "so happy" to be "married," leading many to believe that the pair had secretly wed. Hemsworth's rep quickly denied it to People, bluntly stating that the couple were "definitely NOT married."

Since then, the couple had had their up and owns, including a brief split in 2013 after Hemsworth was spotted with actress Eiza Gonzalez and Cyrus was caught "hanging out" with Arnold Schwarzenegger's son, Patrick. The pair eventually reconciled in 2015 and officially tied the knot in a secret ceremony in 2018.

In their first appearance as husband and wife, Hemsworth explained how they kept the news of their wedding so quiet. "It wasn't hard — we have a small group of friends," he told Extra. "It was mainly immediate family, a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. I am very happy to be where I am." So maybe Miley didn't lie, she can just see into the future.