43 Mug Shots Showing That Even Celebrities Aren’t Above The Law

Everyone slips up at some point. Sometimes it’s a small mistake you laugh about later, and sometimes it earns you a booking photo and a date with the legal system. In the United States, this isn’t rare.

Roughly 77 million people, about one-third of the population, have a criminal record. That means if you’re in a room with three Americans, statistically one of them has experienced the justice system up close.

This doesn’t just apply to everyday people. Plenty of well-known personalities have spent time in a holding cell or posed for a mug shot. Some stories are shocking, others are harmless youthful rebellions, and a few are so strange they sound like movie plots.

One of the most surprising examples is Bill Gates. Long before Microsoft became a global tech giant, Gates was arrested in 1977. The reason wasn’t dramatic; he was stopped for a traffic violation, but the photo that followed became unexpectedly iconic. Many people joke that the youthful grin in his mug shot could pass as a friendly profile picture on Microsoft Outlook.

Hollywood, music, sports, and even politics have had their share of arrest moments. Some celebrities were caught during wild phases of their lives, while others made bad decisions at the wrong time.

Below, you’ll find a collection of famous faces and their unforgettable mug shots, along with the curious, chaotic, or downright amusing stories behind them. Take a moment to scroll through and see how even high-profile lives can take a surprising turn.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Pictured in 1956 in Montgomery, Alabama, took part in the historic bus boycotts sparked by Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat. These protests challenged the deep-rooted segregation on public transportation and quickly grew into a powerful movement for equal rights. King became one of the leading voices during this time, helping turn a local act of defiance into a nationwide push for justice and change.

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George Carlin - Bad Language

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Keanu Reeves - Suspicion Of DUI

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Hugh Grant - 1995 Caught engaging in inappropriate behavior in a public space.

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Justin Bieber - arrested for DUI and suspected drag racing.

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Shailene Woodley - Arrested for Trespassing During a Protest

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Bill Gates - For A Traffic Violation.

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Frank Sinatra

Back in 1938, a 23-year-old Frank Sinatra found himself in trouble with the law. He was arrested on a charge called “seduction,” a term used at the time when a man convinced a woman to sleep with him under the false promise of marriage.

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Cher, back in 1959 at just 13, found herself in trouble after taking her mother’s car without permission and getting arrested.

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Ozzy - Charged With Public Intoxication

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Tiger Woods - DUI In 2017

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Khloe Kardashian - DUI

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Vampire Diaries Cast Caught Shining Flashlights at Passing Drivers from a Bridge

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Nick Nolte - DUI

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Prince

Once, he grabbed a megaphone from a plane with his keyboardist. At least, that’s how the story goes, and honestly, it fits his chaotic genius energy perfectly.

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Lisa Left Eye, Arson

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Lindsay Lohan (One Of Many), This One’s From A Probation Violation

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Al Pacino In 1961 For Suspicion Of Attempted Robbery

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Mel Gibson 2011 DUI

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Tyler, the Creator was arrested in March 2014 for allegedly inciting a riot during a performance at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.

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Justin Timberlake - DUI arrest.

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Nicole Richie - DUI

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Macaulay Culkin was taken into custody back in 2004 for possession of controlled substances.

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Reese Witherspoon and Her Then-Husband Jim Toth

Back in April 2013, Reese Witherspoon and her then-husband, Jim Toth, found themselves in trouble with the law while in Atlanta, Georgia. It started when police pulled Toth over on suspicion of driving under the influence. As officers began the arrest, Witherspoon repeatedly stepped out of the vehicle and questioned what was happening, even after being told to remain inside.

Her refusal to follow instructions eventually led to a separate charge of disorderly conduct, making the night memorable for all the wrong reasons.

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James Brown - Dui Of Pcp

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Paul Reubens, AKA Pee Wee Herman - Indecent Exposure In An Adult Movie Theatre, 1991

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Morgan Wallen - Threw A Chair At Someone

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Ronnie Radke - When He Was Arrested For Domestic Assault In 2012.

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Woody Harrelson - 1982, Columbus, OH. Disturbing The Peace

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Kurt Cobain - May 1986. He ended up in handcuffs after spray-painting the strange phrase “Ain’t Got No How Watchamacallit” across several parked cars.

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Patrick Stump Of Fall Out Boy - Driving Without A License

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Jim Morrison (One Of Several) - Inciting A Riot, Indecency, And Public Obscenity

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Zsa Zsa Gabor - Slapped A Cop Who Had Stopped Her Car, And She Ended Up Doing A Few Days In Jail

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Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros

Arrested for DUI, and not long after, both characters mysteriously disappeared from the storyline. Producers insisted the timing was just a coincidence… but let’s be honest, nobody really bought that explanation.

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Eminem - Carryiang Concealed Weapon

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Shia LaBeouf, 2007 - Trespassing At A Walgreens

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Mischa Barton - DUI

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John Mayer, 2001 - Speeding And Driving Without A License

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Mitchell Musso - Arrested in 2023 for public intoxication and theft. The towel wasn’t a fashion choice—he was only in board shorts when police caught him.

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Superman from Smallville, Himself, Tom Welling - DUI, 2025

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Future - Theft

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Wesley Snipes - Failure To File Tax Returns

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Drake Bell - Charged With DUI In 2015

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Fame doesn’t shield anyone from slipping up. Sometimes it’s a bad decision, sometimes it’s being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and other times it’s just a split-second lapse in judgment. Every mug shot has a story behind it a moment that changed someone’s path, for better or worse.

Some celebrities brushed it off with humor, some worked hard to move forward, and others reinvented themselves entirely. At the end of the day, everyone makes mistakes.