20+ Shocking Celebrity Lawsuits That Have Actually Happened Through The Years
Yep, there are more of them.
Celebrities, whether they like it or not, are always in the public eye, and every little move they make often never goes unnoticed. That being said, even the personal details of their lives are leaked for the whole world to feed on—including some real-life legal drama that they are involved with.
It's not really that surprising that the rich, famous, and successful get tangled up in some legal troubles; because at the end of the day, they are still humans who happen to just have publicized personal problems. There have been a lot of celebrity legal dramas throughout the years, including but not limited to suing or being sued, sexual assault cases, domestic violence, and copyright issues.
One way or another, it's either we are surprised by the turn of events that reveal how some of our favorite celebrities get caught in legal troubles or we get proud of them for standing up for their rights, fighting for justice that they rightfully deserve. One downside, though, is that these cases are exposed for the whole world to subscribe to; and sometimes, there are certain instances that things don't end up well for them.
In case you need a refresher on which celebrities have gone through lawsuits over the years, here are over 20 of the most controversial ones:
1. Kate Middleton & 'Closer' Magazine
The Duchess of Cambridge sued a French publication called Closer after they published photos of her, topless while sunbathing. It wasn't just Kate, though, the magazine had to face the entire royal family.
The Royals won the case, and the magazine had to pay $119,000 in damages. The editor and owner of the magazine also had to pay for their parts.
Getty Images2. Shia LaBeouf & FKA Twigs
Shia LaBeouf was accused of "sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress." This was in 2020, and the accusations were made by his then-girlfriend FKA Twigs, a musician.
"I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me," he told The New York Times
"I'm ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say."
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3. Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, & Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein's career went down the drain in 2017 when multiple women exposed him for vile abuse and sexual assault. This started the #MeToo movement, and among his alleged victims were Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan, who filed lawsuits against him separately.
About 40 women all in all had their cases settled against Weinstein. Judd and McGowan, however, didn't have their case settled due to a couple of reasons: McGowan's case was dismissed because of a failed deadline, and Judd's was paused in 2019 by a judge.
Judd, however, won an appeal on a sexual harrassment case she filed against Weinstein.
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4. Janice Dickinson & Bill Cosby
Janice Dickinson, TV personality and former supermodel, sued comedian Bill Cosby in 2015 after accusing him of sexual assault that happened back in the 1980s. Bill then claimed that Dickinson was a "liar."
Dickinson then testified in another case that a woman filed against Cosby, which led him to end up in prison. The model revealed in 2019 that she had already reached a settlement in the defamation case she filed against the sex offender.
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5. Marilyn Manson & Several Women
Marilyn Manson was accused of sexual assault by a couple of women in 2021. One accused him of rape, but because of the statute of limitations, the lawsuit was led to a dismissal.
Another person that joined the accusations was his former assistant, filing a lawsuit for sexual assault, battery, and harassment. This was then followed by additional lawsuits from actor Esme Bianco and Evan Rachel Wood, Manson's ex-fiancée.
Manson denied the allegations and even filed a defamation lawsuit against Evan.
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6. Sofia Vergara & Nick Loeb
Sofia Vergara had to fight for her right of ownership of her own pre-embryos against her ex-fiancé Nick Loeb. They went through Vitro fertilization together, and Vergara wanted to block Loeb from using the frozen pre-embryos without her permission.
The case went on for years but in 2021, the court finally decided to grant Vergara a permanent injunction that would prevent Loeb from creating a child without explicit permission.
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7. Johnny Depp & Amber Heard
The whole Depp-Heard defamation trial was hugely publicized, and the whole world has already heard the deepest darkest secrets of the two while they were in a toxic relationship. There were mentions of substance abuse and even suicide.
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8. Travis Scott & the 'Astroworld' Victims
Travis and Drake were sued for $740 million after the tragic events in the Astroworld music festival in November 2021. The lawsuit had the performers accused of "gross negligence," stating that Travis "glorifies violence."
This was only one of the many other minor lawsuits.
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9. Taylor Swift & David Mueller
One of Taylor Swift's most iconic moments outside music was when she countersued radio DJ David Mueller for $1 after he sued Taylor for $3 million when she accused him of reaching under her skirt and groping her while in a meet-and-greet. After nine days, Swift won the trial.
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10. Britney Spears & Jamie Spears
Britney Spears finally took her conservatorship to court in early 2022 against her father, Jamie Spears. Spears and her lawyer said that her father already siphoned $6 million from her money and that he should "consider hiring other, less expensive counsel whom he can afford."
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11. Erika Jayne, Tom Girardi, & Edelson PC
Erika Jayne, a star of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, was caught in a legal drama with her ex Tom Girardi. They were both accused of having filed a divorce for embezzling money.
Jayne is sued for $55 million by Edelson PC, on the grounds that she was the acting frontwoman in Tom's schemes.
as the largest criminal racketeering enterprise in the history of plaintiffs' law," the legal documents assert. Edelson PC also says that Jayne "displayed a nationwide showroom of the money they stole on Real Housewives."
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12. Kesha & Dr. Luke
In 2014, Kesha quite sued her music producer, Dr. Luke, for sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. The case was still running as of 2022.
In turn, Dr. Luke sued her for defamation. Sadly, Kesha lost an appeal in that case in March 2022, because of a new free speech law in New York.
13. Jussie Smollett & the City of Chicago
It's quite known that Jussie Smollett got jailed when he staged a hate crime against himself, and was charged five out of six counts of disorderly conduct. He was then released with a pending appeal, but the City of Chicago has sued the actor again for the $130,000 they spent on the investigation of the fake attack.
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14. Keira Knightley & 'Daily Mail'
Keira Knightley sued the Daily Mail over a story it published in 2007. It was about a 19-year-old woman who died because of anorexia.
The Daily Mail stated in the story that Keira also had anorexia, and that her body contributed to the woman's death. Keira won £3,000 in libel damages, which she donated to charity.
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15. The Kardashians & Blac Chyna
Blac Chyna, Rob Kardashian's ex sued the Kardashians for over $100 million on the grounds that they've caused her financial distress because of the TV series Rob & Chyna that was canceled in the middle of her split from Rob.
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16. Meghan Markle & Associated Newspapers
Meghan Markle filed a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers in 2019, which was owned by the Daily Mail. They published a private letter between Markle and her father, Thomas Markle.
The Duchess of Sussex sued the company for misuse of private information, copyright infringement, and breaching the UK Data Protection Act. Markle eventually won the case and the Associated Newspapers were ordered to pay her damages.
The company tried to ask for a trial but it was denied.
17. Gwyneth Paltrow, Goop, & the State of California
In 2018, California prosecutors sued Gwyneth and Goop for selling $66 "vaginal eggs" that they falsely marketed as a product that could balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles, and increase bladder control.
The suit was settled for $145,00, four days after it was just filed. The settlement holds Goop in a position to not make "any claims regarding the efficacy or effects of any of its products without possessing competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the claims" in the future.
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18. Scarlett Johansson & Disney
Scarlett Johansson had sued Disney for breaching her Black Widow contract when the company released the film on Disney+, instead of in theaters. This decision significantly impacted her earnings, as it did not align with the financial expectations she had for the film. According to David Bach, a financial author, "In the entertainment industry, contracts are often tied to box office performance, and any changes can lead to disputes that affect the bottom line." Disney countered, stating that the lawsuit was "especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic." They also disclosed that Johansson was compensated $20 million for her role in the film.
19. Kelly Clarkson & Starstruck Management
In the midst of Kelly Clarkson and her ex-husband's divorce, the company that handled Kelly sued her for the $1.4 million they said she owed in commissions. The company, Starstruck Management Group, was owned by her ex-husband's father.
Clarkson countersued, accusing the company of "procuring, offering, promising, or attempting to procure employment or engagements," which she said violated the California Labor Code.
"It is unfortunate that Kelly is again attempting to avoid paying commissions that are due and owing to Starstruck to try and achieve some perceived advantage in her ongoing custody and divorce proceedings," her ex-father-in-law, Narvel Blackstock, said.
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20. Nicolas Cage & Kathleen Turner
Nicolas Cage sued Kathleen Turner in 2008 when Turner made some alleged false claims about him in an autobiography. In the book, she said that he had been "arrested twice for drunk driving and for stealing a dog," a claim that Nic's team debunked as false.
He eventually won the case, which led to Kathleen and her publishing company carrying out an apology, paying the needed legal costs, and even making a charitable donation in his name.
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21. Kendall Jenner & Gregory Messer
Kendall Jenner actually ended up paying for the Fyre Festival fiasco. She was paid to promote the festival, which led to her being sued for $275,000 by Gregory Messer, one of the festival's creditors' trustees.
She eventually ended up settling the lawsuit for $90,000.
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Being a celebrity isn't always about glitters and glamour, they also still have to face the hardships that come with the price of being famous and successful. And that almost always involves a lot of money.
Which celebrity lawsuits do you remember? Comment down your thoughts, or share this article for all your family and friends to see!
