Quick List: Celebrities With The Worst Reputations
Filed under: RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Tom Cruise
Perception is everything, and I don't mean to get all metaphysical on you, but sometimes it's how the world sees us that can define who we are -- but what if the world thinks you're a psycho? In an interview with American Psycho director Mary Harron, she was reminiscing about the black comedy, and as it turns out, her star Christian Bale based his vision of the murdering yuppie on -- wait for it -- Tom Cruise. According to Harron, she and Bale had been collaborating on the character when "...he [Bale] called me and he had been watching Tom Cruise on David Letterman, and he just had this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes, and he was really taken with this energy."
Actors take inspiration from all kinds of places, but you can't help but wonder if Bale saw something that we would all be made painfully aware of: the 'crazy' side of Cruise. And it was that same energy that worked so well in P.T. Anderson's Magnolia when Cruise played motivational speaker Frank T.J. Mackey. But for me, what made this story truly funny, is that who could have predicted that soon enough Bale would be dealing with his own troubled image in Hollywood as a rage-aholic and something of a bully? On the upside, though, maybe Bale's on-set rant will one day inspire another young actor (ahh, the circle of life).
These guys aren't the only ones to battle troubled reputations (whether or not they're deserved), and after the jump: a few more stars who have run their reputations into the ditch...
1. Tom Cruise
To this day I still don't think anyone saw the fall of Mr. Hollywood coming. Whether it was because of his religious beliefs, that infamous couch-jumping incident, or those leaked Scientology videos, Cruise has gone from being one of the most respected men in movies to being a mark for every cheap joke around.
2. Mel Gibson
Here's another powerhouse that went down in flames. For years, stories plagued Gibson claiming he was a drunk, a misogynist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic -- but those were just rumors. Until he decided to drink and drive and behave like a jack-ass one warm night in Malibu.
3. Russell Crowe
So here we have a talented actor with the world at his feet and an Oscar under his belt, and it all went to hell because he couldn't control his temper. Phone-throwing aside, there are tons of stories floating around about bad behavior and anger control, stories that still follow him around to this day -- and that's the worst kind of reputation, the one you just can't shake.
4. Lindsay Lohan
Every time I look at Lindsay Lohan, I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry. I'm not going to waste too much time on this one, because I think we're all pretty familiar with her exploits -- but the optimist in me still believes that if there was hope for Drew Barrymore, there is hope for Lindsay.
5. Jennifer Lopez
Before you think I've stacked the deck in Lopez's favor with the above image, I just need to tell you despite what you think of the dancer/actress/singer, the woman just does not take a bad photo, even without makeup. But just like your mother always told you, it's what's inside that matters. Lopez's rep has been slowly worsening since she proclaimed she was Jenny from The Block and focused on being a brand rather than an actress, and the result is that most of us remember her for the stories of her diva demands and all white dressing rooms than we do her work.
Now obviously there are tons more people I could have included in this list, because we all know there is no shortage of bad behavior in Hollywood. But this is where you come in, so sound off in the comments and list who you think have the worst reps in Tinsel-Town.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-22-2009 @ 3:18PM
Niksterino said...
Personally I don't think Crowe has such a bad rep, definitely not worse than Lohan. Plus the guy's been on the calm side the last couple of years. How 'bout David Hasselhoff, Kanye West, Roman Polanski?
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10-22-2009 @ 3:42PM
Dan said...
I gotta be completely honest here, and I dunno if I'm the only one who feels this way but this is a conversation I have often with people, but I really could not care less about stars offscreen personas or personalities. Granted, sometimes it's a bummer to see that your favorite actor is a dick in real life... but Tom Cruise having weird religious beliefs doesn't deny his ability to act his ass off for me, or his charisma. And Mel Gibson's discriminations don't prevent him from being Martin Riggs, or Mad Max or any of his other awesome roles. He's still a badass! Russell Crowe too. Long as they put in good work, what they do with their personal lives in their business. I don't mean to sound aggressive, because I'm not taking issue with the choices above...they're really good ones, I'm just sayin!
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10-22-2009 @ 4:23PM
Creep said...
Tom cruise definitely has tainted his image. When it becomes difficult to differentiate the actor from the character they play on screen, the illusion is gone and suspension of disbelief goes with it. I can't believe him as an everyman or a secret agent when in real life he believes that he has superpowers derived from the beliefs of a cult. I mean come on, seriously.
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10-22-2009 @ 4:38PM
Sugreev2001 said...
I don't think Russell Crowe is still regarded as the 'angry' guy.But you made a major omission in not including Kanye West,he's considered an all around douche bag ever since he came into the business.
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10-22-2009 @ 8:47PM
Andy said...
Boy, you know, for me, you can swap out Crowe...still dig him.
And swap in 'Angelina Jolie/Jennifer Aniston/Brad Pitt's Sig Other' for the needle tipping on the annoyance meter for me.
There's a ratio between how much someone entertains me versus how much I have to hear about them that must be maintained. It seems you can't go anywhere without hearing about Angelina Aniston's latest fart or phone call. But when I think back, I have never been entertained by either of these women.
Oh sure, Pitt would fall in to that mix, except that the guy is entertaining to me. Floyd in 'True Romance'? That right there is good for a few years of annoyance.
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10-22-2009 @ 10:39PM
Monika said...
I think Lopez's image started going down the tubes when she talked like she's was God's gift to Hollywood all those years ago in Movieline.
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10-23-2009 @ 11:45AM
Terry said...
I don´t care much about what actors do in their private lives. Some are affected by it (Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hanks.... they are considered as nice uncomplicated stars and it probably affects their work as well) some are not. Cruise is still in demand but I never thought too much about his acting so what is he doing in private really doesn´t bother me. The only movie I liked with him was Rain Man.
Crowe "fixed it" I think, by getting married and so. But he is still very appreciated but many of his movies are flops. I don´t know why because they are still good but I think general audience lost interest in him.
I think I heard some things about Christian Bale, but it is all tabloid stuff that is only half-true or not true at all.
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10-28-2009 @ 2:51AM
cinematical becoming a tabloid too said...
Cruise is still top of his game,is in demand and is the nicest out there. Some poke fun of his belief and tabloids love him but he still conquers it all. Look at the success of Valkyrie. Way back with many of his films including Valkyrie his critics will claim he is ruining his career but it never happens.
The worst rep goes to Letterman,Bale,Maguire,Ed Norton,ODonnell,Theron,Maggie Gyllenhaal,Hatcher,Sean Penn,Streisand you name it.
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10-28-2009 @ 3:24AM
gothamite said...
Wow Cruise and Bale do look alike.Lay off Cruise. If we were to base people's acting on a personal level I think we have little to watch on tv and the movies and besides which religion is acceptable or not. This is America and it's in our Constitution having freedom of religion. Cruise is considered bad because of his religion but many actors on DUI,drugs,anger issues,assault,throwing their politics in our faces and hating America,adulterers are cool. Cruise is bad but a rapist like Polanski is not on this list.
David Russell is the worst.Colin Ferrell,Josh Brolin,Walhberg and yes the very own Christian Bale. His TS rant was not the first he treats fans male and female badly eversince even many instances on Batman Begins.
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