Some celebrities have a shocking past filled with violence that often goes overlooked. We're diving deep into the dark and disturbing histories of famous personalities who've committed serious violent acts but still managed to maintain successful careers.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00I must get my head screwed on and just get back in the game and...
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at infamous celebrities who, in their past,
00:08committed terrible violent acts against others but continued to make a success of themselves
00:12regardless. Whatever that was, I tell you there was some problems there, deep ones.
00:18Sean Penn. Today, he's known for being a multi-Oscar winning actor and for his
00:23political activism, but when Penn's career was taking off, his troubles with the law began.
00:27In 1985, he was fined $100 for attacking two journalists when they tried to photograph him
00:32and his then-wife, Madonna. For a long time, I was kind of this actor and I did my thing and
00:39I got away with it. And then I got married to not the least visible woman in the world.
00:49After several other incidents, in 1987, he was charged for punching an extra in colors.
00:54For this and driving recklessly, Penn was sentenced to 60 days in jail.
00:58This is it, man. Big, major league.
01:03During this time, he got fan mail from a fellow inmate, the serial killer Richard Ramirez,
01:07aka the Night Stalker. Penn responded with his wish that Ramirez would get capital punishment.
01:12And then my house burned down years later and that damn thing of his burned with it,
01:16so I don't have...
01:17The actor's attacks against photographers continued, resulting in a community service
01:21sentence in 2010 for another assault, Mike Tyson. In 2024, the legendary boxing champion
01:27returned to the ring for a bout against Jake Paul, earning himself an estimated $20 million.
01:32We are on the precipice of the unprecedented. Nobody knows what is going to happen once the
01:36bell rings tonight.
01:37While all the focus was on Tyson's undisputed reputation in the sport,
01:40his legal history is as dark as it comes.
01:42Anything to say at all, Mike?
01:45In 1991, he was arrested for assaulting Desiree Washington when she was a contestant in the Miss
01:50Black America pageant.
01:52But his victim has said she would have dropped the charges if he'd apologized and promised to
01:56undergo medical treatment.
01:58With the allegations supported by a medical examination and a similar occurrence happening
02:02to Tyson's chauffeur, the boxer was found guilty in 1992. He was sentenced to six years in prison,
02:07followed by four years of probation. In 1995, Tyson was released from jail and
02:11continued his boxing career.
02:12Seldom can a prisoner have emerged from here into a stretch limousine.
02:17Tyson's newfound humility, it seems, has its limits.
02:20Gérard Depardieu
02:22With over 250 roles since making his screen debut in 1967,
02:26Depardieu is one of the most prolific and famous French actors of all time.
02:33For English speakers, he's perhaps best known for his work in 1998's The Man in the Iron Mask
02:38and the live-action Asterix and Obelix franchise.
02:41However, in 1991, Depardieu's image was forever tarnished when Time magazine released a 1978
02:46interview in which the actor admitted to assaulting women.
02:49While the actor and his French team denounced the allegations,
02:52claiming the magazine mistranslated him, Depardieu's U.S. publicist stated it was true.
02:56But it's important to emphasize, Olivia,
02:58these are not the only allegations of this nature about Depardieu.
03:02No, absolutely not.
03:03In 2020, the actor was charged with assaulting a woman in 2018.
03:06By 2023, 13 women had come forward with allegations.
03:09Depardieu's trial is set to begin in 2025.
03:13This will be the first time that he will be tested in court,
03:17that it's not just a war of words in media.
03:20Vince Neil
03:21Members of heavy metal and rock bands are stereotypically known for partying
03:24and run-ins with the law. Yet, Neil is a much more serious case.
03:34In 1984, the lead singer of Motley Crue drove while intoxicated and crashed into another vehicle,
03:40along with serious injuries to some involved. Nicholas Dingley, also known as Razzle,
03:44was killed in the crash. Neil, as part of a plea deal,
03:47was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation for manslaughter.
03:51It's not like you get in a car and you go,
03:53well, I'm gonna get drunk tonight and kill somebody.
03:55He also had to pay the victims $2.6 million.
03:58Over the years, the singer has had further legal issues,
04:00including attacking a sex worker in 2003 and assaulting a woman in 2016,
04:04which caused Nicolas Cage to intervene.
04:06Stop this s*** now!
04:09Andy Dick
04:10At this point in his career, the actor and comedian is known
04:12more for his legal problems than his creative endeavors.
04:21After a couple of previous run-ins with the law, in 2008, Dick was arrested for publicly exposing
04:25a teenage girl and having illegal substances on him. After pleading guilty to battery,
04:29he received three years of probation. In 2012, after being charged with assaulting two people,
04:34he completed a pre-trial diversion program to escape charges.
04:37In 2022, Dick was in court once again for assaulting an Uber driver in 2019.
04:42Comedian Andy Dick has been charged with groping a ride-share driver.
04:46He was found guilty and sentenced to 90 days in jail, alongside having to register as a
04:51sex offender. In 2023, Dick was arrested for failing to register.
04:54James Brown
04:56Brown is perhaps the biggest name to grace the worlds of soul and funk music.
05:00Yet, while his career was filled with plaudits, his personal life was more complicated. In 1963,
05:05he reportedly took out firearms to shoot rival Joe Tex, sparking multiple people getting injured.
05:10In 1988, Brown was arrested for attacking his then-wife, Adrienne Rodriguez, with a pipe,
05:15and shooting at her car. While out on bond, he delivered an infamous interview with CNN,
05:19which didn't help matters.
05:23There's nothing wrong.
05:24Shortly after, he was arrested on weapon and substance charges after a high-speed
05:28chase with cops. Brown was sentenced to six years in jail. Other criminal issues he's
05:32been involved with include several domestic violence incidents and assault.
05:54Conor McGregor
06:02At one point, there wasn't a bigger name in MMA than the Irishman's.
06:10However, as McGregor's fame rose, so did the criminal acts he was involved with.
06:14In 2018, McGregor and his entourage attacked a bus holding Habib Nurmagomedov and others.
06:24Leaving some with injuries, the Irishman pleaded no contest and had to complete community service
06:29and anger management classes. In 2019, after a man refused to drink with McGregor in a pub,
06:33the Irishman punched him. He pled guilty and was fined 1,000 pounds.
06:45In 2024, McGregor lost a civil sexual assault suit to Nikita Hand. The fighter was found guilty
06:50and was ordered to pay around 1.75 million pounds to Hand.
06:59Suge Knight
07:00After a failed NFL career, Knight pivoted and became an influential record executive for
07:05rap in the 90s. Yet, he has also committed several violent acts.
07:09In 1996, Knight was involved in an attack on a Crips member. Due to violating parole
07:20from a previous conviction of assault, Knight was sentenced to nine years, but was released
07:24in 2001. In 2003, after attacking a parking attendant, he was sent back inside for another
07:29parole violation. For the next 11 years, Knight mostly kept away from violence, except for being
07:34the victim occasionally. But in 2015, after an argument on the Straight Outta Compton set,
07:39he crashed his car, killing one man. In 2018, Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter,
07:50earning 28 years in jail.
08:04Ike Turner
08:07After achieving some initial success on his own, Ike formed the Ike and Tina Turner Review,
08:12marrying Tina in the meanwhile. Yet, according to Turner, he was a monster throughout their
08:21marriage. Fueled by substance use issues, Ike was frequently physically abusive towards her.
08:27In 1976, he attacked Tina in a limousine. This sparked the music icon to leave Ike and file
08:33for divorce. He admitted in his autobiography that he struck Tina and punched her to the ground.
08:42Ike also tried to work with her again, but she rejected the idea.
08:52After Tina, Ike continued having run-ins with the law, mostly substance-related,
08:55such as when he was sent to prison for four years for a DUI in 1990.
09:03Mark Wahlberg
09:16Moving from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch into a successful career as an actor with many awards
09:21and nominations, Wahlberg seemed like a problem-free person. Yet, in his youth, he was a
09:32terror. In 1986, Wahlberg was issued with a civil rights injunction after harassing, attacking,
09:38and yelling racial slurs at a group of black children. In 1988, Wahlberg targeted two Vietnamese
09:43Americans. After knocking one unconscious, Wahlberg punched Johnny Trinh's eye, believing he had
09:48blinded the Army veteran. When Wahlberg was arrested, he continued uttering racial slurs
09:57about his victims and Vietnam. The actor was sentenced to three months in jail.
10:03In 1992, Wahlberg was issued a lawsuit for attacking his neighbor, which was settled out
10:09of court. Which celebrity's dark criminal history surprised you the most? Someone in our list?
10:14Danny Trejo? Matthew Broderick? Or someone else? Let us know below.
10:23Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo
10:27and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.