Celebrities Who Were Ruined by Their Parents

The list is centered around celebrities who, regardless if their career was successful or not, were put into massive peer pressure and estrangement by their parents, and did contribute to their fall from the general entertainment industry.

This list is about the impact of a celebrity's parents and and how it ruined said celebrity's work and/or reputation.
The Top Ten
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, which was ruled a homicide. Jackson is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures... read more

Michael Jackson had a poor relationship with his father, Joseph Jackson. Joseph was so driven by success that his children were uncomfortable throughout their teen years, with Michael being no exception. The King of Pop stated that he had "no childhood" because his father pushed him into the music industry at a very early age. Like his siblings, Michael was abused by his father and was not allowed to pursue any interests outside of the Jackson Family business.

The strained relationship between Michael and his father was one reason the singer later converted his house into a private amusement park. Even up until his death, Michael still had an uneasy relationship with his father.

Judith Barsi Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American child actress. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television series as well as in the film Jaws: The Revenge. She provided voices for animated characters in The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to... read more

Her father was jealous of her success. When she was going to shoot Jaws: The Revenge, her father said, "If you decide not to come back, I will cut your throat." You shouldn't speak that way to your kid. He would also threaten to burn the house down.

He threw pots and pans at her, causing nosebleeds. She gained weight, and because of this, she plucked her eyebrows. She confided in her family friends, saying, "I'm afraid to go home. My daddy is miserable. My daddy is drunk every day, and I know he wants to kill my mother."

Her father tragically cut her life short by killing her, his wife, and himself. She deserved to live a long life - 10 is too young to die. She never made it to 6th grade.

Macaulay Culkin Macaulay Carson Culkin is an American actor, author, painter, podcaster, musician and president of Bunnyears. He became famous as a child actor for his role as Kevin McCallister in the family comedy Home Alone, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical... read more

The face of Home Alone had his father, Kit Culkin, as his film manager, which resulted in a particularly ugly experience for Macaulay. Kit was the sole reason Macaulay was in The Good Son, as he threatened to withdraw Macaulay's role from Home Alone 2 unless he took the part. Kit's domineering nature left Macaulay exasperated and drained from appearing in various failed films, ultimately leading to his retirement from acting at age 14.

Since then, Macaulay's relationship with his father has been estranged, and they are not on speaking terms. On a further note, Home Alone director Chris Columbus was also frustrated with working alongside Kit. This led Columbus to ensure that there were no child actors with stage parents involved in the pre-production of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Judy Garland Judy Garland, born Frances Ethel Gumm (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American singer, actress, and vaudevillian. The American Film Institute named her 8th greatest female star of classic American cinema. She's also the mother of actress and singer Liza Minnelli.

Judy Garland is known both for her role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz and for her tragic life. Her mother didn't help matters. In addition to being a stage mom, she was abusive, isolating Judy and locking her up if she didn't perform well enough. She even asked studio officials to do the same if Judy ever slipped up.

Not sure about the family abuse, but I do feel very sad that drugs and alcohol were her only escape.

Corey Feldman Corey Scott Feldman is an American actor and singer. He became well known during the 1980s, with roles as a youth in films such as The Fox and the Hound, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Goonies, Stand by Me, The Lost Boys, Gremlins and The 'Burbs.

Corey was forced into acting by his parents at age 3. He was restricted to only reciting and memorizing his lines for films, and although he had a close relationship with his parents, they explicitly stated that they never loved him. What made the situation worse was that Corey was the only family member earning money.

He was forced into acting at 3. He took drugs and alcohol at 13/14 and he was sexually abused at 14/15. I can't believe it. He deserved so much better.

Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and... read more

He intervened in a fight between his parents on April 1, 1984, at their family home in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles. Marvin then became involved in a physical altercation with his father, who shot him twice - once in the chest, and once in the heart and shoulder. The first shot proved fatal. He died just one day before his 45th birthday.

He was shot and killed by his own father. You can't get more "ruined" than that.

His own father killed him. That's something to think about.

Jennette McCurdy Jennette Michelle Faye McCurdy is an American former actress, screenwriter, producer, singer, and songwriter. She is best known for her role as Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly and its spin-off series, Sam & Cat.

I tried to watch iCarly the other night, thinking it would be a fun nostalgia trip. But knowing what Jennette went through on the show just makes it depressing. Also, Dan Schneider should sleep with one eye open.

I saw an interview where she talked about her book and her childhood. Honestly, I'm glad her mom died too.

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears, born on December 2, 1981, is an American former singer and actress. She was born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana. As a child, she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows, such as "The Mickey Mouse Club," before signing with Jive... read more

Her father forced her into a conservatorship that started back in 2008. Luckily, it eventually ended. Her family was using her for money and controlling her.

Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan is an American actress. In addition to acting, she is also a model, singer, songwriter, director, and producer. She has appeared in several notable films including The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and Mean Girls

Lindsay deserves to be much higher on this list. Had it not been for her atrocious parents, she'd probably be in Emma Stone's place right now. Jennette McCurdy should be added to this list as well.

Lance Butterfield

Lance was the son of Bill Butterfield, an aspiring athlete in Dallas. Lance followed in his father's footsteps and became a seasoned and popular athlete in his own right. Unfortunately, Bill was so driven to give his son the athlete treatment that it resulted in a terrible relationship. Bill would insult and beat Lance whenever he failed to meet expectations.

This all culminated when Lance entered a relationship that Bill found infuriating and wanted to end. Finally fed up, Lance shot and killed his father in December 1995. The trial did not favor the prosecution, as the court couldn't find anyone who didn't vilify Bill, reflecting how unlikable he was to the general public. Eventually, Lance confessed to manslaughter and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison.

On a side note, Lance's defendants included his sister and even Bill's own father, with the latter stating that Lance shouldn't be prosecuted.

The Newcomers

? Jake Roberts Aurelian Smith Jr., born on May 30, 1955, better known by the ring name Jake "The Snake" Roberts, is an American retired professional wrestler and actor.
? Jaden Smith Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born July 8, 1998) is an American rapper and actor. The son of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, he has received various accolades, including a Teen Choice Award, an MTV Movie Award, a BET Award, a Young Artist Award, two NAACP Image Awards, and an Empire Award. He has... read more
The Contenders
Britney Campbell

Britney was a child beauty pageant contestant. Unfortunately, her mother, Kerry, insisted she receive Botox at the age of 8! The worst part is that even after this was discovered, Kerry tried to claim that other mothers were also trying to have Botox administered to their daughters. Talk about being incredibly materialistic.

XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy (January 23, 1998 - June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, and often referred to as X, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and criminal.
Carley Wynn

Carley was pushed too hard into entering beauty pageants by her mother, to the point that she developed a split personality called "Darla." The abuse Carley's mother inflicted on her led to Carley developing dissociative identity disorder. The worst part: Carley was only 5 years old.

Ariel Winter

Ariel's mother, Chrisoula Workman, was so abusive that she lost custody of her. Ariel was raised by her older sister and fellow actress, Shanelle Gray.

Jonathan Davis Jonathan Howsmon Davis (born January 18, 1971), also known as JD and JDevil, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of the nu metal band Korn, which is considered a pioneering act of the nu metal genre... read more

His mother thought that he was lying about being sexually abused by a babysitter. He channeled that rage and wrote "Daddy," one of the most disturbing songs I've ever heard.

Mónica Santa María

Mónica was pushed into modeling by her mother at the age of 7, despite her father's disagreement. Although she became well-known, she eventually developed bipolar disorder, which led to her suicide at the age of 21.

Eminem Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, is an American rapper, actor and music producer born on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Eminem has sold over 300 million records making him the bestselling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he is a member of D12 and (with Royce... read more

If I recall correctly, the song "Cleaning Out My Closet" was directed toward his mother.

Aaron Carter Aaron Charles Carter (December 7, 1987 - November 5, 2022) was an American singer. He came to fame as a pop and hip hop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among pre-teen and teenage audiences during the early 2000s with his four studio albums.

Aaron came from a celebrity family, with his brother Nick being a member of the Backstreet Boys. Aaron was also a singer, with his parents acting as his managers. Unfortunately, their attempts to capitalize on Aaron's success backfired, leaving him with massive debt by the time he was 18. Aaron eventually cut ties with his parents after discovering the mismanagement. In 2013, Aaron filed for bankruptcy, due in part to his parents and his history of drug use.

On a similar note, Aaron's sister Leslie was also pushed into becoming a singer by their parents, though to no success.

Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus), known professionally as Miley Cyrus, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, to Tish Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus. Her voice type is Mezzo-Soprano and spans 4 octaves... read more
Axl Rose William Bruce Rose Jr., better known as 'Axl Rose', is an American singer born on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana. He Is the founder and lead singer of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses. He is a celebrated but controversial figure in the world of rock.

His biological father molested him, and his stepfather used to beat him up all the time. I feel for the guy.

His biological father molested him when he was still a little kid. His stepfather constantly abused him, which is what made him who he is. I feel bad for him.

Gary Coleman Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, best known for his role as Arnold Jackson in Diff'rent Strokes.
Billy Corgan William Patrick "Billy" Corgan Jr. is an American musician, songwriter, producer, television writer, poet, and professional wrestling promoter best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins.

Yeah, the song "Disarm" was directed at his parents.

Alana Thompson Alana Trances Thompson (born August 28, 2005), better known as Honey Boo Boo is an American reality television personality and social media sensation who is best known as being the star of of TLC's "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo."
Lil Tay Lil Tay is an American rapper and internet personality who gained fame from the age of 9. She is the sister of Jason Tian.
Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, socialite, television personality, model, actress, singer, DJ, and author.
8Load More
PSearch List