Celebrities Who Were Ruined by Their Parents

The list is centered around celebrities who, regardless of whether their careers were successful or not, were subjected to massive peer pressure and estrangement by their parents, which contributed to their fall from the general entertainment industry.

This list is about the impact of a celebrity's parents and how it ruined the 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 series, and also appeared in the film Jaws: The Revenge.
She provided voices for animated characters in The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go... 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 Bunny Ears. 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 on June 10, 1922, was an American singer, actress, and vaudevillian. She rose to international fame with her performance as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and had a career spanning over four decades.... read more

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 rose to prominence during the 1980s with roles 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. Feldman was a prominent figure among the young actors of... read more

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 shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, initially as an in-house session musician and later as a solo artist with a series 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 (born June 26, 1992) is an American former actress, screenwriter, producer, singer, and songwriter. She gained fame for her role as Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly. She reprised the character in the spin-off series Sam & Cat and later transitioned into writing... read more

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, in McComb, Mississippi) is an American former singer and actress. She was 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 Records in... 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, which established her as a teen icon in the early 2000s.

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

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Christina Crawford
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Flamingo

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.
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.
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.
Ariel Winter

Ariel Winter Workman, known professionally as Ariel Winter, is an American actress born on January 28, 1998. She is best known for her role as Alex Dunphy on the ABC sitcom Modern Family, which aired from 2009 to 2020. Winter has also provided the voice of Sofia in the animated series Sofia the First... read more

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.
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, and songwriter. He rose to prominence with his unique blend of genres including hip hop, rock, and R&B. Despite a controversial personal life and criminal... read more
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.
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 220 million records, making him the best-selling hip-hop artist of all time. In addition to his solo career, he was a member of D12 and (with... read more

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

Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor best known for his role as Arnold Jackson in the television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, which aired from 1978 to 1986. His catchphrase, Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis? became a cultural phenomenon. Despite a challenging personal life and health issues, Coleman remained... read more
Aaron Carter

Aaron Charles Carter was born on December 7, 1987, and passed away on November 5, 2022. He was an American singer and actor who became popular in the late 1990s as a pop and hip hop performer. He gained fame among pre-teen and teenage audiences with four studio albums and numerous international tours... read more

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.

I feel bad for Nick Carter. He lost both a brother and a sister. RIP to Aaron and Leslie Carter.
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 popularly described as a lyric mezzo soprano, with a vocal range... read more
Lil Tay

Lil Tay is an American rapper and internet personality who first gained fame at the age of 9 through social media videos. Her content, often controversial, drew widespread attention and media coverage. She is the sister of Jason Tian, who has also been involved in managing her public image.
Gekyume Onfroy
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 founding member and lead vocalist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which rose to international fame with their debut album Appetite for Destruction (1987). Known for... read more

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.
Rita Hayworth

Rita Hayworth, born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918, was an American actress and dancer. She rose to fame in the 1940s as one of Hollywood's top stars, appearing in 61 films over a 37-year career.
Dubbed the "love goddess" by the press, Hayworth became one of the most glamorous screen... read more
Ivanka Trump

Ivana Marie "Ivanka" Trump is an American businesswoman, fashion designer, author, and former reality television personality. She served as a senior advisor to her father, President Donald Trump, from 2017 to 2021. Before her political role, she was an executive at the Trump Organization and launched... read more