10 Celebrity Apologies That WORKED

10 Celebrity Apologies That WORKED

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the most convincing ways famous people have said sorry.

Zoe Saldaña

In 2016, this Oscar-winning actress starred in the biopic “Nina”, playing the titular role of the inimitable Nina Simone. Her casting was widely panned as the Afro-Latina actress darkened her skin with makeup and wore prosthetics to recreate the legendary musician’s appearance. The film was largely unsuccessful, too. The “Backlash Blues” singer’s estate disapproved of it and criticized Saldaña. She initially stood her ground, comparing her role to Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra. However, she later apologized thoroughly, admitting that the part should have gone to a black woman. The actress seemed genuinely regretful and was showered with support from fans.

Rita Ora

The British singer’s hit single “Girls” peaked at number three on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, but its success was plagued by controversy. Rita intended to make what she called an ‘empowering anthem’ with Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, and Charli XCX. However, the lyrics weren’t received well by the queer community. Hayley Kiyoko and Kehlani even called the track out for being ‘harmful’ and insensitive in its portrayal of women-loving-women relationships. In response, Rita confessed on X that she had romanced both men and women in her life, and the lyrics were true to her lived experience. She then apologized, and her sincerity seemed to reach her fans.

David Letterman

Back in October of 2009, the famous talk show host revealed on “The Late Show” that someone was extorting him by threatening to expose his numerous dalliances. Letterman, who had married his long-term partner Regina Lasko that year, owned up to having multiple affairs with his female staffers. These relationships also raised questions about power imbalance in the workplace. Letterman addressed the hurt he had caused on his show and apologized to his wife, though not without injecting some humor into his speech. He took accountability for his actions and seemed ready to make amends. Considering that his marriage to Lasko is still going strong, his apology seems to have worked.

Kanye West

No one can forget that fateful night in 2009 when the controversial rapper interrupted Taylor Swift at the VMAs. She had just won Best Female Video and was giving her acceptance speech when Kanye came up on stage to claim Beyoncé was more deserving of the award. He was immediately hit with major backlash, prompting him to apologize twice on his blog and once on “The Jay Leno Show”. He then offered a personal apology to Taylor, and she accepted it. Unfortunately, his feud with Swift has only intensified since, and Swifties don’t seem keen on forgiving Ye anymore. Besides, she’s not the only one he has offended in recent years. His problematic personal and political views have earned him much vitriol.

Nikki Glaser

In 2020, the comedian issued a public apology to Taylor Swift for disparaging comments she had made about her body in the past. It came after Nikki heard her remarks being used in Taylor’s “Miss Americana” documentary as a representation of the constant public scrutiny she was under. Glaser wrote a lengthy post on Instagram, explaining that she was ‘projecting’ her insecurities onto the Grammy winner when she said those mean words and wanted Taylor to know she was sorry. Her apology came across as sincere, and the “Shake it Off” singer commented, saying she appreciated it. Today, Nikki is one of the most highly sought-after comedians in Hollywood, who just hosted the 2026 Golden Globes. Clearly, things worked out in her favor.

Reese Witherspoon

In 2013, the “Legally Blonde” actress shocked fans when she was arrested for disorderly conduct. Her husband at the time, Jim Toth, was reportedly charged with driving under the influence. Reese later revealed on “Good Morning America” that she panicked seeing her then-husband get arrested and attempted to leverage her celebrity, even falsely claiming she was pregnant. Without making excuses, she apologized for her and Toth’s disrespectful behavior, admitting they had indeed consumed alcohol and were in the wrong. Years later, on the “I Weigh with Jameela Jamil” podcast, she called her actions ‘embarrassing’, but described her lapse in judgment as a human error.

James Gunn

The “Superman” writer and director once landed himself in hot water after his past problematic tweets came back to haunt him. The posts trivialized sexual assault and were deeply offensive, which made Disney terminate their relationship with him. Thus, he could no longer direct “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”. Following the controversy, Gunn humbly accepted the studio’s decision and apologized for his tweets, explaining that his attempts at playing provocateur were misguided. He expressed regret over his words and distanced himself from his past self. The apology was convincing enough that Disney brought him back on board for “GOTG 3”.

Christian Bale

“The Dark Knight” star is well-known for his intense dedication to acting. So, when an audio recording revealed the actor lashing out at cinematographer Shane Hurlbut for entering the “Terminator Salvation” set during a scene, that’s what fans chalked his behavior up to. However, Bale called his actions ‘inexcusable’. He explained that he was half in-character as John Connor when he had the, quote, ‘incredibly embarrassing meltdown’ and complimented Hurlbut for his work on the film. Though the incident gave the actor a reputation for being difficult to work with, it hasn’t negatively affected his career much, and his fans continue to support him. So, admitting that he, quote, ‘acted like a punk’, served him well.

Lady Gaga

In 2013, the Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy winner made a song with disgraced singer R. Kelly, called “Do What U Want”. Years after its release, the documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” dropped, bringing to light the harrowing allegations of sexual abuse made against him. After being urged to speak up about the matter, Gaga posted a heartfelt statement on X, expressing her support for sexual assault victims. She explained that the collaboration was a result of her unprocessed trauma, as she, too, had been a victim of sexual assault in the past. The singer swore to never work with R. Kelly again and pulled the song from streaming platforms. Her apology is widely considered one of the most genuine celebrity apologies ever.

Hugh Grant

In 1995, while the “Notting Hill” actor was dating Elizabeth Hurley, he was arrested in L.A., California, with a sex worker. It was a scandal in the truest sense of the word, and it didn’t help that his movie “Nine Months” was coming out soon. So, he went on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” to address the matter. Grant started out looking nervous, refused to justify his conduct, and admitted he did a, quote, ‘bad thing’. He also shared that he was more concerned about the effect the controversy was having on his then-girlfriend, Elizabeth, than on his career. The Englishman’s honest charms and readiness to take responsibility for his actions earned fans’ empathy, and he quickly went back to being a heartthrob.

What makes a celebrity apology good, in your opinion? Tell us in the comments!