20 Horrible Crimes Committed by Movie Stars

20 Horrible Crimes Committed by Movie Stars

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at twenty of the worst crimes ever committed by famous movie stars.

Murder

Gig Young

This actor built a phenomenal Hollywood career playing charming characters, even winning the Oscar for “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” Sadly, the legendary actor’s real life was completely devoid of that on-screen charm. In 1978, the entertainment industry was shaken by a gruesome discovery in a Manhattan apartment. Young had fatally shot his fifth wife, Kim Schmidt, mere weeks after they had gotten married. Immediately following this senseless execution, the troubled Oscar winner turned the weapon on himself. To this day, the exact motivations behind this horrific crime remain a mystery, forever casting a dark and bloody shadow over an otherwise stellar cinematic legacy.

Aggravated Assault

Emile Hirsch

This actor’s reputation took a devastating hit during the Sundance Film Festival in 2015. While heavily intoxicated at a crowded nightclub, Emile Hirsch violently attacked Paramount executive Daniele Bernfeld. Without any clear provocation, Hirsch aggressively put her in a chokehold and dragged her across a table before slamming her down to the floor. Bernfeld temporarily lost consciousness during the frightening unprovoked assault and later claimed in court that she had suffered psychological trauma. Hirsch eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and spent fifteen days behind bars. While he has continued to find acting work, the shocking brutality of this incident permanently stained his Hollywood standing.

Domestic Abuse

Tom Sizemore

He was a powerhouse talent known for playing tough, hardened soldiers in classic war films like “Saving Private Ryan.” Unfortunately, that aggressive persona bled into his personal relationships, and with terrifying consequences. In 2003, Sizemore was convicted of domestic violence against his former girlfriend, Heidi Fleiss. During their turbulent relationship, Sizemore subjected her to severe physical battery and relentless emotional abuse. Fleiss testified that he repeatedly punched her in the face and often threatened her life, leaving her with both physical and psychological injuries. The actor received a six-month jail sentence for the brutal attacks, and his ensuing career was marred by a continuous string of drug arrests and subsequent assault allegations before his eventual death.

Burglary & Assault

Ezra Miller

The rising cinematic career of Ezra Miller crashed back to Earth amidst a baffling and frightening multi-state crime spree. Throughout 2022, Miller accumulated a string of alarming arrests across Hawaii and Vermont. Authorities charged the erratic actor with second-degree assault after they allegedly struck a woman in the face with a thrown chair. Just months later, Miller pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from a felony burglary incident, where they brazenly stole liquor from a neighbor’s vacant home. The sheer volume of disturbing allegations, ranging from physical violence to grooming, completely shattered their public image and jeopardized their future blockbuster status.

Manslaughter

Charles S. Dutton

Before earning widespread acclaim for commanding performances in movies like “Rudy,” Charles S. Dutton lived a violent life on the streets of Baltimore. When he was just 17 years old, Dutton engaged in a vicious knife fight that resulted in the death of another man. The future star was subsequently convicted of manslaughter and spent years inside the brutal Maryland prison system. Remarkably, it was during his lengthy incarceration that Dutton discovered a profound passion for acting, eventually managing to turn his life around. While he successfully reformed himself, the grim reality of taking a human life remains a permanent and haunting chapter in the life of the great actor.

Armed Robbery

Danny Trejo

The beloved Danny Trejo is known for playing tough antiheroes, but the iconic grit that he brings to the silver screen was forged through a legitimate criminal past. Throughout his troubled youth in California, Trejo was repeatedly incarcerated for a variety of serious offenses, including multiple armed robberies. He spent over a decade cycling through some of the country’s most notorious maximum security prisons, including San Quentin and Folsom. Trejo actively participated in dangerous prison riots and battled severe drug use before finally finding sobriety and rehabilitation.

Repeated Domestic Violence

Edward Furlong

Thrust into massive stardom as the young John Connor, Edward Furlong seemed destined for an incredible film career. Instead, his adult life was consumed by severe substance abuse and a disturbing pattern of domestic violence. Furlong faced multiple arrests for assaulting different romantic partners over the years. In 2013, the former teen idol was sentenced to six months in jail after repeatedly violating a restraining order and physically attacking his ex-girlfriend. The police reports detailed frightening encounters where Furlong grabbed his victims and inflicted serious bodily harm, and these repeated offenses entirely derailed his once-promising cinematic prospects.

Involuntary Manslaughter

Tom Neal

He’s known for the noir classic “Detour,” and ironically, Tom Neal’s own life spiraled into a bleak narrative that mirrored the cynical movies he headlined. Neal possessed a notorious temper, which famously erupted in a brutal fight with actor Franchot Tone over a shared romantic pursuit. However, his darkest chapter occurred in 1965 when he fatally shot his third wife, Gale Bennett, in the back of the head. Neal maintained that the gun discharged accidentally during a physical struggle, but a jury nevertheless convicted him of involuntary manslaughter. The disgraced noir star spent six years in prison and spent the majority of his remaining life entirely forgotten by Hollywood.

Abusing His Own Daughter

Klaus Kinski

Renowned for his unhinged performances, Klaus Kinski was long considered a temperamental genius who was very difficult to work with. But decades after his passing, the disturbing depths of his depravity were finally exposed. In 2013, his eldest daughter, Pola, published a devastating autobiography detailing years of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of her own father. She revealed that Kinski relentlessly assaulted her throughout her childhood and threatened violence if she ever spoke out. Pola’s younger half-sister publicly supported the claims and confirmed her father’s tyrannical and predatory nature. The harrowing revelations completely shattered Kinski’s artistic legacy and exposed a monstrous predator hiding behind the shield of brilliance.

Manslaughter

Paul Kelly

If you look at the resume of early Hollywood actor Paul Kelly, you’ll see a large gap from 1927 to 1932. You see, Kelly had been having an affair with actress Dorothy Mackaye, who was married to another actor named Ray Raymond. On the night of April 16, 1927, a drunken Kelly confronted Raymond about the affair, and a violent fistfight broke out between the two stars. Raymond was left with severe head trauma and died from his injuries just a few days later. Kelly was convicted of manslaughter and served two years in San Quentin. Incredibly, the disgraced performer successfully revived his career and eventually starred in hundreds of films and even won the Tony in 1948.

Attempted Murder

Shelley Malil

It’s difficult to say what might have come of the career of Shelley Malil after the actor gained fame for his performance in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” That’s because Malil was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after twelve years for the attempted murder of his girlfriend, Kendra Beebe, in 2010. The wounds inflicted on Beebe by Malil were numerous, and the victim was left in some severe physical shape, although she would eventually survive the attack. Malil, in the meantime, was actually paroled in 2018, after serving only eight years of his sentence.

Alleged Abuse & Defamation

Johnny Depp & Amber Heard

Why do we so often follow the sordid details that emerge in the wake of a high-profile celebrity court case? The tumultuous relationship of actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was an open book for all to see during their 2022 trial. Depp’s legal team brought forth allegations of defamation against Heard, while the latter asserted that she was a victim of domestic violence during her marriage to Depp. Live-streamed footage of the trial resulted in public support primarily leaning towards Depp, and this sentiment seemed to be echoed by the jury verdict, which ruled in favor of the plaintiff.

First-Degree Attempted Burglary

Lillo Brancato

It was alongside heavyweight acting legends like Robert De Niro that Lillo Brancato first made his mark in Hollywood. The young actor would earn praise for his work in “A Bronx Tale,” although struggles with substance use disorder eventually came to a head for Brancato. A gunfight with off-duty police officer Daniel Enchautegui proved to be fatal for the latter. Brancato was charged with second-degree murder for his role in the altercation, one that also included Brancato’s accomplice, Steven Armento. Brancato escaped the murder charge, but was convicted of first-degree attempted burglary, served time, and was eventually paroled. He speaks now about his experiences and has returned to acting.

Sexual Assault

Gérard Depardieu

It’s a question that’s been asked before, one that tends to follow many celebrities whose talents sometimes overshadow the dark clouds of controversy that follow their careers. There’s absolutely no denying the greatness of Gérard Depardieu as an actor, as evidenced by his numerous awards and accolades. Yet, accusations of a sexual nature have dogged Depardieu for decades. It wasn’t until 2020 that an official reckoning came knocking, in the form of official charges levied in Depardieu’s native France. He was convicted in May of 2025 on two counts of sexual assault, although the actor steadfastly denied these accusations and even took the stand in his own defense.

Sexual Exploitation

James Franco

The arrest of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2018 served as a reckoning of sorts, a moment in history where other victims of sexual exploitation and abuse felt emboldened to speak up and tell their stories. The career and reputation of James Franco certainly took a hit in the wake of this “Weinstein Effect,” since multiple women accused the actor of taking advantage of his position as an acting coach. Behavior that was designed to elicit certain favors in exchange for potential acting roles… with retaliation on the table if those favors weren’t doled out. The suits were settled out of court, although Franco did admit that he had sex with his students during this time.

Fatal DUI

Amy Locane

The 2020 short film “Cooties” served as the first film role in over ten years for Amy Locane, who had formerly retired in 2006 while she was raising a family. Unfortunately, Locane was involved in a fatal car crash in 2010, one that proved fatal to the wife of Fred Seeman, who had been attempting to turn into his driveway. Locane’s conviction and sentencing proved to be equally controversial, since it was later found that the initial decision of three years was too lenient. The actress ultimately served more years in prison while appealing this decision, before finally being released in December of 2024.

Felony Torture

Joe Son

The martial arts training of Joe Son made this actor an easy fit for multiple, direct-to-video acting gigs. Then, Son’s resemblance to the famous James Bond villain Oddjob resulted in his casting as “Random Task” in the hit spy parody, “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.” It would be DNA evidence submitted for Son’s role in a separate crime, that of felony vandalism, that would go on to connect the actor to a cold case that occurred eighteen years prior. Son was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a felony torture case that left a female victim traumatized and assaulted. The actor’s prison life would result in yet another crime, this time for the murder of Joe Son’s cellmate, Michael Graham.

Murder

Johnny Lewis

It’s unclear as to whether or not a 2011 motorcycle accident caused some sort of undiagnosed trauma within the otherwise promising life of actor Johnny Lewis. The star of such films as “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” and television shows like “Sons of Anarchy” was staying at a bed and breakfast known to other creatives in the area of Los Angeles, California. His behavior proved to be violently erratic, however, with Lewis having assaulted a number of his neighbors prior to murdering his landlady, Catherine Davis, as well as her pet cat. Johnny Lewis fell to his death after committing these crimes, although authorities maintain that this fatal fall was accidental, and not a self-induced act of destruction.

Hate Crimes

Mark Wahlberg

There is an astonishingly long rap sheet of crimes when it comes to the history of Mark Wahlberg’s troubled youth. The actor has freely admitted his wrongdoings as a teenager, when he committed hate crimes against persons of color in his neighborhood. The actor only served 45 days in jail for a 1988 attack on a Vietnamese man, Johnny Trinh. Yet, Wahlberg brazenly requested a pardon from the State of Massachusetts in 2014 for his crime, a pardon that was not issued. Mark Wahlberg would later go on to state that he’d personally met with Trinh in an effort to clean his personal slate.

Vehicular Manslaughter

Matthew Broderick

“Careless driving.” That was what the legal team representing Matthew Broderick eventually had levied against their client after a tragic car accident took place back in 1987. Broderick’s car swerved into the wrong lane while the actor was vacationing in Northern Ireland. The passengers in the other car, a mother and daughter, were killed at the scene. Broderick, in the meantime, awoke in a hospital with some very serious injuries… together with no recollection of the incident. The initial charges of “causing death by dangerous driving” were lowered to the aforementioned conviction, which let Broderick off with only a $175 fine.

What do you make of these stories? Let us know in the comments below!