Top 10 Teen Movie Scandals You Completely Forgot About
#10: Lindsay Lohan's Feud with Hilary Duff “A Cinderella Story” (2004)
After both teenage Disney stars dated Aaron Carter, Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff’s distaste for one another quickly grew into a full-blown feud. From red carpet drama to a shady “SNL” monologue, the conflict even made its way to the set of “A Cinderella Story.” Lohan allegedly called the film’s male lead and her former co-star Chad Michael Murray to complain about Duff. All the drama reportedly led to the “Rumors” singer being barred from the premiere. The beef was so all-consuming that it even came up while shooting “Mean Girls”. According to Tina Fey, Lohan actually tried to explain her grudge against Duff to her fetch co-stars.
#9: The Depiction of Teens “Thirteen” (2003)
Top 10 Movie Scandals You Forgot About
You could say “Thirteen” is just like “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” if Lizzie McGuire was consuming illicit substances, stealing, and exploring her sexuality. This R-rated film was met with controversy for its harsh and often uncomfortable depiction of teen girlhood. However, director Catherine Hardwicke countered the backlash from upset parents with the support of experts like juvenile court judges. Armed with real life experience, they confirmed that the movie wasn’t inaccurate or unrealistic. Even beyond the content though, the public reaction to young actresses Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed didn’t help their relationship. Reed later revealed that due to public pressure and a competitive environment, the two didn’t always get along.
#8: Jennifer Grey’s Tragic Accident “Dirty Dancing” (1987)
Top 10 Jennifer Lawrence Movie Moments
From on-set mishaps to a suggestive name that nearly had to be changed, “Dirty Dancing” had its fair share of scandals. Despite the main characters’ steamy on-screen romance, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey were often at odds behind the scenes. And while the role of “Baby” did make Grey’s star rise, a tragic accident struck before the movie’s American premiere. Sadly, she got into a car crash with her then-boyfriend Matthew Broderick that killed two people. The actress subsequently struggled to reconcile her biggest success with the awful incident. A nose job gone wrong then became the unfortunate cherry on top of her fall from the spotlight.
#7: Drama in the Halls “High School Musical” franchise (2006-08)
Don't Worry Darling: The Drama & Why We ARE Worried
Just like real life high school, this Disney franchise had no shortage of drama. In the first movie, audiences were shocked to find out that while Zac Efron was portraying Troy Bolton, his songs were largely sung by Drew Seeley. And this wasn’t the only surprise. Ashley Tisdale later revealed that behind the scenes, she and the actor who played her brother, Lucas Grabeel, didn’t get along. Don’t worry, they’re friends now though! Then there was “Zanessa,” the hugely popular it-couple composed of Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Hudgens. Months before they began production on the third movie, her explicit photos were leaked. The actress was then forced to apologize for the invasion of her privacy.
#6: The Cheetah Girls Weren’t Always “One Big Family” “The Cheetah Girls: One World” (2008)
The Cheetah Girls were a huge Disney channel success, but it wasn't always sisterly love behind the scenes. Rumors of the Cheetah sisters not getting along boiled over when Raven-Symoné didn’t join the third film. Her absence was largely chalked up to her focusing on her solo ventures, but the actress later confirmed that there was indeed more to the story. She explained that she felt shut out and “excluded,” though she and Kiely Williams made up. But in the years since the films, tension has also arisen between Williams and Adrienne Bailon. As the women mature and reconcile, here’s hoping that the group will sort out their differences for a future reunion.
#5: Selena Gomez’s Disney Channel Departure “Spring Breakers” (2012)
Top 10 Best Selena Gomez Performances
After Selena Gomez’s popular Disney Channel show “Wizards of Waverly Place” ended, many were excited to see what she’d do next. And she shocked audiences by appearing in the racy R-rated indie film “Spring Breakers.” Her former co-star Jake T. Austin seemed to be one of many criticizing her re-brand for alienating her young fanbase. Gomez acknowledged that the project was intended for a different audience, but insisted that being in the movie was about “doing something that [she] really [wanted] to do.” She also called the experience “liberating.” Joined by fellow former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens, their wild characters ushered in a new era for the actresses.
#4: The Objectification of Megan Fox “Jennifer’s Body” (2009)
Top 10 Teen Movies You Forgot Had Stacked Casts
In the wake of the first Twilight film’s huge success, “Jennifer’s Body,” which was written by Diablo Cody and dubbed “‘Twilight’ for boys” in one review, was expected to follow suit. However, the movie didn’t perform as expected, facing harsh criticism. Many attribute the negative reaction to misleading advertising that relied solely on Megan Fox’s physical appeal. The actress has since spoken about the emotional distress she experienced because of media scrutiny, in the context of the film and outside of it as well. However, with the return of Y2K style, the “Me Too” movement, and public apologies to famous women who were unfairly scrutinized, “Jennifer’s Body” made a comeback. Now, the film is considered a feminist force that was far ahead of its time.
#3: Dating Scandals & Recasting “The Twilight Saga” franchise (2008-12)
Top 10 Online Dating Romance Movies
The iconic vampire film franchise made itself known both at the box office and in gossip headlines. When the actors behind Edward and Bella became a real life couple, the drama moved off screen. Kristen Stewart was seen cheating on Robert Pattinson with married director Rupert Sanders in 2012. Along with Jamie Campbell Bower’s broken Volturi-Gryffindor engagement to “Harry Potter” star Bonnie Wright, the “Twilight” cast had no shortage of dating scandals. Fans also might remember Victoria's sudden recasting in the third film due to “scheduling conflicts.” Bryce Dallas Howard had passed on the role before Rachelle Lefevre was ever cast. Lefevre wasn’t afraid to say she was caught off guard and upset by the fact that she was replaced.
#2: "The Juno Effect" “Juno” (2007)
Top 10 Most Underrated Teen Movie Kisses
The second Diablo Cody film on our list, this edgier depiction of raising teenagers isn’t your average family friendly flick. “Juno” tackles teenage pregnancy, but the comedy became controversial when it was used to support both sides of the abortion debate. Many even labeled the movie a bad influence that glorified teen pregnancy. So when a series of teens at a Massachusetts high school turned up pregnant, the scandal was unofficially labeled “The Juno Effect” by Time Magazine. Technically, you can debunk the blame placed on teen media with fluctuating pregnancy statistics. Interestingly though, Diablo Cody has said she wouldn’t necessarily write the quippy comedy today knowing that its stance on pregnancy might be misinterpreted.
#1: “Heathers’” High School Satire “Heathers” (1989)
Heathers VS Mean Girls: Which is the Better Teen Movie?
If ‘80s audiences were expecting a John Hughes-style romance, “Heathers” was a rude awakening. The film delivered dark and violent material wrapped in a shiny comedy bow. This led to critical backlash and misinterpretations, but according to the movie’s creators, the story wasn’t just a flippant take on teens taking their own lives. To them, it was primarily a high school satire gone wild. However, when “Heathers” was rebooted as a TV show in 2018, high school violence had become more reality than satire. After multiple incidents in the US, the show was postponed and re-edited. Still, the cult classic had lost its sense of fantasy, and the show faced harsh criticism for its insensitive and triggering tone.