From champions of social justice to subjects of serious controversy... Join us as we explore celebrities whose actions didn't match their progressive public personas! These stars built reputations on kindness, equality, and activism, only to shock fans with behavior that contradicted their stated values.
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00:00I had the inability to make myself feel okay, unless there was something else doing it for me.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the celebrities who don't
00:12exactly practice what they preach when it comes to quote-unquote woke ideology.
00:16I can understand why people feel the way that they do,
00:19specifically because of the narrative that was spun and was given to them.
00:23Number 10, Shia LaBeouf.
00:26If you grew up with even Stevens, Holes, or the Transformers movies,
00:29you likely know this versatile actor well, which makes some of his adult choices harder to stomach.
00:34Oh yeah, yeah.
00:36LaBeouf has been outspoken in political activism,
00:38using his eccentric performance art to express his views.
00:41Notably, he co-launched the He Will Not Divide Us project in 2017 to protest Donald Trump's inauguration.
00:48Shia LaBeouf got very passionate on at least one occasion
00:51and was arrested for clashing with a Trump supporter.
00:54They will not divide us!
00:57However, his personal life has been riddled with controversy,
01:00including arrest for disorderly conduct and intoxication.
01:04More seriously, two former partners have accused him of inappropriate behavior.
01:08While LaBeouf has had efforts to turn his life around after embracing Christianity,
01:11the industry is understandably skeptical about his values.
01:14I've just received a lot of love since coming in here.
01:16You know, I don't have a big family until today.
01:18It felt like, um, it's like everything came together.
01:21Number 9, Asia Argento.
01:23This Italian actress and director was a major voice in the hashtag MeToo movement
01:28after accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.
01:30And I think I was the first one to go on the record.
01:34And I said, give my name to the other women.
01:37Because I felt it was a moment of my conscience that woke up.
01:42And I knew it would wake up all the other consciences.
01:44In 2018, she took the stage at Cannes with a fiery speech, calling out industry predators.
01:50But just months later, things took a messy turn when actor Jimmy Bennett
01:54accused Argento of assaulting him when he was 17.
01:57Argento denied any wrongdoing, but was linked to a $380,000 settlement meant to keep things quiet.
02:03She is one of the faces of it.
02:04And I think, you know, that's why a lot of people are shocked.
02:07Then, leaked photos and texts suggested something did happen,
02:11and Argento was ultimately dropped from X Factor Italy.
02:14Needless to say, it was a shocking turn of events for someone
02:17who had been at the forefront of such a major movement.
02:20Number 8.
02:21Aziz Ansari
02:22Acclaimed for his roles in Parks and Recreation and Master of None,
02:26Ansari has been a vocal advocate for various causes,
02:29including feminism and modern relationships.
02:31I'll be here.
02:34That's true.
02:36He's also explored topics like gender dynamics in his work.
02:39So, when an anonymous woman accused him of inappropriate behavior during a date,
02:42many were shocked, especially considering his past support for the Times Up organization
02:47and the book he had written on romantic relationships.
02:50Was this assault or just a bad date?
02:52Some could not believe that Ansari, a self-proclaimed feminist, could do such a thing.
02:57Ansari responded by stating that he believed the interaction was consensual,
03:01but nonetheless apologized upon learning of the woman's discomfort.
03:04Still, his purported actions were considered by some to be at odds with points he's professed.
03:08She thought he was a hypocrite because he apparently holds himself out there
03:13as a champion of women's rights, as a feminist,
03:16as somebody who will call out creeps when they behave as creeps.
03:19Number 7.
03:21James Franco
03:21Celebrated for his roles in films like 127 Hours and The Disaster Artist,
03:27Franco has aligned himself with progressive causes.
03:29If I can have a career in this business, so can you, man.
03:32Uh, I don't want career.
03:34He was a 2013 recipient of the Ally Award for his outspoken support for the LGBTQIA plus community
03:41and expressed support for the sentiments behind the hashtag MeToo movement.
03:45One of the things that I've learned is that
03:46this is a conversation that obviously needs to be had.
03:51There are people, women and others, who have not been a part of this conversation.
03:57And I truly believe, and why I was wearing the pin,
04:01is that they need to be a part of this conversation.
04:03In 2018, however, Franco faced scrutiny when multiple women accused him of misconduct,
04:08alleging that he behaved inappropriately with them in several settings,
04:12including acting classes where he had served as the instructor.
04:14The controversy led to a major career fallout,
04:17with Franco stepping away from the spotlight for several years.
04:19I suppose, at the time, my thinking was,
04:25if it's consensual, okay.
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04:33And just like the celebrities in this video,
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04:41You could be a vlogger with a good personality who starts a foundation.
04:45Or you could be a podcaster with no self-respect who's also a conspiracy theorist.
04:50What would I do to be rich and famous?
04:52Make a board game with WatchMojo.
04:54I just said that.
04:55Terrible Influence is available now for a limited time, only on Kickstarter.
05:03Political activism is a major part of this model and television personality's reputation.
05:13Teagan has frequently used her platform to raise her voice about a variety of sensitive topics.
05:17What's more, she's been the first to criticize certain individuals
05:20and call out what she sees as problematic behavior.
05:23That is, until Teagan's unproblematic queen status was dramatically soured in 2021.
05:28You felt like you weren't talking to anybody.
05:30You just threw things out there.
05:31You didn't feel like anyone was going to read it.
05:33Model Courtney Stodden revealed that Teagan had sent them abusive messages in 2011.
05:38Others would come to accuse Teagan of similar online harassment.
05:41This, of course, starkly contrasts with Teagan's persona as a proponent of kindness and peace.
05:46I feel like I've done the work and I just hope these people can, you know, forgive and be able to, you know,
05:56welcome the fact that hopefully they've seen me be better.
06:00Number five, Lena Dunham.
06:02Although some have hailed the creator of the TV series Girls and the newsletter Lenny Letter as a feminist icon,
06:07Dunham has also faced some major criticism throughout her career.
06:10I'm aware of the criticisms and I'm able to, I'm able to live with them.
06:16In her 2014 memoir, she detailed childhood experiences with her younger sibling that many perceived as reprehensible.
06:22Furthermore, in 2017, Dunham defended Girls writer Murray Miller against sexual assault allegations from actress Aurora Perrineau,
06:30suggesting such accusations are often misreported.
06:32She's getting a lot of criticism right now because she's been very outspoken before with believing victims.
06:38And now in the case that involves her friend, she's saying that we shouldn't take the victim, not her word.
06:43She would later issue an apology for the statement.
06:45Additionally, her 2016 comment that she wished she had terminated a pregnancy to empathize with others drew sharp rebukes for its insensitivity.
06:53These instances highlight a disparity between Dunham's advocacy and personal actions.
06:59Number four, Armie Hammer.
07:01In his early years, Hammer cultivated an image as a progressive and socially conscious individual.
07:07This is the most incredible story I've ever heard.
07:09I also thought this is the most American story I've ever heard.
07:12It's the rise against tyranny.
07:13It's the oppressed feeling that they deserve freedom.
07:16Like this is what our country was founded on.
07:17The actor has expressed support for various social justice movements,
07:21aligning himself with causes advocating for equality and ethical treatment.
07:24But this all came to a halt in 2021, when multiple women accused Hammer of violent, manipulative, and coercive actions.
07:32I will say this.
07:33There are people that I left who were hurt and who were upset.
07:43None of those people were hurt or upset because I pushed any sexual boundaries that they weren't interested in exploring or trying.
07:51Although he denied these claims and no criminal charges were pressed, Hammer found himself up against a public relations crisis.
07:59Not only did the allegations against Hammer challenge the authenticity of his previously championed values, but they also included a creepy cannibal rumor.
08:07I experienced a ego death, a career death, a financial death, all of these things.
08:15Number three, Jesse Smollett.
08:17Although he had previously enjoyed moderate success as an actor and activist, Smollett's career was largely overshadowed by a certain incident.
08:25Breaking overnight.
08:26A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation tells NBC News that Chicago police are now looking into whether Empire actor,
08:34Jussie Smollett, actually paid two men to fake an attack against him.
08:38You know which one we mean.
08:40In 2019, Smollett claimed to be the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago, drawing national attention and support from various figures.
08:48Then I look down and I see that there's a rope around my neck, which I hadn't noticed it before.
08:54No, because it was so fast. You know what I'm saying? It was so fast.
08:56How long did this all take?
08:57It felt like minutes, but it probably was like 30 seconds.
09:01But it wasn't long before investigations determined that he had staged the attack.
09:05This led to criminal charges, and he was convicted of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.
09:11The controversy surrounding this case has become the defining moment of Smollett's public life.
09:15I'm okay with accepting responsibility for things that I've actually done.
09:18I'm just not okay with accepting responsibility for something that I did not do.
09:21Number two, Ellen DeGeneres.
09:24Oh, Ellen, what happened?
09:26As a rising star in the 80s and 90s, DeGeneres' entire image was one of kindness, acceptance, and lighthearted fun.
09:33It's a beautiful thing to have emotion. I'm happy that you're that happy.
09:37She broke barriers as an openly gay celebrity and built her brand around the motto, be kind.
09:42But behind the scenes, things weren't so wholesome.
09:45In 2020, reports emerged that The Ellen DeGeneres Show fostered a toxic workplace.
09:49The biggest common thread that everyone told me is that what goes on behind the scenes is a far cry from what the show represents in their be kind messaging.
10:02Former employees accused Ellen of allowing, and even contributing to, a culture of fear.
10:07For someone who lived by the phrase, be kind, these revelations were a shocking contradiction.
10:12While DeGeneres issued an apology, the damage was done, and the once beloved talk show host saw a reputation take a major hit.
10:19Let me give you some advice out there. If anybody's thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname, do not go with the be kind lady.
10:26Don't do it.
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10:43Number 1. Kanye West
10:45This famously self-assured rapper has long positioned himself as a fighter of progress, once famously declaring that George Bush doesn't care about black people in response to Hurricane Katrina.
10:56George Bush doesn't care about black people.
10:58Over the years, he aligned himself with various causes and spoke out against systemic oppression.
11:04However, his later actions painted a very different picture.
11:07From publicly harassing his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, to making repeated anti-Semitic remarks, West's behavior became increasingly erratic and troubling.
11:15So, the answer to why I wrote White Lives Matter on a shirt is because they do. It's the obvious thing.
11:24Despite once advocating for marginalized communities, he's also alienated many with hateful rhetoric and conspiracy theories.
11:31How could someone who once called out injustice become an apologist for it?
11:35I think there's a left agenda to silence anyone that goes against the agenda.
11:45Who are some other stars who fell short of their stated values? Discuss it in the comments.
11:49I am that person that you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things.
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