15 Celebrities That Survived Cancellation
The internet has a very long memory, and falling out of public favor usually happens in the blink of an eye. Getting ‘canceled’ can instantly ruin a career, and yet, some celebrities have managed to weather the storm and bounce back even stronger.
Some apologized and took a break, while others simply ignored the noise and kept working. How each managed to return is a large tale on their own, so what we bring you today are the glimpses of their overall stories. What matters is, sometimes, there’s a way out of cancellation.
Kevin Hart Remained A Comedy Box Office King
He faced heavy backlash in 2018 over old jokes, which led him to step down as the host of the 2019 Oscars. Despite the outrage, he maintained his major success in film while continuing to sell out comedy shows.
Taylor Swift Overcame The Infamous Snake Era
Following a massive 2016 feud where Kim Kardashian labeled her a snake, a huge online campaign tried to cancel her. She completely recovered to become the biggest pop star on the planet with her record-breaking Eras tour.
Aziz Ansari Quietly Returned To Standup And Television
Following an allegation of misconduct in 2018 that led to canceled shows, he managed to survive the controversy. He carefully returned to the public eye with his stand-up special ‘Aziz Ansari: Right Now’ and the film ‘Good Fortune.’
Chrissy Teigen Rebuilt Her Brand After Cyberbullying Backlash
In 2021, she faced severe backlash over past cyberbullying incidents, which caused major retailers to drop her ‘Cravings’ line. She apologized, took time away, and slowly rebuilt her career through new brand partnerships and cooking shows.
Shane Gillis Rebounded From Saturday Night Live Firing
Fired from ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 2019 over offensive remarks, he just kept performing and successfully rebounded. He eventually returned to host the sketch show multiple times and even released his own Netflix comedy series, ‘Tires.’
Chris Pratt Shrugged Off Worst Chris Twitter Polls
After being voted Hollywood’s worst Chris in a viral Twitter poll and targeted by cancel hashtags like #RipChrisPratt, he simply laughed off the title in a lighthearted Instagram Story referencing a fantasy football victory.
Doja Cat Kept Making Hits Despite Chat Room Scandal
Despite a massive cancellation storm and #DojaCatIsOverParty trending over surfaced TinyChat videos, she survived the outrage. Her song ‘Say So’ reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she later released the critically praised album ‘Planet Her.’
Justin Bieber Outgrew His Teenage Legal And Image Issues
After spending his teenage years dealing with highly publicized legal troubles and a wildly negative public image, the singer managed to turn things around. He eventually outgrew his youthful mistakes and reclaimed his spot in the music industry.
Jimmy Fallon Apologized For Old Sketches And Kept Hosting
When old comedy sketches resurfaced and caused a massive wave of internet outrage, the late night host faced calls for his cancellation. He quickly issued a public apology for his past actions and continued hosting his popular show.
Martha Stewart Turned A Prison Sentence Into Ultimate Comeback
Going to prison seemed like the absolute end of her highly successful career and carefully crafted public image. She instead leaned into the controversy, completed her sentence, and pulled off one of the greatest pop culture comebacks ever.
Winona Ryder Beat Shoplifting Stigma With Stranger Things
A highly publicized shoplifting incident completely derailed her acting career and turned her into a tabloid target. After years of struggling with that stigma, she finally found massive mainstream success again by starring in the hit streaming show.
Anne Hathaway Survived The Internet Phenomenon Of Hathahate
For reasons that never quite made sense, the internet collectively decided to turn against the actress during a major awards season. She quietly endured the bizarre wave of online hatred and simply continued delivering incredible performances on screen.
Billie Eilish Apologized For Old Videos And Kept Winning
When old videos from her younger years surfaced online, the popular singer faced a sudden wave of intense criticism. She took responsibility, issued an apology for her past behavior, and went right back to winning major music awards.
Eminem Ignored Decades Of Outrage Over His Lyrics
The famous rapper has faced intense public backlash and calls for his cancellation for basically his entire career. Instead of apologizing for his controversial lyrics, he completely ignored the outrage and maintained his massive fan base for decades.
Johnny Depp Returned To Acting After Defamation Trial
Following a highly publicized and incredibly controversial defamation trial, the famous actor was largely considered untouchable by major movie studios. After the legal dust finally settled, he managed to survive the career slump and return to acting projects.