Major Celebrity Controversies of 2024 That Brought Down the Biggest Names in Hollywood

The celebrity gossip-mill has gone into overdrive more than once this past year. While some controversies slipped under the radar, others left a permanent stain, not just on the image of public figures involved but also on the indomitable reputation of Hollywood as a whole. From the disturbing allegations that sparked the P Diddy controversy to the firestorm of criticisms against Blake Lively, these are the biggest scandals of 2024 and the celebrities that have faced public downfall as a result.

Bearing the title of an ‘international star’ comes with a lot of baggage. It does not matter how many box office hits you have under your belt or where you rank on Forbes‘ billionaire list. Once the internet gets wind of a potential Scandal, you can rest assured that eagle-eye spectators will go great lengths to pull hints and clues from old digital archives to substantiate the allegations and rumours of today. Take the P Diddy controversy for example. Interviews that go way back to 1999 are now being floated on the internet, highlighting every time the music mogul has hinted at his alleged “freak off” parties that led to his arrest in September 2024.

In light of these controversies, we take a look at some of the biggest Celebrity controversies of 2024 — a list that goes beyond garden-variety controversies to include Scandals that have brought down the biggest names in Hollywood. In other words, the adage ‘all press is good press’ does not apply here. And if these controversies are anything to go by, one thing is clear: the shining light of Celebrity culture has never been dimmer than it is now.

Before continuing, please note that this story touches upon issues of sexual abuse and domestic violence which can be triggering for some readers.

Biggest celebrity controversies: Stars that faced public downfall in 2024

The Bronx controversy — Jennifer Lopez

Earlier this year, Jennifer Lopez released her Amazon Prime Documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told — a move that landed her in hot water on social media. Videos of users ruthlessly mocking J-Lo quickly saturated TikTok’s ‘For You’ page after she said the words “It reminds me, like, when I was 16 in the Bronx, running up and down the block. Crazy little girl who used to f–cking be wild and no limits, all dreams.”

The clip from the documentary did not generate the response the singer was hoping for. Instead, she was dragged across various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X for being performative and inauthentic. Many labelled her as a self-absorbed starlet who lacked any real connection with the neighbourhood she seemed desperate to represent. In the midst of it all, social media did what it does best: Digging into previous interviews to scoop out more drama-worthy content.

Saying you can’t think of a single movie Gwyneth Paltrow has been in while being primarily known for illustrious roles like “Gigli” and “Maid in Manhattan” yourself is wild https://t.co/7j6o5QWHNo

— Circe (@vocalcry) March 27, 2024

Consequently, the ticket sales for J-Lo’s This Is Me… Now tour took a hit, causing the star to rebrand the tour as a whole before calling it off altogether.

The It Ends With Us movie controversy — Blake Lively

While It Ends With Us was meant to inspire necessary conversations around serious themes of domestic violence and generational trauma, the buzz around the movie instead revolved around Blake Lively’s interviews and discreet cast conflicts. The Gossip Girl star received bad press for promoting her haircare line and for talking about her ‘on-theme’ floral outfits at press tours.

Although Lively later changed her tone, the audience continued to express their opinions on how the vivid, light-hearted marketing of the movie was insensitive and tone-deaf. Lively quickly fell out of favour with the public as her interviews became meme fodder for the internet; today, the It Ends With Us controversy continues to be an example of one of the biggest Celebrity controversies of the year.

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The Katy Perry controversy

Katy Perry’s great comeback did not exactly generate the headlines she was hoping for. For one thing, the music video for her song “Woman’s World”, which featured the lyrics “It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be livin’ in it,” had Lukasz Gottwald as its producer. In 2014, Dr. Luke was accused by pop singer Kesha for “sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally” assaulting her. As a result, Perry’s message of ‘female empowerment’ was met with criticisms owing to her decision to work with someone who was involved in a public lawsuit filed by a woman. What’s more, a considerable portion of the internet also believed that Perry’s “Teenage Dream” idea of fantasy and escapism, which skyrocketed her to fame during the 2010s, felt reductive in 2024.

As if that wasn’t enough, Perry was met with further complications during the shoot of her “Lifetime” music video. The shoot, which recently took place in the ecologically-sensitive dunes of the Balearic islands, prompted Spanish officials to initiate investigation against the singer. The result? Low-performing singles and cutting social media comments from “Not demure. Not mindful,” to “Normalise retiring.”

The P Diddy controversy

In September 2024, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ billion-dollar empire suffered a severe blow following allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and physical violence after a case was filed against him in New York. The star was also accused of coercing women into sexual acts, further adding fuel to an earlier federal lawsuit filed by Cassandra Ventura or Cassie in November of 2023. According to the lawsuit, Diddy forced Cassie into participating in unhinged parties known as “freak offs”.

After police raided his Los Angeles mansion in March, they seized supplies including 1,000 bottles of baby oil and narcotics, all of which contributed to the charges levelled against him. Since then, the allegations against P Diddy have been stacking up, and so are conspiracy theories and viral reactions from internet users, giving weight to the raging controversy. If convicted on his racketeering charges, Diddy could be facing up to life in prison. He could also face an additional 15 years for his sex trafficking charges.

One of the biggest celebrity controversies of all time, Diddy’s downfall has also drawn attention to many A-list celebrities who have been a part of his inner circle for a long time.

Kanye West’s fall from grace

Now officially known as Ye, Kanye West is no stranger to the world of controversy. From the anti-Semitic remarks that have cost him several brand deals to his fatphobic comments about American singer-rapper Lizzo, the list goes on. Add onto this Ye’s remarks on America’s History with slavery in a 2018 interview with TMZ, in which he claimed that “slavery for 400 years sounds like a choice,” and you have a recipe for disaster.

Most recently, Ye found himself caught in the crossfire of the viral P Diddy controversy, which stirred up his own legal issues. The fresh allegations made against him include an 88-page lawsuit filed by his former personal assistant Lauren Pisciotta who accused him of sexual harassment and drug abuse. Pisciotta claimed that she and a former client were invited to the rapper’s studio session, which was co-hosted by Diddy.

With Kanye’s career on the ropes, will this allegation prove to be the final nail in the coffin? Only time will tell.

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(Main and featured images: Cindy Ord/Getty Images, Paras Griffin/Getty Images, Katy Perry/Instagram)