No one is invincible.
Being worth millions of dollars and having fans around the world is amazing, but it doesn't
change the fact that lasting success in the entertainment industry can be fragile.
The following celebs destroyed stellar careers in 2019, and only time will tell if they can
rebuild.
Jussie Smollett
In January 2019, Empire star Jussie Smollett was accused of staging a hate crime against
himself.
He faced 16 charges related to the case, though they were all dropped in March 2019, as he
steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal.
"Who the f--- would make something like this up or add something to it or whatever it may
be."
Smollett he also faced a $130,000 civil lawsuit from the city of Chicago for costs incurred
while investigating the alleged attack.
All of this is in addition to what is likely irreparable damage to his career.
He was cut from the cast of Empire following the scandal, and the show's creator, Lee Daniels,
told Vulture that he was, quote, "beyond embarrassed" by the case.
Daniels also noted,
"I had to detach myself and stop calling him, because it was taking away the time I have
for my kids, the time I have for my partner.
It was affecting my spirit and other shows, everything."
Amber Portwood
The life of troubled Teen Mom star Amber Portwood seemed to be on the upswing for a while.
She endured multiple ordeals, including getting arrested for alleged domestic violence against
her baby daddy Gary Shirley and a stint behind bars after a drug arrest.
But then she cleaned up her act and even launched her own makeup line.
Alas, in July 2019, all that progress, and the reality TV career she'd maintained throughout
it all, appeared to come crashing down.
TMZ reported that Portwood and her boyfriend, Andrew Glennon, got into a heated argument
that prompted Portwood to allegedly go after him with a machete.
No one was harmed in the incident, but Portwood did allegedly strike Glennon with a shoe while
he held their 1-year-old son.
Portwood was arrested on three felony charges, and Glennon and their son were granted an
order of protection.
After Portwood's machete arrest, sources told TMZ that MTV was done with Portwood for good.
Though the drama could've made for riveting TV, the network reportedly cut ties over her
alleged potential endangerment of her child.
Jason Mitchell
Jason Mitchell delivered an incredible performance as N.W.A. rapper Eazy-E in 2015's Straight
Outta Compton, which led to more roles in several other high-profile films.
He also had a steady gig on the Showtime series The Chi from 2018 until 2019.
But then he was accused of misconduct on the set of that show.
In May 2019, sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Mitchell's co-star, Tiffany Boone, accused
him of sexual harassment.
Several others on the series complained about Mitchell's behavior on set, including showrunner
Ayanna Floyd, who said in a statement,
"As showrunner, I did everything I could to deal with his behavior, by speaking with the
studio's HR department multiple times and instructing one actress to call HR herself,
before I became a target of his rage and inappropriateness, and had to report him to HR, as well."
Mitchell was fired from The Chi, and his agent and manager both reportedly dropped him as
well.
And on top of all that, he was also cut from the upcoming Netflix film Desperados.
Lori Loughlin
In March 2019, Lori Loughlin was one of many parents implicated in a nationwide college
admissions scandal known as Operation Varsity Blues.
Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were accused of paying alleged scam mastermind
William "Rick" Singer a cool $500,000 to get their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella,
into the University of Southern California.
The scheme involved passing them off as crew recruits, even though neither young lady competed
in the sport in high school.
Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded not guilty, though they reportedly could face up to 40
years behind bars if convicted on all counts and charges.
Unsurprisingly, Loughlin's work suffered mightily when her family-friendly facade crumbled in
front of the entire world.
She reportedly won't appear on the final season of Netflix's Fuller House and she was let
go from her work at the Hallmark Channel.
Needless to say, her future prospects look bleak.
"Lori, Lori, Lori, pay for my tuition!
Loriii!"
Felicity Huffman
Like Lori Loughlin, Felicity Huffman was implicated in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal.
Huffman was previously best known as a critically acclaimed actress in the likes of the 2005
film Transamerica and the ABC nighttime soap opera Desperate Housewives.
Unlike Loughlin, Huffman pleaded guilty, confessing to paying $15,000 for a test proctor to enable
a third party to correct her daughter's incorrect SAT answers.
She said in a statement,
"My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly
wrong way, I have betrayed her.
This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life.
My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty."
As for how this will affect her career, it's hard to say with certainty at the moment.
She had a big role in When They See Us, a 2019 Netflix miniseries about the Central
Park Five that received plenty of acclaim.
She also starred in the film Otherhood, which premiered on Netflix in August 2019 with little
fanfare.
Huffman's reputation will likely follow her, but she may have more potential goodwill than
Loughlin because she at least has appeared to be humbled by the experience.
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