It’s not easy to stay on top, and these celebrities can attest to that. To be famous is one thing, but to be respected and have a thriving career is another. These famous individuals have battled everything from personal drama to drugs to box office bombs, but have fought back in order to regain their place in the spotlight. Check out these famous stars who (just like our Tigers!) have made it back to the top, one way or another.
Britney Spears
The Princess of Pop’s downfall is one for the history books. As her marriage to Kevin Federline (which was arguable part of her downfall) crumbled, the mother of two boys went into crazy mode. She made headlines all over the world by shaving her head, attacking a car window with an umbrella, and hanging out with the two disasters that are Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. After a brutal custody battle, some run-ins with the law, and rehab, Brit-Brit fought her downward spiral and won. She gained back her image and success (and her hot bod) with her hit albums Circus and Femme Fatale. She also completed a successful world tour and appeared as a judge on the second season of The X Factor USA. Fans have forgiven her for her crazy antics and she seems to be holding her regained fame with the class and sass that she did in her prime. Spears has once again transformed herself from “hot mess” to simply “hot”. Congrats Brit!
Drew Barrymore
Not many people remember when Drew Barrymore battled with substance abuse. There are few who even knew about it, especially collegiettes our age. Barrymore earned success as a child star when she landed a role in E.T. at only 6 years old. During her teen years she quickly started partying like an adult and battled with a drug addition. By the time she was 13 she had already landed in rehab, where she ended up again at the age of 16. After she posed for Playboy she seemed to be on track to be yet another lost child star. But in her 20s she turned her life and career around landing leading roles and proving herself as an actress. She overcame her terrible habits to become one of Hollywood’s most beloved actresses. Barrymore is now a successful actress and director and she makes millions with her ads for CoverGirl, as well as being a wife and a mother.
Ellen DeGeneres
Some people might think it’s strange to find Ellen on this list, but this beloved comedian was not always so successful. For four years DeGeneres was the lead in a very successful series on ABC titled Ellen, but her announcement of her homosexuality during the fourth season led to an unfortunate drop in ratings which led to the shows cancellation during its fifth season. After moving on to stand-up comedy, she attempted a return to television three years after Ellen was cancelled with another sitcom titled The Ellen Show, but it was short-lived and cancelled before the first-season had even finished airing. It wasn’t until 2003, two years after The Ellen Show was cancelled that she reached the iconic status in Hollywood that she holds now, with the premiere her daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. (what a unique name for a TV show, Ellen…) Her marriage to Arrested Development beauty Portia de Rossi, as well as her active campaign for LGBT rights and anti-bullying, sealed her status as a Hollywood A-lister. How could anyone not love Ellen, she’s perfect.
Nicole Richie
Being the daughter of Lionel Richie, Nicole had fame thrust upon her at a young age. She became the center of the tabloids after starring in the hit reality TV show “The Simple Life” along with her bestie Paris Hilton. In addition to the shows negative portrayal of her, Richie found herself struggling with drugs and alcohol and a presumed eating disorder. Eventually, after an arrest for heroin possession and a DUI, she went to rehab and quickly cleaned up her act. Richie’s life has become much more low-key after she married Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden and become a mother of two. Despite her leading a more normal life, Nicole has also become a successful business woman, fashion designer, and author. She successfully changed her image from overpriveleged partier with a dirty mouth to a respected fashionista.
Demi Lovato
As a kid Demi appeared alongside BFF Selena Gomez on “Barney and Friends” but failed to earn much success for a long period after that. She eventually reappeared in 2008, starring alongside the Jonas Brothers in Camp Rock on Disney Channel. The success of the Camp Rock franchise was immediate and immense and had Demi touring with the Jonas Brothers the next year. In 2010 Lovato got her own show on Disney Channel, “Sonny With a Chance”. After a short-lived romance with Joe Jonas, Demi’s demons eventually caused her tough exterior to crack. It was after news broke that she had punched one of her back-up dancers while on tour that Lovato checked herself into rehab. Her rising career was brought to a halt. Rather than adhering to the Hollywood playbook of dismissing or softening the facts, Demi has openly aired her troubles, even filming a tell-all documentary for MTV, revealing her lifetime struggle with her body image that had led to an eating disorder and cutting. Instead of tarnishing her image, Demi’s candid revelations have made her relatable and admired. She has since released a successful album, performed on prestigious venues, and become a judge on season 2 and the current season of The X Factor USA. Lovato’s comeback is one of the most inspiring and earned her great respect at a very young age.
Robert Downey Jr.
Downey fought a five-year battle with drug and alcohol abuse, arrests, and multiple rehab stints. It has been reported that his addiction began around the time he was six years old, when his father, addicted to drugs himself, started to give them to his son. While he made his film debut at the age of 5, his true rise to fame was in the ’80’s as one of the so-called “Brat Pack”, starring in numerous successful films as well as being a cast member of “Saturday Night Live”. But Downey’s battle with drugs became especially hard in the ’90s, and his drug-related run-ins with the law kept him from box office success and eventually landed him in rehab. After re-emerging in 2000, he appeared to have a likely comeback after being cast on the popular TV series “Ally McBeal”, but that was short-lived when he was arrested two more times and fired from the show. But the actor has finally managed to kick his drug habit and has been completely welcomed back by Hollywood and the public. He’s proven his talent appearing in three successful franchises–Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man, and The Avengers–as well as many other popular flicks. Robert Downey Jr. has made one of the most successful comebacks in Hollywood’s history.
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