Celebs Who Have Spoken Out About Being Silenced (Besides Britney Spears)
Hollywood can be a dark place. It's not uncommon to hear stories of misconduct and unfavorable actions committed by people in positions of power, and, unfortunately, oftentimes their victims are forced to stay silent.
The #FreeBritney movement has existed for years as fans of pop sensation Britney Spears believe she's trapped in an unnecessary conservatorship. Spears has been battling the legal system to be released from said conservatorship, and recently gave the courts a statement detailing why she'd like the decision to be reversed. Spears is not the only star who's had to speak up about her mistreatment. Here are 10 other celebrities who've spoken out after being silenced:
10 Ashley Judd
Emmy-nominated actress and daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd, Ashley Judd broke her silence when she filed a lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein for defamation and sexual harassment. Judd was one of the first women to speak out against her abuser and spurred a string of other high-profile women to come forward including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cara Delevingne, and Salma Hayek.
9 Rose McGowan
Rose McGowan is an actress known for roles in hits like movie Scream and television series Charmed. She's been in the public eye for decades now, but she came to the media forefront a few years ago as another woman to come forward about Mr. Weinstein's sexual misconduct. McGowan alleged she was raped by Weinstein in a hotel while at the Sundance Film Festival. She was offered money to remain silent about the misconduct, but she refused and has continued to not only criticize Weinstein, but speak out about the pervasive problem in Hollywood.
8 Kesha
The singer known for hits like "Tik Tok" and"Timber," Kesha has been embroiled in a lawsuit for years now. In 2014 she filed a lawsuit looking to void her contract with Dr. Luke, music producer and then-CEO of record label Kemosabe/RCA, for a litany of reasons like sexual assault, civil harassment, and infliction of emotional distress. Kesha said the lawsuit was "about being free from [her] abuser," as she was under contract to produce more albums with him. While the legal proceedings have yet to be entirely resolved, Dr. Luke has since exited the record label and Kesha has released two albums with the label.
7 Leah Remini
Leah Remini is known for her role on hit sitcom The King of Queens, but is equally known for her time as a member of the Church of Scientology. Remini kept quiet about her split from the church for some time, but later revealed she left because she "believe[s] that people should be able to question things." Remini went on to produce and host a documentary on A&E called Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath to investigate the Church of Scientology.
6 Paris Hilton
Socialite, influencer, DJ, and entrepreneur Paris Hilton, great-granddaughter of hotelier Conrad Hilton, is one of the pioneers of being famous for being famous. The former co-star of The Simple Life recently released a documentary where she revealed the abuse she endured as a teen while attending Provo Canyon School, a residential treatment center for adolescents. Hilton is now working within the legal system to ensure other teens don't face the same abuse.
5 Meghan Markle
Known for her time on Suits, Meghan Markle left her life as an actress to marry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and became the Dutchess of Sussex. The two, along with their son Archie, left England for Los Angeles and stepped down as Senior Members of the Royal Family. After much speculation over their decision, the pair revealed in an interview with Oprah all that went on behind the scenes, confirming to Ms. Winfrey that Markle was silenced by the institution and suffered emotional distress during her time living at Frogmore Cottage.
4 McKayla Maroney
McKayla Maroney is a gold medalist gymnast who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games on Team USA. Maroney later spoke out about the abuse she, among others, fell victim to from former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, Dr. Larry Nassar. According to NBC News, "Maroney is one of more than 265 girls and women - including a half-dozen Olympians - who say Nassar molested them under the guise of medical procedures." Maroney told her coach of the events shortly after they began, but he didn't do anything. She later shared her story with a consultant when another coach was told about Nassar's actions.
3 Amber Heard
An actress formerly married to actor Johnny Depp, Amber Heard spoke out about the verbal and physical abuse she endured while the two were married when she filed for divorce and a temporary restraining order. The two met on set of the film The Rum Diary and were married for two years.
2 Jill And Jessa Duggar
Jill and Jessa Duggar are sisters known for being Duggars, a family profiled on TLC for having 19 children in television shows 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On. A discovered police report revealed their older brother Josh was investigated for sexual misconduct and two of his sisters, Jill and Jessa came forward as victims. Josh Duggar is currently awaiting trial after being indicted on child pornography charges.
1 Anthony Rapp
Anthony Rapp, an actor who's been on Broadway and in movies such as Rent and Star Trek: Discovery, came out in 2017 about sexual abuse he endured at the hands of Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey. He stayed silent for years, but said he felt compelled to share his story due to the many Harvey Weinstein allegations.
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