In 2016, Johnny Depp had a restraining order filed against him by his wife, Amber Heard. The pair had been married for less than two years when she filed for the restraining order and a divorce, claiming that he had smashed an iPhone into her face during an argument. Heard was also on the phone with one of her friends when Depp grabbed the phone from her, and Heard yelled for her friend to call the police.
However, what actually went down in their contentious relationship is still not entirely clear. Depp has started several libel-related lawsuits against heard and other involved parties that have revealed there's much more mistreatment involved from Heard's side than was initially assumed. Regardless of how this will all eventually pan out, we're glad not to be Amber Heard or Johnny Depp.
Mel Gibson made the news with how violently he treated his ex-wife Oksana Grigorieva. He went on a racist tirade with her, which she released to the public soon after. In 2010, Gibson was also embroiled in a court case for a battery charge regarding Grigorieva. Following that, the pair reached a settlement deal in 2011 where Grigorieva wasn’t allowed to talk publicly about the domestic abuse.
However, Grigorieva became unhappy with this arrangement and eventually sued her own lawyers, accusing them of influencing her to agree to a bad deal. Despite this, the confidentiality clause stood up in court after a judge found her guilty of violating it by talking about her relationship with Gibson on The Howard Stern Show.
John Lennon wasn’t shy about sharing his past. He’s openly admitted to hitting “any woman,” and he went on to explain that was why he was all about peace in the later years of his life. That being said, it was only recently revealed that he also hit his son Julian for small things like poor table manners when Julian’s table manners were “if anything, better than average,” according to Lennon’s’ old housekeeper.
Lennon's romantic relationships with women ranged from abusive to just plain bizarre. Several years after beginning to date Yoko Ono, Ono herself encouraged another woman to begin a relationship with Lennon, as she started to feel that the two of them were starting to drift apart. John Lennon was a complicated guy, to say the least.
Sean Penn was extremely violent toward his ex-wife Madonna when the two were married in the ‘80s. In 1987, he hospitalized Madonna after hitting her across the head with a baseball bat. Madonna refused to press charges because Penn was already in jail for 60 days following the assault of a film extra. Then, in 1989, Madonna filed a police report after Penn told her that he owned her “lock, stock, and barrel.”
However, Madonna made the whole situation much more complicated herself years later. In 2015, she completely denied the allegations that he hit her during their relationship, calling the accusations, "completely outrageous, malicious, reckless, and false." We may never really know what actually happened between these two.
Emma Roberts was arrested for domestic violence in Canada after she abused her boyfriend, Evan Peters. The police were called that night, and when they arrived, Peters had a bloody nose and a bite mark. Sources say that the couple had been hitting each other, but Roberts was arrested because of Peters’ physical injuries.
However, Roberts only spent a couple of hours in jail before the charges against her were dropped completely. After this, the couple continued their relationship, going as far as to get engaged in 2014. Things ultimately didn't work out between the two, though, as they announced their split in 2019.
Nicolas Cage was arrested in 2011 for domestic abuse. He was apparently arguing with his wife in front of a home when he grabbed Alice Kim by the arm and dragged her toward their rental property and then began to punch cars that were nearby. Police officers discovered that Cage was heavily intoxicated during the arrest.
Strangely enough, Cage's bail was paid by none other than Dwayne "Dog" Chapman of Dog the Bounty Hunter fame. The cost of his bail was allegedly $11,000. The actor was ordered to appear in a Louisana court later that year, but the charges against Cage were ultimately dropped before trial.
Dennis Rodman got in a domestic dispute in 1998 where both he and Carmen Electra were arrested. The couple was charged in the incident, which allegedly stemmed from a fight about seeing one of Electra’s ex-boyfriends on television. Rodman was also arrested for domestic violence in 2003 and 2008, both with different women.
Domestic issues aren't the only legal problems the controversial basketball player has faced during his life. He has been arrested on multiple ocassions for driving under the influence and has pleaded guilty to multiple misdemeanors related to those arrests. He also was charged with a hit and run in 2016 and was sentenced to three years of probation.
Steven Seagal isn't the greatest actor nor does he make the best movies, so it wasn't too difficult to cancel the man when we found out he was an abusive spouse. Steven Seagal was accused by his ex-wife, Kelley LeBrock, of being abusive throughout their marriage. Recently, Seagal has been involved in a court case led by two women that accused Seagal of sexual assault and misconduct.
However, as of 2021, Seagal has not had any legal trouble with these allegations. Several of the cases were settled out of court, while more recent allegations have either been dropped by the prosecution or dismissed by the court. Segal has been married to his wife Erdenetuya Batsukh since the early 2000s.
Mickey Rourke's career has gone up and down and his relationships certainly have too. In 1994, Mickey Rourke was arrested for domestic abuse of his then-wife Carre Otis. Following that was a court case where Rourke was accused of slapping his 25-year-old wife, knocking her down, and kicking her earlier in the year.
However, the charges against Mr. Rourke were eventually dropped. He and Otis remained in a romantic relationship until 1998 with no further public issues. Since then, Rourke has had a pretty quiet life free of drama, except for a DUI charge that he had gotten in Miami Beach in 2007.
Tommy Lee married Pamela Anderson in 1994, and four years later, he was involved in a court case for one count of spousal abuse, one count of child abuse, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. During this altercation, Lee kicked Anderson while she was holding their son, which caused their son’s head to be bumped as a baby.
Lee pleaded no contest to the charges and actually spent six months in jail for his crimes. During his time in jail, Anderson called things off with Lee, but that wasn't the end of their relationship. They made an attempt to make things work once he was released, but they ended up separated again by 2001.
In 2004, Josh Brolin was arrested in West Los Angeles for hitting his then-wife, Diane Lane. He was charged with spousal battery but was released after posting a $20,000 bail. Brolin later came out and said, “I was more reactive…I’ve gotten to a place where all that matters is that I have control over my behavior, and at that time, it was all a little more chaotic.”
However, Lane ultimately had decided not to press charges. But this wasn't the only legal trouble that Brolin has faced during his lifetime, either. A few years after his domestic battery charges, Brolin was arrested during a bar fight. However, charges against Brolin and the others involved were eventually dropped.
Anyone who knows Rihanna knows that her relationship with Chris Brown was tumultuous. In 2009, he and Rihanna got into a fight following the Grammys. This was followed by a public altercation, which resulted in Rihanna’s face and arms being covered in visible contusions and bruises. The photo of her face even made the Internet rounds. Rihanna was hospitalized, and Brown later admitted to abusing Rihanna.
Brown eventually pleaded guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to community service and five years of probation. Brown's probation officially ended in 2015, but it has caused new problems for the rapper. For example, he was denied entry in the UK for a performance due to "being guilty of a serious criminal offence."
Lead singer of Guns N’ Roses, Axl Rose, isn’t a stranger to the legal system. In the early '90s, his ex-wife Stephanie Seymour sued him for domestic violence, and Rose had to pay her $400,000. Before that, Erin Everly was also abused by the singer and filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against him. She reported that she suffered regular beatings that left her “bruised, bloodied and sometimes unconscious,” according to People Magazine.
To make things more complicated, Seymour's lawsuit against Rose was a result of his own assault lawsuit that he had filed against her after the end of their relationship. Both Seymour and Rose's lawsuits were settled out of court, so we may never know the exact specifics of either case.
Charlie Sheen was charged in 1996 with attacking his girlfriend at home. Following that, he was arrested on domestic abuse charges in 2009 after trying to choke his wife, Brook Meuller. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in exchange for two other charges being dropped. He also had to complete domestic violence counseling.
And even before this, there were relationship troubles for Sheen. In the early 2000s, he was married to fellow actor Denise Richards, but that ultimately ended in divorce. Richards claimed that Sheen's drug and alcohol abuse were out of control and that he had made threats of violence against her.
Multiple partners have accused Terrence Howard of domestic abuse. Reports released in 2015 by Rolling Stone that he slapped his first wife. Howard told the magazine that she had been “talking to me real strong, and I lost my mind and slapped her.” Michelle Ghent, another ex-wife, was also photographed with a black eye, alleging that he assaulted her and threatened to kill her.
Currently, Howard is dating model Mira Park. While she has made no allegations against him, it's clear their relationship is kinda rocky. The two originally married in 2013 and had two sons together, but they ended up getting divorced in 2015. However, they announced their intentions to remarry one another in 2018, but the two have yet to actually tie the knot.
Luis Peña is an American MMA fighter — born in Italy — who currently competes for the UFC's lightweight division. While he might have been a crowd favorite for MMA fans on season 27 of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated, he's not solely known for his fighting abilities in the octagon.
Apparently, Peña can't keep his anger under control outside of the ring either. He's been arrested for domestic battery and assault on two separate occasions — once in October 2021 and once in November of the same year! Allegedly, Peña bit his girlfriend and hit a woman who witnessed the assault in October. In November, he was charged with four misdemeanors, ranging from criminal mischief to domestic violence.
Stacey Dash is an actress-turned-politician best known for her role in the '90s cult classic film Clueless, starring alongside Alicia Silverstone, but now she's known for many more unbecoming things. Not only is she widely criticized for targeting transgender rights, but she's also not the nicest to her husband, either.
In late September 2019, Dash was arrested for domestic battery against then-husband Jeffrey Marty. Apparently, their lover's quarrel escalated to levels so dangerous that it warranted police intervention — even against her husband's will! Later, Marty said that police arrested Dash without his consent but it's clear that Dash was in the wrong this time. They divorced a year later.
Devin Ratray is an actor, director, and producer who has worked in Nebraska, Blue Ruin, and his TV series The Tick. But his best-known work is starring as Buzz McAlister in the 1990 John Hughes Christmas classics Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Unfortunately, his newest reputation becomes him... On December 8, 2021, Ratray was arrested for domestic violence against his girlfriend that happened in an Oklahoma hotel room, telling her "This is how you die."
As reported by TMZ, the actor was "booked for domestic assault and battery by strangulation, a felony, as well as misdemeanor domestic assault and battery" all because his girlfriend didn't charge some fans for his autograph. When they got back to their hotel, “Ratray then pushed his girlfriend onto the room’s bed, pressed one of his hands against her throat, pressed his other hand over her mouth, and applied pressure, according to the affidavit," an Oklahoma Channel 4 news outlet reported.
Zac Stacy was once a celebrated American running back for the St. Louis Rams NFL team, a team he joined after playing for Vanderbilt's college team as well as the NFL teams the New York Jets, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and Memphis Express. But in late 2021, his reputation began to crumble after news stations released a violent video of Stacy attacking his ex-girlfriend.
Stacy was caught on camera completely red-handed! Not only did he assault his ex, but he also committed the crime in front of their young son. Stacy fled Florida after the incident but was eventually arrested while trying to convince the cops that the assault was staged by his ex because she was bitter. Stacy is charged with both aggravated battery and criminal mischief.
Former MMA fighter for the Light Heavyweight division of UFC Chuck Liddell revolutionized the MMA entertainment industry, winning the title of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in 2005. In fact, he's so beloved in the community that he was inducted into UFC's Hall of Fame in 2009 for his contributions to the sport.
Unfortunately for his marriage, domestic abuse wasn't uncommon. Both Liddell and his wife were victims of each other's wrath, but Liddell took the fall for his wife after a very public domestic dispute went wrong in October 2021. The fighter used Instagram to claim that he was the victim of the dispute but voluntarily placed himself into police custody to protect his family. The couple filed for divorce three days after the incident.
Carmen Electra, who is an actress, model, and singer, launched into stardom back in the '90s after meeting Prince, releasing her first album, frequently modeling for Playboy magazine, and starring in the beloved action TV series Baywatch. Her career may be filled with successes, but some of her relationships have been messy, to say the least.
In the late '90s, Carmen Electra and then-partner Dennis Rodman were both arrested for misdemeanor battery after an argument in Miami. Each was released separately on a $2,500 bail under the condition that they keep to themselves. Charges were dropped soon enough but their relationship didn't last much longer.
Michael Lohan is an actor and the father of actress Lindsay Lohan. He's starred in a fair few of his own films but his fame is mainly linked to his daughter's success as a child actress and beyond. He began his career as a Wall Street trader, but most recently delved into the world of radio shows.
Oddly enough, many of these domestic disputes occur in Florida, which is once again evidenced by Lohan's arrest for domestic violence against girlfriend Kate Major in October 2011. Under the condition that he break contact with Major, Lohan was released on $5,000 bail. Unsurprisingly, he contacted Major and was taken back into police custody.
Legendary English singer and performer "Ozzy" Osbourne was married once before to Thelma Riley for one year but regrets that relationship. He's been married to his current wife Sharon Osbourne since 1982 but things haven't always been sunshine and daisies in their marriage. For instance, Ozzy was once arrested for attempted murder!
Once when Ozzy was high on drugs and set off on a rampage, he tried to kill his wife Sharon, describing the incident as “not exactly one of my greatest achievements.” That's quite an understatement... Sharon admits that the violence wasn't all on his end, however. "Our fights were legendary ’cause we would beat the s–t out of each other,” she told Daily Mail. "We stopped, must be, 20 years ago. But we had a good run."
James Brown is a jack of all trades when it comes to entertainment. From singing and dancing to record producing, Brown made his name in 20th-century funk music, earning the nicknames "Mr. Dynamite" and Soul Brother No. 1" plus the status as the "Godfather of Soul." Plus, he was one of the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in '86.
On top of a 1988 rape allegation, Brown is a repeat offender when it comes to domestic violence. From 1987 to 1995, Brown's third wife Adrienne Rodriguez arrested him four times for domestic assault, including Brown hitting her with an iron pipe and hospitalizing her. Tomi Ray Hynie also accused Brown of assault in 2004.
American actor Gary Busey is best known for his acting in The Firm as well as in The Buddy Holly Story where he portrayed Buddy Holiday. For the latter film, Busey won the National Society of Film Critics award for Best Actor and was nominated for the same Oscar award.
In early December 2001, Busey's ex-wife pressed charges against him for spousal abuse. The actor was arrested and authorities called for an investigation against him, but he was released shortly after on a hefty $50,000 bond. The couple had already divorced a year prior.
Saul Hudson AKA "Slash" is the legendary British-American lead guitarist of hard rock band Guns N' Roses who launched his career as a musician and songwriter in the '80s and '90s. Considered one of the best guitarists in music history, Slash isn't particularly known for much outside of his music, which is probably a good thing.
For instance, many people forget that Slash dealt with domestic abuse allegations back in 1996. Even though he was released on a $50,000 bond, the reputation continues to follow him. Slash allegedly beat his former girlfriend but he countered with accusations that she provoked him to act by attacking him first.
Actor Christian Slater shot up the ranks in Hollywood after portraying Jason "J.D." Dean in the film adaptation of the hit musical Heathers. His reputation further improved after winning a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor for his work as a side character in the hit TV series Mr. Robot.
Unfortunately, Slater has a history related to violence against women. In 1997, he was convicted of both punching Michelle Jonas — his then-girlfriend — and assaulting a police officer while high on a mix of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Fortunately, he went to rehab for 100 days and prison for 59 days to help treat his addiction. Later in 2005, he was arrested for groping a woman in Manhattan yet the charges were later dropped.
Robert Matthew Van Winkle AKA "Vanilla Ice" is a rapper, actor, performer, and TV host who is best known for his album To the Extreme containing the notoriously popular track "Ice Ice Baby." This album became the fastest-selling hip-hop album of all time after it was reformatted in 1990.
Vanilla Ice has been arrested for various crimes, including illegal street racing and burglary. Among the worst of the charges brought against him include domestic abuse. In 2001, he was arrested for pulling his wife's hair out to try and keep her from jumping out of his truck. Then in 2008, he was arrested once again for kicking and hitting her, but his wife claimed he only pushed her. Charges were later dropped.
Swedish nanny Elin Nordegren is best known for marrying and divorcing international golfing sensation Tiger Woods. Back in 2009, Washington City Paper reported that many women in Sweden celebrated Nordegren's "golf-club assisted assault" against her "philandering husband," which "left him lying bewildered in the middle of the road, next to a busted car, with scratches on his face and possibly a broken tooth."
News outlets speculated that Nordegren attacked Woods after learning about infidelity and adultery, but Woods remained oddly quiet about any abuse. Slate writer Hanna Rosin wrote, "Because of Florida's domestic-violence laws, admitting to the police that Nordegren in any way harmed him would virtually guarantee that the glamorous Elin would be led out of their mansion in handcuffs, even if he protested it."
Late singer and actress Whitney Houston has a practically spotless reputation. As one of the top-selling artists in the history of the music industry and largely influential singing style, there's barely anything to complain about related to the legendary performer. For instance, The Independent credits Houston for "effectively mapp[ing] out the course of modern R&B."
Sadly, Houston's marriage to Bobby Brown wasn't nearly as glamorous as her career. Telling ABC News, Houston painted a sordid picture of their relationship, including everything from Brown spitting on her in front of their daughter to Houston hitting him with her phone. Despite the tumultuousness of their relationship and their sticky divorce, Houston dubbed Brown "her drug" who she couldn't "do anything without."
