1.
Iggy Azalea wrote a letter to the judge on behalf of Tory Lanez after he was convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion. She asked the judge to give Lanez a “transformational, not life-destroying” sentence and said five years was too long (Lanez would later get sentenced to 10 years). After backlash, Azalea claimed she hadn’t been “in touch with Tory for months” and didn’t “support” him or anyone else but did “wish him well.” She continued to say that she supports prison reform and “rehabilitative” punishment and that she “was asked to write about my genuine experience and the type of punishment I think he deserves.”
2.
And after That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson was found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison, many were shocked and disappointed to learn that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis — who costarred with Masterson on That ’70s Show — wrote letters to the judge in his case asking for leniency for the disgraced actor.
After backlash, the two apologized in an Instagram video where they said that they wrote the letters after Masterson’s family asked them to, saying the letters “were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or retraumatize them in any way.” They stated they would never want to do such a thing and were sorry it had taken place before saying they supported victims of sexual assault and abuse.
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Taryn Manning also defended Masterson, criticizing those who “crucified” him. “You humiliated somebody that I actually really loved and cared for,” she said in an Instagram video. “There’s no human on this planet that doesn’t deserve to have the best life and to be happy and free because you are made in the image of the good Lord, made perfectly just the way you are. And the fact that people wanna just tear us all down, like even with my friend Danny going to prison for 30 years. Yeah, he made a mistake, but everyone just keep going, keep crucifying him, as if he’s not already suffering.”
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Speaking of Kutcher — he also seemed to support Joe Paterno after he was fired for a sexual abuse scandal, tweeting, “How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste.”
5.
Robert Sean Leonard submitted a character reference for Kevin Spacey in his sexual assault trial, saying that Spacey was “positive, supportive, and respectful.” He wrote, “He’s more than a successful actor; he’s a movie star, but unlike every other movie star I’ve worked with, he doesn’t know it.” He continued, “Stardom was never his goal. He loves and respects the work, and he loves and respects the people he works with.” He also said he’d “never seen anyone” lead an acting company better.
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And the Smiths frontman Morrissey publicly defended Spacey, saying he’d been “attacked unnecessarily” and criticizing the choice to cut Spacey from upcoming projects. While he stated, “rape is disgusting [and] every physical attack is repugnant,” he also said, “anyone who ever said ‘I like you’ to someone else is suddenly being charged with sexual harassment.”
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Morrissey also questioned claims made against Harvey Weinstein, saying, “People know exactly what’s going on…and they play along. Afterwards, they feel embarrassed or disliked. And then they turn it around and say: ‘I was attacked, I was surprised.’ But if everything went well, and if it had given them a great career, they would not talk about it,” Morrissey said of the allegations against Weinstein. “I hate rape… But in many cases, one looks at the circumstances and thinks that the person who is considered a victim is merely disappointed.” He also brought up musicians sleeping with underage groupies and said, “If you go through history, almost everyone is guilty of sleeping with minors. Why not throw everyone in jail right away?”
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He’s not the only one to have defended Weinstein, who was found guilty of rape and sexual assault in 2020. When the allegations first started coming out, Lindsay Lohan said on Instagram, “I feel very bad for Harvey Weinstein right now” and “I don’t think it’s right what’s going on.” She continued, “He’s never harmed me or done anything to me. We’ve done several movies together. And so I think everyone needs to stop. I think it’s wrong. So stand up.”
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Fashion designer Donna Karan also defended Weinstein, calling him and his wife “wonderful people” and saying that women are asking for trouble in the way they’re dressing and “by just presenting themselves the way they do.”
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Juliette Binoche also criticized the level of public backlash against Weinstein, saying, “Justice has to do its work” and that “I’m trying to put my feet in his shoes. He’s had enough, I think.” She also said she’d worked with him twice without issue.
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Several stars defended director Roman Polanski after he was charged with drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977 — including Angelica Huston, who actually came home while Polanski was there with the 13-year-old (both Huston and Polanski were staying at Jack Nicholson’s house at the time). “I thought nothing of it,” she said, and later blamed the incident on a “whole playboy movement” in Europe then that involved pursuing underage girls.
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Johnny Depp also said Polanski wasn’t a predator because “He’s 75 or 76 years old” and “He has got two beautiful kids, he has got a wife that he has been with for a long, long time. He is not out on the street.”
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Whoopi Goldberg once said Roman Polanski was not guilty of “rape-rape.” Her quote reads, “I know it wasn’t rape-rape. It was something else, but I don’t believe it was rape-rape.”
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And a ton of stars signed a petition advocating for Polanski’s release from prison after he was arrested for his crimes in Switzerland in 2009. These stars included Penélope Cruz, Harrison Ford, Natalie Portman, David Lynch, Wes Anderson, Darren Aronofsky, Sam Mendes, Martin Scorsese, Tilda Swinton, and Emma Thompson — though Thompson later retracted her signature and Portman later apologized. The petition was actually successful, and Polanski was released.
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Mel Gibson took a break from Hollywood after his 2006 DUI. As he was being arrested, he went on a tirade against Jewish people, which was leaked to TMZ. And yet, years later, Gary Oldman defended Mel Gibson’s antisemitic comments. “I don’t know about Mel. He got drunk and said a few things, but we’ve all said those things,” he said. “We’re all fucking hypocrites. That’s what I think about it. The policeman who arrested him has never used [the n–word] or ‘that fucking Jew’? I’m being brutally honest here. It’s the hypocrisy of it that drives me crazy.”
“Mel Gibson is in a town that’s run by Jews, and he said the wrong thing because he’s actually bitten the hand that I guess has fed him — and doesn’t need to feed him anymore because he’s got enough dough,” Oldman continued. “He’s like an outcast, a leper, you know? But some Jewish guy in his office somewhere hasn’t turned and said, ‘That fucking kraut’ or ‘Fuck those Germans,’ whatever it is? We all hide and try to be so politically correct. That’s what gets me. It’s just the sheer hypocrisy of everyone, that we all stand on this thing going, ‘Isn’t that shocking?'”
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In the same interview, Oldman also defended Alec Baldwin after he reportedly used the F-slur on a photographer outside his apartment, saying, “Baldwin was pissed off coming out of his building because they won’t leave him alone.” He continued, “I don’t blame him. So they persecute.”
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Chris Brown had a major fall from grace after he was arrested in 2009 for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna. According to court documents, Brown slammed her head against the window, punched her, and then continued to do so while driving, swerving the car. He also reportedly bit her and put her in a headlock that cut off her breathing and almost made her unconscious, and told her he was going to kill her. However, his career very much made a comeback, and multiple stars have defended him in the years since — such as Kelly Rowland.
At the 2022 American Music Awards, Rowland named Chris Brown “Favorite Male R&B Artist.” As Brown was absent, Rowland gave the acceptance speech for the award. “I want to tell Chris, ‘Thank you so much for making great R&B music,’ and I want to tell him, ‘Thank you for being an incredible performer,'” she said. “I’ll take this award (and) bring it to you. I love you,” she said. She also told the audience to “chill out” after they appeared to be booing.
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Jordin Sparks also defended Brown after the AMAs, saying she “love[s] Chris” and thought “he should have been” there. (He claimed the AMAs canceled a planned performance he was meant to do.) “They just shouldn’t have canceled the performance. That’s how I feel about it,” Sparks weighed in. Addressing Brown’s past, she continued, “Honestly, I think that shouldn’t even be a conversation anymore. It’s about his talent.” She also said, “People deserve to be able to grow and learn and be able to live their life without things hanging over them. … Everybody deserves that, especially him.”
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Justin Bieber is another celeb who has defended Chris. Reposting an image that said Brown was a combination of Michael Jackson and 2Pac, he wrote, “Everyone wants to wait til people die To give them the credit they deserve. I’m calling it now when CB passes away after a long full life, you will miss what you had in front of you the whole time … trust me watch you will see. the people who have over looked this mans talent because of a mistake he made.. you need to reevaluate! Love you @chrisbrownofficial.”
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In 2017, Louis C.K. admitted to masturbating in front of colleagues after the New York Times published an article accusing him of this behavior. Originally, he was “canceled,” but like Brown, he’s made a comeback in recent years and has had multiple celebrities defend him. One example is Dave Chappelle, who said in his 2019 Netflix special, “Louis C.K. was a very good friend of mine before he died in that terrible masturbation accident… He didn’t do anything you can call the police for. I dare you to try. … They ruined this n—’s life, and now he’s coming back playing comedy clubs and they’re acting like if he’s able to do that that’s going to hurt women. What the f— is your agenda, ladies?”
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Janeane Garofalo also defended C.K. after he returned to stand-up following a break. “Leave Louis C.K. alone. Enough with that. And again, there are so many issues we gotta be motivated on. He’s been my friend — and I stand by that — he’s been my friend since 1985, and I think he has suffered,” she said. “And when he performs at the Comedy Cellar and people get all irate, if nothing else, care about his daughters. If nothing else — if you can find no compassion for him, which I think you should — think about how his daughters, who hear all of this stuff, feel. Why don’t you leave him alone for them if you’re so women-empowering?” She compared the backlash to bullying and said, “If you don’t want to listen to him, get up and leave the room. You are acting like Mussolini has walked into the room, and it is not.”
22.
After James Franco was accused of sexual misconduct, Sharon Stone defended him, calling him “the loveliest, kindest, sweetest, elegant, nicest man.” She said she was “appalled by this thing about him that is happening,” continuing, “Now all of a sudden he’s a bad guy? I worked with him, I know him. … He’s a kind friend, lovely professional. I’m absolutely appalled by this.” She also took issue with trials for those accused of sexual assault, saying she “feel[s] that some due process is in order. … There has to be a balance here where this has to be heard in a rational format. So this isn’t just black and white. And it can’t be that every man who doesn’t know what the f— he’s doing in life is a criminal. ‘Cause a lot of men are just stupid.”
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And finally, Woody Allen’s stepdaughter Dylan Farrow has claimed for years that Allen molested her when she was 7. Allen has denied these claims. Stars who have supported Woody Allen include Kate Winslet, Scarlett Johansson, and Alec Baldwin — among other stars who have since changed their minds and renounced Allen and/or publicly supported Dylan Farrow in light of #MeToo, like Drew Barrymore.
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Diane Keaton specifically defended working with Allen, saying the allegations hadn’t “overshadowed the work [they] did together,” and that she was “proud beyond measure” of their films. She called the allegations against him “a horrible shame. But we all have situations that are difficult at times. You gotta get over it!” She called Allen “so amazing,” saying, “It always was really special to be with Woody. He was great. He was everything, and he remains [so] to me. He gave me everything. He really did. Woody made it loose. That helped me enormously.”
What other times have celebs defended each other after allegations and being “canceled”? Let us know in the comments!