12 examples of how fame and resentment destroyed celebrity families (25 photos)

The family isn't without its... relationship problems. And fame, recognition, wealth, and virtually limitless opportunities can't ease the tension.





These stars, with practically the entire world at their feet, have faced the same problems in their relationships with their close relatives as ordinary people. What has driven the rich and famous to minimize their relationships with their closest relatives, and in some cases, to sever family ties forever?

1. The Home Alone star's father was a tyrant and jealous of his son's success



Macaulay Culkin, the idol of millions of children in the 90s, lived a nightmare behind the scenes. His father, Kit Culkin, turned his son's life into a tightly controlled filming schedule, depriving him of a normal childhood, play, and friends. As the actor admitted, his father was envious of him because everything he hadn't achieved in life, Macaulay had achieved before he was 10. At 15, the young star sued his parents to protect his $17 million fortune and escape their control. He has since completely severed ties with his father.





Christopher Culkin

2. The Friends star's mother saw her daughter not as a person, but as a project



Behind the image of style icon Rachel Green was a girl who fought for her mother's love. Jennifer Aniston shared fond memories of her father, but her relationship with her mother, Nancy Dow, was fraught with pain. The former model instilled in her daughter an obsession with appearance from childhood: "Honey, take care of yourself," "Wear makeup." Jennifer realized that her mother, who grew up in a world where "big girls have it tough," simply didn't understand what was truly important. Even after her mother's passing, the actress admitted that she never became the perfect doll of her mother's dreams, remaining that same child yearning to be noticed and loved.



Nancy Dow

3. Angelina Jolie's father blamed her for her mental health problems



Behind the scenes of Angelina Jolie's illustrious career, her long-standing estrangement from her father, actor Jon Voight. Her parents separated when she was one year old, leaving behind a trail of "pain and anger," as Voight himself admitted. But he reached the point of no return in 2001, publicly declaring that their divorce had caused his daughter "serious mental problems" and that she had "never been normal." Jolie's response was harsh: she called her relationship with her father unhealthy and distanced herself. Even during the Oscars, when Voight was in the audience, she thanked her late mother and ignored him.



Jon Voight

4. Eminem Dedicated a Hate Song to His Mother, Then an Apology Song



Eminem's relationship with his mother, Debbie Nelson, is a story of public war and attempted reconciliation. Their nadir came in 2002, when the rapper released the hit "Cleaning Out My Closet," which contained harsh accusations against her. In response, his mother filed an $11 million defamation lawsuit against him. More than a decade later, Eminem dramatically changed his tone, releasing the poignant "Headlights," in which he apologized and thanked her for being "both mom and dad." Debbie, keeping her distance, followed her son's successes on social media, publicly congratulating him on his triumphs, until his death in 2024.



Debbie Nelson

5. Drew Barrymore on her mother-manager: "They put me in a mental institution, but it saved me"



The '90s icon, who began her career at the age of three, describes her relationship with her mother and manager, Jade, as complicated and fraught with contradictions. Her teenage years were consumed by substance abuse, and at 12, her mother placed her in a mental institution. "My mother locked me away in an institution," the actress recalls. She now acknowledges this painful experience as necessary: ​​"I needed it. My life wasn't normal." Despite feelings of guilt and empathy, today mother and daughter can't be a part of each other's lives. When asked about exploitation, Drew answers honestly: her mother went "too far," and her father was simply "unavailable."



Jade with little Drew

6. Adele forgave her dying father, who abandoned her as a child



The roots of Adele's powerful voice lie in the childhood pain of abandonment. Her father, Mark Evans, left the family when the singer was three years old and sank into alcoholism, cutting off all contact. Years later, Adele found the strength to contact him only after learning he was losing his battle with cancer. That final conversation was liberating. As Adele admitted, she didn't realize the full depth of her feelings for her father until she spoke with him. The forgiveness she offered him freed "little Adele" from the fear of being unloved and the feeling of betrayal.



Mark Evans

7. Rihanna Sued Her Father for Using Her Name, But Saved His Life



Even for the Queen of R&B, her relationship with her father has proven a minefield. In 2019, Rihanna filed a lawsuit against Ronald Fenty for illegally using their last name for his company, Fenty Entertainment. Her father tried to cash in on his daughter's name by announcing a fake $15 million tour of Latin America. Despite this public betrayal, when Ronald fell gravely ill with COVID and thought he was going to die, Rihanna called him every day and sent a ventilator to Barbados, which saved his life. Legal battle and personal compassion coexist in her story.



Ronald Fenty with his daughter

8. The Dallas Buyers Club star didn't speak to his mother for eight years



Matthew McConaughey faced betrayal on his path to fame. In the mid-1990s, when his career was just taking off, he confided in his mother, Kay, about his worries about sudden fame. Soon, these personal revelations began making the news. The highlight was a Hard Copy report, for which Kay personally led the film crew through the house. When Matthew, outraged, called her, he heard the same report playing in the background. This ruined their relationship: the actor couldn't relate to her as a mother for eight years. Kay later admitted that she "enjoyed his fame more than he did."



Kay with her son

9. Christina Aguilera escaped her abusive father for the world of music



Christina Aguilera's early fame was partly the result of her attempt to escape a domestic hell. Her father, Fausto Aguilera, subjected the future star to verbal and physical abuse. After her parents' divorce, she, her mother, and sister found refuge with her grandmother in Pittsburgh. "Music was my escape from an unstable environment," the singer admitted. A brief reunion with her father in 2000 changed nothing: contact was severed again. For Kristina, his fate is a fair conclusion: "What goes around comes around."



Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera

10. Kate Hudson's Father Publicly Disowned His Children



For Kate Hudson, her story with her biological father, Bill Hudson, is one of complete abandonment. He was absent from her life, and after her brother, Oliver, congratulated him on "Abandonment Day" on Father's Day, Bill responded harshly. In an interview, he stated that he no longer considered Kate and Oliver his children: "I'm letting you go. Please stop using the Hudson name. They're dead to me." Kurt Russell, the partner of her mother, Goldie Hawn, has always been the actress's true father.



Bill Hudson

11. Justin Bieber Admits Shame Ruined His Relationship With His Mother



At the height of his rebellious period in 2015, Justin Bieber admitted that his numerous legal troubles had damaged what mattered most to him—his relationship with his mother. Pattie Mallette, who raised him alone, was disillusioned. "I never wanted my mother to be disappointed in me, and I knew she was," he said. The shame caused him to distance himself, and their communication petered out. Rebuilding trust took time, especially over distance—Patty moved to Hawaii. But the singer is confident that everything is moving for the better, calling his mother "an amazing woman."



Patty with her son

12. Lindsay Lohan accused her father of violence and leaking her secrets to the press



Behind the scenes of Lindsay Lohan's career, she waged a long-running war with her father, Michael. She and her mother, Dina, publicly accused him of physical and psychological abuse. Lindsay said he threatened to kill her mother in front of her younger brother and threw shoes at her grandfather, giving him a concussion. But the biggest betrayal came from the leaks: Michael, she claimed, sold her personal stories to tabloids, posted her number online, and revealed details of her struggle with addiction. Over the years, however, the actress has replaced her anger with an attempt at understanding, urging her parents to "let go" and allow them to deal with their problems on their own.



Michael Lohan with his daughter