Did you know that some big Hollywood stars had been in prison? From Robert Downey Jr. to Mark Wahlberg via Sean Penn, focus on five American actors who went from tray to bar.
When Hollywood stars go from trays… to bars! From Robert Downey Jr. to Mark Wahlberg via Sean Penn, focus on five American actors who spent several days, weeks, months, or even years, in prison.
Robert Downey Jr.
Walt Disney Company
In 1993, Robert Downey Jr. is nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in the feature film Chaplin. Everything seems to be going well for the promising young American, but between 1996 and 2003, his problems with drug addiction and alcoholism frankly darken the picture.
RDJ was sentenced to three years in prison in 1999 for violation of probation after an episode of possession of drugs and a firearm following a speeding. The actor will only remain behind bars for a year, and will be able to bounce back with the success that we know, notably embodying Iron Man from 2008.
Mark Wahlberg
STUDIOCANAL GmbH / David Lee
In 1988, Mark Wahlberg, then 17 years old and not yet an actor, was arrested for attacking two men in the street. Accused of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, in possession of drugs, he was sentenced to two years in prison.
The American, who pleads guilty, will only serve 45 days of the sentence. He will then leave behind his life as a delinquent, becoming a singer, model and then, of course, an actor, with a first role held in 1994 in the film Operation Shakespeare.
Sean Penn
UGC Distribution
In 1987, Sean Penn is already a name in the Hollywood industry, with notable performances in the feature films Crackers, The Game of the Falcon and Like a Rabid Dog. On the set of Colors, directed by Dennis Hopper, the young hopeful slips up: he hits an extra from the film who tries to photograph him while he is on probation following two previous assaults. Sean Penn is sentenced to 60 days in prison, but will remain only half of this period behind bars.
Wesley Snipes
Metropolitan FilmExport
Wesley Snipes, known in particular for his incarnation of Blade on the big screen, spent three years behind bars. In early 2008, the American actor was found guilty of tax evasion to the tune of $38 million.
After serving his sentence between 2010 and 2013, Wesley Snipes bounced back very quickly since he was found in 2014 starring in the feature film Expendables 3, alongside Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham.
Christian Slater
Peter Kramer/USA Network
Actor Christian Slater, recently seen in the credits of the Mr. Robot series, was convicted in 1997 of assaulting his girlfriend and a police officer while under the influence of alcohol. Facts for which the American, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment followed by three months of rehabilitation. Note that Slater had already been in prison for 10 days after driving while intoxicated.
