From Angelina Jolie to Justin Bieber, these celebrities went through ups and downs with their families.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie and her father, Jon Voight, were on talking terms again before her divorce from Brad Pitt after the Babylon actor encouraged her to mend the relationship.
For around seven years, the father-daughter duo shared a turbulent connection after Voight cheated on her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand.
Jolie said in an episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast: “Jon and I have gotten to know each other—through grandchildren now. We’re finding a new relationship. We’ve had some difficulties, [but] through art we’ve been able to talk. It’s the common language.”
Cole Sprouse
Cole Sprouse faced issues with his mother, Melanie Wright. In his interview on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast, he called his mom a “tortured artist type.”
He said: “I think she found a tremendous amount of self-identity through motherhood and tried to turn it into a profitable business at the same time, which for identical twin boys going into acting is [an] economic loophole — there are labor laws that can be incredibly profitable, so that’s what she did.”
The Riverdale star also revealed how Wright lost the money he and his twin Dylan Sprouse earned when they turned 10.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato‘s mental health struggles caused a rift with her father, Patrick Lovato.
In 2013, she opened up about her different issues, including her bipolar and eating disorders.
She said: “It caused relationship issues and certain behaviors in the future. I learned the reasoning behind those behaviors was because of my dad.”
Demi further discussed their relationship in her 2021 documentary, Dancing With the Devil, saying: “… I longed for that relationship with him. Then I resented him because he was an addict and an alcoholic, and he was abusive to my mom. So I cut him out because I felt like it was causing more harm than good having him in my life.”
According to the “Cool for the Summer” crooner, her trauma was rooted in the time she witnessed her father’s treatment toward her mother, Dianna De La Garza.
Drew Barrymore
Being part of Hollywood at a young age allowed Drew Barrymore to be emancipated from her parents when she was 14, leading her to become estranged from both in the years thereafter.
Despite what happened, she has remained connected to her mother, Jaid Barrymore, and continuously supported her financially.
She noted in her Vulture profile: “I actually want her to be happy and thrive and be healthy. But I have to f—— grow in spite of her being on this planet.”
Drew continued: “I dared to say it, and I didn’t feel good. I do care. I’ll never not care. I don’t know if I’ve ever known how to fully guard, close off, not feel, build the wall up.”
Dwayne Johnson
Jumanji star Dwayne Johnson had been open about his “daddy issues” before Rocky Johnson died in 2020.
He wrote in 2018: “My old man was a tough MF on me. He’d kick my a– from one side of the gym to the other for years. I hated it when I was a kid, but grateful for it as a man.”
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber went through ups and downs with his mother, Pattie Mallette. He revealed to Billboard what led to his estrangement from the matriarch.
He said: “I was distant because I was ashamed. We spent some time not talking, so it takes time to rebuild that trust. She’s living in Hawaii now, so it’s hard, but getting better. She’s an amazing woman and I love her.”
Leighton Meester
In 2011, Leighton Meester filed a lawsuit against her mom, Constance, for allegedly misappropriating the money that was supposed to be for her brother Alexander. She alleged the matriarch used the allowance for cosmetic procedures and personal expenses.
Macaulay Culkin
When Macaulay Culkin was 15, he sued his parents.
When Macaulay Culkin was 15, he sued his parents and removed them as legal guardians. He revealed in his past interviews that his father, Kit Culkin, was physically and mentally abusive for years because the patriarch resented his career success.
The actor explained: “[He said] ‘Do good or I’ll hit you.’ He was a bad man. He was abusive, physically and mentally — I can show you all my scars if I wanted to. Everything he tried to do in life, I excelled at before I was 10 years old.”
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey spoke candidly about her complicated relationship with her mother, Patricia, in her memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
She wrote: “I have reserved some room in my heart and life to hold her — but with boundaries. Creating boundaries with the woman who gave birth to me is not easy — it is a work in progress.”
Matthew McConaughey
For eight years, Matthew McConaughey was estranged from his mother, Kay McConaughey, while he was trying to balance his life amid his popularity in the industry.
He said on Red Table Talk in 2020: My boat was built well enough where I didn’t feel like she could sink it. We healed that up in 2004.”
