Celebrities don’t always seem like real people. They’re beautiful, they live extravagant lives, and they often times seem perfect to a fixated fan looking in. Today, we’re looking at celebrities that, bravely, opened up about their personal struggles and allowed us to see them as something more than famous faces, but as real-life human beings, just like you and me. They’re revealing their difficulties and being candid about the moments that they were forced to look themselves in the mirror and know that being a celebrity can’t cure all, that even those with millions of dollars, and a huge fan base are people too.
From Selena Gomez’s Instagram post that revealed to the world that she was struggling with illness to Taylor Swift’s highly publicized court case, we’re looking at anxiety, depression, substance dependency, and the pressures of being in the spotlight. These celebrities were brave enough to open up about their most personal struggles, often times fearing that internet trolls would accuse them of being dramatic, or of looking for sympathy. Despite the world’s opinion, they shared their difficulties to be a voice on an issue, to be honest with their fans, or just to admit that they’re human and have fears and insecurities too, but mostly to let people know that they are never alone in their hardships.
15 Selena Gomez Opened Up About Her Battle With Lupus And The Kidney Transplant That Saved Her Life
Selena Gomez took to Instagram to post about her personal struggle in 2017. In an emotional post, she wrote, “I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health…There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me.” Selena has since been living her life to the fullest. Selena’s close call made her spend more time with ex, Justin Bieber, and ultimately her relationship with The Weeknd ended. Selena’s story became relevant again with the release of his new album earlier this month. According to Elite Daily, The Weekend sang, “I almost cut a piece of myself for your life.” Selena is still on the mend, and so is The Weeknd’s heart.
14 Demi Lovato Filmed Simply Complicated To Tell The World About Her Struggle With Self-Control
Demi Lovato released her documentary Simply Complicated on YouTube and this former Disney star delved into the world of substance dependency and her mental health over the years. According to Billboard, Demi opened the documentary with this, “I’m 25. The last decade has taught me a lifetime of lessons. I’ve learned that secrets make you sick. I’m learning how to be a voice and not a victim...I’ve learned that love is necessary. Heartbreak is unavoidable, and loneliness is brutal. I’ve learned that the key to being happy is to tell your truth and be OK without all the answers.” Throughout the documentary, Lovato reflects on her troubled past and talks about how her career, knowing the Jonas family, dating, and exercise has helped improve her mental health over the past year.
13 Gigi Hadid Tweets About Her Battle With Hashimoto's Disease And Her Uncontrollable Weight
Gigi Hadid recently took to Twitter to address people talking about her unintentional weight loss. According to People, Hadid was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, which is an autoimmune disease that affects her thyroid and causes weight fluctuations. People reports that Hadid said this about her body, “I’ve loved my body when I was just diagnosed and I loved [it] going through it and I love my body now.” Hadid is promoting a body positive image and is shutting down people who are critiquing her changing weight during her years of modeling. Hadid faces a lot of pressure being the face of ad campaigns and fashion shows, and we love that she’s opening up about her changing body and being okay with herself at any size.
12 Dax Shepard Is Honest About His Issues And His Wife's Influence In Leaving His Toxic State
Dax Shepard has been notoriously honest about how his wife, Kristen Bell, changed his life for the better. Dax suffered from substance dependency for years and has been able to overcome the personal struggles that he’s been so open about and is now raising a family and hosting a podcast, Armchair Expert. Dax and Kristen are relationship goals; they are honest, adorable, and both have a great sense of humor. According to Us Magazine, Kristen Bell said this about her husband, “He’s a wonderful father. He knows the value of things. He knows how many times he’s messed up and how many times he’s been really close to losing everything.” Meanwhile, Dax told Today, “She is inherently kind. She is really, really, a kind, thoughtful, generous person.”
11 Taylor Swift Takes The Stand Over Incident And Receives Her Symbolic $1
In the summer of 2017, Taylor Swift came out of hiding. She took the stand to testify about a radio DJ who made her uncomfortable during an appearance. Taylor Swift posed for a photo with said DJ and ended up in court due to his inappropriate behavior. Taylor Swift told Time, “There was an audible gasp in the courtroom when I was named as the defendant.” The radio DJ had sued Taylor Swift because he lost his job over the incident; in classic Swift fashion, she countersued him for a symbolic $1. Swift spent days in court and eventually the jury was found in favor of her. She continued, “To this day he has not paid me that dollar, and I think that act of defiance is symbolic in itself.”
10 Chrissy Teigen Pens An Incredible Letter On Her Postpartum Depression And Being A New Mom
Chrissy Teigen is known for being totally hilarious and notoriously upbeat. Chrissy is rarely serious, so her penning a beautiful letter on her most personal struggle to date makes her seem like a real life human being. She authors cook books, she hosts TV shows, and she’s an incredible mother to her daughter, Luna, but all of her happiness did not come without struggle. The star opened up to Glamour and said, “I never left the house. I mean, never. Not even a tiptoe outside. I’d ask people who came inside why they were wet. Was it raining? How would I know – I had every shade closed.” Chrissy talks about her love for her daughter, and her incredibly supportive husband, who made it his personal mission to be funnier and tried harder than ever to make her smile while she struggled with postpartum depression. Chrissy bravely opened up about getting help, and we admire her for it.
9 Shawn Johnson Posts An Emotional YouTube Video About Her Miscarriage
Shawn Johnson East, Olympic athlete, and husband, Andrew East, football player, took to YouTube to announce an extremely personal struggle last fall. Since being an Olympic gold medalist, Shawn has decided to become a YouTuber and has documented practicing gymnastics, her marriage, and her red-carpet life. Her video, “pregnancy + heartbreak” has close to 3 million views. In this video, she documents discovering, unexpectedly, that she is pregnant, as well as the next two days that follow. We see her tease her husband about a “surprise.” Sadly, Shawn loses the baby. According to People, Shawn said this about why the couple decided to upload their heartbreak, “This is by far the hardest video we’ve ever posted but we felt as though it was a story that needed to be shared as so many struggle with the same thing.”
8 Zayn Malik Tells The World About His Personal Struggle And The Pressures Of Stardom
In Zayn Malik’s autobiography, Zayn, he opened up about a personal struggle he faced, while under the pressure of being in One Direction and becoming a celebrity. Zayn opened up about his anxiety, but also about dietary struggles that came from control issues and a demanding and busy schedule. According to People, Zayn said this about his struggle, “We’re all human. People are often afraid to admit difficulties, but I don’t believe that there should be a struggle with anything that’s the truth.” Zayn also revealed that time at home with his mom seemed to help him get back to a healthier routine, and her home cooked meals made him reevaluate his work-life balance. We all know Zayn made the choice to leave One Direction and start a solo career, and we’re hoping that he stays healthy as his personal fame continues to grow.
7 Kristen Bell Talks Depression, Anxiety, And Medication On TV
Kristen Bell opened up on TV about her personal struggles with anxiety and depression. Kristen is known as a bubbly, happy person, which is why this struggle seemed particularly acute. According to Entertainment Tonight, Kristen Bell said this while on Sam Jones, “I’m extremely co-dependent. I shatter a little bit when I think people don’t like me. That’s probably why I lead with kindness, and I compensate by being very bubbly all the time because it really hurts my feelings when I’m not liked. And I know that’s not very healthy, and I fight it all the time.” Kristen Bell is known for keeping it real, whether her taking selfies pre-award show with no makeup on, or calling out the team of 20 that got her ready; we’re inspired that Kristen used her star power to tune in on a real issue that affects people all over the world.
6 Lady Gaga's Documentary On Netflix Shows Life With Chronic Pain
Last year, Lady Gaga released her documentary Lady Gaga Five Foot Two. In the documentary, she talked about her chronic pain. This halftime show star has been suffering from debilitating pain for years. Lady Gaga took to Instagram to say “I have always been honest about my physical and mental health struggles…It is complicated and difficult to explain.” She goes on, “I use the word suffer not only because trauma and chronic pain have changed my life, but because they are keeping me from living a normal life.” According to Forbes, Gaga has had to cancel shows due to intense physical pain and for her, that is the hardest part, as she adores her fans and loves the art of performing. Lady Gaga has morphed from meat dress red-carpet shocker to someone who is addressing extremely personal issues.
5 Carrie Underwood's Fall At Home Leaves Scars, Star Takes To Social Media About Looking Different
Carrie Underwood fell at her home back in November. The star opened up about the incident for the first time recently, with the debut of her new single. According to People, the star said this about her fall, which occurred while walking her dogs, “I thought I just busted my lip. Then I walked inside and took the dog leashes off and took my coat off and went to go survey the damage and was like, ‘Oh, no!’ I’m acting very calm about it now, but…it wasn’t pretty. I chipped my tooth but it was just my skin, thank the Lord. Stitches and all that stuff.” Underwood had announced to her fans that she might look a little different when she resurfaced, but she performed this week at the CMA’s and fans were quick to say that she looked prettier than ever! Carrie doesn’t need to cry pretty anymore!
4 Nick Cannon Talks Hospitalization And His Fight Against Lupus
Like Selena Gomez, Nick Cannon is battling the autoimmune disease Lupus. He was hospitalized and diagnosed several years ago and is fighting for awareness. According to The National Research Center on Lupus Cannon said, “It’s a disease that can attack people differently. Everyone’s experience is different. It’s a disease that people live with every day, and the more education and research that we get on lupus, the better off we will be.” Cannon is optimistic and is maintaining a healthy lifestyle to control his diagnosis to the best of his ability. Cannon has become an advocate for research and is spreading the word on what Lupus is and what the diagnosis means. The National Research Center on Lupus reports that Cannon said, he’s happy “being able to be that voice and use my celebrity for the proper awareness.”
3 Kesha Writes A Letter On Social Media Hiatus And Battling Her Own Struggles
In 2017, Kesha released a new studio album, Rainbow. Kesha told Rolling Stone, “I feel like myself for the first time ever. And I made a record I’m extremely proud of, from the bottom of my guts – I excavated the most gnarly lyrics that were so difficult for me. And people still like it! It’s really beautiful, and it’s very healing.” Kesha’s music isn’t the only thing she’s been healing; the star has been working to overcome dietary struggles that she’s been fighting for years. Kesha told Rolling Stone that the word perfect isn’t what she’s aiming for anymore. She described the irony of getting less healthy, “And the worse I got and the sicker I got, the better a lot of people around me were saying that I looked. They would just be like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ keep doing whatever you’re doing! You look so beautiful, so stunning.”
2 Lena Dunham Opens Up About Anxiety And Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Lena Dunham is someone who notoriously speaks her mind and recently she opened up about her personal struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. According to Huffington Post, Lena Dunham opened up about panic attacks and said, “I thought, in two and a half years I’ll be 30, then 10 years from that I’ll be 40, then 10 years from that I’ll be 50. It’s why I don’t sleep at night.” Dunham says exercise is helping her mental state, and she’s obviously also very focused on her career, at the moment. Dunham is working on Camping with Jennifer Garner. According to Allure, Dunham is using her celebrity for good, telling young people “I would tell my younger self that there’s no shame in asking a teacher for help, telling a friend that you’re uncomfortable, and that it’s just the same as falling down and scraping your knee.”
1 Mariah Carey Shares Her Struggle With Bipolar And Her Healthier Outlook Moving Forward
Mariah Carey is currently working on a new album, but she also created a lot of buzz this month by being the April cover story for People Magazine. Mariah opened up to the publication about her struggles with bipolar and how she’s working to overcome those struggles. Mariah told People, “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love – writing songs and making music.” Carey said she’s at a happy enough place in her life that she is comfortable opening up about her mental health; look no further than her Instagram to see that she is living her best life with her boyfriend and her kids.
References: Instagram, Elite Daily, Billboard, People, Us Magazine, Today, Time, Glamour, Entertainment Tonight, Forbes, The National Research Center on Lupus, Rolling Stone, Huffington Post, Allure
About The Author
