Top 3 Celebrity Comebacks After Major Public Scandals

In Hollywood, scandals can break careers, but they can also mark the beginning of an impressive comeback. Here’s a look at three celebrities who navigated through their controversies with resilience, grace, and a little bit of luck.

Remember the time when “Twilight” was the craze, and Kristen Stewart was America’s sweetheart? That image took a hit when Stewart was caught in a scandalous rendezvous with Rupert Sanders, the director of “Snow White and the Huntsman,” in 2012. Despite the turmoil and a very public apology to her then-boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, Stewart bounced back. She shifted her focus to indie films, earning critical acclaim for roles in “Clouds of Sils Maria” and “Personal Shopper,” proving that talent can indeed overshadow past mistakes.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Terminator turned Governor, faced his own Judgement Day when news broke in 2011 that he had fathered a child with his housekeeper, leading to his separation from Maria Shriver. Schwarzenegger’s journey from scandal to redemption included a return to his acting roots, with roles in “Expendables” and a new “Terminator” film, alongside his continued involvement in politics and environmental advocacy.

Hugh Grant faced a career-threatening scandal in 1995 when he was arrested with a sex worker on Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard. The British actor’s charming apology on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” turned the tide, with the public and media eventually forgiving, if not forgetting, his indiscretion. Grant went on to star in a string of successful rom-coms like “Notting Hill” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” proving a well-handled apology can go a long way.