20 celebrities who revealed major secrets in their memoirs (2024)

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In her memoir Worthy, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that she and her husband, Will Smith, had been separated for several years. The world was certainly shocked by the information, but it was par for the course.

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Jada Pinkett Smith isn’t the only one in her marriage who’s written a shocking memoir. Will Smith wrote one, too, and in it, he revealed that he had been cheated on in a previous relationship and that, to cope, he turned to sex.

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In Elton John’s memoir Me, the iconic singer revealed multiple truths, most startlingly about his health. John had battled cancer in the past, something he had previously kept under wraps.

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Michael J. Fox has one of the most compelling personal stories in all of Hollywood. In his memoir, he surprised readers on multiple fronts, but one of the most shocking details was his near-death experience while filming Back to the Future Part III.

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Britney Spears wrote one of the most highly anticipated celebrity memoirs of all time, and it did not disappoint. In the book, the singer claimed that she had gotten pregnant while dating Justin Timberlake and subsequently had an abortion.

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The women of Hollywood have gotten screwed over, and they’re unafraid to detail the stories in their memoirs. Busy Philipps claimed in her memoir that she had co-written the iconic Will Ferrell movie Blades of Glory but that she was ousted from the project when her co-writers pitched it.

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Some things are better left unsaid. In her memoir, Grace Jones told quite a lot about her drug use, most memorably that she had ingested cocaine through her butt multiple times.

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Again, in the category of things perhaps better left unsaid, Ozzy Osbourne revealed in his memoir that he once tried to kill his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and he woke up in a jail cell after being arrested for attempted murder.

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Jennette McCurdy’s memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died shocked readers simply with its title, but its contents proved to be just as juicy. One of the revelations was that the actress had been $300,000 from Nickelodeon as hush money to keep her experience working for the studio a secret.

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In Danny Trejo’s eponymous memoir, the legendary actor shared that he met cult leader Charles Manson in jail. Making the story more interesting, Manson hypnotized Trejo. The story was a prime example of why even more celebrities need to write memoirs.

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Prince Harry’s memoir Spare was anything but positive for the royal family. The former senior royal revealed many bombshells, including that he once got into a physical fight with Prince William after he apparently was unkind to Meghan Markle.

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Everyone knew Drew Barrymore’s memoir would contain a host of interesting stories. In Little Girl Lost, Barrymore shared that she was just 10 years old when she smoked weed for the first time.

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Melissa Joan Hart detailed her drug use in her memoir, as well. The child actress revealed that while filming Sabrina the Teenage Witch , she tried multiple different drugs, including mushrooms and mescaline. Paris Hilton even offered Hart cocaine.

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Child celebrity memoirs are almost guaranteed to be interesting. Jodie Sweetin also struggled with addiction as a young actress. The Full House star revealed that she had snorted meth right before the premiere of one of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s films.

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Who knew that the cast of Full House was so full of drama? In John Stamos’ memoir, the actor claimed that his ex, Teri Copley, had cheated on him with none other than Tony Danza.

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In her memoir, Viola Davis shared heartbreaking revelations about her childhood. The EGOT winner didn’t have working toilets at home or enough food to eat while growing up.

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Carrie Fisher gave the people what they wanted to read in her memoir. The icon shared that while filming the first Star Wars film, she and Harrison Ford had an affair.

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If celebrities aren’t going to write about their on-set romances, why even write them? Jessica Simpson also delivered in that area, sharing that she had what she described as an emotional affair with Johnny Knoxville while filming Dukes of Hazzard.

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In Rebel Wilson’s memoir, the Australian actress revealed that she didn’t lose her virginity until she was 35. She also name-dropped the man she lost it to.

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Julia Fox could write 100 memoirs, but it wouldn’t be enough to reveal every interesting detail of her life. In her book, the actress shared that while dating Kanye West, the rapper offered to pay for her to get a boob job. She declined, but it makes for a wild story.