This article was originally published on Kueez
Celebrities fascinate us with their lavish lifestyles and enviable careers. They're the rich and famous, the bold and the beautiful. It seems like they live perfect lives, and up until now, we kind of believed them. But we shouldn't have! It turns out that a number of celebs have been lying, big time. Read on to find out the worst fibs of the famous!
Hilaria Baldwin Weirdly Pretended to Be a Spaniard for Years
The sensual, yoga-instructing wife of Alec Baldwin had created a hypnotizing social media presence. She was so charming that she started getting invites on mainstream TV. It was probably her Spanish heritage that made Americans swoon the way they did: Everyone is a sucker for a good accent around here! In December 2020, though, Twitter brought us some major news. Could it be that Hilaria was actually just Hillary, all along?
It was wild to discover that this woman's true hometown was just suburban Massachusetts, and she had not moved to the United States at age 19. What's more, she didn't even have Spanish heritage. Every time she searched for a word in English in that cute way was a lie. The question is, was Alec in on the scam?
Robin Thicke Isn’t the Genius Song Writer He Claimed to Be
We all got to know Robin Thicke when he came out with "Blurred Lines" and its racy, raunchy video. In 2013, he claimed he wrote it in just 30 minutes, making it even more impressive as a pop hit. But that turned out to be a lie when Robin got sued for borrowing Marvin Gaye material. In court, he admitted: "I wanted to be more involved than I actually was by the time, nine months later, it became a huge hit and I wanted credit. So I started kind of convincing myself that I was a little more part of it than I was...I wanted some credit for this big hit."
In his testimony, he also admitted that Pharrell wrote almost every part of the song. He said he was using Vicodin and alcohol in the studio at the time. Did this obscure his memory? We think he was just being untruthful, very much on purpose.
Rick Ross Was the Opposite of a Gangster in the Funniest Way
Rapper Rick Ross boasted about his rough life in song after song, and fans believed it. He seemed like a tough guy, and they could picture him breaking the law in numerous ways. But as it turns out, his background couldn't have been more different. Previously, he had worked as a correctional officer. Not only was he not a criminal, but he was the one trying to reform them! It all came out when a photo of Rick in uniform came out online.
It was shocking, to say the least. But in the end, Rick admitted the truth. Perhaps he learned about dealers and stealers on the job. He observed the best of the best and made it into art.
Actress Rebel Wilson Is Older Than She Told Us
Every once in a while, celebs straight-up lie about their age. We wonder why they try to pull this off since the press uses a fine-tooth comb to sort through their lives for a good story. But Rebel Wilson tried to get away with it. In 2015, an Australian magazine published an article that revealed the truth about the year she was born. Although the actress claimed to be 29, she was 35. Rebel wasn't even her real name, born Melanie Elizabeth Bownds.
It's funny to think she could claim to be in her late 20's when she was actually in her mid-thirties. Wasn't the truth going to come out? Eventually, it always does. Sorry Rebel, your 20's are long over!
Paris Hilton Claimed She Didn’t Use Any Substances
Come on, Paris. Who was going to believe this one? Known as a party girl, Paris Hilton denied using when she got an interview on Larry King Live. She told the lovable Larry that she wasn't involved in anything illegal for thrills. But soon, smoking and snorting would be exposed to the public. Pictures of her smoking surfaced, and then she got arrested for coke. Wowza!
Now, Paris is all grown up. Maybe she has reformed and left her old ways behind at the club. But without a doubt, she wasn't honest about it in her youth until she was forced to be real. Sometimes, that's just how it goes.
Bow Wow Didn't Really Own a Private Jet
Bow Wow, this one is embarrassing. We all know that rappers feel pressure to show off their gold teeth, gold rims, and fast cars. Now, private jets are part of the image too, but most artists cannot reasonably afford that. In the case of Bow Wow, he claimed to be on his own plane when he posted a Twitter pic on the way to his show. The only problem? He used a stock photo.
Quickly, a clever follower did a reverse image search and discovered it was from a Florida VIP transportation service. Fans would have been okay with that in the first place. Why did he need to lie?
Bella Thorne Wore Real Fur and Wouldn’t Admit It
When the stylish Bella Thorne posted a fur jacket snapshot online, some of her fans were angry. They called her out for wearing real fur, as this disturbed them. Bella quickly denied the allegation, calling them trolls who couldn't recognize good faux fur. But one fan knew better and tracked down the exact coat, posting: "The item's description — on the Bloomingdale's and Harrods websites — specifically says it's made of genuine rabbit and fox fur from China, where fur farms are abundant."
As it turns out, this was a design from Alice + Olivia that retailed for $1700. Her rep now claims that she no longer wears the item after learning it is, in fact, real. But many don't believe Bella was ignorant. Real fur is just too silky to miss!
Beyoncé Photoshopped This Absurd Thigh Gap and No One Bought It
Beyoncé Knowles isn't always honest, sadly. In 2018, Queen Bey told Vogue readers: “It’s important for women and men to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies.” But looking at this golf course photo, one has to wonder if she really believes her own inspirational quotes. Fans quickly saw the editing job on those famous thick thighs and called her out. There's no way that gap is real!
It's inconsistent with the way she looks in live video, and it doesn't look human. Visually, we have to conclude that Beyonce lied. She's just a gorgeous, perfect woman, and nothing more. But this isn't possible!
Miley Cyrus Said She Married Liam in Secret
Miley Cyrus is single these days, but there was a long period in her career when she was an on-again-off-again item with actor Liam Hemsworth. They talked about marriage, certainly. But no one ever saw a wedding happen. That's why it was surprising when Miley claimed to already be married in 2013. During an interview with Cosmopolitan, she explained: "I'm so happy I’m married because you guys are cruel." She was referring to young guys and how they dated girls in the modern market.
But wait, was she secretly married to Liam? At that time, no. In 2018, though, she did finally marry her beau. That lasted for two years until the final big breakup: Divorce. Overall, the story turned out to be true. Just not when she claimed, making it a lie!
Britney Spears Said She Was a Virgin for Her Career
In the early 2000s, there was a trend that makes us cringe. Pop stars that marketed themselves to teenyboppers had to claim they were pure. Britney Spears famously said she was planning to wait, even as she dated heartthrob Justin Timberlake. Was he really sitting and waiting around for that long? As it turns out, not really. Brit revealed: "It was two years into my relationship with Justin. And I thought he was the one. But I was wrong."
At this point, it's definitely all water under the bridge. But it's worth looking at lies that celebs may have felt forced to tell by the larger culture. Now, it's hard to imagine that kind of pressure from industry. But once upon a time, this happened!
Justin Bieber Actually Borrowed This Car From a Rapper
Justin Bieber currently has a net worth of $285 million. One would think that he can afford whatever he wants. And maybe he can. But Justin is probably just frugal because he once lied about having a $2 million car. He already has dozens of others, so why not save on this one? Justin posted a photo of a Bugatti with this caption: “Uncle Stunna luv. My first Bugatti #generosity.” It seems this was not his first Bugatti, however.
The real owner of the car turned out to be rapper Birdman, who was letting him borrow it. Justin had permission to use it anytime he was in Miami, just not own it forever. Liar liar, car on fire!
Kylie Jenner Clearly Got Those Lip Injections
It's hard to recall now, but the younger Kylie Jenner actually looked quite different. Some say she looked like a completely different person. And we all know by now that she has had plenty of plastic surgery, just like the rest of her glam fam. But for a short period, Kylie would not admit she had lip injections. Given how thin her mouth was to begin with, no one bought the idea that she became pouty overnight.
In 2015, she finally admitted the reality we all knew: “I have temporary lip fillers, it's just an insecurity of mine and it's what I wanted to do...I want to admit to the lips, but people are so quick to judge me on everything, so I might have tiptoed around the truth, but I didn't lie.” Not sure about that, Kylie!
Lindsay Lohan Never Moved Whitney Houston’s Corpse
This celeb lie is one of the most bizarre we've come across, and that's saying something. When Lindsay Lohan started getting to trouble with the law, we knew things were getting weird. But not this weird! Lindsay claimed that during her court-ordered community service, she was forced to "roll a body bag". Who was inside? Why, none other than Whitney Houston. Could that have happened, somehow? As it turns out, no way.
According to the coroner's office, it was impossible. They explained that no one doing service with Lindsay got anywhere near Whitney's body. And furthermore, Whitney never went into a body bag. Girl, what are you talking about?
Lance Armstrong Did Use Performance Enhancers After All
According to cyclist Lance Armstrong: "I have never doped...I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests, and never failed one." But was he telling the truth? As it turns out, no he was not. He had denied using dope even when winning the Tour de France multiple times while recovering from cancer. The reality disappointed fans, to say the least!
In the end, he was forced to come clean. Lance apologized: "All the fault and all the blame here falls on me. I viewed this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times. I made my decisions. They are my mistakes, and I am sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I'm sorry for that."
Brandy Never Actually Married Her Boyfriend
In 2002, R&B singer Brandy was 23 years old and living the dream. She was at the height of her career, and got an invitation to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. At that time, she was pregnant, and revealed a surprise: While no one was looking, she had already gotten married to her beau, Robert Smith! It was a joyous moment for fans, who were always rooting for Brandy. But was she really legally wed?
Apparently not. Rob never married her! In 2014, Brandy explained: "At that time, being pregnant out of wedlock was not a trend. It was a sin...I felt the pressure of having to be perfect. And I was scared...I'm really sorry for that. I mean, you just don't lie to Oprah!"
Comedian Stephen Rannazzisi Told a Big Lie About 9/11 for Sympathy
Comedian Stephen Rannazzisi was trying to build a funny career. He started telling a very serious story along the way, at some point. Stephen claimed his career began when he went through the sad events of September 11, 2001. While working at Merrill Lynch's offices on the 54th floor of one of the towers, he saw the first plane hit the other building. He said he got out of his office before the second plane hit, and survived to tell the tale. The only problem? He was never there.
When fans figured out that he fabricated the entire story, they were disappointed, to put it mildly. It was a day that seriously affected the nation, and many remembered it like it was yesterday. No one laughed with Stephen in the end.
Brian Williams Made up Some Iraq Reporting on the Job
We all expect journalists to tell us what's really going on in faraway lands. After all, how can we know from our post over here? Brian Williams was one of the most respected names in the biz, and he was sent to cover the war in Iraq in 2003. He told viewers that he was riding in a helicopter that had to do an emergency landing because it came under fire. The daring Brian got so much respect!
But then, the soldiers weighed in. Those who were actually in the chopper said the news crew arrived on the scene an hour after the landing. Brian immediately apologized, called out on his big whopper. He claimed he had gotten his memories mixed up of the whole day, somehow. But did he?
Khloe Kardashian Never Really Made Those Yummy Pies
In 2015, Khloe Kardashian posted a photo of delicious, perfect Thanksgiving pies. She captioned it: "I am sooooo proud of myself lol can I say that??? I filmed on a tripod, in my kitchen a lot of me baking and prepping for today so I will have that up on my app soon!!! I love testing myself and seeing what I can accomplish and actually make successfully! Now let's pray it tastes as great as they look! This monkey bread is going to be so f---ing bomb." Khloe may never have made all those pies, it turns out.
Dubbed 'piegate', fans were mad when they found out the treats came from Sweet Lady Jane bakery in LA. The owner was mad, too. Jane herself exclaimed: "The nerve. When I saw the pies on her table I thought, 'She has to be kidding me.' I want to say, 'Good job. You want a job here?'"
Jack and Meg White Are Not Bro and Sis
This was one of the oddest lies in 2000s music, and it didn't seem to have any obvious benefit. Jack and Meg White were The White Stripes, and they had a tremendous following. Fans wouldn't have cared what their relationship status really was if they were just honest. For some reason, they kept saying they were siblings. But when a marriage certificate was shown in the media, the truth could no longer be denied. The question is, why were they denying it in the first place?
Jack said he lied because he wanted the public to focus more on the music than their relationship. The pair was married from 1996 to 2000 and eventually admitted it. Today, many fans still find it puzzling. But they haven't stopped listening to the tunes!
Jussie Smollett Never Got Attacked and We Knew It
Jussie Smollett is probably never going to live this one down, and the law might not even let him. The claim: On a cold, Chicago night, he was out looking for a subway sandwich. Out of nowhere, two masked men in red hats attacked him and called him a variety of slurs. Then, they threw bleach on him and left a noose around his neck. It was all very dramatic, and Jussie made his rounds in the media telling the tearful tale. The only problem? None of it ever happened.
Right before the pandemic, prosecutors announced charges against the actor for making up a hate crime. It's safe to say that we have all gotten distracted by recent world events. But soon, Jussie may have to answer for his lies in court. Only time will tell!
Nicki Minaj Is Two Years Older Than She Claimed
Yet again, an artist lying about their age. This time, it's Nicki Minaj's birthday. The rapper was once quoted as saying: “You’re not gonna tell me who I am. I’m gonna tell you who I am.” But actually, this time, she would not be able to do that. In 2011, the media uncovered a secret hidden in a police report. Her real birthday was published, and it differed from the previous number she had been using. Fans did the math and realized she was actually two years older than she had always claimed. Why the lie, Nicki?
Maybe she had a good reason to lie. Like to get into clubs, underage. Who hasn't tried that? Maybe her birthday was impossible to take back, as time went on. We don't the real reason, but the truth is out now.
Ed Sheeran Got That Cut Because He Was Drunk and Dumb
In 2016, Ed Sheeran showed up with a big, bloody cut on his face. Naturally, fans wondered what was going on. The singer offered a quick explanation to ease their concerns, claiming it happened accidentally at a party with James Blunt and Princess Beatrice. When Bea pretended to knight him with a ceremonial sword, she accidentally cut his cheek. No harm, no foul. But this was a lie, so actually, maybe a little harm was done to his credibility.
James Blunt exposed the "Shape of You" singer: "Ed was drunk, messing around, and he cut himself. We made a fancy story up, people fell for it. It was very embarrassing." Apparently, it was very, very embarrassing.
Justin Bieber Did Not Get a New Jet for Xmas
Justin Bieber might have a pattern, so watch out. Yet again, the singer was caught on social media claiming to own things he did not. On Christmas 2014, he posted a pic in a private jet. He captioned it clearly: “New jet for Christmas, and she’s beautiful.” This would imply that he was the real owner. But as sleuths quickly found out, it was just a rented G4. His trip flying from Canada to New York City was probably very luxurious. But still, it was a rental.
We don't know why Justin sometimes flubs the truth about his rides, online. Maybe it's a joke between friends. Maybe we will never understand their humor. For now, we just need to keep our eye on him!
Soulja Boy Has Way Less Money in His Hand if You Look Closely
It's time to talk about a post that got a lot of laughter, which wasn't the original goal. Rapper Soulja Boy posted a selfie online with a stack of bills and claimed it was $10,000. When fans looked closely, they noticed the bottom papers were just that: Paper. He deleted the post in shame and now has more realistic pictures on his account. Like this one, for example. Do you see he all the bills are real? Lessons learned, we think.
If you're going to claim you walk around with stacks of $100 bills, you have to walk the walk. Just talking the talk is not going to cut it. Soulja Boy should have known his haters were watching too!
Nelly Lied About His Age to Get PR in a Mag
Women frequently lie about their age, and we all know why. There is no way around it: Society values youth, above all. Some say the movie industry punishes women as they age with fewer roles in Hollywood. But what about the rap biz, and the men who work in it? That's unheard of. Rapper Nelly was doing well enough in the '90s. Why did he claim to be 24 years old when he was 28, in 2003? It's hard to imagine that fans were judging his age.
Teen People listed Nelly as one of the “Hottest Stars Under 25” and he let them. His reps actually insisted it was valid, if anyone thought this was a mistake. Nelly probably thought the exposure would help his career. Maybe it had a small effect. But in the process, he lost some respect!
Ashlee Simpson Was Guilty of Lip Synching Live on Stage
People often sound better on the radio than in real life. We all know there is a lot of editing that goes into music production, and we're okay with that if it makes us dance. In the case of Ashlee Simpson, we all knew she wasn't the best vocalist of all time. But the stunning reality that she was completely lip-synching on SNL took us aback. It was embarrassing when she was caught, no doubt. She claimed she was told not to really sing because she had acid reflux acting up.
By now, most fans have moved on. Ashlee doesn't even perform these days. She is a wife and mom and seems to be living her best life, as seen on Instagram. But looking back on her career, this was a moment that stood out. The deception wasn't even very good!
Victoria Beckham Claimed Her Fake Boobs Were Real
Some may have forgotten about Victoria Beckham's days as a Spice Girl before she became Mrs. Beckham. Posh Spice was the most glam girl in the bunch, back in the day. Fans thought she was not only stylish, but stunning. Some wondered if she could have been born so perfect. Victoria explained she was just lucky: “I’m completely natural, except for my fingernails, and I have a bit of help with my hair and a bit of a St Tropez going on.” But was that true?
No, it wasn't. Her boob job is obvious to us now, looking at the way they popped out of her old dresses. But at the time, we gave her the benefit of the doubt. She has since actually admitted she had them removed!
Bill Clinton Never Had Relations With That Woman
This is probably the most famous lie told by a public figure. President Bill Clinton was questioned about his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky under the glare of the press. The rumors had gotten too big to ignore, and everyone wanted the scoop. Had he cheated on Hillary, again? According to Bill, no way. He looked at the world and stated clearly: “I want to say something to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again, I did not have sexual relations with that woman. I never told anybody a lie. These allegations are false."
Later, of course, he admitted he had gotten very cozy with Monica. He clarified: “Indeed I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. I misled people, including my wife. I deeply regret that. This matter is between me, the two people I love most – my wife and my daughter – and our God.”
Taylor Swift Actually Did Consent to Those Kanye Lyrics
The feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West is a bizarre one, to say the least. Kanye famously got on stage during an awards show and stopped Tay from accepting the honor. He claimed Beyonce deserved it more, It was a crazy moment on live TV. That would have been enough to hate him forever. But when Kanye mentioned her in a song and claimed he had made her famous, Taylor was mad. Obviously, she was already quite famous. How could he take credit?
It seemed rude. But then, a recorded call came out that showed the singer had actually actively coordinated with Kanye to be mentioned in the song. Kim Kardashian got in on the fight to say that her husband had clearly gotten permission. And fans had the recording to decide for themselves. In the end, Taylor lost the argument in the court of public opinion.
Tiger Woods Was Exposed as a Serial Cheater
Tiger Woods was at the peak of his career when a lot of nasty details came out about his life at home. We all thought he was at his peak there, too. But no! As t turns out, Tiger had been constantly cheating on his model wife, Elin Nordegren. The way we all found out was through a strange new report that she had chased him out of the house and smashed his car with his own gold clubs. We knew something was up, at that point.
It turns out he had been with dozens of women, and constantly lied about where he was and what he was doing. Elin, in the end, divorced him. She left with more than $100 million, though. Not a bad exit!
James Frey Made up His Entire Autobiography
Oprah went crazy over certain books, and we know women loved her book club. What she recommended, her audience went out and bought in droves. Author James Frey was lucky enough to get noticed by the media mogul when she fell in love with his autobiography: A Million Little Pieces. The book told his tale of triumph over drug addiction, and everyone was inspired. The only problem? He fabricated his whole life in the story.
Naturally, his popularity shattered when the truth came out. Why hadn't James just marketed the book as a novel? It would have been great on its own, and everyone agreed
Elvis Presley Actually Had Naturally Blonde Hair
Now this one is a real hair scare. Who actually thought Elvis was not a natural brunette? His dark locks looked so fitting as a contrast with his bright blue eyes. Mother nature just made him perfect, unlike the rest of humanity. But did she? As it happens, he had a personal hairstylist. That was Larry Geller, and he has revealed a secret about the singer's dye habits. Elvis would dye it every few weeks to keep it black. He was a natural blond!
It's hard to even imagine the man with light hair, and we are not sure we want to do it. We think Larry made the right call, early in the King's career. We wouldn't have him any other way, even if it is a lie of sorts.
Pete Rose Said He Never Gambled
This was a lie with some consequence in the sport of baseball. One of the most decorated players was Pete Rose, and fans viewed him as a legend. He eventually began managing in the game, and that's where things got tricky. You see, Pete claimed he never gambled. Certainly not on games, certainly not on the job. But it soon came out that he had, in fact, made bets on the outcomes of some games. In his book My Prison Without Bars, he confessed.
Pete once quipped: “I'd be willing to bet you, if I was a betting man, that I have never bet on baseball.” We know now that this was just a deflection. The truth is out at this point, and his burden has been lifted, at last.
Kim Kardashian Poorly Photoshopped Her Baby Into the Portrait
It must be hard being a mom of four, day in and day out. But Kim Kardashian explains that things have been going well, in fact: "They get along so well and have so much love for each other. It reminds me of growing up with Kourtney, Khloé, and Rob. There's something so special about having a big family, and I'm happy my babies get that experience the way I did.” Especially on the holidays, fans get to see just how much fun the family has together. Like Halloween, right here!
The costumes here are adorable. But one thing is a little dishonest if we have to be honest. The baby on the left? Totally photoshopped. But it must have been really had to get all ages to sit still for a pose. We forgive you, Kim.
Beyoncé Tried Yet Another Ridiculous Thigh Gap Here
Beyoncé seems like the perfect woman, with perfect confidence. In fact, she once said: “I’m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world.” Does she mean anything she says? Again, with the thigh gap. This pic clearly shows she has something to prove to someone!
Yes, she looks incredible coming down the stairs on this jet. But she doesn't look like herself, which is the lie here. She has thicker thighs than this, and that's always been okay. In fact, that's something fans loved about her the most!