The life of a celebrity is not as thrilling as it may seem. Several A-list stars have had to rebrand themselves after they've faced criticism for their bad boy and girl reputations or needed to change their image completely to be taken more seriously in Hollywood.
Take Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. for example, who has managed to clean up his image with the help of rehabilitation, while other stars like Matthew McConaughey stopped acting in rom-coms to take on more serious roles, which eventually earned him a coveted Academy Award. These celebs and more found out how to successfully rebrand themselves and be the big named stars they are today.
10 Robert Downey Jr.
Actor Robert Downey Jr. has a successful career as an actor thanks to landing the lead role in the Iron Man movies and continuing to act as the superhero in several Marvel Studios films. Just from his appearance in Marvel's Avengers: Endgame, the actor made a whopping $75 million, which made him the highest-earning actor in the movie.
However, before he landed the coveted role, he was known for his personal struggle with drugs and alcohol. He spent a few years in and out of rehab before becoming clean in 2002. Thankfully, he turned his life around and is one of Hollywood's most prominent actors.
9 Angelina Jolie
Before she became the philanthropist she is today, Angelia Jolie was known for her bizarre behavior like the time she kissed her brother on the mouth at the Oscars and wore a vial of Billy Bob Thorton's blood around her neck. It also didn't sit well with a lot of fans when she "stole" Brad Pitt from his wife, Jennifer Aniston.
However, people began to see another side to Jolie once she became a mother, started helping those less fortunate, and stopped her outrageous behavior. Today she is known as a humanitarian, devoted mother, and a respected movie director.
8 Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian is undoubtedly the most-talked-about celebrity in the world. She is now known for her fashion style, her beauty line KKW Beauty, and her SKIMS shapewear that has made her net worth skyrocket to $900 million, according to Forbes.
However, many fans of the reality star will remember that it was a sex tape with her ex, Ray J, that launched her career. Thankfully, no one really remembers that infamous tape that was leaked way back in 2007.
7 Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie was known for her party lifestyle with BFF Paris Hilton and her struggles with drugs and alcohol. However, her DUI in 2006 would make her change her partying ways and she would seek treatment for an eating disorder.
After changing her life around, Richie became a mother to her first child with rocker Joel Madden and started a successful fashion career with House of Harlow 1960. Now, people know her as a style icon.
6 Sienna Miller
British actress Sienna Miller found herself in tons of tabloid magazine thanks to her on-again-off-again relationship with actor Jude Law. She also was the center of drama when she had an affair with Balthazar Getty, in 2008, who was married at the time.
But, the star took some time off from the spotlight and came back completely rebranded. She found roles in successful movies like American Sniper and had a daughter with Tom Sturridge named Marlowe. Miller is now known for her acting roles than the drama that plagued her personal life.
5 Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart was at the height of her career after the success of Twilight, but her affair with director Rupert Sanders, while starring in the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, almost ruined her as an actress.
According to Fame10, Stewart stepped away from Hollywood in 2013 but returned a year later to star in indie films which fans and critics highly enjoyed. She came back to star in big-budget films like 2019's Charlie's Angels and 2020's Underwater.
4 Matthew McConaughey
Actor Matthew McConaughey appeared to make a name for himself in Hollywood by taking on roles in a bunch of romantic comedies from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days to The Wedding Planner and Failure to Launch.
But, McConaughey wanted to be known as a serious actor, leaving rom-com's behind and challenging himself in roles like Dallas Buyers Club and crime drama series True Detective. He would go on to receive the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.
3 Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera is one celebrity who has rebranded herself several times. She went from being the ultimate pop star with songs like "Genie in a Bottle" to wearing leather chaps with her "Dirrty" video, and calling herself "Xtina."
But, Aguilera has appeared to rebrand herself for the last time, sticking to her platinum blonde curls and red lip, and has lent her expertise on shows like The Voice and a role on Nashville. She recently released a re-recording of the song "Reflection" from the Disney movie Mulan.
2 Taylor Swift
When she started a singing career, Taylor Swift was known as a country star with songs like "Should've Said No" and "Picture to Burn." She later rebranded herself as a pop superstar before finally releasing her latest album Folklore, giving fans an indie and folk sound.
As Fame10 reported, Swift also had a rough reputation for dating many of Hollywood's bachelors, including Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, and Joe Jonas, but she's now in a serious relationship with Joe Alwyn
1 Jessica Alba
Actress Jessica Alba landed several roles throughout her career, but they all appeared to focus on her looks rather than her talent after appearing in movies like Honey, Sin City, and Into the Blue.
However, she switched gears and focused on her Honest Company, which first sold baby products and eventually expanded into beauty products. She is the CEO of the company, which is now worth over $1 billion.