Leading Ladies of Hollywood: Not Easily Forgiven, Too Easily Forgotten

Hollywood is riddled with scandal for the general public to watch almost as closely as the movies stars and starlets make.  It seems that all too often stars are caught in situations with the law for all the world to see.  Looking back, it would also seem that males seem to bounce back from these indiscretions more easily than men.  Through the years, men tend to repair their reputations merely by issuing a formal apology in the media and serving their sentence, while women of Hollywood, struggle to re-calibrate and  move forward in their careers.

For example, in 1996 Robert Downey Jr. seemed to have spent more time trying to sabotage his career than build it.  In June of that year he was arrested after being caught with heroin, cocaine, crack and a gun in his possession.  Three weeks later he was found passed out in a stranger's bed.  Four days after that he escaped a detox center, where he'd been placed by court order.  Between 1996 and 2001, he bounced in and out of prison for drug use and possession.  Many thought he would never come back from his legal woes and fight the demons within, driving him towards madness.  However, in a comeback that is so rare, he saved his career.  He cleaned up his act and landed roles in "Tropic Thunder" (which earned him an Oscar nod) and the "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes" franchises.

However, Winona Ryder, whose transgressions were far less than Downey's, has never been able to restore her image.  Once a sought-after starlet, starring in films like "Girl, Interrupted", "Heathers", "Little Women", "Mermaids" and "Beetlejuice" among other notable films, Ryder was arrested in December 2001 for grand theft after stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills.  Her conviction was later reduced to a misdemeanor in 2004.  She paid her fines, attended counseling, and completed 480 hours of community service.  Despite repaying her debt to society, Ryder continues to struggle years later with her return to roles as a leading lady.  Since the arrest, she has been in supporting roles in blockbusters such as "Black Swan" and "Star Trek".  Her spotlight has gone dim after a single arrest that didn't involve drugs, sex or physical injury to herself or anyone else.  

Perhaps the difference between the two is that Downey had Mel Gibson in his corner, who paid for his insurance on the film "The Singing Detective", which aided Downey in his climb up the ladder to fame once more when insurance companies refused to cover him.  Ryder didn't have anyone to help her in such a way.

But, maybe the key is the amount of time spent in the spotlight as a result of scandal versus the amount of spotlight due to actual work.  Sean Penn, for example, spent 33 days in jail in 1987 for hitting a film extra and reckless driving and was later sentenced to 300 hours of community service in 2010 after he kicked a photographer.  These incidents seem to have had little effect on his career because he has been in the spotlight for far more films and well-played roles than for his run-ins with the law (he has two Oscars under his belt for "Mystic River" and "Milk").

However, the same cannot be said for the likes of Naomi Campbell who assaulted a housekeeper, police officer and her assistant between the years of 2000 and 2008.  It is thought that because she has spent most of her career in magazines, on billboards and on runways that the general public doesn't feel as much connection to her.

Chris Brown is evidence that males don't always need to put forth much effort to win back fans.  In 2009 when he assualted Rihanna, most people didn't believe he'd be able to rebuild his career.  Though he hasn't shed his violent image (he threw a chair at a window after an unpleasant "Good Morning America" interview earlier this year), he's maintained a successful career in music with his most recent effort, "F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies)" debuted at number 1 in March on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Chris Brown was forgiven, but the public has less tolerance for racist remarks as evidenced by Michael Richards, formerly of "Seinfeld".  After using racial slurs during a stand-up routine against two African-American audience members, he struggled to redirect his career in a positive direction. 

Lindsay Lohan could be doomed if she doesn't get her life together, but Britney Spears' triumphant return should give her hope of a return of her own, if she does the work. Spears had an unforgettable breakdown in 2007 which included her shaving her head and losing custody of her two children; no one believed she would be able to come back from.  However today, she is in a much better place, appearing to be healthier and happier than she did back then.  Her father seems to be the key to her success, having taken control of her assets in 2008 after Spears lost custody of her children and was put under involuntary psychiatric hold twice.

Lohan probably won't be receiving the same type of help from her parents anytime soon as her mom-ager Dina has allegedly been shopping a tell-all memoir and her father Michael historically uses his daughter's fame to propel himself into the spotlight.  

Fans could welcome Lohan back with open arms as they did for Spears if she would put more energy into working instead of partying and getting arrested.  But after a slew of arrests, and more mugshots than red carpet photos circulating, it's going to take a lot hard work to repair her image and return to the public's good graces.  Given the history of men and women in Hollywood who have found themselves in Lohan's place (to varying degrees, in fairness), Lohan has her work cut out for her.  Perhaps, instead of posing for Playboy to relaunch her career she should start shaking hands and kissing babies.