Actors Who Had To Be Replaced After They Got Arrested

Occasionally, even a carefully arranged movie or TV production can be thrown into chaos by unexpected upheavals in an actor’s private life. While positive events do occur, negative ones can lead to public relations crises for studios, which may necessitate replacing the problematic actor with one less embroiled in controversy. These departures can sometimes be discreet; other times, they can get messy. And when law enforcement is involved, matters can escalate rapidly into complex situations.

This list includes several actors who encountered arrest during their performances. Consequently, they were taken off their projects and substituted by other performers in various ways. Sometimes a completely new character filled the gap left by them, while at others, the role was reassigned to a different actor. Let’s examine how these productions and the actors themselves managed after their legal troubles.

James Remar

The unfortunate timing of James Remar’s drug arrest during the production of “Aliens” proved detrimental. Prior to this incident, he was portraying Corporal Dwayne Hicks in England. His residence was unexpectedly raided, leading to his arrest, as it appeared he had been experimenting with hash and heroin. The authorities were suspicious due to the nature of the individuals visiting his apartment. Consequently, Remar was taken into custody and removed from the film.

For over a month, the production of “Aliens” has been underway, but studio executives are discontented with the progress. In response, director James Cameron contacted his fellow actor from “The Terminator”, Michael Biehn. Eager to help, Biehn flew to London to finish filming, re-shooting some scenes that Remar had originally performed. However, due to logistical constraints, several larger set pieces featuring Hicks were not reshot. As a result, both actors portray Hicks in the movie, but you only see Biehn’s face on screen—another odd occurrence during the filming of an “Alien” production.

In hindsight, Remar felt deeply regretful about his actions – he realized that his decision to take the casting replacement role had a negative impact on his own career, albeit temporarily, but also harmed others. He articulated this sentiment in the Netflix series “The Movies That Made Us,” pointing out that it was director Walter Hill who had initially discovered him for “The Warriors” and secured him an audition with Cameron for Hicks. After this incident, Remar turned his life around, kicked the habit, and went on to enjoy a diverse acting career as a character actor.

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen’s dismissal from the series “Two and a Half Men” serves as a striking illustration of the far-reaching consequences that can stem from a simple arrest. On Christmas Day in 2009, the actor was apprehended for charges including second-degree assault, menacing, and criminal mischief, following a domestic violence incident with his then-wife, Brooke Mueller. After seeking treatment in early 2010, Sheen faced another arrest in October of the same year. By the time the sixth season’s ninth episode was broadcasted, just a few episodes into the series, Sheen had already been replaced.

Starting in early 2011, the sitcom took a break due to another rehabilitation stint by Sheen. The show faced temporary cancellation when Sheen verbally attacked the creator Chuck Lorre during a radio interview, demanded a 50% salary increase after being banned from the Warner Brothers studio lot, and was subsequently fired from “Two and a Half Men” in March 2011. Instead of resolving the dispute, Sheen filed a $100 million lawsuit against Lorre and CBS, which was settled out-of-court in September that year. To replace Sheen’s character, Charlie Harper, Lorre introduced a new character named Walden Schmidt (played by Ashton Kutcher). Over four more seasons, Walden lived in Charlie’s house with his brother Alan (portrayed by Jon Cryer), until the show finally ended its run.

After a significant fallout that resulted in the spillage of much animosity, Sheen and Lorre have since made amends. At present, Sheen has almost a decade of sobriety to his name, and he is currently working alongside Lorre once more on the television series “Bookie,” another production from Lorre’s stable. Additionally, he recently appeared on his ex-wife, Denise Richards’, reality show, “Denise Richards and Her Wild Things,” alongside his daughters Sami and Lola.

Jamie Waylett

Child actors like Jamie Waylett sometimes find themselves in extraordinary situations due to their youthful defiance. Just as expected, Waylett wasn’t an exception. He gained fame portraying the bully Vincent Crabbe across the “Harry Potter” movie franchise. However, his life took a dramatic turn when he was apprehended in 2009 for cannabis possession and carrying a knife, causing an instant shift in his career trajectory.

Initially, he received a sentence for completing 20 hours of community service. However, he was later arrested and found guilty for his involvement in the London riots that occurred in 2012. Although he was acquitted on bomb-making allegations, surveillance footage showed him drinking champagne stolen by Harry Potter enthusiasts from a supermarket and carrying a gasoline bomb. He ended up serving a one-year prison term for dealing with stolen items and disorderly conduct.

In the final two “Harry Potter” films, Waylett’s character was replaced, and Louis Cordice’s character, Blaise Zabini, took on more important roles that were originally performed by Crabbe in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”. This was an unusual instance where a secondary character was elevated to a more prominent position, rather than re-casting the original character.

Mackenzie Phillips

Mackenzie Phillips, daughter of John Phillips from The Mamas and the Papas, has faced numerous challenges in Hollywood despite her music royalty background. As a teenager, she began a promising acting career, gaining initial fame as Carol in George Lucas’s “American Graffiti.” However, drug issues have been a persistent struggle for her throughout her life, which significantly impacted her portrayal of Julie Cooper on the show “One Day at a Time.” This ultimately led to her being let go from the series twice and replaced.

10-year-old Phillips got arrested for disorderly conduct due to drug influence on a Hollywood street in November 1977. This incident took place during a filming break for the show’s third season. By Season 5, her unreliability led to a confrontation between her handlers and CBS, resulting in her dismissal from the show in winter 1980. The character of Julie was written off following her marriage to Max Horvath (played by Michael Lembeck). The show then introduced Ann’s business partner and potential romantic interest, Nick (Ron Rifkin), along with his son Alex (Glenn Scarpelli). After Nick’s death at the start of Season 7, Alex moved in with Ann, filling the void left by Julie’s departure with her rebellious teenage spirit.

After completing rehab, both Phillips (who was then expecting a child with Julie) made a guest appearance during Season 7 and continued into Season 8. However, Phillips suffered a relapse leading to another dismissal. During the ninth and concluding season of the show, Julie was noticeably absent from the screen, likely due to the circumstances. Since then, Phillips has been diligently rebuilding her sobriety and still occasionally lands roles in films or TV productions.

Jonathan Majors

In a significant turn of events, actor Jonathan Majors found himself in the limelight for troubling reasons when he was taken into custody on March 25, 2023, following allegations of domestic assault against his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. The accusations centered around Majors causing harm to Jabbari.

In December 2023, Majors was found guilty of reckless assault and harassment. As part of his sentence, he was mandated to participate in a treatment program for domestic violence. Jabbari later decided to withdraw a lawsuit involving federal harassment and defamation against the actor.

The consequences of these events were far-reaching. On the very day Majors received his conviction, Marvel Studios severed their professional relationship with him, effectively canceling the upcoming film “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.” This decision led to the cancellation of the project itself.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Majors wasn’t technically replaced by Kang, but instead, Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom took on the role of the primary antagonist for the revamped “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars”. However, Colman Domingo confirmed during an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he had discussions with Marvel executives following speculations about him potentially taking over as Major’s successor.

In a candid conversation, the topic of Marvel’s terrain and Kang speculations came up. This individual is focused on positive vibes. He desires actions that resonate and exude tranquility. He yearns for a role that he can call his own, regardless of its origin. There was an uneasy feeling about filling someone else’s shoes. Instead, he aims to construct something unique from the ground up, he shared.

Meanwhile, Majors is back in action after a short break. His long-awaited project, “Magazine Dreams,” is set for release in 2025, and he also has a horror movie titled “Merciless” lined up.

Robert Downey Jr.

Without a doubt, Robert Downey Jr., dealing with his personal struggles related to addiction, experienced challenging periods in his life. Between 1996 and 2001, he encountered numerous legal issues, including multiple arrests for drug and weapons offenses. After seeking treatment at rehab facilities several times, Downey appeared to regain control over his life, but eventually fell back into old habits and was ultimately sentenced to a three-year prison term due to parole violations in 1999. He served part of his sentence, securing his release with a $5,000 bond, and shortly after being freed from prison, he landed the role of Larry Paul in “Ally McBeal.

As a gamer, I can’t help but reminisce about my beloved character in that popular TV series where I got romantically involved with the Boston lawyer (Calista Flockhart). I was doing great, even winning a Golden Globe and getting an Emmy nomination for my performance. But then, things took a turn when I was nabbed in Los Angeles on November 24, 2001, charged with possession of cocaine and valium. The previous April, I had been found wandering the streets barefoot, leading to another arrest under suspicion of drug use. However, I was eventually let go. Sadly, my arrest led to the show firing me, and they had to rewrite the Season 4 finale to write my character out.

In Season 5, Ally deals with recollections of Larry and takes care of Maddie Harrington (Hayden Panettiere), conceived from an egg donation she had made earlier. Jon Bon Jovi was introduced as Ally’s tender new love interest, Victor Morrison, but the role failed to resonate with viewers and didn’t make it through the entire final season. On a different note, Downey managed to achieve sobriety, skyrocketed to fame as Iron Man, agreed to rejoin the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom, and won an Oscar for his best supporting actor role in “Oppenheimer.

Columbus Short

Columbus Short’s struggles with addiction temporarily halted his progress in the acting industry. Starting with dance-focused roles in movies like “Stomp the Yard” and “You Got Served”, he transitioned into a successful dramatic acting career, earning him the part of Harrison Wright on “Scandal.” However, on March 26, 2014, he was arrested for felony battery causing severe harm following an altercation at a bar. In April 2014, his then-wife, Tanee McCall, requested a restraining order, alleging that Short had threatened to commit murder-suicide with a knife.

After the allegations emerged, Short announced his departure from the series. In the final episode of Season 3, Harrison met his fate on “Scandal,” which subsequently prompted Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington) to return to Washington in the opening of Season 4. Following Wright’s demise, various actors took over Short’s role throughout Season 5, among them was Scott Foley’s character, Jake Ballard, who was initially introduced in Season 3 but gained significant importance within the storyline following Wright’s passing.

In June 2024, Short will discuss his departure from Shondaland Audio’s “Unpacking the Toolbox” podcast. He admitted that his drug issues led to tardiness and lackluster storylines for his character on Scandal, which he regretted. However, he believes it was all part of his personal growth. “If I could relive the past, I would certainly do things differently,” he said. “But every mistake I made, every struggle I faced, has shaped me into the man I am proud to be today.” Despite subsequent legal troubles, Short’s acting career has remained robust post-Scandal.

Stoney Westmoreland

Stoney Westmoreland’s exit from “Andi Mack,” a well-known Disney Channel sitcom, came as quite a shock due to the serious accusations against him. He was apprehended for an investigation involving solicitation of a minor through the internet or text messages, and faced charges for distributing four items deemed harmful to minors. Westmoreland allegedly attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he believed was a 13-year-old boy on December 14, 2018.

It’s said that the actor is claimed to have attempted to get explicit images from a minor and responded with his own nude photos, then employed a ride-hailing service to encounter someone who didn’t exist, pretending to be a minor. At that time, representatives for Disney Channel stated that both the characters on the program and the actors portraying them were approximately the same age as the individual he was targeting, which resulted in his instant dismissal from the show due to this disturbing incident.

Westmoreland has portrayed the grandfather character, Henry or “Ham,” since the series debuted. Ham was renowned for his extensive travels and frequently served as a source of advice for Andi. During the show’s third and last season, his role as a confidant was assumed by Andi’s grandmother, Celia (Lauren Tom), after Ham was removed from the storyline. However, in 2020, Westmoreland breached the conditions of his probation and was imprisoned. He opted for a plea bargain, with the charges reduced to using interstate facilities to share information about a minor. In 2022, he was sentenced to two years in a federal prison.

T.J. Miller

In the midst of facing sexual misconduct accusations, TJ Miller experienced what he described as a mental breakdown on April 9, 2018, by falsely reporting another passenger on an Amtrak train headed to Washington D.C. as a potential bomber via a 911 call. As a result of this incident, Miller was arrested and later released on a $100,000 bond. The consequences for his career were swift: Ryan Reynolds announced in May 2018 that Miller would not be part of any future “Deadpool” films. Notably, the character Weasel did not appear in the 2024 release “Deadpool and Wolverine.

In July 2021, Connecticut state dropped all charges against Miller, requiring him to compensate the state for expended resources due to a false report and attend a cognitive improvement program. Since then, he has managed to steer clear of legal troubles, but has spoken out about Ryan Reynolds’ conduct. In October 2022, Miller publicly accused Reynolds of mistreating him on set and vowed never to collaborate with him again. However, Miller later reported that Reynolds reached out to apologize and expressed a desire to work together once more on the “Deadpool” series.

Lori Loughlin

Lori Loughlin risked her professional standing by attempting to secure her daughter’s enrollment at an Ivy League university through underhanded means. However, this scheme ultimately backfired, putting her long-held job positions in peril. Loughlin was one of 50 parents involved in manipulating the admission process by falsifying their children’s qualifications and bribing college authorities to ignore the deception. As a result, she faced charges for conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and mail fraud. In the end, Loughlin agreed to a plea bargain and served two months in federal prison. She was also required to pay a fine of $150,000 and complete 100 hours of community service.

Each show managed unique ways to address the character’s unavailability. In “Fuller House,” Aunt Becky’s disappearance was briefly mentioned until the series end, when it was revealed she moved to Nebraska to care for her mother. On the other hand, “When Calls The Heart” wrote off Abigail Stanton, who also left to look after her mom in another location. However, a new character, Minnie Canfield (Natasha Burnett), stepped in and took over Abigail’s responsibilities at the cafe, eventually becoming a central figure in the storyline. Yet, there remains a glimmer of hope for Loughlin, as she has returned to portray Abigail in the spin-off series, “When Hope Calls.

If you’re dealing with addiction problems or if someone you care about is, or if you’re a victim of domestic violence, child abuse, or sexual assault, please reach out to the following resources for assistance:

1. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224
2. Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453)
3. RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or online at https://online.rainn.org/online
4. SAMHSA’s National Helpline for substance abuse treatment referral and information: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

2025-03-07 16:01