One would hope that the rich and famous get to spend their happily ever afters free and enjoying the lavish lifestyle of Hollywood’s elite. Alas, such is not the case for all. Like everyone else, they can make mistakes that have negative repercussions in their lives. From substance use to college admissions scandals, there are a number of things that could cause them to have to spend some time behind bars.
Below, we compiled a list of actors who are, have been, or may currently be in prison.
15Alec Baldwin
The eldest of the Baldwin brothers,Alec Baldwinis well-known for his roles as Alan Hunley intheMission Impossiblefranchise, a voice inThe Boss Babyfranchise, Bill Oakland inBlind, and many other supporting roles. He also starred alongside Tina Fey in30 Rockas Jack Donaghy, a role for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and seven Screen Actors Guild awards.
In October 2021, he became more infamously known for accidental manslaughter. He discharged a prop gun on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set forRust, a movie he was starring in but which he had also written the story for and produced. The gun discharge injured director Joel Souza and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin andRust’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, were both charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. One of the counts — for Hutchins’ death — has the additional caveat of a firearm enhancement, meaning that if they’re convicted, there is a minimum five-year jail sentence.
On June 27, 2025, both Baldwin and Gutierrez-Reed were officially charged with the two manslaughter counts. In April, the charges against Baldwin were dropped.
14Felicity Huffman
Felicity Huffmanis known for her supporting roles in film and television, most notably as Lynette Scavo inDesperate Housewives, Mary inChristmas with the Kranks, and Sabrina “Bree” Osbourne inTransamerica. The latter role won her a Golden Globe Award, Independent Spirit Award, National Board of Review, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
On July 09, 2025, Huffman was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. She had been involved with a nationwide college entrance exam cheating scandal to help her daughter get into an Ivy-league school. When her daughter answered SAT questions incorrectly, Huffman paid a proctor $15,000 to correct her answers and ensure admission.
On June 09, 2025, she was sentenced to 14 days in prison and received a $30,000 fine. She also had to serve 250 hours of community service and one year of supervised release.
13Jared Fogle
Jared Fogleis well-knownfor playing himselfinJack and Jill,Sharknado 2: The Second One, andSharknado 3: Oh Hell No!. He was also a spokesman for Subway’s ads from 2000-2015.
Federal law enforcement first became aware of Jared Fogle as a person of interest in 2007, when a journalist and radio host told the Sarasota Police Department that Fogle had made lewd comments about her middle-school-age girls. This then prompted an investigation and eventual operation with the FBI, but there was not enough evidence to convict Fogle.
While separately investigating Russel Raylor, authorities then discovered that Taylor had traded sexually explicit photos of videos and children with Fogle. This led authorities to Fogle and, on June 15, 2025, the FBI and Indiana State Police raided Fogle’s house.
On June 22, 2025, Fogle pleaded guilty to the distribution and receipt of child pornography and traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison, to serve a minimum of 13 years before eligibility for time off with good behavior. After his release, he will still be on supervised release for the entirety of his life. In addition to the sentence, Fogle was fined $175,000 and had to forfeit $50,000 in assets plus $1.4 million in restitution to the victims.
12Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollettis most well-known for his role as Jamal in theEmpireTV show (2015-2020). In January 2019, Smollett reported to the police that he had been the victim of a hate crime. This turned out to be a staged attack against himself and in December 2021, he was convicted of five felony counts of disorderly conduct.
He was sentenced in March 2022 to 150 days in jail and ordered to pay a fine of $145,000 for lying to the police.
Since the sentencing, Smollett has been released on bond while his case is on appeal.
11Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohanwas the sweet kid who played twins inTheParent Trapand went on to a seriesof teen idol moviessuch asFreaky Friday,Confessions of a Teenager Drama Queen,and Mean Girls. But Lohan’s rise to fame was also peppered with a history of alcohol and drug abuse. On August 01, 2025, she was sentenced to 90 days of jail for failing to attend her court-ordered weekly alcohol education classes. Lohan ended up serving only two weeks due to prison overcrowding and the non-violent nature of her crime.
Related:Lindsay Lohan’s Best Comedy Movies, Ranked
10Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherlandis known for his roles in the moviesYoung Guns,Flatliners,A Few Good Men,The Three Musketeers,Dark City,Phone Booth, andPompeii. He is most well-known for playing Jack Bauer in the drama series24. This role won him an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Satellite Awards.
In 2007, Sutherland pleaded no contest to DUI charges and for violating the terms of his probation. He served 48 days in jail and, after his release, had to undergo an 18-month alcohol education program and weekly therapy sessions.
9Michael Jace
Michael Jaceplayed LAPD officer Julien Lowe inThe Shield, and Michael Jordan inMichael Jordan: An American Hero. In 2014, he shot his wife in front of their children in their Los Angeles home. He was convinced she wanted a divorce because she was dating another man. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder.
8Harvey Weinstein
Though not an actor in his own right,Harvey Weinsteindeserves to be on the list given his affiliations in the film industry as a massive film mogul and producer. He was born on June 18, 2025, and produced films such asSex, Lies, and Videotape,The Crying Game,Pulp Fiction,Heavenly Creatures,Flirting with Disaster, andShakespeare in Love. Hewon an Academy Awardfor producing the latter.
Investigators were targeting him for years on various rape and sex crime allegations, but it took the testimonies of Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann (among 87 others!) to lead to jail time. Weinstein was arrested in May 2018 in New York and charged with rape, committing a criminal sex act, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison, with the earliest possible release date on June 22, 2025.
He was extradited to Los Angeles on August 16, 2025, to face additional charges at a second trial. He was found guilty of three of the seven charges on June 12, 2025.
7Shannon Guess Richardson
Shannon Guess Richardsonstarred inThe Walking Deadas a walker. She’s known for sending ricin-laced letters to then-U.S. President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. She also tried to frame her husband for the letters. In July 2014, she was convicted of developing, producing, possessing, and transferring a toxin with the intent to use it as a weapon. She was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
6Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipesis known for his roles inMajor League,White Men Can’t Jump,Passenger 57,Demolition Man,U.S. Marshals,The Expendables 3, and theBladefilm trilogy as Blade. In February 2008, he was convicted of three misdemeanor counts of failing to file federal tax and spent three years behind bars.
