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Second Chances: Celebrities After Prison

When we think of celebrities, we often see where they are now, rather than where they’ve come from.

It’s hard to overlook their success, they’re always on T.V. or in the news. But, you would be surprised to know that a lot of very popular celebrities have served time in prison. Then they were granted second chances. To say the least, they took full advantage of the opportunity. Use the following examples as inspiration:

Mark Wahlberg:

Mark Wahlberg has a past that not many have looked into. At age 16, Wahlberg was sentenced to two years in prison for an attack on a Vietnamese man. He had beaten the man with a stick while making racial slurs at him. While he only served 45 days of his sentence, it was enough to make him want to change his life for the better. As of 2020, Wahlberg has a net worth of 300 million. He has starred in numerous amounts of films, owns a restaurant chain with his family, has his own youth foundation, and is married with four children.

Robert Downey Jr:

In 1999, Downey Jr was sentenced to three years at a state prison. He was convicted for repeatedly violating his probation for prior drug and weapon charges. After years of being addicted to drugs and alcohol, Downey Jr changed his life in a dramatic way. Now he is the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for his portrayal of Ironman. In 2019, Forbes had reported he was the third highest paid actor that year. His movies have grossed over six billion dollars while his net worth has skyrocketed to 300 million.

Tim Allen:

In 1978, Tim Allen was found with more than 650 grams of cocaine while at an airport. The person he was dropping off the cocaine for was an undercover cop. As soon as the undercover cop found the contents of the bag, Allen was arrested. The law at the time would tie a life sentence to anyone attempting to sell 650 grams or more of cocaine. Allen was able to reach a deal by pleading guilty and giving information on other drug dealers. While in prison, Allen found his knack for making others laugh. After his release, he started doing stand-up comedy. This propelled his career into what we know it today. He has starred in sitcoms like Home Improvement and Last Man Standing while even becoming the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the classic movie Toy Story.

These are only 3 examples of celebrities who have served time in prison. Many other famous actors, musicians, and other types of celebrities have served time too. The key takeaway is knowing that, they didn’t waste their second chance. They realized the opportunity they had to become the best version of themselves and never looked back.