Fame often goes hand in hand with fortune and glamour but also the usual problems. There are cases when fame also tested people in the harshest of ways and left serious consequences on their mental health. Despite what many people think, depression is something that celebrities battle too, just like everyday people. In this list, we will take a look at some of the most popular celebrities and their inner struggles and fight against depression.

Ellen DeGeneres - After She Came Out

Ellen DeGeneres is a world-famous talk show host, comedian, writer, producer, and actress. Her career began in 1978, and she mainly did stand-up comedy throughout the ‘80s. After a few notable moments on camera, DeGeneres got her own sitcom, Ellen, which aired from 1994 to 1998 and was quite popular. She is now most famous for her The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which she has been hosting since 2003. Over the years, Ellen also became a vocal leader in the LGBT community and revealed how depressed she was when she came out, as the media and many people made fun of her. Ellen said that it became really hurtful after a time.

Kristen Bell - While In College

Kristen Bell rose to prominence with her role in the acclaimed TV series Veronica Mars, which aired between 2004 to 2007. She quickly climbed further in her career with the lead role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Bell established herself as a leading lady from then on. Her vocal talent was also a big part of her success, for she has voiced several characters including Princess Anna in Frozen, Frozen Fever, and Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. In 2016, Bell publically discussed how she faced depression while still at school. She talked about the importance of letting people know that fighting such hardships doesn’t make them weak and that we should and can seek help.

Cara Delevingne - When She Was A Teen

Cara Delevingne is a model, actress, and singer. Her career began in 2009, and she rose to fame with roles in Paper Towns, London Fields, Suicide Squad, and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Cara revealed in an interview that she first felt depressed when she was fifteen years old. She was already having great difficulty in school because of dyspraxia, which affects motor coordination. She said that sometimes waves of mood disorders were so hard on her that she wanted to knock herself out by literally slamming her head against a tree.

Johnny Depp - At The Height Of His Fame

A household name for sure, Johnny Depp has been gracing the screen with his wonderful performances for almost forty years now. Audiences worldwide have loved his roles in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Black Mass, Finding Neverland, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Edward Scissorhands, and many other films. Johnny even earned a Guinness World Record when his earnings in 2012 reached $75M. Depp openly talked about his love of wine and his use of illegal stimulants throughout his life. On top of that, he got into financial problems recently. Combined with personal problems, it all had a devastating effect on his feelings and mental condition.

Eminem - Throughout His 30s

Often regarded as one of the best rappers in the world today, Eminem was dubbed “The King of Hip Hop” by the Rolling Stone magazine. His career began in 1992 and he has since released ten studio albums, almost all with huge commercial and critical success. Eminem also transitioned into acting and was seen in the hit film 8 Mile, which won him and two other composers an Oscar for Best Original Song. Eminem talked about his addictions and other problems that almost ended his career several times. His albums Relapse and Recovery explore those times in his life.

Chris Evans - When He First Became Famous

Undoubtedly best known to audiences today as Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans is currently one of the most famous actors in the world. The highly-anticipated Marvel movie, Avengers: Endgame, has hit the theaters in April 2019, and Evans is naturally among the ensemble cast. Chris has recently talked about anxiety and shared some advice to the audience that he says helped him long ago. He called those problems in peoples’ heads as "brain noise" and advised them to just learn how not to listen to it.

Harrison Ford - During College

Harrison Ford is arguably one of the most famous actors in the world in the last several decades. He rose to fame playing Han Solo in the Star Wars films and followed it up with taking on the title character in the Indiana Jones franchise. Harrison was also in Blade Runner and 2017's Blade Runner 2049. Virtually all of the movies he appeared in were commercially successful and have collectively grossed over six billion worldwide, as per calculations made in 2016. Known to be very private, Harrison reportedly did talk about being depressed during college. His performance got so low that he was expelled, but drama classes reportedly changed all that.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - When He Became Famous As A Child Actor

Joseph Gordon-Levitt became famous for his role on 3^rd Rock from the Sun, the critically acclaimed sitcom which aired between 1996 and 2001. He was also noticed in 10 Things About You, A River Runs Through It, and Holy Matrimony—and that was all while he was still a teen. His more recent roles were in Inception, Looper, Snowden, and many other successful movies. However, it was when he became famous as a child actor that he initially struggled with depression, as some sources say. Joseph reportedly said that he was scared that he would only be given sitcom roles after 3^rd Rock.

Jon Hamm - Since He Was Ten Years Old

Jon Hamm is probably best known to audiences for starring in the TV series, Mad Men, which aired from 2007 to 2015. The role got Hamm two Golden Globes and a Primetime Emmy Award. Since the show, Hamm has starred or appeared in many successful TV shows and movies, with the most recent ones being Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and The Report in 2019. For Jon, it was the loss of his mother first and then his father that gave him hard times while he was still very young. He talked about it in interviews and said that therapy did help him, as it gave him a different perspective on things.

Anne Hathaway - In Her Teenage Years

Anne Hathaway is among the most successful actresses of the past decade. Her career actually began in 1999, and she quickly rose to prominence with roles in The Princess Diaries, Brokeback Mountain, and Havoc. Anne’s performance in the 2012 film, Les Misérables, won her an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a Screen Actors Guild award for Best Supporting Actress. She talked about being depressed as a teenager and overcoming it without medication. She also reportedly started smoking cigarettes in 2008 due to personal stress but managed to quit later and even became a vegetarian again. Anne says quitting smoking and eating healthy helped her deal with stress.

Angelina Jolie - Since Her Teens

In 1982, Angelina had her first movie role in Lookin’ to Get Out alongside Jon Voight, her famous father, when she was seven. But, it was towards the end of the ‘90s that she became known to audiences for films such as Hackers, Gia, and Girl, Interrupted. That last one earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Angelina steadily became one of the most famous actresses in the last three decades. However, in her teens, Angelina was quite self-destructive, which only got worse when she became famous. She talked about that multiple times saying that being an active humanitarian helped her overcome feeling empty and worthless.

Lady Gaga - Since She Was A Child

Lady Gaga is one of the most successful singers and songwriters of our age. Since 2001, she has released five studio albums and enjoyed great commercial and critical success. Gaga transitioned to acting and was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the 2018 remake of A Star Is Born. Gaga shares an Oscar with three other composers for the movie’s soundtrack song, Shallow. Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, she has talked about facing a lot of hardships at school and in her youth. It was the persona of Lady Gaga, that she invented and became, that helped her overcome the danger of mental illness.

Hugh Laurie - While Filming House

Hugh Laurie is a legendary multitalented actor and comedian whose career began in the early ‘80s. He rose to prominence as part of the comedy duo, Fry and Laurie. But audiences today undoubtedly best know him as Dr. Gregory House from House, the acclaimed TV series which aired from 2004 to 2012. His popularity earned him a Guinness World Record for being the most viewed leading actor on TV in 2011. However, Hugh has talked about seeing a therapist regularly and how being overworked on the show really took its toll on him and his mental health. That, paired with constant attention, made up for some really black days, as Hugh called them.

Demi Lovato - Since Her Teens

Demi Lovato is an accomplished singer and songwriter. She rose to fame as an actress in the ‘00s, with her role on Barney & Friends and Camp Rock. She has also recorded six studio albums, with the most recent one in 2017 titled Tell Me You Love Me. All her albums have produced popular singles and have had commercial success. However, while still a teen, Demi was bullied, got depressed, had an eating disorder, and even resorted to self-harm. Her problems continued on throughout her career, and she has gone to rehab multiple times. She finished inpatient treatment in 2011.

Gwyneth Paltrow - In 2006

Gwyneth Paltrow is an Oscar-winning actress whose career took off in the ‘90s. She was in the movies Se7en, Emma, and The Talented Mr. Ripley and has won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love. Younger audiences probably know her best as Pepper Potts from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, primarily from the Iron Man movies. Gwyneth has two kids and has talked about how postpartum depression affected her after her son was born in 2006. Becoming a mother affected her work, and she was less active for a period of time after.

Jim Carrey - Throughout His Career

As a famous actor and comedian, Jim Carrey has been a household name for the past three decades. His sketch comedy performances on Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and its sequel, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber led him to the top. Besides acting, Jim is a painter and a motivational speaker and talks about his personal feelings and thoughts frequently. According to a number of interviews, he has been depressed for prolonged periods of time and possibly still is. Jim also said that taking medication for it probably did not help him at all, so he now avoids it completely as well as any other stimulant.

Dolly Parton - Throughout Her Career

Dolly Parton is a famous American country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. During her now fifty-year-long career, Patron has recorded sixty-three studio albums. She has also won nine Grammys, was nominated for two Academy Awards, and has countless other accolades. Dolly has talked about feeling depressed for decades and even suicidal at times. She said that faith in God and the community helped her and that we can only pull through as a team. She is seventy-three now and has been married to Carl Dean since 1966. In 2016, they renewed their wedding vows.

Dwayne Johnson - Around 15 Years Old

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a world-famous professional wrestler and actor. He is perhaps best known for his starring roles in multiple blockbuster action films such as The Fast and the Furious franchise, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Rampage. Dwayne is currently in semi-retirement from wrestling and is regarded as one of the greatest ever in the sport. Dwayne recently opened up about first feeling depressed when he was fourteen and fifteen. The painful feelings continued later when his career was in danger because of his injuries. His advice is plain and simple – do not hold it in, talk to somebody about it.

Matthew Perry - Since 1997

Matthew Perry is undoubtedly best known for the hit sitcom, Friends, where he portrayed Chandler Bing. He was with the show for its entirety, from 1994 until 2004, and his and his co-stars’ salary had reached $1M per episode by 2002. Perry also had many other notable roles and even voiced a character named Benny in the Fallout: New Vegas video game. In 1997, Matthew reportedly became addicted to Vicodin and has had a drinking problem through most of his career.  He also had severe stomach pains and extreme fluctuations in his body weight, which eventually led to an extensive surgical intervention in 2018.

Michael Phelps - At the Peak of His Career

One of the best athletes in history and the most decorated Olympic athlete, Michael Phelps left a mark on the world that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. He has won twenty-eight Olympic medals in total, twenty-three gold, and has set numerous swimming records—most of which are still unbroken. However, Phelps talked about how athletes are expected to suppress inner struggles and how he, in 2014, stayed locked up in a room for days at a time. After getting help, Michael said that talking about feeling depressed and anxious was the best thing that happened to him and that he is extremely grateful for the chance.

Ryan Philippe - Since Birth

Ryan Phillippe is an accomplished actor whose career began in the ‘90s. He rose to prominence with I Know What You Did Last Summer, 54, and Cruel Intentions. Ryan has since enjoyed a fruitful career and currently stars on the TV series, Shooter. He talked about his struggles with feelings of depression and said that he was born with it, as are millions of others. Ryan said it was much more severe in his twenties and thirties, so he tried to find healthy ways to cope with it. He also emphasized that he tries to be there for his three kids as much as possible, which is why he often steps back from acting.

Brad Pitt - During The '90s

After his breakthrough in the ‘90s, Brat Pitt became one of the most famous actors in the world and is loved for his performances as well as his looks. Some of his most praised roles were in Fight Club, the Ocean’s trilogy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and countless others. Pitt will star in the upcoming 2019 movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He has openly talked about being depressed several times, mainly at the beginning of his career. He also said that helping others worked as a depression treatment for him and that he no longer deals with it now; not in this decade as he said.

J.K. Rowling - Early '90s

J.K. Rowling is a writer who needs no special introduction, at least not to the fans of Harry Potter books and movies. She is a novelist, producer, screenwriter, and philanthropist. The success of her written works, mainly Harry Potter, made her one of the richest women in the world and the first billionaire author ever. Seven years after she graduated, Rowling was divorced, poor, and had a child to take care of. Also dealing with the loss of her mother, Rowling was depressed for a long time when she wrote the Harry Potter novels that turned her whole life around.

Brooke Shields - Early '00s

Brooke Shields is a famous American actress. She entered modeling while still a child and got her first movie role when she was twelve, earning critical acclaim. Her career kicked off, and she was soon in The Blue Lagoon, Endless Love, and many others. She temporarily halted her career in 1983 to earn a degree in Romance Languages at Princeton University. Brooke currently stars in a TV series called Jane the Virgin. She is the mother of two and has battled postpartum depression publicly. Shields described that she felt no connection at all to her child and even felt suicidal at times.

Britney Spears - Since She Was A Teen

Britney Spears rose to fame towards the end of the millennium with her album Baby One More Time, which came out in 1999 and brought her global success. It was certified platinum 14  times for selling over 14 million copies. Britney has since recorded eight more albums, with the most recent one being Glory in 2016. Throughout her career, Britney has had mental issues that she has publically discussed several times. It all began when she rose to fame, a period she calls her awful 20s. In 2019, she also reportedly checked into a facility in search of help in dealing with stress. She checked out of the facility in April 2019.

Channing Tatum - Since He Was In School

Channing Tatum is a world-famous actor who rose to fame with roles in Step Up, the two Magic Mike movies, and the two G.I. Joe movies. He was also in 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, and his most recent role was in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part where he voiced Superman. He also has two production companies called 33andOut and Iron Horse Entertainment. Channing revealed in interviews that he had various learning disorders, like dyslexia and ADHD, which made education difficult. As a result, Channing still doesn't regard himself as smart.

Emma Thompson - Early 1980s

Emma Thompson is a world-renowned English actress whose career began in the early ‘80s. She is most known for her performances in films such as the Nanny McPhee movies, Saving Mr. Banks, and the Harry Potter films.  So far, she has earned two Oscar awards; one for Best Actress for Howard's End and the other for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sense and Sensibility. In a radio interview, Emma reportedly revealed how hard work helped her deal with living with depression. She remembers first feeling depressed in the ‘80s and says going to the theatre every day helped her deal with it in the best possible way.

Owen Wilson - At The Height Of His Career

Owen Wilson is a famous American actor who is also known for his collaboration with Wes Anderson, the famous filmmaker. Wilson is also a screenwriter and began writing with Wes, sharing both acting and writing credits with him, on Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums. The latter got Wilson nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. He is also famous for starring in comedy films such as Wedding Crashers, The Internship, and Shanghai Noon. Owen attempted suicide in 2007 and treated his depression in multiple centers after that. Since then, Owen has not shared any comment about it and has become increasingly wary of interviews.

Reese Witherspoon - At The Height Of Her Career

Reese Witherspoon became a household name while she was still a teen actress. She debuted in The Man in the Moon and earned a Young Artist Award nomination. Reese is now best known for her performances in Legally Blonde, Wild, Walk the Line, and many others. Reese talked about how she realized, right when she turned thirty, that nobody else makes us happy but ourselves. It was right about that time that she and her now ex-husband Ryan Phillippe got a divorce (2007). They have two kids together, and Reese has one more child with Jim Toth, whom she has been married to since 2011.

Catherine Zeta-Jones - Since The Mid-2000s

Catherine Zeta-Jones is a world-famous actress whose career began when she was a child. She had success in theatre before transitioning to the big screen and achieving worldwide fame with her role in The Mask of Zorro opposite Antonio Banderas. Her performance in the musical film, Chicago, in 2002 won her an Oscar, and she currently stars in the TV series, Queen America. Zeta-Jones was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder in the mid-2000s, so she decreased her acting workload to focus on health and family. She later disclosed that her diagnosis helped her achieve a greater appreciation for life.