Characters who left a mark on us all
'Leaving Neverland' premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019. Naturally, MJ's fans and family were furious, and the doc saw huge backlash. Yet it went on to win the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, bringing it once again into the spotlight.
The documentary centers on Armin Meiwes, a man who became world famous after he ate a voluntary victim.
See also: Meet the world's most heinous cannibals.
After all the buzz around 2019's 'Surviving R. Kelly,' a second part to the controversial documentary series aired on Lifetime in early 2020. In 2022, R. Kelly was found guilty of many charges including sexual exploitation of a child, racketeering, bribery, and sex trafficking. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Netflix's documentary series 'Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez' naturally focuses on Aaron Hernandez, the NFL star convicted of murder who went on to take his own life in jail. Hernandez's story is one of physical abuse, drug use, struggles with his sexuality, and much more, all of which is detailed in the doc series.
Former child actor Corey Feldman's documentary '(My) Truth' documents the sexual abuse he alleges he suffered, along with fellow child star Corey Haim's (1971-2010) own history of sexual abuse. Amongst those he accuses are actor Charlie Sheen, who he says sexually assaulted Haim when he was 13 (Sheen would've been 19). In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Sheen denied the allegations: "These sick, twisted and outlandish allegations never occurred. Period."
Tiger Woods has lived out a tumultuous celebrity reputation. HBO’s two-part documentary, ‘Tiger,’ dives into his relationship with his father, once again stirring up all those darkest bits of the legendary golfer’s life. Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg made a statement that went so far as to call the documentary “just another unauthorized and salacious outsider attempt to paint an incomplete portrait of one of the greatest athletes of all-time."
Woody Allen has continuously denied all accusations of misconduct against him, and has never been arrested or prosecuted. The docuseries, however, takes a much closer look at the allegations of sexual abuse aimed at the famous director, including records, documents, police investigations, social workers’ investigations, and even home videos taken of Dylan by Mia in the days after the alleged assault, in which she hauntingly describes what her "Daddy" did to her in the attic. Many say this series could be the final nail in the coffin for Allen's career.
HBO's explosive four-part docuseries 'Allen v. Farrow' details the allegations of sexual abuse against Woody Allen involving Dylan, his then seven-year-old adoptive daughter, as well as his subsequent custody battle with Mia Farrow and the controversial aftermath in the years that followed. It features Mia, actress and mother of 14, speaking publicly for the first time in decades about her former partner, Woody Allen. Ronan Farrow also congratulated his sister Dylan as she too appears for a first-person interview in the series, sharing previously unseen information regarding her sexual abuse allegations against Allen. Though he hasn't directly commented, a spokesperson for the disgraced director released a statement which said, "These documentarians had no interest in the truth. Instead, they spent years surreptitiously collaborating with the Farrows and their enablers to put together a hatchet job riddled with falsehoods."
'I Called Him Morgan' tells the chilling life story of Lee Morgan, the jazz great who was murdered by his common-law wife Helen Morgan.
The film shows patients being force fed, misdiagnosed, and mistreated. Initially, the film was banned from being released, but the ban has since been lifted.
This doc hit cinema screens back in 1999. It follows the lives of pro wrestlers, like Mick Foley (pictured), inside and outside the ring.
At the height of the 'Free Britney' campaign and the legal proceedings to end the conservatorship, CNN released the documentary ''Toxic: Britney Spears' Battle For Freedom.' Spears herself watched some of the doc and was not a fan... She posted a sarcastic response on social media: "Wow they used the most beautiful footage of me in the world [weary emoji] !!! What can I say .. the EFFORT on their part [applause and eye-rolling emojis] !!!" Several documentaries about her career and conservatorship have been released in the past year, but Spears has not supported any of them, informing fans that much of what they say about her is not true.
Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky was one of the most hysterical political scandals in history. 'The Clinton Affair' shines light on those events, as well as the aftermath.
Lifetime aired out nearly every accusation levied against R. Kelly, the R&B star who has been plagued with sexual assault allegations for over 25 years.
The filmmakers fought with Vince McMahon (pictured), a giant of pro wrestling, to get the film finished. The aftermath of the film's subjects has also made 'Beyond the Mat' a harrowing and haunting watch.
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's performance at the 2004 Super Bowl gave way to one of the most infamous moments in the history of live TV. Timberlake tore a piece of Jackson's outfit away which exposed one of her breasts. The fallout was instant and complaints from viewers and sponsors poured in. The backlash Jackson faced almost ended her career, while Timberlake's popularity continued to climb. The New York Times are released a documentary called 'Malfunction' which explores how the incident happened and why the consequences for the two performers were so different.
A&E's explosive 10-part docuseries 'Secrets of Playboy' sends shivers down the spine. Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner's main girlfriend from 2001-2008, opens up about her experience. "I feel like on 'Girls Next Door,' Hef was portrayed as a kindly grandpa but that's not how he is," said Madison. "It would make me so angry how manipulative he was. Hef controlled every aspect of our life." She claims that he refused to use protection during sex and would pit the women against each other so that they were easier to control. While there are opinions shared from those in Hefner's circle claiming that all the women could have simply left, Madison revealed why she felt she couldn't. She claimed that Hef had countless explicit photos and videos of the women, which he often took while they were extremely drunk. If any of them tried to leave, they risked the compromising files being released to the public.
Just over a year after Evan Rachel Wood dropped a bombshell on Instagram and named "Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” as her alleged abuser, HBO released a two-part documentary called 'Phoenix Rising,' which details how the actress fought for the Phoenix Act in California and follows her as she connects with other individuals who accused Manson of sexual assault, grooming, and manipulation.
The Netflix documentary 'Our Father' tells the unbelievable story of a doctor who played God. Donald Cline worked as a fertility doctor in Indianapolis, however, instead of inseminating his female patients with specimens from their chosen sperm donors or partners, he secretly used his own sperm. He did this for decades before his bizarre scheme came to light. One of his many biological children was shocked to discover they had a number of half-siblings after taking an at-home DNA test, which started the investigation. The incredible scale of his crime becomes apparent as the documentary unfolds.
Armie Hammer's shocking fall from grace and the complicated life that proceeded it are explored in the three-part discovery+ docuseries, 'House of Hammer,' released in September 2022. The documentary features two of Hammer's ex-girlfriends, Courtney Vucekovich and Julia Morrison, as they describe how their relationships with him evolved from love-bombing, to possession, to perversion. Hammer's aunt, Casey Hammer, reveals that she was sexually abused by her father and says, "Magnify 'Succession' a million times and it was literally my family.” Multiple women have accused Hammer of abusive behavior and having perverse sexual obsessions, and he was named the "main suspect" in a sexual assault allegation made by an anonymous woman in 2021.
Investigation Discovery released the first trailer for their upcoming documentary 'The Price of Glee,' and it looks to be a grim recount of the bubbly, upbeat show. Ryan Murphy's heart-warming comedy-drama was plagued with scandal and tragedy behind the scenes, from the sudden drug-related death of Cory Monteith to the tragic drowning of Naya Rivera, not to mention the case of Mark Salling who played Puck. The actor took his own life at age 35 after being arrested for harboring tens of thousands of images of child abuse. "In May 2009, 10 young actors made their TV debut on Glee," the trailer begins. "By 2020, all of them would be famous. And three of them would be dead."
The documentary will analyze the circumstances surrounding each death and how the young actors' success affected them. It includes interviews with Naya Rivera's father, but none of the 'Glee' cast members or creators collaborated with the show. It's set to premiere on January 16, 2023.
'Nobody Speak' tackles free speech in American media. It largely focuses on Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media, who published portions of Hogan's sex tape with Heather Clem.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have bared all in their new Netflix docuseries 'Harry & Meghan,' the first volume of which was released on December 8 and the second to follow December 15. But the first three episodes alone have drawn criticism for the intimate look into the royal couple's home life and relationship, along with of course the bombshells about the royal family. Critics began to point fingers at how the couple has previously complained about press intrusion into their lives, but a statement issued by the couple's press secretary shut down that line of argument immediately.
"The Duke and Duchess have never cited privacy as the reason for stepping back. This distorted narrative was intended to trap the couple into silence," the statement said, according to a report by the BBC. "In fact, their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties. Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series." The statement added, "They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion."
Want to know more? Click on to discover other documentary films that have struck up controversy.
'Harry & Meghan' and other controversial docs you need to watch
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry defend docuseries following privacy criticism
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have bared all in their new Netflix docuseries 'Harry & Meghan,' the first volume of which was released on December 8 and the second to follow December 15. But the first three episodes alone have drawn criticism for the intimate look into the royal couple's home life and relationship, along with of course the bombshells about the royal family. Critics began to point fingers at how the couple has previously complained about press intrusion into their lives, but a statement issued by the couple's press secretary shut down that line of argument immediately.
"The Duke and Duchess have never cited privacy as the reason for stepping back. This distorted narrative was intended to trap the couple into silence," the statement said, according to a report by the BBC. "In fact, their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties. Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series." The statement added, "They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion."
Want to know more? Click on to discover other documentary films that have struck up controversy.