Some celebrity rumors have a grain of truth to them, but others come completely out of left field. Celebs don't always address speculation, but sometimes, it gets so out of hand that either they or a member of their team feel the need to step in.
Here are 17 wild and ridiculous rumors that celebs or their teams stopped in their tracks:
1. THE RUMOR: On the Paper Route podcast, former NFL player Brandon Marshall alleged that, at Super Bowl LVIII, Kanye West purchased a seat "right in front of Taylor Swift’s booth" so that, when the camera panned to her, his "face was going to be there." Brandon also alleged that Taylor became "pissed off" and made "a call or two" that resulted in Kanye getting "kicked out of the stadium."
THE REALITY: Kanye's representative told Forbes, "This is a completely fabricated rumor. It is not true."
2. THE RUMOR: Deuxmoi, a popular Instagram account and podcast that shares "blind items" about celebs, spent years claiming that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn secretly got married. In a 2023 Instagram story post, they said, "She DID have a ceremony in either 2020 or 2021 in the UK and it was described to me as a ‘marriage’ by more than one person. It was NEVER made legal...I will die on this hill! Put it on my tombstone! I have no reason to lie, I could give a shit what she does!!!!! I’m sorry she didn’t tell you guys about it in a song but just because she doesn’t sing about something doesn’t mean it didn’t happen!!!"
THE REALITY: Sharing a screenshot of Deuxmoi's post, Taylor's publicist, Tree Paine, tweeted, "Enough is enough with these fabricated lies about Taylor from Deuxmoi. There was NEVER a marriage or ceremony of ANY kind. This is an insane thing to post. It’s time for you to be held accountable for the pain and trauma you cause with posts like these."
Sharing screenshots of Tree's post on their Instagram story, Deux wrote, "'Pain and trauma’ … are very strong words. I understand why they’d be bothered, but Tree (and Taylor) are livid. Of all things, why are they so angry about this particular claim that they felt the need to respond? ... Well I make zero dollars from lying… can publicists say the same. Also, to relate something that is in reference to something that happened years ago to ‘pain & trauma’ after what just happened seems like a poor choice of words. Either way, I apologize to Taylor."
3. THE RUMOR: In 2023, Page Six published claims that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, who'd been together for less than six months, were already planning their engagement. An alleged source told the outlet, "Scott [Swift, Taylor's dad] has been asked for his blessing and has wholeheartedly given it, and Travis has been talking to friends about a ring."
In early 2024, Page Six repeated similar claims. An alleged source told the outlet that the couple planned to get engaged in the summer but held off on Travis proposing over the holidays because "they don’t want it to seem like it’s rushed insanity."
The source alleged, "Taylor and Travis discussed it and there is a plan... They will get engaged on their one-year anniversary in July."
THE REALITY: During a February 2024 press conference ahead of the Super Bowl, a reporter asked Travis if there was "another ring" on his mind. He replied, "I’m focused on getting this [Super Bowl] ring. That’s all my mind is focused on right now."
Likewise, a source told Us Weekly, "Travis and Taylor have no plans on getting engaged this summer. Things between them are going amazing, but they haven’t even been together for a year yet and still have so much to learn about each other."
4. THE RUMOR: From the time they first became close friends in 2014, some fans have held a conspiracy theory that Taylor Swift secretly dated Karlie Kloss. Most of the speculation seems to have stemmed from pictures that fans thought appeared to show the two women kissing at a The 1975 concert.
THE REALITY: In 2014, Taylor's reps denied the kissing rumors, telling Us Weekly, "It’s sad that on the day it’s announced Taylor has three Grammy nominations for ‘Shake It Off,’ I have to shake off this crap."
A few days later, Taylor tweeted, "As my 25th birthday present from the media, I'd like for you to stop accusing all my friends of dating me. #thirsty."
Then, in 2023, in the liner notes of her album 1989 (Taylor's Version), she reflected on that period of her life. She said, "I swore off dating and decided to focus only on myself, my music, my growth, and my female friendships. If I only hung out with my female friends, people couldn’t sensationalize or sexualize that — right? I would learn later on that people could and people would."
5. THE RUMOR: Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron maintained a close friendship in the 2010s, but some fans theorized that the pair secretly dated.
THE REALITY: In 2023, Dianna told Rolling Stone, "That [speculation] is so interesting. I mean, there have been many stories about my dating life that are so wildly untrue. That's funny."
6. THE RUMOR: In 2014, the National Enquirer published a cover that said, "[President Obama] had sex with THIS MAN" with an arrow pointing to Harry Styles.
THE REALITY: Addressing the rumor, Harry told Yahoo UK, "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I've heard some good ones in my time, but that's interesting."
7. THE RUMOR: Since the early days of One Direction, a faction of fans have maintained the conspiracy theory that Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson are in a secret relationship, which fans have nicknamed "Larry Stylinson." These fans allege that all of the boys' public relationships with women are cover-ups.
THE REALITY: Louis has denied this rumor time and time again. In 2012, he tweeted, "Hows this, Larry is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. I'm happy why can't you accept that."
Then, in 2017, he told the Sun, "I've never actually been asked about it directly. It's a funny thing. It kind of happened naturally for me and Harry because a certain amount of the fans drew up this conspiracy. When it first came around, I was with Eleanor [Calder], and it actually felt a little bit disrespectful to Eleanor, who is my girlfriend now."
He also said that fans' constant over-analyzation of his friendship with Harry was hard on the two of them. He said, "I'm so protective over things like that, about the people I love. So it created this atmosphere between the two of us where everyone was looking into everything we did. It took away the vibe you get off anyone. It made everything a little bit more unapproachable. I think [what's happened since] shows that it was never anything 'real' if I can use that word."
Then, in 2023, replying to a fan who asked him how to make chicken Parmesan and referencing the theory that he'd made the dish as a romantic dinner for Harry back in 2010, Louis tweeted, "You start by realising all these ridiculous childish theories and conspiracies are wasted time and energy and then just throw the chicken in the oven to be fair. Simple stuff."
8. THE RUMOR: Fans speculated that Harry Styles spit on costar Chris Pine during the Don't Worry Darling premiere at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.
THE REALITY: Chris Pine's reps told Variety, "This is a ridiculous story — a complete fabrication and the result of an odd online illusion that is clearly deceiving and allows for foolish speculation. Just to be clear, Harry Styles did not spit on Chris Pine."
"There is nothing but respect between these two men, and any suggestion otherwise is a blatant attempt to create drama that simply does not exist," they said.
9. THE RUMOR: In 2023, costars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell had so much chemistry that people speculated they had an affair on the set of Anyone But You. The rumors intensified when Glen reportedly broke up with his girlfriend, Gigi Paris.
THE REALITY: That November, Glen told Men's Health, "When all that stuff happened, you know, publicly, it felt disorienting and unfair. But what I’m realizing is that’s just a part of this gig now."
When the interviewer brought up the "affair," Glen inserted a correction — "alleged affair."
Similarly, a month later, Sydney told Glamour UK, "It was really hard on Glen, which made me sad…because [otherwise] it was such a beautiful experience for the both of us. I care for him so much."
"Also, I’ve never really shared that much [about my relationship with Jonathan Davino], so the press loves to create drama in stories," she added.
10. THE RUMOR: Mindy Kaling chooses to keep her children's paternity private, but fans have long speculated that their father is her The Office costar, best friend, and ex-boyfriend, B.J. Novak.
THE REALITY: In 2022, Mindy told Marie Claire, "It doesn't bother me. He's the godparent to both my kids — and they have such a great relationship — and so far [the rumors haven’t] affected my happiness at all, it hasn't affected my kids or BJ… If that's what is going to be titillating to people, I'll take it."
11. THE RUMOR: While filming American Hustle, Jennifer Lawrence allegedly forced the wardrobe department to make duplicates of her character's costumes because she constantly stained them with Cool Ranch Dorito dust.
THE REALITY: Appearing on Hot Ones in 2023, Jennifer said, "[It was] Cheeto dust. It was only one costume. It was a white dress. And I feel really bad! I actually didn't know until it came out and that was very disrespectful to the costume department. But...[it was] an accident. I wasn't like, 'Fuck you guys!' I think, also, getting the second dress, it just encouraged me. I was like, 'Oh, they must have a million of these!' ... It was a domino effect."
The rumor likely stemmed from this 2014 interview, when costume designer Michael Wilkinson told Vanity Fair that the wardrobe department had already made four versions of her character's white dress because the script originally called for her to spill champagne all over it.
He said, "And I’m kind of glad we did because Jennifer Lawrence is a very...let’s say...raw and intuitive young lady, and she’s not against eating Doritos and snack food in her costume. So we were glad that we had a couple [backups]."
Additionally, the dresses were fairly inexpensive to create, as the fabric only cost $3.99 per yard.
12. THE RUMOR: For years, The Office fans speculated that Jenna Fischer still wore her character Pam's engagement ring in her daily life.
THE REALITY: In 2020, Jenna responded to an Instagram comment about the rumor. She said, "What a terrible rumor! Of course not! wear the ring my actual husband of 10 years gave me!"
Similarly, in 2017, she tweeted, "While true that I kept the engagement ring Jim gave to Pam, it was a silver prop ring, not worth $5,000, and I do not wear it in real life."
13. THE RUMOR: In Selling Sunset Season 4, Christine Quinn seemingly had a quick recovery after giving birth in an emergency C-section. So, fans theorized that she faked her pregnancy and used a surrogate.
THE REALITY: In a 2021 Instagram story post, Christine shared a screenshot of a DM she got, which said, "Why did you fake your pregnancy? It's totally okay to admit to having a surrogate but don't set unrealistic expectations for [postpartum] moms when you didn't even carry the baby yourself. It's deceitful and a shame." Christine replied with the caption, "K y'all are beyond fucking sick."
Responding to a Twitter user who posted screenshots of Reddit posts about the theory, she said, "You are an actual sick human being. What kind of 'journalist' of sorts are you, if you are getting information from a Reddit page versus the hundreds of videos I have posted throughout my pregnancy journey?" Additionally, she included a video of herself working out while pregnant.
She also tweeted, "For all yall still mad on pregnancy gate please go look at my ig stories. And apologize. This is seriously so hurtful."
14. THE RUMOR: In 2022, Kylie Jenner shared a TikTok video of herself dancing with her longtime close friend, Anastasia Karanikolaou, aka Stassie. In the comments, fans speculated that the two had been about to kiss and were secretly in love with each other.
Another TikTok that Kylie shared for Stassie's birthday a few months later only added fuel to the fire.
THE REALITY: In the Season 3 finale of The Kardashians, Kylie said, "The whole internet thinks Stas and I are dating now. I always make out with Stas, I don’t know why this is a new thing."
Later in the episode, she told Stassie, "Isn't it so funny that everyone thinks that we're dating these days? When we get a little alcohol in our system, we just like to kiss each other and stuff."
Stassie replied, "That’s so weird. We’re just obsessed with each other."
Then, in her confessional, Kylie said, "Anastasia and I have been friends since we were probably 12 or 13. She’s definitely my oldest friend. We grew up together and been through so much together. She’s like a sister."
15. THE RUMOR: In 2015, Kylie Jenner posted a Snapchat video of her sister, Khloé Kardashian, twerking at her high school graduation party. Fans speculated that a guy in the background was doing cocaine.
THE REALITY: Khloé tweeted, "You guys will make up anything. No! No one was doing coke at a graduation party in broad day light with teenagers and 15 production cameras! We aren't as wild as you want to believe."
She continued, "We were taking Jell-O shots though and you have to scrap the rim of the shot glass w ur finger to loosen up the jello in order 2 take it. Just say no to drugs kids! Drugs so not our style."
16. THE RUMOR: After Kourtney Kardashian Barker and Travis Barker went public with their relationship in 2021, a resurfaced 2015 interview (where he told Us Weekly that he "had a crush on" Kourtney's sister Kim while he was dating her then-boss, Paris Hilton, circa 2006) led to speculation that Travis and Kim had previously hooked up.
THE REALITY: Responding to the rumor during an Instagram stories AMA, Kim said, "No! False narrative! We’ve been friends for years, and I’m so happy for him and Kourt."
17. And finally, THE RUMOR: People have long speculated that the release of Kim Kardashian and Ray J's sex tape in 2006 was a planned publicity stunt.
THE REALITY: In 2017, Kim's mom, Kris Jenner, told the Hollywood Reporter that the rumor was "offensive." She said, "Of course it's nonsense. You know, haters are gonna hate. People are gonna come up with the most ridiculous things."
