Nina Dobrev may have mastered escaping vampires and dodging supernatural mayhem, but when it comes to navigating real-world roads, she’s a certified passenger princess! Despite her action-packed scenes in The Vampire Diaries, Nina confessed in a 2017 interview that she has "zero driving skills" and doesn't even have a driver’s license.
While most of us are battling traffic, Nina is kicking back, letting someone else handle the wheel, whether it's a chauffeur or a ride-sharing driver. With no accidents to her name (phew!), it seems this actress is happy to let life’s drama play out anywhere but behind the wheel. Maybe after all that Mystic Falls chaos, Nina decided the real thrill is simply enjoying the ride.
Timothée Chalamet might play characters who can handle life’s twists and turns but put him behind the wheel, and it’s a different story! Raised in New York City, where taxis and subways were his primary rides, Timothée only snagged his driver’s license in his early 20s.
Filming Beautiful Boy proved just how green he was — a now-famous clip shows him hilariously struggling to park a truck, much to the delight of his amused co-stars. While he’s gotten more comfortable driving in LA, when it comes to long road trips, Timothée is happy to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, proving that even Hollywood’s heartthrob has a soft spot for the passenger seat.
Robert Downey Jr. might have embodied the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist persona of Tony Stark on screen, but his real-life journey wasn’t always as smooth. In 1996, he hit a serious bump in the road when he was pulled over for speeding along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.
Police found him under the influence and discovered illegal substances in his car, leading to a year in jail and three years of probation. Fortunately, Downey Jr. has since turned his life around, overcoming his past struggles. These days, he’s much more likely to sit back and enjoy the ride as a passenger, letting someone else take the wheel while he focuses on maintaining his hard-earned sobriety and continued success.
Reese Witherspoon, America's beloved sweetheart, added an unexpected accessory to her collection in 2013: a DUI arrest. When her husband was pulled over, Reese decided to take a page from the diva handbook, delivering the memorable line, "Do you know my name?" as she tried to pull a little celebrity weight.
Unfortunately for her, the police were unimpressed and didn’t let fame cloud their judgment. While the incident made headlines, Witherspoon has since moved past the drama. These days, she’s more likely to be found relaxing as a passenger rather than making waves from the driver’s seat.
Jaime King, known for her stunning looks and successful modeling career, faced a blemish on her public image with a DUI charge. Even with all her beauty, she couldn’t escape the consequences of poor choices behind the wheel. According to her ex-husband, Kyle Newman, who spoke to US Weekly, King struggled with substance abuse, leading to a series of personal and professional issues.
Newman revealed that he spent years trying to support and cover for her, from her erratic behavior to driving under the influence. Despite the turbulent times, it seems King has realized the value of letting someone else handle the driving, preferring to keep her focus on her career and personal growth.
Rebecca De Mornay, famous for her role in Risky Business, took the concept of risky behavior a bit too literally in 2007 when she landed a DUI arrest. It seems she mistook her on-screen adventures for real-life driving tactics, leading to her run-in with the law.
Perhaps she forgot that risky business is better left to the movies and not behind the wheel. These days, it might be wise for De Mornay to leave the driving to a professional chauffeur and stick to starring in roles that keep the excitement safely on screen.
Navigating a life filled with legal troubles, DMX found himself on the wrong side of the law a staggering 30 times. Among his various offenses were 15 driving-related arrests, ranging from reckless driving and DUI to driving without a license. His criminal record also included more serious charges like robbery, assault, and carjacking.
Despite his success and fame, DMX's troubled past and legal issues continued to shadow him. Even with his rise to stardom, the artist couldn't escape his history of run-ins with the law. Tragically, DMX passed away in 2021 from a heart attack, making it all the more remarkable that he lived to age 50 given his tumultuous lifestyle. Must have been the passenger princess lifestyle.
Zooey Deschanel, known for her whimsical charm and roles in shows like "New Girl", presents a bit of a mystery when it comes to her driving habits. While there’s no public record of her admitting to being unlicensed, there’s also scant evidence that she holds a driver’s license.
Rarely spotted behind the wheel, Deschanel often relies on public transportation or friends for her on-screen and off-screen rides. So, does she prefer to be a passenger in her own life, or is she simply keeping her driving habits under wraps? The truth remains as elusive as one of her signature sundresses, adding another layer of intrigue to her already captivating persona.
Seth Green, the creative mind behind "Robot Chicken" and a fan-favorite on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", surprises fans with his lack of driving credentials. Despite portraying characters involved in car chases and high-speed antics, Green has openly admitted to never obtaining a driver's license.
Living in Los Angeles, where car culture reigns supreme, he opts for alternative transportation methods. Whether it’s relying on his wife to drive, using ride-sharing apps, or zipping around on his electric scooter — an iconic L.A. twist — Green cleverly navigates the city without the need for driver’s ed. Perhaps this unique approach allows him to focus more on dreaming up wild automotive scenarios for his projects!
Janelle Monáe, the boundary-pushing artist known for her avant-garde music videos and empowering songs, presents a bit of an enigma when it comes to driving. While she often dazzles fans with futuristic spaceships on screen, there's no public confirmation of her holding a driver's license.
This hasn't hindered her musical success; residing in Atlanta, where public transportation is on the rise, Monáe likely relies on rideshares, friends, or even a chauffeur — though the latter might seem a tad too conventional for her edgy style. Perhaps her choice to forgo driving is a deliberate move, freeing her from the mundane aspects of daily life and allowing her to channel all her energy into groundbreaking musical creations.
Michelle Rodriguez's passion for high-speed thrills wasn’t just confined to the silver screen. Her real-life driving record, spanning the 2000s, reveals a series of DUI and driving-related charges that made headlines. From Hollywood to Hawaii, Rodriguez’s legal troubles seemed almost as extensive as her roles in the Fast and Furious franchise.
In 2003, she faced arrests for DUI, hit-and-run, and driving with an expired license, resulting in probation and community service. Two years later, she encountered more legal issues in Hawaii, including another DUI and probation violations, leading to brief jail time. Thankfully, Rodriguez has since embraced a more low-key lifestyle, steering clear of the controversies that once defined her off-screen persona.
Justin Bieber's 2014 DUI arrest in Miami Beach capped off his notorious teenage troublemaker phase with a dramatic flair. His escapades included drag racing, resisting arrest, and sporting an expired license — all of which culminated in a mugshot that reflected his rebellious streak. The incident was a far cry from his hit song “Love Yourself,” as Bieber faced the consequences of his actions.
Pleading guilty to reduced charges of careless driving and resisting arrest, he was handed fines, required to make charitable donations, and enrolled in an anger management course. This publicized misstep marked a turning point, as Bieber worked to clean up his image and steer away from further legal issues. Today you can find him throughly enjoying the passenger princess lifestyle.
Kevin Hart's 2013 DUI arrest was no laughing matter, even for the comedian known for his quick wit. The night took a dramatic turn when Hart, speeding and under the influence, nearly crashed into a gas tanker truck. This unsettling episode quickly became more than just a punchline.
Hart pled no contest to the charges, resulting in probation, fines, and an alcohol education program. In the aftermath, he’s used the experience as a cautionary tale, sharing how the incident served as a wake-up call and a lesson in responsibility. Despite the serious nature of the situation, Hart has turned it into a platform for personal growth and reflection, as he kicks back on the motor ways and enjoys the passenger seat.
Mel Gibson's 2006 DUI arrest in Malibu was a stark reminder that even Hollywood’s elite aren’t immune to making headlines for the wrong reasons. The incident took a troubling turn when Gibson’s arrest was accompanied by a barrage of anti-Semitic remarks. Following a brief stint in rehab, his career faced a sharp decline, paralleling the drop in his blood alcohol level.
Pleading no contest to the charges, Gibson was fined and sentenced to three years of probation. Despite issuing apologies and seeking treatment for alcoholism, his acting career never fully rebounded. In recent years, Gibson has shifted his focus to directing, spending more time behind the camera and in the passenger seat than in the drivers seat.
Lindsay Lohan's tumultuous journey through Hollywood has been marked by a series of DUI charges and legal troubles. In 2007, she was arrested twice for DUI and drug possession, leading to brief stints in jail and multiple rehab visits. Her legal woes didn’t end there; in 2012, Lohan was involved in a car accident and faced additional charges for lying to the police.
Her frequent run-ins with the law seemed almost to rival her acting career, with brief jail stays and a revolving door of rehab stints becoming a regular part of her public persona. Despite the chaos, Lohan somehow managed to maintain a presence in the entertainment world, even if it meant starring in a series of straight-to-DVD films. These days she's more likely to be found being a passenger princess than a captain of the road.
