Actors Who Are Stuck In Prison For Life

Are actors just like us? Surely the life of fame and excess provided by regularly appearing on screens in front of millions changes one's life for better and for worse. Some probably develop a sense of immortality. Money and prestige can buy a person a lot of things, but a fast-paced lifestyle might lead a person to make some questionable decisions. A lot of performers blow their chances to live the good life and wind up behind bars. If they run especially afoul of the law, those celebrities could wind up stuck in prison, spending the rest of their days far away from the silver screen.

According to a 2020 study by The Sentencing Project, one in every seven prisoners — over 200,000 people — in the United States is serving a life sentence. Celebrities don't necessarily get an easier ride, either: A 2016 study by the Entertainment and Sports Law Journal noted that celebrities face a heightened conviction rate, with famous defendants facing a 12.1% increase in the likelihood of a guilty verdict. Over the years, a fair amount of famous criminals have received life sentences when they reach their trial date, and here are a few of the screen performers who will likely spend the rest of their lives in prison. Be warned: the details of some of their crimes are not for the faint of heart.

The following article includes allegations of sexual assault and child abuse.

Ryan Grantham is a Canadian actor who made his screen debut in 2007, and his first performance in a theatrical release was an uncredited role in "Jumper" the following year. He's probably best known for his role in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," but he also popped up in a couple episodes of "Supernatural" and one episode of "Riverdale." That 2019 "Riverdale" appearance will be his swan song as an actor. 

In 2022, Grantham pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge and was handed down a life sentence in September that year, with the possibility of parole after 14 years. Grantham suffered from various mental health issues, leading him to plot out several acts of violence. In March 2020, he killed his mother, allegedly to spare her from seeing what he would do next. Grantham then intended to assassinate the Canadian prime minister or carry out a mass shooting at his college campus. He loaded his vehicle with weapons and set out but, thankfully, he instead turned himself in to the authorities the following day. The prosecutors cited a consensus opinion that Grantham was experiencing depression before he killed his mother and planned to kill others. Grantham's introduction to the prison system was likely a shock, and his first opportunity to appeal for parole will come in 2036.

Danny Masterson made his debut when he was 12, but he'd find the role that would define his career a decade later. From 1998 to 2006, Masterson portrayed Steven Hyde in the celebrated sitcom "That '70s Show" and starred in 200 episodes before the show wrapped. Masterson found a few TV, film, and voice acting roles before locking down "The Ranch," another successful comedy with his "70s Show" co-star, Ashton Kutcher. He lost that gig in 2017, when several long-standing allegations of sexual assault became too loud to ignore. 

In May 2023, Masterson was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape and sentenced to 30 years to life. He will serve two consecutive prison terms of 15 years, but could very well remain behind bars for the rest of his life. His unnamed victims report assaults that occurred while "That '70s Show" was on the air. Both Masterson and his victims are members of the notoriously questionable Church of Scientology, and two of the victims' statements specifically mentioned Scientology. Their emotional calls for justice, including the third accuser whose account was dismissed, noted the decades-long cover-up. Masterson's life in prison may have been a long time coming, but at least his victims can rest easy now.

Michael Jace was a notable character actor throughout the 90s and 2000s. He appeared in classics like "Forest Gump" and "Boogie Nights," and once played Michael Jordan in a TV movie. His most iconic role came in 2002, when he portrayed Officer Julien Lowe in FX's "The Shield," which became a celebrated progenitor of prestige TV shows like "Breaking Bad." Jace's role as a corrupt cop was the high point of his career, which had few other notable performances. That lack of work contributed to money problems, which heightened tensions with his wife, April Jace. Those issues, alongside a history of domestic violence, came to a head in 2014.

Jace was convicted of murder after repeatedly and fatally shooting his wife. He reportedly sent a message to his father-in-law and confessed his actions before calling 911 on himself. Terrified of his wife seeing another man and furious after she asked him for a divorce, Jace shot her once, then twice more in front of their sons. Jace received a 40-year sentence at the age of 53, practically guaranteeing that he would spend the rest of his days in prison. In 2019, California's 2nd Court of Appeal suggested sending the case back to trial after a change in state laws, but the California Supreme Court refused to hear the case, leaving Jace's fate unchanged. 

Joseph Hyungmin Son is best known for his final acting performance. He was mostly a mixed martial arts fighter, though with a record of zero wins and four losses, acting might have been a better direction. His most iconic role was in the first "Austin Powers" movie, where he portrayed Random Task — a parody of Oddjob from "Goldfinger" — who attacked his enemies by throwing a shoe rather than a hat. Outside of that classic Mike Myers comedy, Son popped up in a few bad action movies and briefly wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling, but that's pretty much the end of his performing resume. 

Son received a life sentence for the nightmarish gang rape he committed in 1990. He and a co-conspirator kidnapped a woman and repeatedly raped her, while also threatening her life and savagely beating her. Son was eventually brought to justice when, after he confessed to felony vandalism in 2008, a DNA test linked him to the 1990 attack. He received his life sentence three years later but then added another charge to his incarceration: While in Wasco State Prison, Son allegedly killed his cellmate in a brawl. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to an additional 27 years. Random Task will not leave prison, and the world is safer for that fact.

Bobby Beausoleil is more of a convict who occasionally did some acting. This infamous member of the Manson Family was sentenced to death way back in 1970 for the 1969 murder of Gary Hinman. Thanks to a change in California policy, Beausoleil's sentence was commuted to lifetime imprisonment. He's made several attempts to apply for parole, but to date, he's one of the many Manson Family members still in prison. He was 74 at the time of his last parole hearing, which was denied, and he'll be 79 for his next attempt in January 2025. It's safe to assume that, despite his best efforts, Beausoleil will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.

Beausoleil's acting career was considerably shorter than his prison sentence. His first role was in "The Ramrodder," a hilariously named X-rated project from 1969, and the second is the short "Invocation of My Demon Brother" by Kenneth Anger. Beausoleil also appeared in the cult classic 1967 documentary/drama "Mondo Hollywood." It's technically a documentary, but he and the other performers also played characters, making it a bit tough to place. Beausoleil is much more prolific as a musician, providing the score for a few projects while behind bars, including the experimental film "Lucifer Rising." 

Kalaan "KR" Walker is a young actor and rapper who made his cinematic debut in the 2017 drama "Kings," which followed a foster family in the weeks immediately preceding the Rodney King verdict and resulting uprising. He appeared in two episodes of the short-lived BET courtroom drama "In Contempt" the following year, but Walker's most notable role came in Director X's "Superfly." That 2018 project, a remake of the 70s blaxploitation classic of the same name, came from producer Joel Silver and rapper Future. Walker portrayed Juju, arguably the main antagonist of the piece and an engaging role for the young performer.

Walker's career was short, as the LAPD arrested him the same year he starred in "Superfly." Four years later, Walker was convicted of three counts of forcible rape and other sexual crimes, and was sentenced to 50 years to life in federal prison. Walker's methods involved reaching out to aspiring models through social media, promising opportunities, and sexually assaulting them. He was 27 when he received his sentence, suggesting he'll be 77 once he serves out his full 50-year term, but life imprisonment is very much still possible.

In 2024, Walker issued a long Instagram post that assured his fans that he was doing well behind bars. He reported his success in college, involvement in multiple positive groups, and work aiding elderly fellow inmates.

Skylar Julius Deleon was a child actor whose only notable performance was an uncredited appearance — as an unnamed kid — in a 1994 episode of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." Deleon, who officially transitioned to female in 2019, otherwise only appeared in commercials. She's much better known as a criminal than an actor: After spending most of 2002 behind bars on a burglary charge, Deleon murdered fellow inmate Jon Jarvi after scamming him out of $50,000. However, she racked up more debt throughout 2003, forcing her to commit a more heinous crime.

In 2004, Deleon partnered with Alonso Machain, John Kennedy, and her then-wife Jennifer Henderson to deceive and murder Thomas and Jackie Hawks. Deleon and Henderson approached the Hawks, feigning interest in buying their yacht. Deleon and her accomplices then subdued the Hawks, forced them to sign over the rights to their yacht, tied them to the boat's anchor, and pushed them overboard. To date, their bodies have never been found. Deleon was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder in 2008 and received a death sentence the following year. Deleon remains on death row, but the state of California has a standing moratorium on the death penalty, likely keeping the former child actor behind bars for the rest of their natural life. 

Dennis Roldan wore a lot of hats before he entered his lifetime prison sentence. He was an actor with nearly 60 credits under his belt, a politician, and a somewhat successful basketball player. Roldan was a celebrated performer who once took home the 1983 Metro Manila Film Festival award for Best Supporting Actor, and his acting career covered a wide variety of styles and genres. He had consistent roles in a few TV series in the Philippines while also making time to pop up in several movies. In 2005's "Terrorist Hunter," Roldan portrayed Abdul Malic, a prolific kidnapper. This would prove to be his most unfortunate role nine years later, when he would be convicted of kidnapping a child.

Roldan was charged with kidnapping a 3-year-old boy with two co-conspirators in 2005, but walked free for nine years after making bail. In 2014, he would face a local judge and receive a life sentence at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. With his co-conspirators having died before their trials took place, Roldan proclaimed his innocence, but the most condemning piece of evidence came from a telecommunications company employee, who testified to texts from the victim's mother that were found on Roldan's cell phone. Those messages showed that Roldan had reportedly demanded 200 million Philippine pesos, or just under $3.5 million, for the boy's release.

After Roldan's arrest, the series "My Destiny" killed off his character. His co-star, Tom Rodriguez, expressed shock in an interview and that he intended to visit Roldan behind bars.

Standing over 7 feet tall, Rashid Byrd is mostly known as a basketball player. Although the NBA Draft passed him by in 2003, Byrd played as a center in the NBA's D-league and on several lesser-known teams around the world. Despite his questionable success on the court, Byrd did manage two screen appearances in the late 2000s. The high point of his career came in 2008, when he portrayed a nameless member of the fictional Flint Michigan Tropics in the somewhat forgotten Will Ferrell comedy, "Semi-Pro." His only other acting credit came in a documentary short film directed by actor Mario Van Peebles. 

In March 2024, Byrd received a 90-year-to-life sentence in a state prison for multiple violent sexual assaults. Investigators began looking into Byrd after a victim came forward in 2019, which after revealing a pattern of similar behavior — including a sexual assault arrest in 2005 and a conviction in 2010 — led to his arrest in September 2020. Detectives characterized Byrd's behavior as initially charming before turning to violence and force. In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department celebrated their successful investigation and urged anyone with further information on Byrd's victims to reach out. 

Dennis Da Silva fits comfortably into the long list of former child stars who ended up in jail. Many from the Philippines may remember Da Silva as one of the child performers on the 1986 variety series, "That's Entertainment." The same year, he appeared in film projects like "Ninja Kids and the Samurai Sword" and "Captain Barbell." He played his final part when he was 18 years old, popping up in a drama film called "Underage Too." Once a teen star, Da Silva's career ended abruptly when his legal troubles began. 

In 2002, Da Silva was arrested for 15 counts of rape and four counts of child abuse. Da Silva impregnated his cohabitating partner's 14-year-old daughter, claiming that his actions were part of a consensual relationship. In 2020, after spending 17 years in jail during his trial, Da Silva received a life sentence for his rape charges, plus four-to-six years for his child abuse charges. The court also ordered him to pay millions of pesos for his civil offenses, tying his ability to apply for any kind of pardon or reduction to his ability to raise the money. 

Craig "Karm" Gillespie is a minor Australian actor best known for a couple of appearances on the police procedural series "Blue Heelers." Gillespie largely quit acting in 2009 and developed a decent career for himself as a property investor, eventually teaching courses and giving motivational speeches. However, in 2013, he went to China and never returned. Several friends looked into his disappearance only to discover that he was being held in a Chinese prison for seven years, after allegedly attempting to transport 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine out of China. In 2020, he received a death sentence, but several sources maintain that there's more to the story.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Roger James Hamilton, a friend and business partner of Gillespie, claims the latter is the victim of a setup, saying, "[Investors] asked (Gillespie) to carry presents back to their partners in Australia, which included handbags. The drugs were in the handbags." The Guardian spoke to BBC foreign correspondent Peter Humphrey, who suggests foul play by the Chinese government. Humphrey accuses the Chinese government of using Gillespie as "a point of leverage and negotiation which they can inject into their discussions with the Australian government." Though Chinese state media denies any connection between Gillespie's case and their relationship with Australia, Gillespie's situation remains grim. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault or child abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.