Mickey Mouse Club Curse Finally Claims Justin Timberlake
Pop idol and former Mickey Mouse Club cast member Justin Timberlake was arrested for drunk driving early Tuesday morning in Sag Harbor, New York, after allegedly running a stop sign and “failing to maintain his lane of travel,” according to authorities.
The arresting officer believed Timberlake was “operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition,” and the superstar singer was held by cops for arraignment Tuesday morning at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Court.
Overall, ex-members of the Mickey Mouse Club seem to have been more successful at staying out of legal trouble than other child stars, including those who starred in Disney productions, such as Lindsay Lohan and Adam Rich. However, Timberlake, 43, is not the only former Mouseketeer to find himself in handcuffs over a minor driving and/or alcohol-related infraction (and one federal securities fraud conviction).
Christina Aguilera
The “Dirrty” singer and onetime Mouseketeer (1993-94) was arrested—but never charged—for public intoxication after cops pulled over her boyfriend on suspicion of drunk driving. She was a passenger in a car being driven through West Hollywood by now-fiancé Matthew Rutler, who, as it turned out, was actually below the legal limit and was also not charged.
Britney Spears
In September 2023, global superstar and former Mouseketeer Britney Spears (1993-1994) was pulled over and ticketed for two violations: driving without a license and failing to provide proof of insurance. Spears, 41, had both a license and insurance, but not on her at the time, and was fined $1,140. Her attorney said the charges were “the functional equivalent of a parking ticket.” Spears was visited by police for a wellness check later that month over an Instagram video she posted that showed her dancing with knives.
Ryan Gosling
According to court documents obtained by Star magazine, the future Barbie star was arrested on suspicion of DUI in March 2005, some 10 years after his two-year stint on the Mickey Mouse Club ended. Gosling pleaded no contest to two charges, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and exhibition of speed, and was sentenced to two years’ probation and ordered to pay $849 in penalties and court costs, the outlet reported.
Annette Funicello and Darlene Gillespie.
Darlene Gillespie
Gillespie, a member of the original Mickey Mouse Club from 1955 to 1959 who would later go on to become a nurse, was hit with petty theft charges in 1997 for shoplifting four women’s shirts from a Macy’s in Southern California. She was sentenced to three days in jail. The following year, Gillespie was charged with securities fraud with then-fiancé Jerry Fraschilla, and served three months of a two-year sentence. In 2005, Gillespie was busted on mail fraud charges for allegedly taking some $300,000 she was not entitled to from a class-action settlement. The charges were later reportedly dropped.
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