Millie Bobby Brown To Chappell Roan: Celebs Who Spoke Out Against Tabloid Culture

Actress Millie Bobby Brown recently spoke up about the harassment she has been facing from the media. Criticising recent press articles mocking and "dissecting" her appearance, the 21-year-old said, "This isn't journalism, this is bullying." She posted a three-minute video on her Instagram, naming press organisations and reporters who wrote such articles. "The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, is disturbing," Brown said. "That some of these articles are written by women makes it even worse."

Several celebrities have recently called out journalists who cross ethical boundaries and share ludicrous opinions or rumours. Tabloid media's relentless need to churn out sensational stories has often resulted in the exploitation of public figures. Here are some of the times when Hollywood celebrities called out invasive reporting. 

Millie Bobby Brown

British actress Millie Bobby Brown, who started acting at age nine, shared her experience of growing up in the public eye. Calling out articles about her appearance, she said, "They act like I'm supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things season one. And because I don't, I'm now a target... Let's do better, not just for me but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without the fear of being torn apart for simply existing."

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Chappell Roan

Musician Chappell Roan, known for her norm-defying makeup and songs, has called out paparazzi at several red-carpet events. At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, a photographer told her to "shut up" after she turned away from the camera. Roan yelled back, "You don't get to yell at me like that". At the premiere of Olivia Rodrigo's Guts World Tour concert film, Roan demanded an apology from a photographer who reportedly "disrespected" her at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

Becky G

In 2023, singer Becky G was reportedly harassed by the paparazzi at the Mexico City International Airport amid rumours that her then-fiancé had cheated on her. She addressed the situation on her Instagram story, writing, "First of all, I want to say to all the people who were there; I hope you’re doing well. I know it was a very intense moment, a crazy moment, and honestly, it’s something that impacted me in a very strong way, and I want to talk about it because I felt so nervous, too... I'm trying to do my thing, and it has nothing to do with drama, gossiping, and talking about the negative things in life. If there's something to say, I'm going to say it, and if there's nothing to say, I'm not going to say it."

Sydney Sweeney

Actress Sydney Sweeney once told Glamour in a 2024 interview that many paparazzi had invaded her privacy. She recounted a time when she was with her family when a media person yelled, "If you tell her to just come outside in a bikini, I'll take pictures and then I'll leave you alone." Sweeney said, "Why would I call the paparazzi to take pictures of me at my own house when my baby cousins and family are there and I'm in my backyard? Why would I ever want that? I have pictures of these guys in kayaks hiding in bushes in the ocean. They got there at 8 am and wouldn't leave until 4 pm. I should be able to be in my home and feel comfortable and safe."

Justin Bieber

In 2021, Justin Bieber called out paparazzi for clicking nonconsensual photos of him when he was sick and sharing them to imply that he was going through a depressive episode or drug addiction. "I'm still in shock we are still using those photos of me. I'm telling [you], media wants to pick bad photos of me to make it look like I'm not okay." In 2017, Bieber hit a relentless paparazzo with his car when the photographer was surrounding his vehicle. The photographer only suffered mild injuries.

Hannah Waddingham

British actress Hannah Waddingham had the perfect response to paparazzi at the 2024 Olivier Awards asking her to "show a little more leg" in her slit dress. Retaining a cool composure, she rebuked the sexist comment by rightfully saying, "You would never say that to a man, my friend. Don’t be a d**k. I’ll move off. Don’t say, ‘Show me leg.’ No!" 

long story short: hannah was being her gorgeous self and the 📸 made some comment about her leg we couldn't quite make out and... well, the video speaks for itself. This woman is a role model. Always, always call pricks out on their bullshit. https://t.co/TUPwdqEYo2 pic.twitter.com/ybhxCo5FJ6

— bruna (@odeiotedlasso) April 14, 2024

Kate Winslet

When Hollywood actress Kate Winslet was 22 years old, she was subjected to body shaming and humiliation by paparazzi. Now, over three decades into being in the industry, she has been speaking up against unethical journalism. “Apparently, I was too fat... Why were they so mean to me? They were so mean. I wasn’t even f--ing fat," she said in an interview on the "Happy Sad Confused" Podcast in 2022. She also said she "regrets not bullying the borderline abusive" media.

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Blake Lively

In 2021, actress Blake Lively called out Daily Mail Australia for photographing her children without consent. She commented on the organisation's Instagram post, "You edit together these images to look like I'm happily waving, but that is deceitful. The real story: My children were being stalked by a man all day, jumping out and then hiding... When I tried to calmly approach the photographer you hired to take these pictures in order to speak to him, he would run away — and jump out again at the next block. Do you do background checks on the photographers you pay to stalk children? Where is your morality here?"

Kanye West

Kanye West has often spoken up against the paparazzi. On one occasion, he called them out when he was being photographed while going to meet his children. "I wanna just see my kids," the rapper said. "Everybody gotta stop when I see my kids." When a pap refused to stop photographing him, West responded, "I don't care how many of you. You want to hear what I want you to do? If I need to see my kids, don't photograph them... It's called human rights." He has also stopped paparazzi from taking photos of his children without consent.

Celebrities today are increasingly speaking out against invasive and harmful coverage, calling for more responsible journalism. The conversation around media accountability and respect for personal boundaries continues to grow.