In the U.S. state of California, Hollywood celebrities have defended the right to privacy and their children. Now photographers who break the law will pay a fine or get a real prison sentence. “Film Pro” recalled the story of the battle between “star” parents and their harassers.
In 2004, Nicole Kidman sued photographers who she said had installed listening devices in her parents’ Sydney home. The actress was the prosecutor in two cases and won both. Sean Penn, who found himself on the other side in 2010, also came to trial – he was put on the bench after he attacked a photographer. The result was three years’ probation. Alec Baldwin is among the known aggressors, he attacked paparazzi and took away their cameras several times. In one such incident, he defended his wife, who gave birth less than a week ago.
Alec Baldwin attacked a photographer
The media scrutiny is one of the main problems of today’s “stars. Thanks to new technologies, journalists can now install listening devices in celebrities’ homes, as was the case with Nicole Kidman; hackers can hack into personal emails – something similar happened to Scarlett Johansson, whose private photos were posted online. Then the culprit was found and sentenced to 10 years in prison. But the most effective way to get exclusive material is still the 24-hour surveillance of celebrities through a camera lens.
Celebrities about their kids and paparazzi
Famous actors have repeatedly complained about the attention of journalists to their own colleagues in numerous interviews. Perhaps they hope that the appeals published in the press and said on TV awaken paparazzi’s conscience. They want to protect not only themselves, but also their children, who sometimes do not understand why their parents are persecuted by strangers.
Angelina Jolie
When we see photographers, we just smile and tell our kids, “Don’t worry, it’s no big deal. They’ll just take pictures.” As parents, the only thing that helps us is making sure that no one is going to hurt our children. So we try to smile so the kids know everything’s okay, so they don’t feel the negativity that’s really there.”
Johnny Depp
We’re in a constant battle with the paparazzi. That’s never going to change. All photographers are very ambitious. When we’re at some premiere or any public event, I don’t mind the press, but when we’re out shopping for Christmas, it’s annoying. It’s disgusting. I can still understand being followed, but when it comes to my children… It’s a sin.”
Kate Hudson
Photographers are stalking me, stalking my parents. My son Ryder doesn’t know who they are, he’s too young. The paparazzi are being aggressive, and my son is getting shut down. Children should always remain children, they can’t be closed off to the world. This harassment should be banned.”
Jennifer Garner doesn’t like the paparazzi stalking her family
Now it would seem that the ice has been broken. Starting in 2014, California will increase penalties for stalkers: Offenders will have to pay up to $10,000 fine or serve a year in jail. The relevant document was signed the other day by the governor of the “star” state.
The law was championed by “celebrity moms” Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner. The latter is getting a lot of attention right now. Her husband, actor and director Ben Affleck, will become the new Batman, so, after this news, photographers, who have been following Affleck-Garner and their children, began to take many more pictures. From this, of course, all three of the couple’s children suffer. Halle Berry attended court hearings in Sacramento to discuss stricter rules for journalists dealing with minors back in June of this year. Both Berry, who already has a child, and Garner are now expecting another addition, so they are well aware that after the birth of children will be even more attention from the press – paparazzi will try to be the first to get shots of the newborns. Jennifer Garner explained her desire to get rid of pushy photographers this way:
“I don’t want to see a mob of screaming and lawbreaking photographers everywhere my family appears. It happens every day and traumatizes the psyche of my children.”
In a meeting with the governor of California, Halle Berry also complained about the media attention on her children:
“We’re not cranky celebrities like people think, that’s not why we came here. First and foremost, we are parents who are just trying to protect our children. Journalists have a right to take pictures, although I hate to think that my children are the target of paparazzi harassment. Still, I have to let them take pictures of them. But we would like to make them respect us and our privacy.”