Blake Lively says ‘threatening’ paparazzi encounter ‘felt dangerous as a mother’

Blake Lively is continuing to speak out against the paparazzi, and the publications that work with them, after a “frightening” experience with her three daughters.

Last weekend the former Gossip Girl star took to Instagram to call out the Daily Mail Australia for publishing photos edited to look like she was having a fun day out in New York City with the three girls she shares with husband Ryan Reynolds: James, 6, Inez, 4, and Betty, 1. In response to the newspaper’s caption hailing her as a “hands-on mum [who] expertly wrangles” her three children, Lively shared that, in reality, “my children were being stalked by men all day. Jumping out. Then hiding.”

She added that it is “dark and upsetting that you pay people to stalk children. Please stop paying grown-ass men to hide and hunt children.”

The 33-year-old’s statement has been met with an outpouring of support, prompting her to share more about the “f***ing scary” situation and implore readers and other publications to “put their foot down to stop the scary exploitation of children.” One action she suggested was to block or report any account sharing photos of children. 

Lively thanked supporters for standing up to

Lively thanked supporters for standing up to “the scary exploitation of children.” (Photo: Instagram)

While the Daily Mail Australia Instagram account no longer has the photo of Lively and her children up, other publications and accounts are continuing to share them. This has resulted in Lively speaking out once more in a follow-up post on Tuesday.

In response to an Instagram account calling her a “supermom” for carrying Betty while pushing her older daughters in a double stroller, she clarified that she was only doing so because she felt threatened and wanted to keep them safe.

“Since some publications continue to tell you lies so you don’t unfollow them… Yeah I’m an awesome mom. But no one holds a large baby in one arm while pushing a double stroller — with one hand — that has a 4-year-old and 6-year-old inside the stroller unless they’re in a threatening scenario. I’m not that impressive. I mean, if that didn’t tell you everything… “

In a direct comment to the account, she added, “Please delete. Please don’t buy photos from men stalking children. You can see on my face, even under my glasses, that it was deeply disturbing. There’s a reason I’m holding my baby and pushing the others, not wanting anyone [to] walk. So I had them all in my immediate safety in that scenario that felt dangerous as a mother. Please represent the truth here.”

The actress also disputed the tabloid framing of her as a

The actress also disputed the tabloid framing of her as a “supermom” because of the way she carried her kids. (Photo: Instagram)

Lively is not the only celebrity mom taking a protective stance against members of the paparazzi. Earlier this month, Gigi Hadid posted an open letter on Instagram Stories asking photographers, the press and fan accounts to blur her infant daughter Khai’s face in any images. And in May, new mom Sophie Turner shared a blistering statement in response to her daughter Willa being photographed. 

“It’s f***ing creepy that grown old men taking pictures of a baby without their permission,” Turner wrote. “I’m sickened, I’m disgusted and I’m respectfully asking everyone to stop following us around and stop trying to take pictures of our daughter and especially printing them.”

Leave a Comment