Top 10 Celebs Who Opened Up About Online Hate
#10: Megan Fox
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This actress has been on our screens since she was a teenager and has received an unwarranted amount of hate over the years. Fox addressed people’s willingness to label her based on their perception of her public image rather than who she actually is. She told “Entertainment Tonight,” “People are very trigger happy to call [her] stupid or [...] vain.” She also confessed she’d been shamed over her relationship with Machine Gun Kelly. The actress has previously opened up about the impact public scrutiny has had on her mental wellbeing. However, she also said, “[she] would never fill [her] brain with anything trolls have to say.” Good on you, Megan!
#9: Timothée Chalamet
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Social media has helped build bridges between celebs and their fans. But it’s also opened them up to immense scrutiny. Sadly, this actor can’t imagine “growing up without the onslaught of social media.” In fact, he told reporters at the 2022 Venice Film Festival that he believes the age of social media could result in “societal collapse.” He added that his generation doesn't know a world that doesn’t come with intense surveillance and judgment from being present on social platforms. Chalamet, who was promoting “Bones and All,” talked about his character’s freedom to find his place in the world away from the influence of social media.
#8: Simone Biles
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In 2021, seven-time Olympic medalist opted to pull out of the Japan games after experiencing a phenomenon called “the twisties.” Not everyone saw her decision to prioritize her well-being as positive. Biles said that she typically avoids looking at online comment sections, knowing they’re often a cesspool of negativity. But, she called out the haters this time around, highlighting her achievements and saying that the word “quitter” was not in her vocabulary. She also made it a point to express how vile some of the messages were and how she’d never be told the same IRL. Biles couldn’t even share photos from her wedding day without receiving criticism. Still, when it’s the happiest day of your life, who cares what the haters think! They don’t have seven Olympic medals!
#7: Zayn Malik
In 2012, the former One Direction member opened up about the online racism that targeted both him and his family. In fact, Malik said that he’s most upset by the comments which are reported back to him by his family. He also pointed out the power of social media in that, if people were saying the same things in-person to him, something could be done. The anonymity of online hate-speech affords it a kind of pass that in-person discrimination doesn’t get, especially when it’s directed at celebrities. That same year, Malik decided to deactivate his Twitter account due to the amount of harassment he’d been receiving. Spotify also had to be pushed to remove a heinous song that targeted the singer’s ethnicity.
#6: Taylor Swift
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To say that TSwift had endured a lot of hate would be a colossal understatement. However, over time, it seems she’s learned to “Shake It Off.” She shared that she penned the song as a clap back to the “criticism and gossip and humiliation” she’s often faced adding that “[she] didn’t want it to feel victimized.” She talked about how her attitude to hate has changed since she released “Mean,” which she described as stemming from more of a “semi-defeated place”. In the past, the singer has been outspoken about the sexist and belittling backlash she faces, but seems to have only redoubled her focus on her music. We like you for you, Taylor, even if your “reputation has never been worse”!
#5: Ariana Grande
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Some people seemingly have a “Problem” with everything from Grande’s fashion choices to her forehead size, so she’s no stranger to batting off negativity. She’s also been accused of lip-syncing and dealt with a lot of unkindness following Mac Miller’s passing, and after her split from Pete Davidson. Like many, the hatefulness drove her to take a break from social media to focus on her mental health. Most recently, Grande called out those who were commenting on her weight. She explained that the photos people were calling “healthy” were actually from an “unhealthy” point in her life. This was a poignant reminder that pictures only tell a fraction of a story.
#4: Anne Hathaway
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Anne Hathaway went from the people’s princess of Genovia to the center of a trend called “Hathahate” in just over a decade. Suddenly, everyone was nitpicking her looks, how she speaks, her upbeat demeanor, and her self-confidence. Hathaway half-jokingly confessed that this made her retreat from the public eye. However, she ultimately took it all in her stride, saying it made her “a way more compassionate and loving person” and that she doesn’t “feel sorry for [herself].” She also told audiences at Elle’s 29th Women in Hollywood event that it helped her overcome self-hatred. Today, the actress still has her critics, but at least the age of “Hathahate” is hopefully over.
#3: Jesy Nelson
Until her departure in 2020, Jesy Nelson made up one-quarter of British girl group “Little Mix.” In 2019, the singer released a documentary sharing her harrowing experiences with online hate. She recalled how appearing on and ultimately winning “The X-Factor” opened her up to a barrage of hateful comments that left her in a very dark place. Nelson also revealed that she became addicted to reading criticism about her appearance, which led to a significant drop in her self-confidence as well as depression, anxiety, and struggles with body image. She said that she started to view herself through the eyes of the haters but has since learned to drown out the opinions of strangers on the internet.
#2: Demi Lovato
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Growing up in the public eye, Lovato has warded off the haters for years! And, by now, she’s “Confident” enough to say she’s “Sorry Not Sorry.” The singer has taken to Twitter to call for the spread of more love. Ahead of her performance on the AMA stage in 2017, she would project many of the horrible tweets she’s received over the years, which made for one impactful entrance. In 2011, after months of maltreatment from schoolmates led a teenager named Phoebe Prince to take her own life, Lovato penned an open letter to Seventeen magazine calling for an end to cyber harassment. She berated those who unthinkingly share vitriol statements while feeling protected by online anonymity and pointed out their utter disregard for the destructive power of their words.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Britney Spears
The Pop Princess Sadly Has Ample Experience Dealing with Haters & She’s Over It
Millie Bobby Brown
The “Stranger Things” Actress Told Glamour, “It Genuinely Hurts Reading Some of the Things People Have Said”
Tom Holland
The “Spider-Man” Actor Announced He Was Taking a Social Media Break to Focus On His Mental Health
Leslie Jones
Jones Left Twitter Heartbroken Over the Cruel Criticism She Received After the “Ghostbusters” Remake
Michelle Obama
Even the Former First Lady Has Had to Turn the World off at Times
#1: Selena Gomez
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Like many on our list, Gomez has also disengaged from social media, saying it made her feel “depressed.” She said, “Imagine all the insecurities that you already feel about yourself and having someone write a paragraph pointing out every little thing.” She’s had to defend herself over her fluctuating weight, explaining that it’s a side effect of her medication for Lupus disease. These days she brings some light by mocking the haters and living her best life, as seen on TikTok. Gomez has also had to defend celebs like Hailey Bieber and Francia Raisa from Selenators who’ve bombarded them with awful comments. Gomez isn’t here for the negativity and just wants everyone to be kinder. And who wouldn’t want to get behind that?
