Trigger Warning: This article contains references to murder.
There are two sides to fame. As much as it brings celebrities popularity and recognition, on many occasions it has also led to them being targeted by stalkers. Numerous well-known people have been part of horrific incidents that have put their security and welfare in danger.
These celebrities are well-versed in the drawbacks of being famous. From Britney Spears’s wedding ceremony crash by her ex-husband to Taylor Swift’s stalker sleeping on her bed. Let’s revisit some of the nightmarish stalker situations these stars have been through.
6. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift (34), who holds one of the most iconic spots in pop culture, doesn’t really have an All Too Well history with crazy and obsessive fans. She has faced multiple terrifying incidents in her career, which included stalkers breaking into her house. According to AP news, one man named Eric Swarbrick sent her 40 ‘love letters’ to miss Swift’s former record label, Big Machine Label Group. Swarbrick even tried to drive to Nashville on several occasions to deliver the letters himself.
Another guy was arrested for breaking into her Tribeca residence, who allegedly used her shower and later slept on her bed as per a Page Six report. The most recent one occurred during her Eras Tour settlement in Vienna, Austria. She had to cancel all three shows since a serious terrorist attack plot was discovered ahead of time, the New York Times reported.
5. Drew Barrymore
Staying in the limelight from an early age, Drew Berrymore (49) had to see a lot of negative aspects of being famous. While doing an event with co-star of Sex Lives of College Girls Reneé Rapp at 92nd Street Y in New York, a man suddenly interrupted her conversation from the audience. According to Entertainment Weekly, after the talk show host replied back to the man, he abruptly started approaching the stage while saying, “You know who I am. I need to see you at some point while you’re in New York.”
Fortunately, security took care of the situation promptly, and Drew was taken to a safe distance from the stage by Rapp. She then expressed her gratitude to Rapp for her courageous gesture in such a situation.
4. Britney Spears
Though you might have heard this artist’s famous song lyrics, “But mama, I’m in love with a criminal,” did you know her ex-husband actually became a criminal when he tried to break into the singer’s wedding? During Britney Spears (42) and her now-estranged beau Sam Asghari’s (30) wedding ceremony, her ex-husband, Jason Alexander, was taken into custody for breaking through Spears’ house.
He posted a live Instagram video saying, “She is my first wife, only wife,” and he also mentioned in that same video that he came to “crash” the wedding, according to the reports by the BBC. The wedding preparations were interrupted because of the incident. The securities jumped into action immediately, and he was later taken to local jail by officers from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
3. Jennifer Lopez
In 2013, Jennifer Lopez’s (55) Hamptons residence was allegedly broken into by a stalker. The perpetrator, John Dubis, spent six whole days in the singer’s 10 million-dollar house enjoying his summer by the pool, according to a report by the New York Post. The terrifying part is that he didn’t get caught by JLO’s security in those six days. When arrested, he tried to convince the cops by saying the reason he has access to the house is because he was the songstress’ husband and father of her children.
2. Justin Bieber
With multiple stalkers, Justin Bieber’s story highlights the darker side of fame in the glittering yet dangerous world of celebrities. But a much scarier incident that happened in 2013 highlighted the huge risks of being a celeb. According to a report by The Atlantic, Justin was drawn into a terrifying scheme designed by a man who was overpowered with obsession.
Mark Staake plotted a horrific attack on Justin with the help of his nephew Tanner Ruane. They wanted to kill Justin with garden shears. Dana Martin, a 45-year-old prisoner, was the brains behind this evil execution. He oversaw the attack from behind bars. Martin felt a sense of betrayal by Justin’s change in life.
1. Selena Gomez
Another giant name in Hollywood, Selena Gomez (32), who started as a child actor with Disney, also had to face the side effects of being worldwide popular. According to a 2014 report by the BBC, a stalker was arrested twice in a week for trying to break into the artist’s home. The man named Che Cruz was caught for the first time in front of Gomez’s residence on Sunday, March 30, 2014; within a few hours he was released, and in a court order he was asked to stay away from Selena.
But later that same week he was found in the process of climbing at the singer’s house, and he was re-arrested for disobeying the court’s order. He was released two days later after getting a 45-day prison sentence in a court hearing on April 2, 2014.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with any kind of abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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