Hilary Duff defended confronting a paparazzo last weekend and posting the entire confrontation on Instagram, showing the mother-of-two defending her childrens’ right to privacy. Duff said on The Talk Friday she felt a “responsibility” to speak up. Since publishing the video on Feb. 22, the video has been seen more than 22 million times and has several comments from celebrities applauding Duff.
The Lizzie McGuire actress spotted the man taking photos of children during her 7-year-old son Luca Cruz’s soccer game. Duff said the man was standing “closer than any of the parents were sitting” and other parents started asking who the man was. At that point, she decided to speak up.
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“I feel like since I bring the paparazzi there, it’s my responsibility to be like, ‘Hey, give space,’ or ‘Back off, you got some shots. Leave,’” Duff explained, reports PEOPLE. “This wasn’t cool with me and that’s my opinion that it’s wrong. Whatever universe that I’m in I’m gonna protect my kids — and the other kids.”
In the video, Duff told the photographer his presence was making her and the other parents “feel very uncomfortable.” The man claimed he was “practicing photography” and was not doing anything illegal. He told Duff her “paranoia is unwarranted.”
“I’m asking you to stop taking pictures of our 7-year-old children if you don’t know anyone that’s here,” Duff told the man. “I’m asking you human to human, as a mother, if you don’t know anyone here, can you please stop taking pictures of our children playing football this morning.”
Duff’s fans were quick to support her, as were her celebrity friends.
“THIS IS INFURIATING,” Busy Philipps wrote. “This isn’t about his job or his ‘rights.’ This is about his OWN perceived POWER over others. I imagine it’s the only time this pathetic person feels any power in his life. I know it’s illegal for an adult not with a child to be inside a playground- how is taking pictures of children without parental consent legal?!??”
“Children should be protected under the law,” Emmy Rossum added.
“Creep!!!!” Duff’s sister Haylie Duff wrote.
Duff’s husband, Matthew Koma, also voiced support for her. When she shared a photo of the couple at another sporting event, one Instagram user who claims to be a photographer wrote, “Better hide at home and don’t go in public, so people don’t take pictures!”
“Sick burn, bro,” Koma wrote in response.
“I am a photographer, too,” the Instagram user replied. “This is very common, and I often take portraits of people in public. We don’t chase people down. This man wasn’t chasing anyone down. She literally came at him with anger and in no way cared to speak to him like a human or an adult.”
“It’s Sunday, and you have kids. Go spend time with them,” Koma replied.
Duff has another drama on her hands. The long-awaited Lizzie McGuire revival for Disney+ reportedly hit a snag following creator Terri Minsky’s departure. Disney decided to move in a “different creative direction” with the series, and new rumors suggest it might move to Hulu if Disney still wants to move ahead with it.
“Was incredibly excited to launch Lizzie on [Disney+] and my passion remains!” Duff wrote on Instagram Friday, voicing her support for moving to the show to Hulu. “However, I feel a huge responsibility to honor the fans’ relationship with LIZZIE who, like me, grew up seeing themselves in her. I’d be doing a disservice to everyone by limiting the realities of a [30-year-old’s] journey to live under the ceiling of a PG rating.”
Photo credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS
