From baboon lip jibes to skinny-shaming taunts… How feisty stars have clapped back at vile trolls to come out on top
THEY have fame, fortune, beauty and talent… But while some of our favourite stars seemingly have the world at their feet, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
Living in the spotlight can have its drawbacks, and in this day and age, the Internet and social media means our favourite stars are never far away from cruel taunts and criticism too.
And while some – like supermodel Gisele Bündchen, who was ridiculously once told her nose was too big to grace a magazine cover – make millions proudly flaunting the physical ‘quirks’ they were once teased for, they’re still easy targets for trolls.
It must be hard, facing a constant barrage of criticism, and understandably sometimes they inevitably crack, and want to retaliate.
Here, we take a closer look at how some famous figures have recently opted to fight back…
‘You dizzy f***!’
Singer and lingerie designer Rihanna, 36, has never been known to be the shy, retiring type and doesn’t suffer fools gladly, so it takes someone incredibly brave – or stupid – to take her on.
So when the mum-of-two – who has been in a relationship with A$AP Rocky since 2020 – posted an upbeat video on Instagram to celebrate the new year and was on the receiving end of a rude comment, she was bound to respond.
One follower bluntly commented: “We want an album forehead,” referring to the fact the last time she released record Anti was 2016.
“You ain’t cute enough to be calling me by my black name you dizzy f***!” the star replied in the comments, delighting plenty of other fans.
‘Keep it to your f****** self’
Kate Beckinsale, 51, has been forced to hit back at people on multiple occasions after they’ve commented on her weight.
“It’s not a criticism, but I think you’ve lost too much weight lately,” one follower commented recently.
Clearly sick and tired of unsolicited remarks, the Pearl Harbour star retorted: “Next time you feel like commenting on someone’s body, I suggest you keep it to your f****** self.”
Meanwhile another wrote: “She’s very thin. Is everything OK at home?”, to which the actress replied: “Everything is absolutely great. f*** off.”
Baboon a*** abuse
Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan, 34, is known for her sexy, sultry selfies and glamorous outfits and has always been open when it comes to discussing plastic surgery and tweakments.
The mum-of-three has grown up in the spotlight, so her transformation from child soap star to mother, model and TV personality has been very public.
Which sadly has meant she’s got used to being at the receiving end of a regular barrage of abusive comments too.
Just last month Helen took to Instagram to post a video of herself getting ready for a night out, and was met by a stream of remarks about her lips.
She shared some of the hateful comments she had received, including one who said her lips looked like a ‘baboon’s a***.
She added: “I never understand why people can be so mean… it doesn’t actually matter how someone looks if you’ve got a good heart you’re beautiful anyway.
“I have never commented anything mean on anyone’s feed…. Especially as a mum I teach my children to be kind.
“My lips aren’t even that big… it’s an angle… it’s just a makeup video.”
‘Quack, quack’
Helen’s not the only one to come under scrutiny for her personal decision to have lip fillers.
Kerry Katona, 44, opted to hit back with humour at trolls as she was compared to a duck in a comment on a video showing the mum-of-five having lip injections.
But while the Atomic Kitten star was delighted at her treatment, the first commenter said: “Why do women feel the need to do this …..”
Kerry wrote back: “I think you should do whatever makes you happy.”
Another person cruelly wrote: “It’s not natural when they look like a duck”, to which Kerry simply responded: “Quack, quack.”
‘I’m 29 you p****’
Love Island host Maya Jama, now 30, has been hitting headlines for her new romance with Man City footballing ace Ruben Dias, so she’s used to all eyes on her.
But it’s not all positive, and she’s been forced to defend herself multiple times from rude remarks.
Just last year after she uploaded a video of herself dancing in a glam black bodycon outfit, one user commented on X/Twitter: “Pushing 40 and dancing like this for Tiktok.”
Not one to mince her words, Maya replied: “I’m 29 you p****.”
Previously explaining her outlook on trolling, Maya wrote: “For anyone who deals with mean comments from strangers online – on the rare occasion I do reply.
“…no one has ever been rude to me in person…hopefully that reminds you anyone who spends their time hurling abuse at strangers on the internet is usually a p**** projecting, knowing that you should feel sorry for them not angry at them.”
What is trolling?
Online expert and co-founder of YEO Messaging, Sarah Bone, explains what trolling is, and how to deal with it if you fall victim...
She says: “Trolling is when someone intentionally posts inflammatory, offensive, or provocative content online to upset or provoke a reaction from others.
“It’s a form of online harassment that can be deeply damaging.
“The impact of trolling on victims can be significant.
“It can affect mental health, leading to anxiety, stress, and even depression.
“It can also undermine confidence, making people reluctant to engage online or share their opinions.”
If you find yourself a victim of trolling, here are Sarah’s top tips:
- Don’t Engage: Trolls thrive on reactions. Resist the urge to respond or retaliate.
- Block and Report: Most platforms have tools to block users and report abusive content. Use them.
- Take Screenshots: Document the harassment in case you need to escalate it to authorities or seek legal advice.
- Talk About It: Share your experience with trusted friends or family. You don’t have to face it alone.
- Protect Your Space: Adjust your privacy settings to control who can see and interact with your posts.
Body positive message
Christina Aguilera, 44, has grown up in the glare of the spotlight, so has had to develop pretty thick skin over the decades.
In an Instagram post shared recently reflecting on 2024, the ‘Fighter’ singer shared a video montage which included body-shaming social media posts from trolls, including one labelling her a ‘bobblehead’ and another calling her ‘fake’.
Taking the high road, she chose to use the negativity to promote her own positive message, writing in the caption: “Everyone will judge you. No matter WHAT you do.
“Acceptance comes with accepting yourself first.
“This year, doing something a little different. This is a reminder to everyone that you are your OWN STORYTELLER in your OWN LIFE.”
‘Sexually aggressive’ remarks
She landed a starring role in the much-coveted Disney series Rivals, but even that wasn’t enough to silence the haters, with Emily Atack, 35, forced to hit back at online trolls after negative attention from viewers.
Emily, who played Sarah Stratton in the series and stripped off for the part, revealed that she received a lot of ‘sexually aggressive’ comments and criticism.
She said: “I can’t control people’s sexually aggressive behaviour.
“I should be able to do a scene like this and not receive negative attention. The two should not go hand in hand.”
She added: “A woman said to me on Instagram the other day, ‘Pick a lane. You can’t play a racy role like that and get your clothes off and expect not to get messages. Why would you take that role?’
“I wanted to say to her, ‘Are you telling me essentially to quit my job?’ Why should I?”