10 Celebs Who Live For The Paparazzi (& 10 Who Keep Their Distance)
The paparazzi - literally the worst nightmare for some celebrities. Take TMZ - News here breaks faster than a Kardashian can rack up the likes on Instagram. The website was the first to report Kylie Jenner's pregnancy. It was the first to get footage of Ariana Grande's donut incident. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may have wanted to keep their divorce news on the down-low. Not a chance.
For celebrities who feed off the limelight, the paparazzi is like Christmas - every month of the year. Blac Chyna might love these flash-wielding photographers, but she just got a sweet reminder of how the tables can turn - 2018, footage of Chyna allegedly being turned away from the VMAs caused confusion on a pretty embarrassing level.
Kylie Jenner might soak it up, but getting papped makeup free, grabbing McDonald's, or having a wardrobe malfunction isn't everybody's jam. For some celebs, the paparazzi can be enough to drive them out of Hollywood. They're either one or the other, though. Here are 10 celebs who soak up the paparazzi (plus 10 who fight tooth and nail to keep their distance).
20 Ariana Grande Handles Them Just Fine
The media could not be more focused on Ariana Grande right now. The tragic news that Mac Miller is no longer with us hit Ariana particularly hard - "absolutely heartbroken" is how Us Weekly reported Ariana reacting to the news about her ex. This comes on top of Ariana's 24-day whirlwind engagement to Pete Davidson and her Sweetener release.
Ariana doesn't soak up the cameras in an attention-grabbing way. At the same time, she hardly makes an effort to duck them. For a 25-year-old sweetheart with a ton of pressure, Ariana is doing just fine. TMZ may be buzzing around her like flies, but Ariana is the butterfly.
19 Khloe Kardashian Has Gotten More Wary
This time 18 months ago, Khloe Kardashian was 100% loving the cameras. Khloe has broken away from being the "fat funny one" that she once referred to herself as. The confidence of having that "Revenge" body was about to get more complicated, though.
Khloe has felt the sting. Baby-daddy drama makes front-page news. #WatchYourStep
Khloe is now a mom to baby, True. The pregnancy seemed to go great, as did her relationship with a seemingly loyal Tristan Thomspon. Then, boom - days before Khloe gave birth, The Daily Mail releases footage of Tristan with another woman. These two are reportedly "trying to work things out."
18 Nicki Minaj Can't Get Enough Of The Paparazzi
The paparazzi has officially met its match. Nicki Minaj can blast through 50 photographers like The Hulk about to lose an audition.
Nicki is fresh from some tabloid drama - the news that Nicki and Cardi B ended up "fighting" at New York Fashion Week isn't something that anyone will forget.
After People reported that Nicki tore Cardi's dress and Cardi was seen "throwing a shoe in Minaj's direction," the Queen rapper is now selling merch celebrating the whole affair. You don't see Nicki suing the paparazzi, though. Nicki stands square in front of the camera and out-glares them like a boss.
17 Blac Chyna Is In It For The Shock Factor
You can literally feel Blac Chyna's pulse rise with every new Instagram follower she gets. This is a reality star and model who lives for the paparazzi buzz, even if it means compromising on some less-than-favorable press.
TMZ is currently reporting that Chyna is suing the Kardashians after Rob & Chyna was axed from TV. Chyna might wind up in Radar Online's "flips at paparazzi" headlines, but this girl knows that she wouldn't be where she is without them.
Those eye-popping outfits weren't designed for walking down the street unnoticed. "Bring it on" seems to be Chyna's vibe, and we have to admit, it's a little bit entertaining.
16 Kendall Jenner Spends Her Life Ducking The Cameras
You do know how to play us, Kendall Jenner. One minute, Kendall is filming herself in next to nothing for a goodnight Snapchat. The next, she is a deer in the headlights. Kendall recently flew to Paris amid a Fashion Week "freak-out."
"I go in and out of having freak-outs, so I just have to chill and be by myself."
The Daily Mail has reported that the supermodel wasn't booked into any shows during New York Fashion Week. Kendall has spoken out multiple times about the pressure of fame. "I try to keep myself cool," Kenny said. Don't worry, the skintight outfits and confidence will be back.
15 Kim Kardashian Misses Them When They're Gone
Kim Kardashian earns TMZ so much money, there is an entire "Kardashian" section on their website. Kim knows who is set to earn more, though. There's no such thing as bad publicity, right?
The awkward early years are over. Kim is a pro at what she does, and the paparazzi are just small minions in her well-oiled machine. Getting papped is what Kim likely wants - sometimes, it's carefully crafted.
The "Paris Hilton wears Yeezy" news might have seemed random. It was, in fact, a careful marketing campaign that resulted in a 45% spike in online Yeezy searches. Kim likely misses the camera crew when they're not around.
14 Selena Gomez Finds The Whole Thing Bewildering
In April 2018, Selena Gomez told the paparazzi, "You're scaring me." This came from a revealing Elle interview, where the singer opened up on her split from Justin Bieber, the pressure of fame, and how she just doesn't need a zillion photographers in her life. Selena is now the most-followed person on Instagram.
"Do you guys mind if I just have the rest of the day? Because you're kind of scaring me." Selena is even polite about it.
In many ways, Selena doesn't need the paparazzi. Who she is dating and where she gets her granola is juicy gossip - it isn't the sign of talent.
13 Kanye West Has Called Them "Mosquitoes"
There are two sides to Kanye West. One side takes to Twitter to shout his feelings from the rooftops. The other side hates being in the public eye.
In 2013, Kanye found himself in serious trouble after CNN reported that the rapper had attacked a photographer. You only need to look at Kanye's face in his paparazzi shots to know how he feels about them.
"You're out in front of my house at 4 a.m. asking, "How's it going?" It's not going good, ya'll out there trying to make money off us," Kanye told EOnline. Kanye then called the paparazzi "bloodsucking mosquitoes."
12 Demi Lovato May Be Reconsidering The Benefits
Having photographers on every street corner is all good and well - until they're not welcome. This year has been a hard year for the beautiful and talented Demi Lovato.
Taking time out to get herself well might mean that Demi has spent some time behind closed doors, but she's back in the open now.
The paparazzi are now waiting for Demi like fresh meat - they'll notice the smallest of details (and will likely blow them completely out of proportion). "Don't take lame paparazzi-style pics of me" were Demi's words to fans in 2015, according to ET Canada.
11 Kylie Jenner Only Plays Ball On Her Terms
The whole point of the paparazzi is to make celebrities feel powerless. They're out in the open. They're exposed. Anything can happen.
Move over, TMZ - Kylie Jenner is in the house. You're looking at the highest-profile celeb around (who successfully managed to keep every single camera out during her pregnancy).
The most that the paparazzi got during Kylie's pregnancy was a vague baby shower story. Kylie is less brazen than she was, keeping baby Stormi under wraps is the new priority. She will flaunt what she has when it suits her, though. With her "soon-to-be billionaire" status, Kylie does as she pleases.
10 Keanu Reeves Doesn't Enjoy Being Followed
In 2004, Time called Keanu Reeves "Hollywood's ultimate introvert." One of the biggest duckers and divers in Hollywood, Keanu Reeves is an actor who likes to turn up to the job, do it well, and go home.
Despite his 2017 statement that "fame is cool," Keanu continues to be photographed like he wishes the concept didn't exist. The John Wick 2 actor has been a heavyweight on the Hollywood scene for decades.
Keanu's idea of being a celeb is dropping into restaurants to surprise people - not having his every move photographed while he shops for dinner ingredients. Then again, for every paparazzi-loathing celeb, there's another one balancing them out.
9 Hailey And Justin Are Too In Love To Care
Justin Bieber has done a lot of growing up. In 2013, The Huffington Post was reporting that Justin was getting physical with photographers outside his London hotel. In 2018? Justin is way too in love to care. The "Sorry" singer (who may indeed by sorry) is papped in all sorts of goofy poses with his new fiancée, Hailey Baldwin.
As for Hailey, she is definitely lower-profile than her superstar man. She is also lower-profile than her fellow model, Kendall Jenner. After a photographer papping Kendall asked Hailey, "You also famous?" she may be a bigger fan of the cameras than you think.
8 Drake Is A Ducker And A Diver
Fighting tooth and nail to keep his private life away from the paparazzi, is the rap superstar, Drake. 2018 was the year that Drake finally acknowledged having a son, but the words on his Scorpion album say it all.
"I wasn't hiding my kid from the world. I was hiding the world from my kid," Drake wrote in his song about his son.
After Pusha T outed Drake's son, the rapper penned his own response. Drake is definitely on the Hollywood club scene, but he doesn't like the drama. Just recently, Drake was filmed alongside Kourtney Kardashian's ex, Younes Bendjima. The Daily Mail reported that Younes "attacked" a man. Drake stayed well out of it.
7 Paris Hilton Basically Invites Them Over For Dinner
If you're going to be "famous for being famous," the paparazzi is your career ladder. Paris Hilton may have been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, but this heiress and socialite knew exactly how to work the media.
Cameras might not have been welcome during Paris' legal issues back in the day, but when you're a 20-something star who is suddenly in her late 30s, paparazzi shots can be a boost. Put it this way: Kim K used to be Paris Hilton's stylist. Now Paris copies Kim's Yeezy looks. "It just became normal," Paris told Fox about the paparazzi.
6 JLO Now Demands "More Respect"
"Jennifer Lopez Takes A Stand Against The Paparazzi." That was Vanity Fair's headline in 2017. JLO has been dealing with photographers for the best part of 20 years.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Jen said, "I really feel like I play so fair with the media all the time. All I ask is for them to stay away from my kids."
With multiple divorces behind her, a high-profile boyfriend, and three kids, JLO has become more wary of having her private life papped. JLO is made of tough stuff, though. She can speak up for herself. Jen concluded her interview by calling the paparazzi "disrespectful."
5 It's Open Season For Bella Hadid
Being a rising star is all about the attention. With a famous sister to battle, Bella Hadid might be doing well with her 20 million Instagram followers, but she likely wants more. Her younger sister, Gigi sits at well over 40 million.
The Hollywood model circle is small, competitive, fierce, and you can be ditched at any moment. With the likes of Kendall Jenner to aspire to, Bella appears to be making the most of the paparazzi.
We see her partying the night away in clubs, stepping out of hotels, and showing off her tall frame. Bella might not want cameras poking around her private affairs, but for the rest, it's open season.
4 Jessica Alba Can't Take Another Second Of It
Being in the spotlight turns complicated once you have kids. Solidly part of the "keep them out of sight" crew is Jessica Alba. This actress has handled the paparazzi flashes ever since she became an A-Lister, but the glare just isn't doing it for Jess anymore.
"It's weird when you're doing normal mom things and there's paparazzi around," Jessica told EOnline. "That's the only thing that makes everyone uncomfortable."
Taking the kids for a grocery shop? No biggie for most people. A giant deal when you're a low-key celebrity just trying to get their Cheerios in peace, though. Photographers continue to pursue Jessica wherever she goes.
3 Emma Watson Doesn't Get A Second To Herself
Emma Watson isn't a face that anyone will ever forget. The Harry Potter actress earned $60 million during her Hogwarts years, but Emma is no child. Now one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood, Emma is considered to be one of the most beautiful and classiest women around.
That comes at a price, though. Where Emma goes, so do the cameras. In 2017, Emma started saying no to selfie-seeking fans. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Emma said: "If someone takes a photograph of me and posts it, within two seconds they've created a marker of exactly where I am within 10 metres." Emma hides when she can.
2 Cardi B Wants Second Helpings
With the world's longest rambling Instagram stories and the kind of popularity that's making her remind fans that internet pics of baby Kulture are "fakes," Cardi B is the rising 2018 star who can't get enough of the cameras.
Cardi actually says that she was "happier" before she was famous. From someone who flaunts their new Versace on a daily basis, though, we're taking that with a pinch of salt.
Cardi doesn't exactly hide out in the open. Fashion Week? She goes and throws shoes at Nicki Minaj. Topping charts? You can guarantee it'll be reposted to IG. This girl loves the cameras (although we don't blame her).
1 It'll Take More Than A T-Shirt, Iggy
Iggy Azalea seems to be doing everything in her power to stay relevant. It isn't working. In 2018, Iggy "shut down" rumors that she was dating the NBA player, Jimmy Butler. One week later, Iggy was claiming that she is "finally" over one of her old ex-boyfriends. Er, that's not really news.
The Australian rapper might have a tour coming up, but she's going to have to try a lot harder to get our attention than a statement shirt. Iggy loves the limelight. Her music videos make that very clear. Since this shirt wasn't doing it, Iggy is now admitting that she and Tyga "have chemistry," according to Hollywood Life. Point made.
Hit share on Facebook and get these faces out. Whether they're hiding or totally loving it, there's a side to these celebs that isn't always expected.