9 celebrities who have faced terrifying stalkers over the years: from pop stars Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez to actors Colin Farrell and Emma Watson

Feb 1 , 2024

The downside of fame: Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Colin Farrell and Ariana Grande have all suffered distress at the hands of stalkers. Photos: Getty Images; @justinbieber/Instagram; GC Images; Brian Bowen Smith; WireImage

Being a celebrity seems to have plenty of upsides, but as we all know, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we don’t see – including serious threats to the safety of those who have dedicated their lives to the entertainment industry.

Taylor Swift lives in the heart of New York. Photo: EPA-EFE

When it comes to celebrity stalkers, what may start out as seemingly innocent obsession can escalate to the point where celebs are made to feel deeply uncomfortable or worse, fear for their lives. In late January, Page Six reported that a 30-year-old man named David Crowe was arrested for the third time since Saturday after he was spotted going through the rubbish bins across the street from Taylor Swift’s US$50 million Tribeca home.

“I just saw him digging through this dumpster, taking out some blankets and then he just went and sat down on the loading dock a few doors down [from Swift’s apartment],” an eyewitness shared with the New York Post.

Per Page Six, the reportedly “emotionally disturbed” man has appeared at the “Anti-Hero” singer’s flat 30 times in the last two months.

It’s not the first time Swift has found herself the target of a creepy follower – and sadly, it’s unlikely to be the last. But which other Hollywood stars have had the horrifying experience of being stalked over the years?

Drew Barrymore and Emma Watson

Drew Barrymore’s stalker took advantage of a chance to run on stage during an interview she was doing. Photo: Getty

Last September, Drew Barrymore’s alleged stalker was arrested after forcibly getting into a New York Fashion Week dressing room, where he was looking for Harry Potter actress Emma Watson, per The Independent. “I want to marry Emma Watson. Let me speak to Emma Watson. Let me take a photo with Emma Watson,” he is reported to have screamed at backstage staff, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.

Emma Watson’s stalker had also been following Drew Barrymore. Photo: @emawatson.only/Instagram

Barrymore had previously been confronted by the same alleged stalker, when he tried to rush onto a stage where the Charlie’s Angels actress was chatting to singer Reneé Rapp, per The Independent.

Colin Farrell

Back in 2006, the Irish actor was being interviewed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno when a woman named Dessarae Bradford ambushed Farrell by climbing on stage and handing the two men a copy of her self-published book Colin Farrell: A Dark Twisted Puppy, per Glamour.

Selena Gomez

According to Teen Vogue, the behaviour of one of the singer’s stalkers became so unbearable that she ended up leaving behind her US$4.5 million mansion to move elsewhere.

Although the home was in a gated community and had security cameras, Gomez would often fear for her safety, and a man was previously arrested for burglary and trespassing onto her property on more than one occasion.

Jodie Foster

Academy Award-winning actress Jodie Foster certainly had the most dangerous stalker on this list. Per She Knows, a man named John Hinckley Jr became so obsessed with her after seeing her in the film Taxi Driver that he enrolled at Yale university while she was there. He then attempted to assassinate President Reagan in 1981 by shooting him in the chest in an attempt to “impress” the actress. He was sentenced to life in a mental institution, per the source.

Justin Bieber

One of the heartthrobs of his generation, Justin Bieber experienced a number of terrifying stalkers growing up in the limelight. One of the most serious incidents occurred in 2012, when an uncle-and-nephew duo, Mark Staake and Tanner Ruane, were arrested for a plot to murder and castrate the singer, as reported in The Atlantic.

Ariana Grande

A man who stalked Ariana Grande for years – making nearly 100 visits to her Hollywood mansion and even bringing a deadly weapon along on one occasion – plead guilty for his actions in January, per TMZ. Aharon Zebulun Israel Brown’s crimes date back to 2021, per the source. He will reportedly be sentenced in May to three years and eight months in prison.

Harry Styles

According to British media in late January, the One Direction alum felt “shaken” after allegedly being harassed by 35-year-old Myra Carvalho. The report states that Carvalho has since been charged with causing the “As it Was” singer harm or distress.

Fame and celebrity

Fame and riches may sound wonderful, but being in the spotlight 24/7 has its share of downsides too – including being followed by obsessive fans who sometimes take it too far
Ariana Grande’s stalker was just sentenced to prison after making around 100 visits to her home, while another man has been arrested twice in three days for loitering around Taylor Swift’s apartment