Being a celebrity comes with many perks but one thing that isn’t written in the job description is that they will constantly be followed by the paparazzi. Photographers watch their every move in the hopes of snapping that million-dollar photo for the tabloids.
Many celebs don’t mind the constant attention and actually enjoy working it for the cameras. Yet, there are those celebs that grow weary of always being followed. These famous people obviously just want a moment of peace and will go to great lengths to avoid the paparazzi. Some of them come up with very creative ways to shield themselves. From using handbags as shields to covering their faces with their puppy, these celebs will grab just about anything to take cover.
Here are 20 of the most unusual ways that celebs have avoided the paparazzi.
20 Shia LaBeouf Put A Bag Over His Head
Shia LaBeouf found a creative way to avoid the paparazzi by using an everyday item that he probably had in his kitchen. The Transformers star was spotted walking around Los Angeles with a paper bag over his head and a black plastic bag mysteriously covering his left hand. That’s one way to keep yourself hidden.
This wasn’t the only time that LaBeouf used this technique to hide from photographers.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, he also appeared on the red carpet premiere of von Trier's Nymphomaniac in Berlin in February 2014, wearing a paper bag over his head that read, "I am not famous anymore."
19 Katy Perry Took Cover Behind A Doughnut
Katy Perry has been known to make some eccentric fashion choices but this accessory takes the cake. The pop star was snapped hiding behind a huge doughnut while making her way through Miami International Airport. She also sported sunglasses and a baseball cap.
Fans and onlookers weren’t fooled by the disguise and still approached her for an autograph.
According to The Daily Mail, Perry actually took to Twitter to celebrate her latest purchase. “Bought GIANT doughnut pillow at Kidrobot NYC and it wouldn't fit in any of my bags” she said, adding, "When gettin off the plane it was the best paparazzi shield.”
18 Dustin Hoffman Hid Behind A Tree Branch
Dustin Hoffman enjoys playing a game of hide-and-seek with paparazzi. The actor has been snapped hiding behind all sorts of things as he walks the streets of Los Angeles.
Perhaps the most clever use of his natural surroundings was when he hid behind a tree branch.
I mean, it’s obvious that he actually wants to be photographed. He’s also been captured hiding behind a mailbox, a street lamp and various tree trunks. It’s cool to see an actor not take himself too seriously and have a little bit of fun with the paparazzi.
17 Leonardo DiCaprio Used His Coat As A Disguise
Leonardo DiCaprio is another actor that uses creative disguises to avoid being photographed by the paparazzi. He’s been known to wear masks, hide behind napkins and he once even hid under a closed umbrella. While those are clever ideas, this one is our favourite. The A-list actor simply put on a baseball hat and tucked his head into his big, puffy coat.
Sure, it may have been in the middle of spring when he pulled the evasive maneuver, but who cares? This move totally worked. We can’t wait to see what other items this guy comes up with to keep himself covered up.
16 Benedict Cumberbatch Had A Message For The Paparazzi
Benedict Cumberbatch had a message for the paparazzi when they tried to snap a pic of him filming Season Three of Sherlock Holmes. The actor, who wore a dark hoodie and sunglasses, covered his face with a handwritten suggestion for the photographers. Cumberbatch held up a written sign that read:
“Go photograph Egypt and show the world something important,”
as BBC America reports. At the time there were protests erupting in Egypt and he was attempting a call to action to the paparazzi to cover more crucial topics than the lives of celebrities.
15 Kesha Wore A Creepy Outfit
Kesha gave the paparazzi an eyeful when she arrived at LAX wearing an outfit that was covered in eyeballs. She also wore a scarf over her face and covered her eyes with sunglasses. The entire look was finished with matching socks.
We don’t buy it for one moment that Kesha didn’t want to be seen by photographers. With an outfit like that, who could miss her? She did stop and take a moment to sign a few autographs from dedicated fans before hopping on a flight.
14 Cara Delevingne Zipped Up In A Pizza Onesie
Cara Delevingne spent her 22nd birthday celebrating with friends in Ibiza and was spotted by photographers heading back to London while wearing a zip-up pizza onesie. We’ve got to say this is one of the most delicious disguises on this list! Although, according to E!News,
Delevingne wasn’t the first celebrity to be spotted in the pizza onesie.
Katy Perry was photographed wearing the exact same jumpsuit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art a week before this photo was taken. Who knew that pizza could be the hottest fashion accessory?
13 Gwyneth Paltrow Used Her Clutch As A Shield
When you’re as rich and famous as Gwyneth Paltrow, you can afford to buy the most stylish shield to block the paparazzi from seeing your face. The actress evaded photographers by covering up with a studded black clutch.
She clearly didn’t plan on running into the paps or she would have carried a much bigger bag that might have actually served as a proper shield. She’s been known the use this method before and typically carries a tote or handbags to do the job.
12 Emma Stone And Andrew Garfield Promoted Charities
Emma and Andrew cleverly used the opportunity of getting snapped to promote charities. The couple was photographed leaving lunch when they discovered that the paps were waiting to take a pic of them. These two totally outsmarted photographers and caused quite a buzz with their way of stealing the spotlight. They each held handwritten signs that said:
"We just found out that there were paparazzi outside the restaurant we were eating in. So, why not take this opportunity to bring attention to organizations that need and deserve it: www.wwo.org and gildasclubnyc.org. Have a good day!"
Good job Emma and Andrew!
11 Ed Sheeran Hid Behind A Mask
Ed didn’t want the media to spot him leaving Mahiki night club in London so he took matters into his own hands. The singer covered his face with a mask of the Koren rapper, PSY. That’s a clever way to throw off the paparazzi! As News reports, Ed also hired extra security to protect him from photographers and fans.
“I literally can’t go anywhere. Since then I’ve had one [security guard], just to make sure I’m not at risk,”
he said, adding, “I don’t like feeling like I’m public property; a cardboard cut-out you just stand next to and take a picture with.”
10 Alec Baldwin Draped Himself With A Blanket
Alec was so over being stalked by the paparazzi that he threw a blanket over his head and walked down Park Avenue in Manhattan. The actor allegedly swiped the blanket from the Loews Regency Hotel after having a scuffle with a photographer!
According to the New York Post, Alec and his fiancée, Hilaria Thomas, obtained a marriage license earlier that day. He wasn’t too pleased when paps met them outside the City Clerk’s Office and threatened a photographer. That’s when he took cover in the hotel. It sounds like a scene from an action movie!
9 Amanda Bynes Used Her Dog As A Shield
We all remember when Amanda was having a bit of a rough time. Before getting her life back together, the actress had a series of bizarre encounters with the paparazzi and this was one of the strangest. She donned a blonde wig and shielded herself with her puppy as she left the Chelsea Kennel Club in New York City.
An insider told the The Daily Mail at the time that Amanda’s puppy was her only friend. “It's really sad. At least she has a dog now to keep her company, that she loves and treats like a newborn baby,” they said.
8 Adam Levine Used His Fame For A Cause
Adam was caught by paparazzi leaving the Mustard Seed Cafe in Los Feliz, California. The "Maroon 5" lead singer had just grabbed a bite to eat with his then-girlfriend, Behati Prinsloo. When the couple left the cafe to see photographers waiting for them, Levine decided to cover his face for a cause.
He held up a handwritten sign that said: “Text Red Cross to 90999.″ He was calling attention to the victims of Hurricane Sandy and encouraging fans to make a donation to help the survivors who had been affected by the storm. Nice one!
7 Pharrell Williams Covered His Face With Spongebob
Pharrell may be a famous rapper but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want privacy. He was spotted by photographers on his way to a performance in England and was snapped hiding behind a pixelated Spongebob Square Pants mask. That’s one silly way to avoid the paparazzi.
According to The Urban Gentleman, Pharrell discussed what attracted him to the Nickelodeon cartoon character, saying, “What I love about SpongeBob is that he’s basically a six-year-old.” It’s refreshing to see a grown man use such a fun method to maintain privacy. I’m sure that SpongeBob is more than happy to shield his face.
6 Shaquille O'Neal Hilariously Hid Behind A Tree
Shaquille O'Neal attempted to take cover from photographers behind a tiny tree and the resulting pic was beyond funny. According to Pop Sugar, he explained how he ended up in that hiding place when he was a guest on The Late Show With James Corbin.
"I was in Beverly Hills doing a little shopping and I saw the [paparazzi] walk by, because they were chasing somebody else," he said. "I didn't want them to see me, but I couldn't run since I'm too big to run, so I found that tree.
I just wanted to stay still and blend in."
5 Ashlee Simpson And Pete Wentz Wore Halloween Masks
Ashlee and Pete might no longer be a couple but it’s fun to look back and see their ingenious way of avoiding the paparazzi. They were once spotted walking the streets of New York City wearing Halloween masks. Ashlee went for the old lady look while Pete wore a deranged monkey mask.
Pete has a history of taunting photographers and according to Just Jared, he once wore a paper plate over his face with a handwritten message that said: "Your ad could be here...EMAIL: JON@D—–BAG.COM” He obviously has a good sense of humour about the whole thing.
4 Anne Hathaway Copied Emma Stone
Anne was out walking her dog with her husband, Adam Shulman, when they noticed photographers stalking them so they could capture a candid and personal photo.
They decided to pay tribute to Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield and thwart the paparazzi at the same time.
The actress and her hubby covered their faces with handwritten signs that called attention to charities. They wrote: “Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield had a great idea! Please check out: www.girleffect.org [an organization that empowers young women], www.feedingamerica.org [a nonprofit network of domestic food banks], and www.worldofchildren.org [a charity geared towards raising awareness for children's issues].”
3 Jaden Smith Dressed Up As Iron Man
Long ago, when Jaden Smith was just 14-years-old, the teen went out on a date with Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, Kylie Jenner. The two were spotted out and about on a shopping trip in New York City. Jaden sported an Iron Man costume that he had purchased on their shopping excursion.
It’s clear that he was being a playful kid but Kylie looked like she was not amused. The two were rumoured to be dating at the time but she has since moved on with Travis Scott. We’ll always have the super-cute moment of the two of them together.
2 Justin Bieber Wore A Gas Mask
Justin has been known to wear masks to thwart the paparazzi. He covered up his face with a gas mask while he was shopping in London. The plan actually backfired and called even more attention to him and he was swarmed by photographers.
The pop star has a bit of a dramatic history with the paparazzi. He’s been snapped blowing up at them and even getting into physical fights. We don’t blame him for trying to find new and creative waves to throw them off. Too bad this gas mask didn’t do much to keep his identity from being discovered.
1 Scarlett Johansson And Alicia Keys Called Them Out
Scarlett and Alicia decided to turn the tables on the paparazzi while they were on the set of The Nanny Diaries. The ladies noticed photographers and held up handwritten signs to put them off.
Scarlett’s sign said: "I am being harassed by the person taking this picture." Alicia decided to join in on the fun by holding up a sign that simply said, "Me too." These girls knew how to put the paps in their place and were totally ingenious to call them out like that. Kudos to them for being so creative!
The paps still snapped away, but it was worth it.
References: The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Mail, E! News, New York Post, Just Jared
Leave A Comment