Famous Celebrities With Terrifying Stalker Stories
We’re all fascinated by celebrities. But if there’s anything we’ve learned from Joe Goldberg from the Netflix stalking series "You," it’s that obsession often compels one to walk dangerous roads. Actors, singers, and icons at large are forever in the public eye, attracting attention both wanted and unwanted. Many famous artists have faced stalking encounters over the years. Jack Levin, a professor of criminology at Northeastern University in Boston, has noted that celebrity stalkers fantasize about being in personal relationships with their idols: "Any small bit of sympathy, no matter how faint … can inspire a stalker," ABC quoted him as saying.
The murder of actor Rebecca Schaeffer in 1989 was a watershed case that highlighted celebrity stalking in Hollywood. The 21-year-old "My Sister Sam" sitcom star was shot dead by a stalker named Robert Bardo at her Los Angeles home (via Entertainment Weekly). The tragedy prompted a landmark anti-stalking legislation in California, which was notably America’s first, and Bardo was given a life sentence.
From Brad Pitt to Beyoncé, several A-listers have since dealt with fans who became a bit too friendly in uncomfortable or even terrifying ways.
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