Parasocial interactions are a type of psychological relationship between fans and celebrities. Essentially it is a followers’ interpretation of themselves as a friend versus a fan to celebrities including actors and actresses, athletes, sports teams, singers, comedians, newscasters, and etc. However, the extent of parasocial interactions have fluctuated throughout the years, contingent upon access to a celebrity’s private life. These types of relationships are quite ordinary and are supported and maintained through contact in social media postings, concerts, news updates on their lives, streamed interviews like talk shows, and similar mediums.
Healthy relationships are built on trust, receptivity, relatability, and loyalty to the involved parties. Those in the global spotlight, such as Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, have found that modern paparazzi disrupts their family’s ability to self-disclose private details about their life to the media, thus damaging their receptivity and openness towards fans.
Since 2013, there has been a law which more harshly punishes harassing or unconsented photographers when taking pictures of minors. Despite these laws, paparazzi continue to pester celebrities and their families. Blake Lively has personally addressed her issues regarding the paparazzi’s increased gross breach of her privacy on Instagram due to her new pregnancy with her fourth child.
Last thursday, Blake Lively posted on both her story and instagram feed a photo displaying her baby bump with a caption saying, “Here are photos of me pregnant in real life so the 11 guys waiting outside my home for a ? sighting will leave me alone. You freak me and my kids out. Thanks to everyone else for all the love and respect and for continuing to unfollow accounts and publications who share photos of children. You have all the power against them. And thank you to the media who have a ‘No Kids Policy’ You all make all the difference ?♥️. Much love! Xxb.”
Ryan Reynolds has affirmed his and his wife’s discomfort concerning stalking photographers, saying how “all that sort of stuff with kids and revealing… I just don’t feel the need to publish it,” “It’s a normal feeling that most people might have… [My children] didn’t really choose this profession or this life, and they can quickly get swept up in that world.” Ryan Reynolds said this on TODAY two months after welcoming their second baby, Inez Reynolds, who is five today.
Ultimately, celebrities love and appreciate their fans; however, their followers need to draw a distinction between fan adoration versus obsession by respecting their privacy.
