Halle Berry let her voice be heard in the assembly on Tuesday, taking her complaints about out-of-control paparazzi to California’s state capitol. Berry appeared with fellow actress Jennifer Garner who also shared her experience as a celebrity mom who is forced to reckon with her kids being stalked by photographers.
“I chose a public life … [but] my three children are private citizens,” said Garner to lawmakers. “I love my kids. They’re beautiful and sweet and innocent, and I don’t want a gang of shouting, arguing, lawbreaking photographers who camp out everywhere we are all day every day to continue traumatizing my kids.”
In her argument, Halle spoke of Nahla’s experience with one paparazzo who attempted to make conversation with the preschooler by asking, “How do you feel, Nahla? You may not see your father again. How do you feel about that?” Not only did the ordeal traumatize Nahla but it also caused her to pose questions to her mom. “Why did they say that to me, mommy? What does that mean? Who are these men and why are they following us,” said Halle in Nahla’s stead. “We aren’t just whiny celebrities. … We’re moms who are just trying to protect our children,” explained the star just before bringing Jennifer Garner to the forefront.
The anti-paparazzi bill will make its way to the Appropriations Committee in coming weeks, and may soon be the new law for photographers in California. Halle is expecting her first son with husband Olivier Martinez. Nahla is her child with French actor Gabriel Aubry.
