Bella Thorne opens up about releasing private images after blackmail bid
The actress has reflected on her decision to release private photographs herself, revealing the public reaction proved more traumatic than the alleged extortion attempt and describing how the FBI later contacted her.
Bella Thorne has spoken about the lasting emotional impact of releasing her own private photographs after an alleged blackmail attempt.
Saying the public reaction “really, really broke” her despite the decision later helping an FBI investigation, the former Disney Channel star and actress, 28, reflected on the 2019 incident during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, hosted by Alexandra Cooper.
Bella alleged at the time a hacker had attempted to blackmail her using private nude photographs. Rather than allow the images to be released without her consent, she chose to publish them herself. Speaking on the podcast, Bella said the backlash which followed proved more painful than the alleged extortion attempt itself.
Her comments come as the actress continues to expand her career beyond her Disney roots, having built a profile as an actress, filmmaker, musician and entrepreneur since starring in Shake It Up alongside Zendaya.
Recalling her decision to publish the photographs, Bella said: “I just did an honest Twitter post.
“I just kind of set it out as… you’re not gonna keep taking this from me, so here it is.”
Bella explained she wanted to regain control of the situation before the alleged blackmailer could act. However, she said the online response left her devastated after some accused her of seeking attention.
She told Alexandra: “And you know, I think the worst part of that was people saying, ‘Well, you did this. You are faking it. You just wanna show us your t***. You want us so badly to see your private parts that that’s why you’re doing it. You want it’.
“And that, to me, like, really broke me then. That like, really, really broke me.”
Bella said she later recorded an Instagram Story while feeling overwhelmed by the reaction, describing herself as “completely broken and so upset, just mad.”
The actress said events then took an unexpected turn when she was contacted by the FBI, which believed the alleged blackmailer matched an existing investigation.
She added: “And then I get like a call one day, and it’s the FBI. And they’re like, ‘Hey, you know, we’ve seen this thing. We think it’s our guy and, like, can we come over? Can we get all the data? Can we see what this is?’
“And they came over to my house.
“So, now I have like a house full of FBI, which is like the craziest thing.”
Bella said she worked alongside investigators for more than a year, providing them with the information she had gathered.
According to her account, investigators later identified the suspect by comparing the language used in messages with material connected to another investigation.
She said: “So, if I had not posted those screenshots… they wouldn’t have caught him.
“Or maybe they would’ve caught him later, but they wouldn’t have had that direct source.”
She added: “And that’s how they knew is because of the screenshots.
“Because it’s his exact writing, and they’re like, ‘This is his MO. It’s the same guy, it has to be.’”
Bella first found international fame through Disney Channel's Shake It Up, in which she starred opposite Zendaya, before moving into film roles including The DUFF, Blended, Midnight Sun and Infamous.
In recent years she has also directed and produced projects while remaining outspoken about issues including online abuse, privacy and exploitation in the entertainment industry.
