Back in 2019, Bella Thorne decided to release her own nude photos after her social media accounts were hacked by someone who threatened to share them without her consent.
Bella Thorne in an elegant, form-fitting gown, posing on a red carpet
Explaining that she was “sick” of letting men take advantage of her, Bella, who was in her early 20s at the time, shared the photos alongside a statement that read: “I have been threatened with my own nudes. I feel gross, I feel watched, I feel someone has taken something from me that I only wanted one special person to see.”
A written note from Bella Thorne sharing her experience of being hacked, feeling threatened over leaked photos, and her decision to reclaim power and involve the authorities
While many social media users praised Bella’s decision to regain control of her photos, Whoopi Goldberg quickly made it clear that she did not empathize at all. “Listen, if you’re famous, I don’t care how old you are, you don’t take nude pictures of yourself,” she said on an episode of The View. “When they’re hacking you, they’re hacking all of your stuff. So, whether it’s one picture or a million pictures, once you take that picture, it goes into the Cloud, and it’s available to any hacker who wants it. If you don’t know that in 2019, that this is an issue…you don’t get to do that.”
Whoopi Goldberg speaking animatedly on “The View”
Whoopi added, “You cannot be surprised that someone has hacked you. Especially if you have stuff on your phone. That’s why they’re hacking you.”
At the time, Bella tearfully called Whoopi’s remarks “sick” and “disgusting.” She said on Instagram, “Shame on you for putting that public opinion just out there like that for every young girl to think that they’re disgusting for even taking a photo like that. Shame on you.”
Bella Thorne on a red carpet in a strapless, metallic-textured gown
Fast-forward to today, and Bella has looked back on the difficult moment during a new appearance on The Viall Files podcast.
Bella Thorne during a podcast interview, seated on a couch, surrounded by microphones and podcast equipment
While Bella discussed being blamed for some of the traumatizing things she’s sadly experienced, she said, “When I had to put out my own nudes because I was being fucking threatened…Whoopi Goldberg said that I had essentially deserved it in some way because I had sent the photo in the first place, that I had even taken the photo.”
Bella Thorne during a podcast interview, engaged in conversation
“I obviously got very upset because that was such a hard thing for me to do,” Bella shared. “It was like, ‘Well, if I do it, then it’s my decision, and it’s not yours. Even though it kind still of is your decision because I’m only doing it because of you.’”
Bella Thorne and Nick Viall having a conversation on a podcast set with microphones and couches. “Going Deeper with Bella Thorne” visible on screen
Bella also recalled people speculating that she’d “faked” the entire thing as an excuse to share her photos herself. “That fucking hurt again,” she said, adding that “all of this was so hard…to mentally go through.”
Later in the podcast, when asked if she’d ever received a “sincere apology” from Whoopi, Bella paused and said, “Um, I think I’ll next that question.”
Bella Thorne sits on a couch during an interview with Nick Viall for “The Viall Files” podcast. They are in a studio setting with microphones
“Yeah, hmmm,” she said while laughing, before adding: “There was a video sent from backstage. Yes, there was a video sent. Um, yes.”
Bella Thorne laughing on “The Viall Files” podcast
BuzzFeed has reached out to Whoopi’s reps for comment. You can listen to Bella’s full appearance on The Viall Files here.