Jude Law Hits Female Photographer On The Head
Normally we get to see cute pics of Jude Law spending time with his children or just generally lookin’ hot whenever he is out and about … but today we get to see a couple of very unfortunate photos of Jude Law seeming smacking a female photographer on the back of the head as he made his way out of a restaurant in London, England last night. According to Jude’s people, the smack was an “accident” but from the look of the photos it really looks intentional … here are the pics, judge for yourselves:
A female photographer is today considering pressing charges against Jude Law after he hit her while leaving a central London restaurant in the early hour s of this morning. The actor appeared to strike the 28-year-old paparazzo as she took pictures of him leaving a celebrity dinner party at Automat in Dover Street, Mayfair. Harsha Gopal claimed the attack was unprovoked, and added: “He hit me full on the face, it was a real stinger, it was very sore.” Jude was at a dinner hosted by movie director Christopher Nolan, where other guests included Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay- Z and s inger Michelle Williams. As he left the eatery at 1am he appeared to throw a hand towards Harsha’s face, leaving her reeling away in pain. She was among a group of other photographers who had assembled outside to catch the A-list crowd on their way out. She added: “It was really loud – there was a massive thud and my face is still stinging today. It was deliberate – you could see it in his face. Maybe he didn’t realise he was hitting a girl, but he could at least apologise.” Jude Law’s lawyer Graham Shear today called the claims ‘nonsense’ and added: “Last night’s incident was an accident. Jude was blinded by the camera flashes when he left the restaurant, raised his hand to shield himself and inadvertently struck somebody standing very close. He apologised and left.” Harsha was resting up today and suffered no injuries, but is now considering whether to press charges against the 36-year-old. Jude was arrested after allegedly assaulting a photographer near his Maida Vale home in 2007.
Yeah, I realize that photographs do NOT tell the whole story but from the look of these two photos, the incident didn’t look accidental. I love me some Jude but there is NO excuse for ever laying hands on anyone … man or woman, assaulting someone is totally unacceptable. The fact that he was arrested for assaulting a photographer previously tends to show a pattern of behavior. I sincerely hope that this really was an accident because I really do like Jude Law. What do ya’ll think … was this accidental or intentional?
[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]
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July 23rd, 2009 at 9:13 am
I don’t know…I agree with you Trent, never should someone assault someone, but although he looks angry he actually does look like he’s pushing away or blocking, not hitting. I don’t think an open hand like that is characteristic of intentionally hitting.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:14 am
It LOOKS intentionally…which means it’s probably not what we think. lol.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:20 am
Agree with Michelle there. Those flashes are extremely blinding. Pro photogs never pull that kind of crap.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:31 am
i highly doubt her “face is still stinging today”. Intentional or not, i just think she wants a bit of cash…
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:32 am
It looks intentional but honestly, if you were followed around by photographers night and day…wouldnt you want to do this? I am not making excuses but I am trying to put myself in his shoes. Getting cameras in your face daily and if they catch you on a bad day, you’re going to snap. Some people may not have as much control as others but I know that if people were in my face 24/7 I’m sure there would be a similar incident…
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:34 am
I don’t know….stories like this don’t surprise me. I would never want to be famous simply because I don’t want my every move photographed. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be stalked and harassed as a celebrity so these low life can make thousands of dollars off of my picture. They should get a REAL job and stop stalking people. It’s hard to feel sorry for the stalkerazzi.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:36 am
@Brittany — If I were a celebrity paid millions to be famous then, no, I would not want to hit anyone. If I no longer wanted to be famous, I’d do something else. The argument that celebs get tired of being famous 24/7 so they should be allowed to assault people argument holds no water with me.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
how can she claim that he hit her on the face when he’s standing behind her, and his outstretched arm is facing the back of her head? If she didn’t suffer any damages, why would she press charges? Are her supposed injuries so great that she can’t work? Is she suffering emotionally from the incident? Ridiculous! Sounds to me like she’s trying to capitalize on an accidental incident.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:47 am
Yeah, I think it was intentional. Look at his face! He has that evil look. If he felt any remorse after hitting her, it would’ve been noticed but he just kept the same expression on his face. And she says he didn’t apologize, so that just makes him an even bigger jerk!
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:49 am
Did she hit herself in the head with the camera?LOL It looks like an accident to me. He’s probably angry because he probably can’t see well and is trying to get away from the swarm of photogs. If this chick pressees charges she is ridiculous!
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:49 am
Trent.. you make a very valid arguement. But heres a question, even though you are making millions and yes, you are a public figure, does that give the photogs the right to camp outside of your home, follow you to the grocery store, follow you to pick up your children and in some cases, put you and your family in danger when they are being chased down in vehicles?
I do think there are some celebs that ask for in (ex: Paris Hilton) but there are others that dont necessarily want it but they love being in showbiz. Its a double edge sword.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:50 am
@MeG — I don’t know how that first pic looks like an accident. He brought his hand up to the back of her head … as an accident?
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:53 am
@daiseechain — I think the claim is that he hit her in the back of the head and she hit her face on her camera.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:55 am
@Brittany — of course being famous doesn’t give anyone the right to break the law but if no laws are being broken, then FAME is what you have to deal with when you are a celebrity. assaulting someone is a crime, bottom line.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
I think it does kinda look like he’s trying to sheild himself from the bright lights of the camera and wacked her by accident… also seems shady that it looks like he hit her in back of her head but in the 2nd pic she’s holding her forehead.
I think that yes – he over-reacted. No doubt. Also doubt he’d intentionally just b*tch slap a photog while he knew pics of it would be taken!! He can’t be that stupid can he?!?!
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
@SuziLee — he was coming out of a restaurant, if he was drinking then, yes, he could’ve been that stupid.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:57 am
Oh yeah, that is totally intentional. And rather funny.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
I agree with some previous posters. As a professional photographer, with my own business, it’s NOT hard to photograph someone without blinding them. You put a lightsphere on your external flash. In fact, with the lightsphere, your pictures come out a MILLION times better because it soften the light like natural sunlight. There’s NO REASON she wouldn’t have one on there unless she was trying to instigate. She wouldn’t WANT a picture with harsh light. Also, that was the BACK of her head. She lied too.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
” Harsha Gopal claimed the attack was unprovoked, and added: “He hit me full on the face, it was a real stinger, it was very sore.” ”
Trent, her words are ‘he hit me full on the face’ She needs to get her story straight
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:12 am
People are actually making a judgement of an event they didn’t witness, based on TWO photos???
As far as I’m concerned, if someone gets in your face with a flash they deserve whatever they get.
FAME does not give a license to others to be obnoxious a-holes.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
He does look angry, but look at the position of his arm…like he’s shielding himself from all the photographers that are standing extremely close and flashing blinding lights in front of his face. Also, because of being blinded, he may just have that face of squinting from the harshness and look angry because of it–try it out yourself. Your face scrunches up which could look angry. I seriously think this was an UNintentional. If he really intentionally tried to hit someone his arm would be in a totally different position (a forward action instead of in that protective position).
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
I have NO sympathy for the paps. None, man or woman.
I do love the look on her face though, maybe she’s rethinking her life choices.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
Oh, also, I don’t think people should necessarily be judged by something they did years ago. I may have put my hand on a hot stove in the past, but I sure learned from that and don’t intentionally do it now. Or more recently, I may have drank too much in college and gone home with some questionable people, but I certainly don’t do that anymore. Live and learn.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 am
I’m not saying that celebrities have the right to assault harrassing photographers but I do think that some of the Paparazzi intentionally goad celebrities into doing just that, either for the money or for their 15 minutes of fame.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
@Z but the celebrities need to learn to rise above that. There are plenty of A list celebrities that don’t get into fights with paparazzi and fans. They know how to behave and how to give them what they want without looking like an asshole. I can’t say if it looks accidental or not I can see both arguments so its a tough call. If it was truly an accident though you would think he would stop and apologize properly.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
I don’t think it was intentional..My first thought was that he was probably blinded by the light (revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night) and then I read the attorney’s statement that backs that up..I just think it looks bad..A picture taken at just the right moment can tell a COMPLETELY different story..I think this low-life paparazzi is looking for some fame and money..But, at the end of the day, only Jude knows what happened..
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:35 am
take that you nasty photog!
look at her telling everyone she got hit in the face. since when was the back of your head your face?!?!
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:43 am
He was probably blinded by all the flashes to notice that it was a girl.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:48 am
I’m with you, Trent:
1) He’s got a history of this kind of behaviour
2) He looks furious, not blinded
3) Your hand would be by your face if you were trying to shield your eyes/yourself, not outstretched
4) You wouldn’t close your fist if you were trying to push/slap.
I waited in line for hours just yesterday to try to get day-of tickets to Hamlet here in London and failed. Now I’m kinda glad to see that I did; I don’t want to sanction this kind of behaviour with my custom.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Not cool, Jude. He looks pretty angry.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
And she’s got her back to him. I wonder if there was a slap and then someone started taking pics, and these in fact show just afterwards. Ugh.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
I am surprised at your stance Trent. I see where you are coming from but living in LA, I would think you would see firsthand how these predator paparazzi go WAY too far to get a photo. They put lives of innocent people in danger with those types of antics, not just the celebrities or the people with them. Do you think getting chased down by a speeding car is okay? Or having someone violate your personal space by shoving a camera in your face or your kids faces is okay? Of course the price of fame is that you get attention and people have free reign to talk about you etc. but to me that doesn’t include a lot of the stuff that these awful paparazzi do. I definitely would expect them to rise above some of the lame things they shout out trying to get their attention or other juvenile stuff that they pull, but I wouldn’t expect anyone to rise above having their person violated – because it’s not right for anyone to do that. I think there should be clear laws in place that state that photographers have to observe a 3 feet rule to take photos or something along those lines – or that they can’t block the person from walking by. I also think that police who see these paparazzi breaking the speed limits to chase a car down should be really strict with them because it’s just dangerous to do that. It wouldn’t take much to help keep things calm and orderly – as of course I am not suggesting that they don’t have the right to take photos in a free country – but right now – all this looking the other way by police is just sad and it does make me feel sorry for celebrities, when I’d rather not!
I know nothing about Jude Law, and perhaps he’s just a jerk with a temper, and I agree that physical violence is unnacceptable in any circumstance. But if this photographer was really getting in his face and he was just trying to block her – I can’t really fault him for that.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 am
To me, it looks like Jude is holding is arms up to give himself space and block the flashes, in the first photo. In the second photo, he realizes he hit her with his hand and is reacting to that. Bottom line is that we really have no idea because we weren’t there.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
OH please it looks like an accident. That’s what happens when your up in someones personal space, back the F*CK off lady. Got what you deserved!
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
There is actually an excuse to hit someone when:
1. Their livelihood is based on trying to get compromising photos of you. And or exploit photos of your children.
2. They are standing directly in front of you flashing a very bright light in your eyes and will not move.
Also I think if we go solely by the pictures, his hand is not in a fist, it is open, his arm is straight out, he is obviously not hitting anyone but sticking out is arm and saying “Hey, move.”
If you look at where his arm makes contact it is in the back of her head, and then in the next picture for some reason she is holding the side of her face. Which leads me to believe she is faking.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:35 am
I agree with all posts…its just too hard to tell what really happened…everyone’s version will be different. However, it is never okay to assault someone…but good lord…how close was she to him that all he had to do was put his hand out and it hit her. Just because you’re famous does not give people (paps) the right to shove a camera in your face like that…maybe if she was a respectable distance from him it wouldn’t have happened (and you know cameras are high tech enough that she doesn’t need to be 6 inches from his face to get a good shot). It will be another he said she said situation and we’ll probably never know what really happened. I mean look at all the paps that have been hurt in the last few years…people are tired of their outrageous behavior and maybe if they weren’t 6 inches from your face they wouldn’t get hurt. Take some personal responsibility for your actions.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I agree there should be some kind of law against the paparazzi and their aggressive behavior. BUT, it still doesn’t warrant violence. That’s what the paps are there for, they WANT to get under their skin to get that perfect shot, i.e. Bald Britney and the Umbrella. Even if they’re 2 inches from your face, it still doesn’t entitle you to physically touch them. There are ways to avoid the paparazzi, and celebrities know this. Britney Spears can EASILY go to the store without a pack of paps following her if she wanted!! We’ve seen it done before!! Jude Law could have easily left out of a back or side door. He CHOSE to go out the front door of an A-List celebrity dinner party KNOWING the paps were out there. People SHOULD take responsibility for their actions, celebrity or not.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
/\That’s a lie! She can’t do it easily. It takes alot of work & planning. If people know where you live they can EASILY follow you everywhere.
This lady is a liar off the bat! Whoever said he’s making a fist is blind, his hand is open. Plus we have no idea if he really said sorry or not.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:29 pm
It doesn’t look intentional to me. It looks like he went to block himself or shoo them away and she was in the way.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
b*tch had it coming. shouldn’t even matter if it’s a boy or girl. scum is still scum.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Wonder whether there is a bit of melodramatic football-style hamming going on here on the part of the ‘razzi….
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
@QT- She HAS left her house plenty of times with NO paps following her. How? Bitch is maaaagggic!! Keep your whereabouts private. Keep your schedule quiet. Trust only those you KNOW you can trust. “They know where she lives.” Have a decoy. Use a different car. Duck. SUCH hard work and extensive planning!! Plenty of bigger named celebs walk the streets every day without being seen. The paps eventually catch up, but, I know for a fact that she has left her house several times without a trail following. :)
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Celebs need to get over it. It’s no secret that if you want to be famous, this is the price you pay. If you would like to be photog free – stay home! Dont go to the restaurants that are notorious for celeb sitings – which are swarming with photographers. I’m sure there are hundreds of other restaurants, just as nice. I’m sure if these celebrities took a walk in an average person’s shoes – flipping burgers or bagging groceries, after a week they would be just begging for their riches and the in your face camera flashes that come with. Give it a rest and go buy a new bently.
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
If we agree that hitting anyone is unacceptable..then why do you make the case that it was a woman photog that was hit? Drop the soap box statement that it doesn’t matter if its a woman or a man…then state in your BIG PINK LETTERS…that it was a female Photog…
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:58 pm
It was an accident. He had been very patience with photographers every nigth outside the theater, they are out of control. The ligths of the flashes are annoying and you can’t see anything. I think They are using her genre (female) to make him look bad, and that is disgusting. All my life I have been fighting with the fact that female aren’t diferentt to male at work, and people like her make us take a step back.
By the way, If you have a doubt see the video in The Sun, those flashes are incredible annoying!
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
OH! and about the “Jude was arrested after allegedly assaulting a photographer near his Maida Vale home in 2007″, please check the facts because the charge of assault were dismissed!!!
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pm
If that’s hitting on her face, full on, then I guess the picture here is a slap to the back of the head to make it count? regardless, yeah, he probably could have handled that better. on the other hand, i actually would not be surprised if he flipped out because of that blinding flash. she’s awfully close to him if he could reach out and slap her. if my cheap little digital can blind me, imagine what one of those megawatt pro flashes can do do you.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
IF THE PAPARAZZI IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE TOUCHED, NUDGED, OR SMACKED BY THEIR SUBJECT – THEY ARE INDEED TOO CLOSE TO THEIR SUBJECT. PERIOD. THERE’S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THIS CHICK WAS UP IN HIS FACE – BLOCKING HIS PATH – AND PROBABLY INCITING HIM W/ B.S. COMMENTS ON TOP OF BEING IN THE WAY. THEY DO INDEED, AT THE VERY LEAST, DESERVE A SMACKDOWN. COME ON NOW……..
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:08 pm
@Eloisa — dismissed charges or not, he was still arrested. that is fact.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
If they have to be brushing up against the person they are photographing, they clearly don’t know how to use their cameras – or they are just complete ass******. There should be a law that paps can only take pics from across the street.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:45 am
I would press charges. He can defend himself and plead innocence, but the look on his face was vicious. They are pests, but he was caught on film for this one.
July 24th, 2009 at 5:22 am
I can’t believe there are women paparazzi now, it’s just sickening. If anyone has seen that Streets of Hollywood show you’ll see what scumbags these people really are.
July 24th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
The paps deserve it. They shove and push and invade the personal space of the celeb to get their shot. No whining when they push them out of the way, which is what appears to be happening. Truth is, we can’t know what actually happened unless there is video.
July 26th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Well, it looked pretty intentional to me. However, I would probably do the same thing if people were sticking lenses in my face all the time.