Hollywood stars Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry were both at the California state Capitol today to voice their support for a bill that would protect celebrities and their children from overbearing paparazzi.
According to CBS News, the two stars were throwing their support behind SB606, which would call taking pictures of children without their patents’ permission harassment.
During her testimony before the Assembly Judiciary Committee on the bill, Berry recalled the difficulty of paparazzi constantly following her 5-year-old daughter Nahla during her custody battle to keep Nahla. She had even tried to move to France in order to avoid paparazzi.
“‘How do you feel, Nahla? You may not see your father again. How do you feel about that?’” Berry remembered Nahla being asked, reports ABC News. “They say curse words and call me names, all trying to provoke some sort of response to sell a photograph.”
She remembered that Nahla would ask “‘Why did they say that to me, mommy? What does that mean? Who are these men and why are they following us?’” The Oscar winner added, “We aren’t just whiny celebrities. … We’re moms who are just trying to protect our children.”
Garner, who’s married to Ben Affleck, spoke about her three children constantly getting followed. She said that while she chose a public life, her children are still private citizens.
“I love my kids,” Garner said. “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.”
Berry, who is pregnant, has been a vocal supporter of the bill, having visited the state Capital in June to testify as well.
The bill did pass and will now go to the Appropriations Committee.
image: ABC