Lindsay Lohan reflects on ‘scary’ paparazzi from young age days

Lindsay Lohan is reflecting on a painful chapter of her past and how it’s shaping her approach to parenting her young son, Luai. 

In a heartfelt interview with The Sunday Times, the 39-year-old actress opened up about the trauma she experienced growing up in the public eye, a time when aggressive paparazzi and relentless tabloid coverage followed her every move.

“I don’t ever want my family to experience being chased by the paparazzi the way I was,” she said, recalling some of the most frightening moments from her early years. 

“They were terrifying moments I had in my life, I have PTSD to the extreme from those things. The most invasive situations. Really scary. And I pray stuff like that never comes back. It’s not safe. It’s not fair.”

Now a mother, Lohan and her husband Bader Shammas are working hard to ensure their 2-year-old son, Luai, is protected from the same kind of media intrusion. 

The couple, who tied the knot in July 2022 after first being linked in 2020, welcomed Luai in July 2023. Lohan shared that privacy is a regular topic in their household, explaining, “We talk about it all the time.”

Reflecting on how fame has changed over the years, Lohan believes the rise of social media has empowered celebrities to reclaim their personal stories. 

“It was way worse when I was younger,” she said. “But now, because of social media, people can tell their own story in the way that you want it to be told. It has reclaimed the ownership of your life.” 

She added, “We didn’t have that.”

Learning how to draw a line between public and private life has been a journey for her, and not an easy one. 

“What I have learned over time is how to separate my private life and public life, and that was difficult for me because nobody ever teaches you how to do that,” she explained.

And even though she appreciates fan support, she admitted that being secretly filmed makes her uncomfortable. 

“That’s scary. That feels very uncomfortable,” she said. “I’d rather someone just ask if they can take a photo, or else you get cautious of every move you make.”

Lohan will return to screens soon in Freakier Friday, the sequel to her beloved 2003 hit Freaky Friday, reuniting with co-star Jamie Lee Curtis.