Pop singer Justin Bieber is facing backlash after leaving a comment on 17-year-old actress Ariana Greenblatt’s Instagram post that many online deemed inappropriate
Justin Bieber has landed in hot water once again – this time for a social media comment many fans are calling inappropriate. The 31-year-old pop star, no stranger to controversy, has previously drawn criticism for defending Chris Brown following his release from prison, and for publicly downplaying his wife Hailey Bieber’s achievements – once stating she would “never be on the cover of Vogue.”
Now, his latest online behavior is under scrutiny after he left a remark on 17-year-old actress Ariana Greenblatt’s Instagram post. Greenblatt, known for her role in Barbie, recently shared a series of glamorous behind-the-scenes photos from the Fear Street: Prom Queen premiere.
Dressed in a shimmering black sequin mini dress, the young star captioned the post: “Fear Street: Prom Queen is out now on netflix!!! horror had always been one of my favorite genres and to have this movie be my introduction into the world was an honor.”
Fans flooded the comment section with praise – until one particular comment stood out. “I love youuuuuuuuu,” Bieber wrote beneath the post, a message Greenblatt went on to ‘like’.
While the two are believed to have some level of familiarity – Bieber reportedly followed her on Instagram back in November 2023, coinciding with her modelling appearance for Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s skincare line – many online felt the singer had overstepped a boundary.
The response was swift and unforgiving, especially on Reddit where users expressed concern over the age gap between the two. One top comment read: “She’s underaged and he’s a grown man.” The same commenter went on to note that Greenblatt “looks so similar to Selena Gomez so him just commenting to her like that makes it even weirder.”
Another user bluntly wrote: “In no circumstance is it appropriate to comment this on a 17 year old girl’s profile when you’re a 31 year old man.”
Others echoed the sentiment, calling the comment “disturbing” and “creepy.” One particularly harsh criticism stated: “He is 31 and this little girl is 17, that is so inappropriate. He could have left a sweet, appropriate message supporting her but of course he had to cross a line.”
Beyond the issue of age, some fans felt Bieber’s actions were disrespectful toward his wife, Hailey. One user observed: “Justin seem more supportive of a 17-year-old girl and Chris Brown than his own wife after her Vogue cover. He seems to enjoy embarrassing her at every opportunity.”
The backlash follows a string of public missteps for Bieber, including his now-deleted Instagram post where he admitted to telling Hailey she’d never land a Vogue cover – comments he later walked back, writing: “So baby u already know but forgive me for saying u wouldn’t get a Vogue cover cuz clearly I was sadly mistaken.”
Despite mounting criticism, Bieber has remained silent about the Greenblatt incident. He’s continued to make public appearances in good spirits, most recently spotted in West Hollywood amid ongoing debate about his online behavior.
For now, the pop star has not addressed the backlash – leaving fans, critics, and followers to continue dissecting his increasingly controversial digital footprint.
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