Rumer Willis Gets Response From Photographers Over Photoshopping And Bullying Claims


Since appearing on Dancing with the Stars last year, Rumer Willis has made a name for herself independently of parents Bruce Willis and Demi Moore in films and on stage, but Rumer may be even more popular for her stance against bullying and body shaming. Ms. Willis again spoke out against such actions when she found that some photographers had used Photoshop to alter her facial features. Now, those photographers are responding to Rumer’s claims, but will the former Dancing with the Stars champion like what they have to say?

Rumer Willis Calls Out Photographers For Photoshopping Her Face

The incident was prompted by a photo shoot Rumer did with sisters Tallulah and Scout Willis for Vanity Fair. Following the modeling session, the picture was published, and it was revealed that photographers Mark Williams and Sara Hirakawa used image enhancing software to alter the photograph, making alterations that included reducing the size and shape of Rumer’s chin.

Ms. Willis immediately reacted to the picture, declaring that such extreme image altering was a form of bullying and body shaming. Rumer asked all of her friends and followers to remove the image in support of her position of the unsolicited photo manipulation. She added that she loves her look and doesn’t want photographers altering her image to fall in line with what they may consider more beautiful.

Rumer’s post on Instagram in which she makes these complaints of bullying and body shaming has already earned over 10,000 likes with users supporting Rumer with positive comments about the natural beauty in her look.

“Agree @ruelarue you are beautiful just the way you are, and you should be proud of the way God made you. Thanks for making such a powerful statement against this issue,” replied one Instagram user.

“Rumer your jaw defines you – strong and beautiful – you will be the Barbra Streisand of our generation…voice and acting talent, brains and beauty! xo,” commented another one of Ms. Willis’ fans.

Mark Williams And Sara Hirakawa Respond To Rumer Willis’ Charges Of Bullying

Rumer’s statements against the Vanity Fair photographers’ actions didn’t go unnoticed by Williams and Hirakawa. The two Vanity Fair art department professionals have since responded to Willis and her assertion that the image retouching is a form of body shaming. The photographers explained that there was some distortion in the photo, due to using a wide-angle lens to capture all three sisters on film, and this was the only reason the image was altered.

“We used a wide-angle lens, and it might’ve made Rumer’s chin look smaller from the higher angle that we shot the image. We did correct for the optics of the lens slightly as people’s heads get distorted through the wide-angle lens,” the photography team explained of their photo editing motives.

Eager to resolve any misunderstanding between Rumer Willis and themselves, Williams and Hirakawa went on to assure Rumer that there was never any criticism or bullying of any kind intended toward the former Dancing with the Stars champion.

“We certainly did not intend to change the way she naturally looks. Our intention was to capture the special bond between Rumer and her sisters. It saddens us that Rumer feels the way she does about the image and hope she understands that there was never any intention with it to alter her appearance.”

The photographers hoped to allay Ms. Willis’ concerns further by assuring her that the offending image was an outtake. The picture of the Willis sisters was never seen by Vanity Fair editors, and the image was not published in either the print or the online editions of the magazine.

[Image by Jemal Countess/Getty Images]

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