LOS ANGELES (AP) — Since 2011, former television journalist Vitalii Sediuk has gained a reputation for outlandish stunts involving celebrities that have gotten him mocked, slapped, arrested (twice) and fired from the Ukranian television station 1+1.
His leap at Brad Pitt from a fan bleacher area at the “Maleficent” premiere Wednesday landed him in a Hollywood jail facing a possible battery charge. Here’s a look at the incidents that have gained him notoriety and a rap sheet.
UNWELCOME GIFT TO MADONNA
Sediuk drew Madonna’s scorn when he presented the singer-actress a bouquet of hydrangeas at 2011’s Venice Film Festival and called her “my princess.” Madonna proclaimed, “I absolutely loathe hydrangeas” and stowed the flowers under a table before starting a press conference.
PUCKERING UP TO WILL SMITH
In 2012, Sediuk hugged Will Smith at the red carpet premiere of “Men In Black III” and tried to take it a step further, moving in to kiss the actor on the mouth. Smith slapped him away and said Sediuk was lucky he didn’t get sucker-punched.
THE AWARD GOES TO…
Sediuk didn’t have tickets to the 2013 Grammy Awards, but that didn’t stop him from following Katy Perry through security and beating Adele to the stage before she accepted an award. Sediuk was quickly stopped and arrested for the stunt, which he said he didn’t plan out ahead of time. He later pleaded no contest to a trespassing charge. He remains on probation in the case.
COOPER CROTCH HUG
At January’s Screen Actors Guild Awards, Sediuk created a stir after kneeling down and hugging Bradley Cooper’s crotch while the actor was on the red carpet. Actor Michael Pena helped pry Sediuk away from Cooper, who appeared to laugh off the incident.
FASHION SHOW-OFF
In February, Sediuk streaked down a runway wearing only a trench coat, G-String, socks and sneakers at the Prabal Gurung show during New York’s Fashion Week. He preened and was chased by security, all while models continued to parade the designer’s latest fashions.
CANNES KERFUFFLE
Three weeks ago, Sediuk rushed the red carpet and briefly dove under America Ferrera’s dress during the red carpet premiere of “How to Train Your Dragon 2” at the Cannes Film Festival. Sediuk wasn’t charged, and Ferrera didn’t appear fazed by the incident. Around this time, Sediuk’s employers at 1+1 fired him, although they wouldn’t confirm it was directly related to the Cannes incident.
POUNCING ON PITT
Sediuk was arrested Wednesday evening on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after he leaped from a fan bleacher area at Pitt, who was signing autographs. The actor apparently wasn’t injured and stayed at the premiere to support his partner, Angelina Jolie.
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