Brad Pitt attacked on red carpet in Hollywood
An infamous red carpet prankster struck actor Brad Pitt in the face as the actor signed autographs at the Hollywood premiere of a film starring his partner, Angelina Jolie, on Wednesday, police said.
Pitt, a Golden Globe-winning actor, was at the premiere of “Maleficent” at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood when Vitalii Sediuk leaped over a fence and hit him, said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Gus Villanueva.
Pitt was not seriously hurt and authorities quickly subdued Sediuk, who was arrested for misdemeanor battery and remained in police custody Wednesday night, Villanueva said.
The world-famous movie star’s designer sunglasses were broken during the strange attack, according to TMZ.
Sediuk was being held pending payment of $20,000 bail. He’s been ordered to stay 500 feet away from Pitt for the next five days, according to a temporary restraining order.
“The officers who were handling him said it looked like it was intentional, but at this point, it remains to be determined,” said Sgt. Leonard Calderon of LAPD Hollywood.
Sediuk, 25, is a Ukrainian television reporter who has often pranked celebrities at red carpet events.
In previous exploits, Sediuk has hugged actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s crotch at a Santa Barbara Film Festival event; snuck onto the red carpet at Cannes and dove underneath America Ferrera’s dress, frightening the actress; stormed the stage during singer Adele’s Grammy acceptance speech; and been slapped by Will Smith after kissing the actor at a Moscow premiere.
Sediuk did not appear to be armed at the time of the attack on Pitt, and investigators have not yet determined a motive, said Villanueva, adding that he was likely to be arraigned on Thursday.
“Maleficent” is Disney’s modern reimagining of the “Sleeping Beauty” fairy tale, and Jolie stars as its villain.
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