Apple Martin, the 21-year-old daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, recently found herself at the centre of online backlash after a clip from a Paris debutante ball went viral, with viewers accusing her of showing 'mean girl' behaviour.
The video was captured at the elite Le Bal des Débutantes and showed Apple stepping into a photo setup and repositioning herself beside another debutante. Some online users interpreted her expression and body language as entitled, and the clip quickly went viral. There was a lot of criticism which eventually mutated into baseless rumours about her expulsion from Vanderbilt University for bullying.
It began as commentary on the celeb kid's body language, but soon snowballed into unverified rumours that Martin had been expelled from Vanderbilt University for bullying. These claims spread widely with no credible source backing them.
Apple addressed the speculation directly on Instagram on February 16. On her Instagram story, she shared a screenshot of her own comment which said, "Hi! I didn't wanna respond but this narrative is completely false and has gotten so out of hand. I have never been expelled from any school, especially not for bullying anyone. I completely understand ppl not liking me and that is okay! The internet is a place where ppl can share their opinions. But this rumor is completely untrue, I am not that type of person and anyone who is close to me knows that❤️" and added, "just a quick little message from myself".
Adding context to what originally happened, fellow debutante Aliénor Loppin de Montmort — the woman seen in the video — publicly defended Apple, describing her as “the nicest girl ever” and dismissing the online interpretation of the interaction.
This just shows the speed at which a brief, context-free clip can shape public perception, particularly for celebrity children navigating increased visibility. Apple is beginning to step into the public eye and reportedly also exploring creative pursuits. Maybe this was a lesson on how few seconds of footage can turn public perception, no matter if it reflects the reality or not.
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