Bella Thorne Says Disney Channel Almost Fired Her for Wearing a Bikini at the Beach at Age 14

Posted by Martina Birk on Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Bella Thorne was a staple on the Disney Channel for many years, but the “Shake It Up” star apparently almost lost her job when she was 14.

During Tuesday’s episode of Emily Ratajkowski‘s “High Low With EmRata” podcast, Thorne opened up about many instances where she felt she was sexualized as a young girl.

“One time I almost got fired off the Disney Channel because I was 14, and I wore a two-piece on the beach,” Thorne said. “This stylist that I was hanging out with put this chain on me that’s, like, a body chain. I don’t know? I don’t care. There was a fan, they got a photo of me on the beach. I almost got fired. It was all over the media, it was literally viral in that time. It was, ‘How dare this little girl do this? This is so disgusting.'”

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Thorne, who starred opposite Zendaya on “Shake It Up” from 2010 to 2013, explained that people were “putting Disney under pressure” to fire her, but ultimately they didn’t. “They were like, ‘Hey, we’re getting a lot of heat for this. Everyone’s getting heat for this because you’re in a bikini on a beach, so she needs to make sure she goes out in boy shorts and a loose t-shirt next time she’s at the beach.'”

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During the episode, the actor, 25, also recounted a disturbing situation that happened four years before that.

“I had a director give me feedback once and I was 10. The casting director calls my agent and the agent calls my mom, and they’re like, ‘So she’s not moving forward because the director felt like she was flirting with him, and it made him really uncomfortable,'” Thorne said. “What the fuck are you talking about, man?! I don’t give a fuck what the fuck I said! I don’t care if I said, ‘Eat my pussy right now!’ She is 10 years old. Why ever would you think that?”

Disney Channel representatives did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

Watch the interview below:

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