Topline
Actor Jonah Hill’s ex-girlfriend, Sarah Brady, accused Hill of emotional abuse over the weekend, and posted screenshots of their text messages to her Instagram story that prompted widespread internet discourse about boundaries and whether Hill misused “therapy speak.”
Jonah Hill and Sarah Brady at the “Don’t Look Up” World Premiere on December 05, 2021 in New York … [+] City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)
Key Facts
Brady shared screenshots of text messages on her Instagram story over the weekend which she claims Hill sent, including messages that show Hill demanding Brady abide by his “boundaries,” which include Brady, who is a surfer, no longer posting pictures in bathing suits or “sexual pictures” and no longer surfing with men, having “inappropriate friendships with men,” or having friendships “with women who are in unstable places” or from her “wild recent past.”
According to the text screenshots, Hill stated he would not be the right partner for Brady if she could not abide by these boundaries, though he would support her and there would be “no hard feelings.”
The screenshots appear to show Brady telling Hill she deleted pictures from her Instagram that he did not approve of, which Hill said was a “good start,” but added she still did not seem to understand his “boundaries.”
“This is a warning to all girls,” Brady wrote on her Instagram story, urging others to make an “exit plan” if their partner behaves in this manner.
Brady then re-posted pictures she claims she had previously taken down at the request of Hill, both of which show her in a swimsuit.
Hill has not publicly commented on Brady’s allegations, but plenty of TikTok and Twitter users have voiced their opinions, with some condemning Hill’s use of therapy language to allegedly “manipulate” Brady, while others praised Hill’s attempt to set boundaries for their relationship.
Key Background
Hill, an actor most widely known for his comedic roles for films including Superbad, 21 Jump Street and The Wolf of Wall Street, reportedly dated Brady between 2021 and 2022. They made their red carpet debut at the premiere for Don’t Look Up in December 2021, which Hill starred in. Hill reportedly denied engagement rumors with Brady two months later. Though it’s unclear when the pair broke up, Hill was first spotted with his current girlfriend, Olivia Millar, in August 2022. Hill and Millar reportedly welcomed a child in May 2023. Hill is also known for being open about his mental health: He announced last year he would refrain from promoting his films to avoid anxiety attacks, which he said he experiences because of “public-facing events.” He has spoken of experiencing depression and body image issues, and he released a documentary film Stutz in 2022 focused on an interview with his therapist, Phil Stutz, in which the two open up about mental health and their approach to therapy.
Chief Critics
Some on social media accused Hill of using therapy language, like “boundaries,” to exert controlling behavior over Brady. “Women are not required to live smaller lives because a boyfriend is jealous. That’s controlling,” tweeted Nicole Bedera, whose biography states she is a sociologist who studies sexual violence. Another user criticized Hill’s alleged attempt to control Brady’s friendships and social media posts: “My therapist honestly changed my life when he stopped me from saying someone was ‘violating my boundaries’ and explained that boundaries are values you impose on yourself and your own behavior, not rules you can enforce on other people.” Another Twitter user garnered nearly 80,000 likes criticizing Hill for knowingly entering a relationship with a surfer, then expecting her not to post pictures of herself wearing a swimsuit. Others, in typical Twitter fashion, added to the criticism in the form of memes and jokes: “if ur bf says not to post that bikini pic ask him if that’s the jonah hill he wants to die on,” one user tweeted.
Contra
Phoenix Suns basketball player Devin Booker showed support for Hill on his Instagram, posting a picture of the actor on his story with a saluting emoji. Conservative pundit Candace Owens also supported Hill on Twitter, writing “there is literally nothing wrong with Jonah Hill’s leaked text messages regarding what he wants in a partner.” Owens stated there is “plenty wrong with women in society today,” accusing “insecure women” of mislabeling “basic respect for your partner” as misogyny. Some Twitter users praised Hill for being “clear and upfront” with his boundaries, suggesting the pair may just not have been a good match.
Tangent
Some linked Hill’s situation to another recent online celebrity drama, in which actress Keke Palmer’s boyfriend, with whom she has a child, publicly criticized her on Twitter for wearing a revealing outfit and dancing with Usher while he serenaded her. Critics of Palmer’s boyfriend, Darius Jackson, similarly accused him of being controlling and criticized him for taking their relationship issues to social media. “Jonah Hill and Keke Palmer’s BD demonstrate clearly how they expect that once a woman is in a relationship with them, she must be invisible to the world. It’s control,” one user tweeted, garnering 50,000 likes.
Further Reading
Jonah Hill’s ex says his texts are ‘a warning to all girls’ (The Washington Post)
Jonah Hill Accused Of ‘Emotional Abuse’ By Ex-Girlfriend (Vanity Fair)
