Michael Jackson was, and always will be, a legend. The fact that his children are now living their very own lives as young adults and are exploring their journey without their father, is highly intriguing to the press. With a myriad of paparazzi always surrounding her, Paris Jackson rarely has any control over how she is portrayed in the press, and she's not fond of all the attention. So, she decided to have a more casual conversation with her good friend Willow Smith. Taking the place of her mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow took the lead on Red Table Talk and had a deeply emotional chat with Paris Jackson about her innermost feelings and what life is really like for her, behind closed doors.
10 The Paparazzi Overwhelmed Her
Sources report that the nonstop invasion of cameras and questions by the paparazzi is truly overwhelming for Paris Jackson. This lifestyle is one that Michael Jackson tried so hard to shield her from, yet the fame has seeped in and she has to contend with paparazzo everywhere she goes. This has proven to be very invasive for Paris, and she has expressed that the constant media attention has been a huge source of contention in her life.
9 She Suffers From Severe PTSD
The constant barrage of paparazzi attention has resulted in a severe case of PTSD. Paris claims she hears trash bags rustling and cameras clicking, even when there is nobody near her. Constantly being followed and stalked by people with cameras has really taken a toll on her emotional and mental health, and Paris states this has led to severe paranoia and hallucinations. She also routinely suffers from very bad nightmares.
8 Her Romantic Life Suffered Greatly
This extreme level of media scrutiny has meant that absolutely everything Paris Jackson does is happening under a microscope. Each time she leaves her house, her whereabouts are spread through various media channels, and she feels completely exploited all the time. Paris admits that her PTSD has been a huge factor in her very quiet dating life. She says she tries to keep her romantic life to a minimum as it's too much for her to handle, let alone expecting anyone else to be able to tolerate it, too.
7 She Has Been Cyberbullied
Growing up in this era means that Paris Jackson is highly exposed online. Her social media presence has been used as a platform for personal attack, and she claims to have been severely cyber bullied. Paris says that she was receiving death threats as a teenager and was subjected to constant harassment. This led her to have some very dark thoughts and truly affected her confidence, shaking her to her core.
6 She Has Discovered A Greater Sense Of Acceptance
Through her struggles, Paris Jackson has made every effort to remain balanced and protect herself from her inner demons. It has become habitual for her to practice saying a series of positive affirmations into the mirror each day, and she is shocked at how easy and natural it is to do. This has proven to be a real push towards her healing process.
5 She Still Struggles With Her Sexual Identity
When Paris Jackson came out as queer at the age of 14, she was grateful that her two brothers, Prince and Bigi, were there to offer their unconditional support. She credits them for helping her get through the tough times, as she was raised by her very strict grandmother, who was a Jehovah's Witness. She admits that this became a huge stumbling block for her as she continued to struggle with her sexual identity. When it comes to her sexual orientation, she admits that she is still "kind of figuring it out."
4 She's Following In Her Father's Footsteps
Being Michael Jackson's daughter means that Paris truly has music in her genes. She is proudly following in the footsteps of her father by releasing her debut album, Wilted.
She admits to feeling the pressure of the industry, since her father reached heights of fame and success that are truly legendary, but that she pushes forward with thoughts of her father in mind and aims to please him with every song.
3 She Has Attempted Suicide Multiple Times
The intense pressure of media scrutiny, intense and unrelenting fame, and the loss of her father at such a young age has truly pushed Paris Jackson to the edge.
During her chat with Willow Smith, Paris Jackson stunned the world by emotionally admitting that she had tried to take her own life - multiple times.
Reports indicate; "it was like 'OK, OK, OK I've tried so many times (to attempt suicide) maybe it's just not my time' and that sucks," she said. "It was just the radical acceptation of when it's my time, it's my time and I'll wait it out until then and during that waiting time I've found just more and more joys in life and more ways to cope."
2 Being The Child Of A Celebrity Is A Different Kind Of Pressure
One major topic of discussion that Paris Jackson and Willow Smith were innately able to agree on, was the fact that being the child of a celebrity is a different kind of pressure that nobody else could ever understand.
They were each born in to a position of wealth and fame that they never asked for, yet were forced to sustain. The intense pressure of being the offspring of a talented legend that is idolized by people of different generations from every part of the world is a level of scrutiny and expectation that is difficult to endure.
1 She Thinks Her Dad Would Be Proud
The one thing that keeps Paris Jackson going when things get really tough, is the fact that she aspires to make decisions each day that would make her father proud. In spite of tumbling and fumbling at times, she admits that she knows her dad, the great Michael Jackson, would be proud of her, and she feels his presence strongly each time she throws herself into her music.