Sabrina Carpenter is clearing the air after facing criticism over claims that she drew inspiration from one of the most controversial films, Lolita. The criticism came after a recent photoshoot with W Magazine.
A TikTok user reposted an image that had two photos side by side: Carpenter barefoot on a lawn, wearing a yellow, water-soaked Chloé dress turned nearly transparent by sprinklers. Her wet hair clings to her face, next to a similar image from the 1997 film.
The image captioned, “Me after seeing Sabrina’s Lolita photoshoot”, and a voiceover reacted in disbelief, “What the… I’m sorry for my language, but what the F is this?”
The movie is an adaptation of the notorious 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov, about a middle-aged man who becomes obsessed with a young girl. In the book, she’s 12; in the film, she’s 14.
Carpenter addressed the criticism directly in the comments, writing: “I’ve never seen this movie. It’s never been on my mood board and never would be.”
However, the original poster clapped back with sarcasm, referencing Carpenter’s Eras Tour performance in Mexico, where she delivered improvised, risqué lyrics during a Nonsense outro. “I’m full grown but I look like a niña (child) / Come put something big in my casita (little house).”
More Controversy
Carpenter’s photoshoot controversy comes after her posing nude for Rolling Stone and receiving backlash for the cover of her new album, Man’s Best Friend. The cover features her on her hands and knees while getting her hair pulled by a man.
“It’s always so funny to me when people complain,” she said in an interview. “They’re like, ‘All she does is sing about this,'” she explained. “But those are the songs that you’ve made popular. Clearly you love sex. You’re obsessed with it. It’s in my show.”
Her new single Manchild on debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Fans were quick to assume the song was a brutal jab at her ex, Barry Keoghan.
