Celebrities who got banned from foreign countries

Celebrities go home!
Persona non grata
Russia and China say no to Selena Gomez
Brad Pitt won't be visiting The Great Wall anytime soon
Malaysia is no Kesha fan
50 Cent: (Almost) Outta Canada
Beyoncé: Too much for Malaysia
Indonesia is no place for Lady Gaga
Snoop Dogg caused anarchy in the UK
Chris Brown: Zero tolerance to domestic abuse
Rihanna and her controversal Abu Dhabi visit
Justin Bieber was prosecuted in Argentina
China closes the door to The Biebs
Lilly Allen says 'Not fair!' to the US
Jon Bon Jovi and the Dalai Lama don't sit well with China
China isn't fan of Katy Perry or the flag of Taiwan
China doesn't like the latest from Oasis
Harrison Ford also supports an independent Tibet
Malaysia keeps an eye on Gwen Stefani
Avril Lavigne was 'canceled' by Malaysian authorities
Cat Stevens got blacklisted for US entry
Madonna is 'persona non grata' at The Vatican
Turkey follows The Catholic Church
Jay-Z is too crass for China
Paris Hilton got kicked out of Japan
Alec Baldwin's comments are no joke for Manila
Egypt doesn't want to hear from Elton John
Celebrities go home!

With almost 200 countries around the globe, one can safely assume that different cultures have mixed opinions about celebrities. Sometimes, these opinions can reach as far as banning people from their territory! Yes, even someone as innocuous as Selena Gomez.

Persona non grata

Who are these celebrities and why they have been declared 'persona non grata' abroad? Let's have a look.

(Photo: Pexels / Jaymantri)

Russia and China say no to Selena Gomez

The former star of 'Wizards of Waverly Place' shared on social media a picture of her with the Dalai Lama, which was more than enough to be barred from entering China. Russia, meanwhile, said 'nyet' to her for her support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Brad Pitt won't be visiting The Great Wall anytime soon

Hollywood actor Brad Pitt earned a 15-year ban from entering China after starring in 'Seven Years in Tibet', a movie that cast the Communist regime in a poor light.

Malaysia is no Kesha fan

The government of Malaysia didn't allow the musician Kesha to perform in the country in 2013, arguing that she was a threat to the cultural values and religious sensibilities of the southeastern Asian country.

50 Cent: (Almost) Outta Canada

New York rapper 50 Cent faced trouble performing in Canada after a few local politicians complained about his criminal record and argued that his music promoted violence. CNBC reports that, after some obstacles, the musician had no trouble giving concerts across the Great White North.

Beyoncé: Too much for Malaysia

Speaking of musicians, Queen Bey herself was forced to cancel a concert in Malaysia after local authorities demanded that she wore clothes that covered most of her body. This clashed with the wardrobe she had prepared for her tour.

Indonesia is no place for Lady Gaga

Pop sensation Lady Gaga suspended a concert in Indonesia in 2012 after receiving harsh criticism due to her costumes and attitude. She feared for her safety and the show was canceled.

Snoop Dogg caused anarchy in the UK

After an altercation with the police at the Heathrow Airport of London, the rapper found himself suspended from visiting the UK.

Chris Brown: Zero tolerance to domestic abuse

The King of R&B was denied entry to the UK in 2011 for a memorial event dedicated to Michael Jackson after reports of domestic abuse against his partner, Rihanna, were made public. Australia followed suit, banning him for the same reason.

Rihanna and her controversal Abu Dhabi visit

Rihanna herself was mired in controversy in 2013 after taking pictures of her visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque that were deemed inappropriate. She was asked to leave the premises of the place of worship in Abu Dhabi.

Justin Bieber was prosecuted in Argentina

Pop singer Justin Bieber got into trouble after sending his bodyguards to handle a journalist and take possession of his equipment during a visit to Buenos Aires in 2013. He was prosecuted in absentia and the case was dismissed.

China closes the door to The Biebs

The Biebs faced bigger problems in China. After a series of unfortunate public appearances in the country in 2017, including shooting a music video at The Great Wall that was deemed 'disrespectful', Beiber was singled out as “a bad example” and requested not to return.

Lilly Allen says 'Not fair!' to the US

British singer Lilly Allen wasn't allowed to enter the United States due to accusations of having assaulted some paparazzi in London. She missed the MTV Awards that year and the chance to record a music video with Kanye West.

Jon Bon Jovi and the Dalai Lama don't sit well with China

Jon Bon Jovi and his band were banned in China after showing a picture of the Dalai Lama at one of their concerts in Taiwan.

China isn't fan of Katy Perry or the flag of Taiwan

The singer of 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Firework' was seen with a flag of Taiwan in one of her shows, which was more than enough to get the rejection of the Beijing government. China doesn't recognize Taiwan as an independent country.

China doesn't like the latest from Oasis

Although the Gallagher brothers no longer perform that much, they no longer can play in China after showing their public support for an independent Tibet.

Harrison Ford also supports an independent Tibet

Harrison Ford, known to have played Han Solo and Indiana Jones, has been banned from China since 1995 due to his support of an independent Tibet.

Malaysia keeps an eye on Gwen Stefani

Local authorities in Malaysia kept Gwen Stefani under watch to make sure she didn't dress up 'obscenely' during her concerts.

Avril Lavigne was 'canceled' by Malaysian authorities

Gwen Stefani is hardly the only female performer to have been embroiled in problems with Malaysian authorities. Avril Lavigne had to cancel a concert in Kuala Lumpur in 2012 because she was deemed a bad influence on the country's youth.

 

Cat Stevens got blacklisted for US entry

The British songwriter, the creator of classical melodies such as 'Wild World' and 'Moonshadow', adopted the name Yusuf Islam when he became a Muslim. According to Fox News, the name appeared in 2004 on a list of possible terrorists, barring the musician from entry to the United States.

Madonna is 'persona non grata' at The Vatican

Madonna has faced many controversies in different countries throughout the years. The constant use of religious references and imagery, particularly in 'Like a Virgin', got her to be branded as 'blasphemous' by the Catholic hierarchy.

Turkey follows The Catholic Church

A few years later, baring her breasts in the middle of a concert earned the Queen of Pop a prohibition from entering Turkey.

Jay-Z is too crass for China

Back in China, the Beijing government ruled that the rapper's lyrics are too crass to be let inside the country.

Paris Hilton got kicked out of Japan

The wealthy hotel heiress wasn't allowed to visit Tokyo in 2010 after border patrol determined she was carrying illegal substances. Hilton was promptly sent back to the United States.

Alec Baldwin's comments are no joke for Manila

'30 Rock' actor Alec Baldwin joked on the David Letterman show that he was going to order a Filipina mail bride. The reaction from Manila didn't take long to arrive.

Egypt doesn't want to hear from Elton John

According to The Guardian, Elton John's relationships with men were enough reason to be forbidden to perform in Egypt in 2010.

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