Chappell Roan
photo: screenshot on X

Soccer star Jorginho accused Chappell Roan's security guard of berating his 11-year-old stepdaughter Ava in a São Paulo hotel on 21 March, leaving the child in tears after she walked past the singer at breakfast. The mayor of Rio de Janeiro promptly banned Roan from the city's Todo Mundo no Rio festival for the duration of the term.

Roan was performing at Lollapalooza Brazil in São Paulo, sharing a hotel with Jorginho, his wife Catherine Harding and Ava, Harding's daughter with Jude Law. Jorginho's Instagram Stories post sparked controversy, describing how a 'large security guard' confronted his wife and daughter aggressively, accusing the girl of 'disrespect' and 'harassment' for glancing at Roan's table.

Chappell Roan Bullying Allegations Spark Rio Backlash

Jorginho did not hold back. 'Honestly, I don't know at what point simply walking past a table and looking to see if someone is there can be considered harassment,' he wrote. He added that the guard threatened a hotel complaint while Ava sat crying, 'extremely shaken.' Tagging Roan, he fumed: '@chappellroan WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION.'​

The post blew up fast. Rio mayor Eduardo Cavalcanti piled on, posting: 'As long as I'm in charge of our city – this young lady @ChappellRoan will never perform at Todo Mundo no Rio!' That was Saturday. By Sunday, the row had drawn in Harding, who questioned whether Roan bore responsibility for her team's actions.

Roan fired back in an Instagram video from her hotel room, insisting she saw no woman or child and did not send anyone over. 'I was just sitting at breakfast in my hotel,' she said. 'I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child. They did not come up to me. They weren't doing anything.'

She stressed it was unfair for security to assume bad intentions without cause, adding, 'I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. Like, that is crazy.'

Apologising directly, Roan said, 'I'm sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming that you would do something and if you felt uncomfortable. That makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.' She later praised her security team onstage at Lollapalooza, calling the gig one of her last for a while.

Bullying Allegations Draw Mother's Response

Harding broke her silence in a video, describing the guard as 'aggressive and intimidating' who 'berated' her for bad parenting. 'Now I don't know if he's her personal security guard but he was with her, so that is all I know, did she send him to do it? Again, I don't know, I would like to hope not,' she said. She added that celebrities have a duty over how their staff behave.

'Would he do that if he didn't have her authority? I don't know. If he does, that's a big problem.' The incident soured Ava's birthday plans, scuppering a trip to Roan's concert.​

It is unclear who, if anyone, ordered the confrontation, as the claims conflict and lack proof. Roan has a history of such incidents. Weeks ago in Paris, she filmed paparazzi for 'harassment,' saying she felt 'disregarded as a human.' Red carpet rows and even US government disputes over boundaries followed.

Harding closed by hoping Roan would curb her team. 'I hope that maybe if it wasn't her that maybe she learns not to allow the people who work for her not to treat people like this.' Roan stayed silent after her apology.

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