Drew Barrymore ‘stalker’ arrested at New York Fashion Week after demanding to see Emma Watson
Chad Michael Busto was previously detained by police after an attempt to approach Barrymore while she was onstage at a live event
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Your support makes all the difference.Drew Barrymore’s alleged stalker was arrested after forcibly entering a New York Fashion Week dressing room to see Emma Watson.
In August, Washington DC native Chad Michael Busto was detained by police after he attempted to rush a stage on which Barrymore was speaking with the actor and singer Reneé Rapp.
Footage from the New York panel event featured Busto shouting from the audience, and telling the Charlie’s Angels star: “You know who I am. I need to see you at some point while you’re in New York.”
On Friday (8 September), Busto was arrested again after he entered a private dressing space at a New York Fashion Week event, demanding to speak to the Harry Potter actor.
Court documents obtained by TMZ state that the man “screamed at models and makeup artists” inside the Brooklyn Navy Yard dressing room, telling them: "I want to marry Emma Watson. Let me speak to Emma Watson. Let me take a photo with Emma Watson."
It is unknown whether Watson was present in the dressing room or at the fashion show.
After management at the venue called the police, Busto was arrested and later charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and two counts of trespassing.
The Independent has reached out to a representative of Emma Watson for comment.
When Busto tried to approach Barrymore on stage in August, it followed reports of him travelling around the local area and telling residents that he was looking for the actor and chat show host’s home.
“He was suspected of stalking Ms Barrymore due to previous incidents involving the actor,” the police spokesperson shared in a statement. “After a brief detainment for questioning by responding officers, Busto was released, and appeared to have left the area.”
Following the near-encounter on stage, the patrol officers notified the police’s detective division, who conducted a follow-up investigation that found that Busto’s actions warranted a stalking charge.
The statement continued: “During the afternoon of August 24th, East Hampton Town Police located the suspect, took him into custody and subsequently turned him over to Southampton Town Police detectives for arrest processing. Busto was charged with Stalking in the 4th degree, a class ‘B’ misdemeanour.”
At the time of the stage incident, The Sex Lives of College Girls star Reneé Rapp helped to escort Barrymore off the stage and was praised by fans for her protective actions.
When speaking to The Independent about the moment, Rapp, 23, explained it as simply an instinct to shield a friend from potential harm.
“In my brain, someone was about to harm my friend, so I’m not just going to f***ing sit there,” she said. “Are you kidding? You do not come for my friends. That man is lucky nobody laid him out.”
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