Teenager Samantha Bellingham has rubbed shoulders with pop stars and movie legends – but not because they wanted to.
The 19-year-old is a self-confessed celebrity stalker and spends all her spare time tracking down the rich and famous.
It’s an unusual passion that Samantha says “keeps her out of trouble” and she’s become so good at it, she’s hunted down virtually every superstar to visit New Zealand.
Samantha, of Auckland, even chooses overseas destinations for holidays where she knows she’s got a good chance of sniffing out a celebrity or two.
When asked how many she’s met, the bubbly student shrugs with a laugh and a modest “too many to count”.
But recent conquests include legends like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, oickey Rourke, Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton and Jennifer Hudson – an uninvited-guest list any paparazzi photographer would envy.
Her biggest stalking success recently was with singing superstar Beyoncé, when she became the only fan in New Zealand to have her photo taken with the very private celebrity.
While the media tried to find Beyoncé in Auckland, smart-thinking Samantha used her stalking knowledge to sniff out the sultry soul diva before anyone else even got close.
“When Lady Gaga visited, I discovered there was a side door at the airport the stars use to avoid the media and fans,” explains Samantha. “I waited outside that door for about 10 minutes before Beyoncé walked through with her bodyguard.
“I approached them and her bodyguard told me, ‘No photos’, so I asked Beyoncé directly. She was really pleasant and told me to be quick, because she was trying to hide,” laughs Samantha, who is studying broadcasting.
Her snapshot turned out to be the first picture of Beyoncé during her low-key visit to support Jay-Z during his concert tour, and was the proof that she was in town.
Like any skilled stalker, Samantha does considerable research to make sure she’s got the best possible chance of cornering her famous prey.
“Go onto the internet, find the most recent paparazzi shot of the celebrity so you know what to look out for, because they can change their appearance and slip by,” she advises.
“For instance, with Beyoncé, I saw the most recent paparazzi shots of her and I knew she had dyed her hair blonde.
And it turned out to be that blonde hair that I first recognised at the airport – even from a distance.”
on the rare occasions that Samantha misses the celebrities at the airport, she scouts around different top hotels in Auckland to see if she can track them down and meet them.
That’s how she got to meet baby-faced pop singer Justin, America’s Next Top Model host Tyra Banks and former Baywatch babe Pamela when they all visited New Zealand.
The main tip she has for other wannabe stalkers is to be determined, but also always polite.”You’ve got to be bold and confident.
If you’re shy and quiet then that’s not going to help you meet them. But also you have to be respectful. You’ve got to treat the celebrity how you would want to be treated.”
She says Pamela and Britney were the nicest celebrities while American actor and musician Jared Leto turned out to be the meanest.
The only thing that stops Samantha being an even more successful stalker is that she hasn’t got her driver’s licence yet – her nana drives her around possible celebrity locations.
Samantha insists her nana doesn’t mind because she knows there are worse things that her young granddaughter could be doing.
“I don’t go out partying. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke or anything like that. I like meeting celebrities. once you start, you can’t stop.”
Samantha’s best mates have also caught her stalking addiction and they went to Los Angeles last year just so they could track down and meet their favourite stars.
Samantha keeps all of the pictures she takes in a special photo album on the dining room table and takes real pride in showing them off.
“A lot of people are interested and I have a story to tell with each photo,”she laughs.
Despite her phenomenal success, Samantha has no interest in becoming a professional paparazzi photographer. “I don’t sell my photos,” she says.
“I just do it for my own enjoyment and the thrill of meeting my idols.
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