From Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio impersonators to Netflix and Paramount account takeovers, the last few years have been full of scandals and cyberattacks for the entertainment industry on social media.
With Oscars season putting Hollywood stars under the spotlight more than ever, Spikerz has released The Hackademy Awards report, detailing how social media cyber threats are becoming one of the most disruptive forces in today's entertainment industry.
With Hollywood alone contributing an estimated $65 billion annually to the global film industry (Wion), and several actors among the most followed Instagram accounts in the world, the report explains that social media accounts are now high-value targets, not just promotional assets.
The report from social media security company Spikerz highlights five major risks targeting the industry: takeovers of verified accounts, romance scams targeting movie fans, deepfake and impersonation networks, hateful & abusive comment attacks, and social engineering scams that drive victims to dangerous phishing links. It demonstrates how quickly trust can collapse when attackers hijack identity at scale. Romance scams in particular are evolving into a reputational crisis, with criminal networks impersonating high-profile actors using scripted narratives to build trust before converting fan loyalty into fraud.
"I know of hundreds of people who've lost money to scammers posing as me... I see people come to my appearances and look at me like they've had a relationship online for a couple years, and I'm like, No, I'm sorry, I don't know who you are... I would never ask for money."
, General Hospital star Steve Burton
Among the case studies analyzed in the report:
- Biggest Hacked Actor: Kevin Hart - Kevin Hart's Instagram, which has 176 million followers, was compromised by hackers who took control of his account and posted promotional content for a cryptocurrency scam. The incident forced him to post a video to his fans, clarifying that the activity wasn't authorized, and warning them not to engage.
- Most Impersonated Actress: Scarlett Johansson - Two-time Oscar nominee Johansson ranks as the most deepfaked actress globally (McAfee), with her likeness widely used in non-consensual explicit content, fabricated endorsements, and viral AI hoax videos. She's also a recurring focal point in debates about consent, regulation and the misuse of generative AI.
- Most Hate Comments: Ariana Grande - Following the media buzz around Wicked, for which Grande won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, waves of harassment on X, Instagram, and TikTok fixated on Grande's appearance and her dynamic with Cynthia Erivo, flooding feeds and comments across social media.
Also in the report, Spikerz shares stories of Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Johnny Depp impersonators who have orchestrated multi-million-dollar romance scams. Back in 2024, police arrested five people in Spain accused of posing as Brad Pitt, who stars in F1, a Best Picture nominee at this year's Academy Awards. The scam resulted in losses of over $360,000 from just two victims. Another woman, who believed she was in a relationship with Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, was manipulated into losing her savings and later blackmailed.
For studios and talent teams, the pressure is intensified by the scale of comment and community abuse.
For film campaigns, these attacks distort engagement metrics, reduce organic reach, and overshadow carefully planned releases and award pushes.
Fake accounts are increasingly posing as studios, casting teams, and streaming platforms to push fraudulent casting calls, sell counterfeit premiere tickets, and lure fans into fake "exclusive" content.
"Hollywood spends millions creating moments people want to share. Attackers have learned they don't need to create their own audience, they just need to hijack yours. That's why account security, impersonator detection and automated comment moderation tools aren't 'nice-to-haves' anymore. They're what keeps the story yours."
, Naveh Ben Dror, CEO & Co-Founder of Spikerz