9 Memorable Celeb vs. Paparazzi Clashes

Sept. 18, 2012— -- intro: From Tom Cruise's real-life "Mission Impossible"-like car chase to Britney Spears' umbrella bashing, there have been some memorable altercations between celebrities and photographers in the past, some leading to court battles.

The argument about a celebrity's right to privacy has raged for years. The most recent crackdown on paparazzi snapshots resulted when topless photos of Kate Middleton while sunbathing in the south of France surfaced this weekend.

But the Duchess of Cambridge is far from the first celebrity to be caught by paparazzi cameras in what the royal palace called a "totally unjustifiable" invasion of privacy. Here are some of the most memorable clashes from the past.

ABC News' Sheila Marikar, Luchina Fisher and Jennifer Abbey contributed to this report

quicklist: 1category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Kate Middletonurl: media:17257038text: Princess Diana's death in a Paris car crash in 1997 was blamed on the paparazzi, who were chasing her for a photograph. Diana, the mother of Prince William and Harry, was 36.

So when topless photos of William's wife, Kate Middleton, appeared in a French magazine, people took note when the royal family said in a statement that the incident was "reminiscent of the worst excesses of the press and paparazzi during the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and all the more upsetting to The Duke and Duchess for being so."

The royal family scored a legal victory today when a French court ordered the French magazine Closer, which was the first to publish the photos, to turn over all digital copies of the photos or face a hefty fine.

The photos show the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing on the terrace of a secluded chateau in the south of France during a short vacation with her husband before the couple began a tour of the Far East and South Pacific to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

This wasn't the first royal photo mess for the Brits this summer. Naked photos of Prince Harry partying in a Las Vegas hotel room were leaked online last month.

quicklist: 2category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Justin Bieberurl: media:17257116 text: Justin Bieber had multiple run-ins with paparazzi this summer.

The 18-year-old superstar was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol July 6 and cited for reckless driving on Los Angeles' 101 Freeway. Bieber told police he was speeding because he was attempting to elude paparazzi.

Later that same day, Bieber called 911 for help when paparazzi began chasing him again.

One of the paparazzo involved in the incident was later charged with four misdemeanor counts under California's anti-paparazzi law. According to the Associated Press, his lawyer filed a motion, challenging the law. A judge is scheduled to hear the motion during a hearing on Sept. 24.

Then earlier in May, Bieber confronted a photographer as he snapped photos of the "Boyfriend" singer with his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, outside a Calabasas, Calif., shopping center.

quicklist: 3category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Tom Cruise, Katie Holmesurl: media:17257175text: On July 19, just 10 days after Tom Cruise settled his divorce with actress Katie Holmes, the actor allegedly led paparazzi on a high-speed chase through Manhattan while the couple's 6-year-old daughter, Suri, was in the car.

The chase came just two days after Suri got into a fender-bender with Holmes in Manhattan when their chauffeured car was struck by a garbage truck, E! reported. Neither Holmes nor her daughter were hurt and there was only minor damage to their Mercedes.

quicklist: 4category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Alec Baldwinurl: media:17257494text: When paparazzi get in Alec Baldwin's face, he is not afraid to fight back.

The "30 Rock" star was allegedly involved in two altercations with photographers in June in the days leading up to his wedding.

Baldwin is accused of shoving a New York Daily News photographer on June 20 after he and his wife Hilaria Thomas, who was his fiancee at the time, went to pick up their marriage license in Manhattan.

"[Baldwin] Just started punching me, pushing me. I say stop, stop. Don't touch me," photographer Marcus Santos told ABC News at the time.

Santos filed an assault complaint with the New York Police Department following the incident. The Manhattan District Attorney's office confirmed today that no charges had been filed, but declined to comment further on the incident.

Then on June 29, the day before Baldwin's wedding, the actor cursed out a photographer who was blocking the entrance to his apartment building, yelling, "I want you to shut the f--- up and get out of here. Leave my neighbor alone."

quicklist: 5category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Jodie Fosterurl: media:17257955 text: Jodie Foster, a notoriously private actress, was thrust into the tabloid spotlight in 2010 when a teenage photographer accused her of attacking him after he snapped a photo of her with her two sons at a Los Angeles shopping center.

The photographer, who was 17 at the time, claimed that the Oscar winner had poked him in the chest and grabbed his left arm, "causing visible injury," according to the May 29, 2010 police report he filed.

The case was dropped when the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office declined to press charges.

quicklist: 6category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Kanye Westurl: media:17258059text: Kanye West gave a whole new meaning to his "love lockdown" when he got into a scuffle with a paparazzo at Los Angeles airport in 2008.

The rapper was charged with three misdemeanor counts of vandalism, battery and grand theft after breaking a paparazzo's camera at LAX.

The charges were later dropped when West agreed to complete 50 hours of community service as part of the plea deal.

quicklist: 7category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Britney Spearsurl: media:17258024text: Britney Spears has had a love-hate relationship with the paparazzi for years, but in 2007, the troubled pop singer's downward spiral gave them a field day of photo ops.

That year, Spears shaved her head bald, checked in and out of rehab, jumped into the ocean wearing only her bra and panties, skipped hearings in her child-custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline and wielded a 3-foot-long umbrella at photographers.

The image of a bald Spears in shorts and sweatshirt ramming a green umbrella against a photographer's empty SUV became an instant classic.

quicklist: 8category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Jennifer Anistonurl: media:17257922text: Jennifer Aniston knows what it's like to be in Kate Middleton's shoes, at least when it comes to being targeted by paparazzi.

The "Friends" star turned movie actress successfully sued two British magazines in 2003 for publishing paparazzi photos taken over her fence while she was sunbathing in her backyard wearing only panties.

Aniston's lawsuit claimed that the magazines violated her right to privacy. In an out-of-court settlement, she received $550,000 and an apology from the photographer who snapped the photo, according to People magazine.

quicklist: 9category: Nine Memorable Celebrity vs. Paparazzi Clashestitle: Sean Pennurl: media:17258093text: Sean Penn earned his bad boy image years ago, both on and off screen.

In 2009, the Oscar-winning actor-director was charged with misdemeanor battery after he allegedly kicked a photographer in the leg in Brentwood, Calif. He was given probation and court-ordered community service.