No parent would want to see their child being insulted.
So, it isn't surprising that Leon Jay Williams' fatherly instincts kicked in after he found out that a Chinese article had called his seven-year-old daughter, Harper Ann Williams, "unbelievably ugly".
Yesterday (March 17), the 45-year-old singer and actor took to Chinese microblogging website Weibo to share the article, which said that Harper was "so ugly that even a princess dress can't save her".
The original article has since been removed from the website.
In the comments section, a netizen told Leon that the person who had written the article was not a professional reporter, but a marketing account used to hype up traffic.
Apart from Weibo, Leon also went on Facebook and Instagram to pen down his feelings in detail.
"I could never imagine that sharing my joy on social media with friends and fans have taken such a horrible turn," he said.
He added that this isn't the first time something like this has happened either and that he's tried to "ignore past articles". However, things have "gone too far" this time.
With regard to the "journalist" who wrote the article, Leon said that they should use their talents to research the facts.
"Not waste your words on personal opinions, especially when the words are meant to hurt and slander others," he criticised.
"Think of the long-term emotional damage that it will cause the child when she is able to read your words."
Leon ended off the post by saying that while he is both an actor and father, he is "always a father above all".
Netizens have since flooded the comments section of his posts to show their support.
Many of them expressed their anger towards the Chinese article and also sang praises about Harper.
This isn't the first time Leon has publicly stood up for his loved ones. In 2020, he took to social media to address the "shallow" attacks on his wife and female friends.
melissateo@asiaone.com