This is crazy!
As you’re likely aware, Maddie Ziegler first became known after appearing on Dance Moms, but it was her breakout performance at age 11 in Sia‘s Chandelier music video where she really rose to fame. The 44-year-old musician even ended up being a sort of motherly figure in the dancer’s life, which included keeping her protected in potentially unsafe situations.
Related: Sia Apologizes After Confusing Cardi B & Nicki Minaj: ‘I Totally Misunderstood’
In an interview on Wednesday with the Zach Sang Show, the songstress explained her “extreme desire” to keep the Lifetime star safe:
“I just love her so much…As soon as I met Maddie I felt this extreme desire to protect her, and I think it was part of my own healing, I felt this extreme compulsion to protect her. And yet, the irony is that I didn’t want to be famous and I threw this child into the spotlight.”
This included keeping the now-17-year-old away from older men in the industry such as Harvey Weinstein:
“You know I kept her off a plane that Harvey Weinstein tried to get her on. I know that there’ve been times that my insight has really made a difference, has kept her safe. Yeah, that was really disgusting.”
Wow! It’s unclear if that was based on a gut feeling alone or if she had insight into what Weinstein has now been proven guilty of, but we’re so glad Maddie was kept safe. She didn’t specify when this Weinstein invite went down, but she was definitely a minor considering she isn’t even 18 today!
She added:
“When he invited her, that’s when I called, I told [her mom] Melissa, I had to. I just said, ‘Please don’t, do not do that, do not do that, do not do that.'”
Weinstein has now been convicted of first-degree criminal sexual assault and third-degree rape, and was sentenced in March to 23 years in prison. This came after the #MeToo movement brought to life allegations from multiple accusers about how the Miramax co-founder abused his power as one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Aside from keeping Maddie safe from the former bigshot in the past, she has also offered career advice as the starlet explores the acting scene. Most recently, she stopped her from accepting a recent film offer which “wasn’t good enough for her.”
The Grammy nominee explained:
“I called Melissa, and was like, ‘Please don’t do this, like this isn’t good for her career. It’s not good for her long term credibility. This is not a good co-star to be in a movie with!’ I can be a pain in the butt. I think her manager thinks I’m a real pain in the butt, I’m sure.”
She truly is like Maddie’s second momager! LOLz!
Hear more from Sia and Zach (below) as she also discusses becoming a grandmother and more:
[Image via Ivan Nikolov/FayesVision/WENN.]
The post Sia Says She Saved Maddie Ziegler From Plane Ride With Harvey Weinstein: ‘That Was Really Disgusting’ appeared first on Perez Hilton.