Megan Fox is more than proud to say that this is 40.
Case in point, the Transformers star—who shares Noah, 13, Bodhi, 12, and Journey, 9, with ex Brian Austin Green and Saga Blade, 15 months, with ex Machine Gun Kelly—proved just that when she shared a few sultry photos of herself posing in black lingerie to Instagram July 17.
But after one social media user commented, “This s–t is so unbelievably embarrassing for a 40 year old mom to be posting. 16 year old tumblr s–t,” Fox entered the chat with a shady remark of her own.
“Which one of my exes,” the This Is 40 star replied, “is this.”
Prior to her most recent post, Fox has been open about her relationship with her body, especially under the lens of being in the spotlight.
“We may look at somebody and think, ‘That person’s so beautiful. Their life must be so easy,'” she told British GQ in 2021. “They most likely don’t feel that way about themselves.”
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Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess’ Blended Family Photos
In fact, when it came herself, the Jennifer’s Body actress, 40, noted, “I have body dysmorphia. I have a lot of deep insecurities.”
However, taking a step back and focusing on herself for a while helped changed her perspective, especially when it came to how she was mistreated during the early years of her career.
“That is something that I did a lot of work on,” she explained, noting that she didn’t leave the house for a while. “I’ve done everything you can do to try to make sense of that. Because it’s easy when you go through something like that to feel like a victim, obviously. That’s your first instinct and response, but that doesn’t serve you and that makes life miserable, living life as a victim.”
Instead, Fox credits her inner transformation with her outlook on the road ahead.
“I did a lot of work to remove that feeling of being a victim and to realize that it was a lesson,” she shared. “So, there was purpose in it and I didn’t have to suffer any more. It’s [made me grow] into a much more interesting human being than I would have been without that. So, it allows you the space to have gratitude for something that previously you felt persecuted by. That’s the one thing in my life I did do a lot of work on, I do feel free from.”
Fox isn’t the only one who has addressed critics head on. For more celebs who’ve fired back at body shamers, keep reading…
TikTok / Ava Phillippe
She continued, “The first said I should get on Oz*mpic because I’m too fat. The second accused me of starving myself because I’m too thin. My weight did not change in the time period between their comments. (& it wouldn’t be any of their business if it did!)”
Ava said that “no one deserves to be picked apart for what they look like.” She added, “You don’t always know what someone’s gone through or what they struggle with. But no matter who you are… Your beauty exceeds such superficial measures.”
In a separate post, the 33-year-old added, “Human beings go through weight fluctuations,” she continued, “it’s life and you don’t know what people are going through. Meds, disease, etc…”
“Coming for me in my comments and telling me how I’m too skinny or I need to eat is absolutely not helpful and extremely body shaming,” she continued.”Body shaming of any kind is something I will not stand for.”
More than a week later, she shared a photo of herself sunbathing in a bikini, writing, “For the haters….with love and gratitude kindly [kiss emoji] my [peach emoji], I’ll keep smiling regardless [peace sign emoji].”
Indeed, while performing at Manchester Pride 2025, she graced the stage wearing an oversized T-shirt with a woman’s silhouette—dressed in a cropped tank top and black pushup bra underneath—printed on the front.
“If you don’t want to be criticized, you are in the wrong place. I take what’s good for me. I leave behind what is not good for me,” she explained. “I let my management take care of that, and if it hurts anyone, they will take care of that. And I need to focus on what’s right for me, how I feel and, last but not least, you can’t please everybody.”
Halle then clapped back with a cheeky response, “Did you guys know the heart of a shrimp is located in its head?”
“I haven’t gone on social media AT ALL with the conscious intention of avoiding things that hurt my feelings,” she began her lengthy post. “My eyes accidentally ran over a head line of people ‘body shaming me.’ Honestly, first thing I felt was super insecure over just IMAGINING what these pictures must look like, oh no! My cellulite! Oh no! I didn’t suck in my stomach! But then I was like…of course there are bad pictures, of course there are bad angles, my body’s not made of f–king rock, or all muscles, for that matter. But the saddest part of young girls growing up in an airbrushed world is they’re seeking a perfection that’s not real.”
“I’m writing this for girls like my little sister who are growing up on social media. They’re constantly seeing photoshopped, edited pictures and thinking that’s reality and everyone’s eyes get used to seeing airbrushed skin, and suddenly they think THAT’S norm. It isn’t. It’s fake. AND FAKE IS BECOMING THE NEW REAL. We have a completely unrealistic view of a woman’s body. Girls, cellulite is normal. fat is normal. It’s beautiful and natural. I won’t buy into the bulls–t today!!!! Not today satan and I hope you don’t either.”
She also called out the fashion industry after she claimed several designers refused to dress her for the Grammys because of her size. “Empower women to love their bodies instead of making girls and women feel less then [sic] by their size,” she shared on Instagram in January 2019. “We are beautiful any size! Small or large! Anddddd My size 8 ass is still going to the Grammys. #LOVEYOURBODY.”
“Absolutely not LOL,” she replied at the time. “My 30 lb son is just breaking my back in every photo.”
Another commenter then wrote, “If that kid is 30lbs he’s got some serious health issues going on.” The cookbook author shut the shamer down, saying, “Excuse you? No. Just no.”
“A few things because honestly I’m so frustrated and I need to vent this,” she wrote in December 2018. “I wanted to post this photo (showing my stomach) because I wanted to show my journey back to healthy and my goodness I’m so glad I didn’t which is why this photo is now cropped. It’s amazing the comments and how rude some people can be from my last photo I took yesterday. A few things, no I didn’t get a tummy tuck, no I don’t have a personal chef, no I don’t have fortunes so I didn’t train everyday. Yes I had a c section, yes I am still in pain and on meds but I do have a high pain tolerance. I have had 3 stomach surgeries before this (appendix, gallbladder, and c section).. In that photo I had a belly bandit wrapped tightly, and high waisted pants and wow here I am defending myself. Why?!? If I would have posted the photo of my actual stomach in this photo I would have probably been shamed too even when I was wanting to be vulnerable with my journey. Why do we women have to compare ourselves to each other and then shame? I say this to myself as much as I say this to y’all…why can’t it be that we are all different. Our bodies are all beautiful and crafted differently, they heal different, they react different, they simply look different. Why do we need to shame someone for not looking a certain way? Or feel bad about ourselves for looking a certain way? Can we be kinder to ourselves and know that every women has a different journey but yet we are all beautiful? Can we lift women up but not tear yourself down in the process with comparing? Let’s give that a try…..I love y’all. Back to my baby.”
However, the actress was quick to shut down the hater. “If a 25 inch waist looks big to you…then you’re looking through an altered lens. Be well,” she replied.
