'Glee' Star Heather Morris Under Fire for Domestic Violence-Themed Photo Shoot

Posted on Sep 2nd 2011 5:00PM by Contessa Gayles

Heather Morris Axelle/Bauer-Griffin.com

'Glee's resident funny girl and dancing diva Heather Morris is under fire for what critics are calling an offensive photo shoot, in which the entertainer sports a black eye while costumed as a housewife engaged in various domestic duties.

The 24-year-old star, who plays the lovable dumb blond Brittany on 'Glee,' sported black and blue makeup over her eye and dressed up as Barbie, playing house for photographer Tyler Shields in an edgy shoot that left some uneasy about the lighthearted treatment of the serious subject of domestic violence.

Heather's wrists are bound by an iron cord in one shot, in another, she presses the iron over a male model's crotch while his wrists are bound by the cord.

Rita Smith, executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, told E! News, "I don't know if Tyler is aware but I'm quite sure there are plenty of women who have been abused by these kinds of household appliances and children as well being hit with electrical cords."

Smith points out that the images may remind some of the photos leaked of Rihanna after being beaten by then-boyfriend Chris Brown back in 2009. "I don't know what the purpose of the series of photos is other than showing her in a different light, but there is nothing glamorous about violence and I think the real photos of Rihanna would show that it's not a beautiful thing that happens to you," Smith said.

Shields, who is no stranger to controversy after making headlines last year for taking photos of Lindsay Lohan laying in a pool of blood and holding a gun to her head, responded to the criticism explaining to E!, "In no way were we promoting domestic violence. We wanted to do a bruised-up Barbie shoot and that's exactly what we did!"

Shields gave an additional statement on the issue to Usmagazine.com claiming, "Our shoot poses a lot of questions, but just like in real life, Heather is definitely not a victim, more like a really liberated woman."

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