Natalie Reynolds seen distraught outside TikTok HQ after account ban linked to controversial prank video
A video showing content creator Natalie Reynolds in distress outside TikTok's Los Angeles headquarters has gone viral across social platforms. The 26-year-old influencer appeared visibly upset while attempting to communicate through the building's glass doors during a phone call, reportedly seeking reinstatement of her banned account.
Reynolds first gained attention in 2022 through popular lip-sync and dance videos before expanding to prank content and collaborative skits with boyfriend Zachary Huelsman, building audiences of 5.6 million YouTube subscribers and 133,000 Instagram followers.
‼️TikToker Natalie Reynolds was banned from TikTok for deceiving a mentally ill homeless woman into jumping into a lake, by promising her $20.00, and then running away when she could not swim.
Austin fire dept/paramedics had to pull her out of the water. pic.twitter.com/1N3RnnU48t
— i Expose Racists & Pedos (@SeeRacists) June 9, 2025
TikTok is a career 😬
... according to Natalie Reynolds and it should go with a messed makeup 😂
Note: She got banned after convincing a homeless woman to jump into the lake for $20 then runaway. pic.twitter.com/rYy8U6PsRU — Miriam 🫶🇪🇺🫶 (@Polit1cswithM) June 10, 2025
'I can't swim - I can only float'
Natalie Reynolds was a famous TikToker with 2.5M Followers - she convinced a homeless person to jump in this river for $20 and then ran away when she started getting in trouble.
TikTok later banned her.
Days later she was filmed outside… pic.twitter.com/G6ayGOta0b — Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) June 10, 2025
The incident follows recent controversy surrounding Reynolds' May prank video in Austin, where she allegedly offered a homeless woman $20 to jump into Lady Bird Lake despite knowing the individual couldn't swim.
According to NY Post reports, emergency services responded after Reynolds and her group left the struggling woman unattended. While the influencer claimed the stunt was part of a "scavenger hunt," the footage showed her walking away as the woman called for help.
Reynolds attributes her TikTok ban to professional jealousy from fellow creators, though many online commentators have connected the suspension to backlash from the lake incident. The platform has not publicly commented on its decision.
Since the ban, Reynolds has shifted focus to Kick streaming, where she regularly engages with her 33,000 followers. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between controversial content creation and platform moderation policies, particularly regarding potentially harmful pranks. Industry observers note the case exemplifies the challenges influencers face when balancing viral attention with responsible content creation.
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