5 Things to Know About James Charles, the YouTuber Who Is Feuding With Tati Westbrook

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5 Things to Know About James Charles, the YouTuber Who Is Feuding With Tati Westbrook

Hi, sisters! James Charles was once known for his creative makeup looks and A-list collaborations, but the YouTube star has recently made headlines for a much more dramatic reason — his feud with fellow YouTuber Tati Westbrook. On Friday, May 10, Westbrook, 37, uploaded a tell-all video titled “BYE SISTER …” and slammed Charles, 19, for inappropriate behavior, manipulation and more. She also asserted that she does not want to be associated with him in the future, even though they were once very close. “I just don’t think that he does [care for me],” she said in the 43-minute video. “I’m crushed because this person was family to me. This person was someone that I absolutely loved, cared for and would have spent all the time in the world protecting. But he’s just too far gone at this point and the behavior that I don’t even think I can talk about … are so gross, that I don’t think I can protect that.” [jwplayer vyFIQv2E-l3ahXupL] Hours later, the New York native posted his own video and apologized to Westbrook and her husband, James. “I hate knowing that I disappointed not only [fans], but, most importantly, two people who have been role models to me,” Charles said. “I’m going to keep trying my best and keep learning and growing.” The Alone Together actor has since been silent on social media, but that has not stopped other beauty gurus from speaking out publicly about the situation. “He is a danger to society,” Jeffree Star tweeted and deleted on Sunday, May 12. “Everything Tati said is 100% true.” Gabriel Zamora, on the other hand, defended Charles and claimed that Westbrook did not tell the whole truth. He said in a series of Snapchat videos: “The story doesn’t make sense. … You’re a fraud, Tati Westbrook.” Charles has lost nearly three million subscribers to his YouTube channel in the wake of the scandal, while Westbrook has gained nearly four million in the same timeframe. But who was Charles before the drama began? Keep scrolling to find out more about the YouTube personality who locked in a bitter feud with Westbrook.

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He Was the First Male CoverGirl Spokesperson

Charles made his mark on the beauty industry when he was named a CoverGirl ambassador in October 2016 at the age of 16. “Meet @JamesCharles: makeup artist, boundary breaker, and the newest COVERGIRL!” the brand wrote on Instagram alongside his campaign photo at the time. The YouTuber later appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and explained that he started wearing makeup just one year prior.

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He Went Viral Because of His Yearbook Picture

The beauty guru caught CoverGirl’s attention after he tweeted about bringing his own lighting to his senior portraits session. “So I retook my senior photos & brought my ring light with me so my highlight would be poppin,” he wrote on Twitter in September 2016. “I love being extra.”

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He Did Iggy Azalea's Makeup for her "Sally Walker" Music Video

Charles, who has more than 15 million followers on Instagram, has worked with several mainstream celebrities in the past — including Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Zhavia Ward — to create content for his YouTube channel. He transitioned from YouTube to music videos when he worked with Azalea on her “Sally Walker” video shoot. The internet influencer did a stunning blue eyeshadow look on the rapper and later teamed up with her to recreate it on his YouTube page.

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He Has a Controversial Past

Prior to his feud with Westbrook, the teenage makeup artist’s career had several ups and downs. In February 2017, he was criticized for tweeting, “‘I can’t believe we’re going to Africa today omg what if we get Ebola.’ ‘James we’re fine we could’ve gotten it at chipotle last year’….” Charles later apologized for his offensive words: “I am extremely sorry for my tweet and I feel like s—t for saying it. … I am aware that the tweet was extremely offensive and degrading. I posted it to make fun of my friend’s mistake, but did not think about what the tweet as a whole was implying. It was never my intent to offend anyone and I am sorry.”

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He Is an Aspiring Singer

While Charles is a talented makeup artist, he has another passion — music. The teenager often posts singing videos on his YouTube channel and start an a cappella group called Flashback with five of his friends.