Taryn Mannings Ex Leaks Nudes, Makes Shocking Claims

Taryn Manning has claimed she is being tormented by a paparazzo, who has been making her life a 'living hell.'

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, the actress made a series of claims about Rick Mendoza, saying that the photographer is 'unpredictable.'

'He scares me, to be honest,' Manning, 47, admitted in an emotional voice message.

Although the star alleged that Mendoza, 58, has never physically harmed her, she claimed he has sent her and her loved ones harassing messages.

'He’s hurt a lot of women - not physically but he’s broken a lot of hearts,' she shared. 'He actually got me good but I can’t deal with him anymore.'

Manning developed a relationship with Mendoza - who refers to himself as 'Riki Boo Boo' - after they were introduced over a year ago by the pap's ex-girlfriend, who was Manning's then-assistant.

They often spend time holed up at the actress's $1.1 million Palm Springs, , home, and Mendoza has shared photos of their intimate moments on his public Instagram account. 

One image, which we have chosen not to publish out of respect for Manning, showed them sitting naked by a pool, their modesty covered by peach emojis, while another captured them kissing as they celebrated .

'These are pictures that we did just chilling together,' Manning told us before adding of the naked poolside pic, 'I never in a million years thought that he would exploit my body like that. It's all good, but I certainly didn't ask for it.'

Manning's inner circle has become increasingly worried for the actress due to Mendoza's alleged behavior and his closeness to the Hollywood star.

'He’s been harassing Taryn for a long time now,' a close friend claimed to the Daily Mail. 'I’m sick of seeing her suffer because of him. He’s jealous she has genuine friends in her life.'

The friend said they are also concerned Mendoza is using Manning for financial incentives, alleging he is 'homeless.' 

Manning also claimed that she helps pay the paparazzo's bills, alleging that he works as a 'DoorDasher' on the side.

Mendoza - who filed for bankruptcy in 2018, per court documents obtained by the Daily Mail - disputed claims of financial woes, telling the Daily Mail that he has his own place in Irvine and still makes money from photographing celebrities in Hollywood.

'I just got Lucille Ball’s daughter and I got Bob Mackie [a few days ago],' he said before adding with a laugh, 'and if Taryn allows, I’ll photograph her again.'

In fact, Mendoza claims that his feelings for Manning are sincere.

'It kills me how much I’m in love with her because I would never put up with some of the ridiculous things that she comes up with,' he said. 'Good, bad and ugly but I know that I have love for her that’s unconditional, and I’ve put up with it.'

Mendoza also recognized that all of Manning's 'former and current gal pals are p****d' about the relationship, but claimed they are jealous. 

'They fight tooth and nail to keep her in the world Taryn does not believe in,' he said, before claiming some are lesbians who are romantically interested in her. 

'This one girl … she comes out of nowhere in her DMs and all of a sudden, she’s her best friend, taking ownership of her,' Mendoza alleged. 

'They take ownership in an ugly way. They don’t let her breathe. They’re basically suffocating her.' Manning's close friend adamantly denied the claims.

Mendoza also said that Manning's own mother, Sharyn Manning, has voiced concerns about him.

'She doesn’t like that I take her photograph and then they put her on Daily Mail or TMZ, and she doesn’t like the photo because it’s not flattering,' he claimed.

'The only thing the mother doesn’t like is "she doesn’t look good" and "they’re talking bad about her" and "they’re talking bad about the things that you said, Taryn" but that’s just part of the whole press of it, it’s shock and awe. If you don’t know the game, then you don’t know how to play it.'

The Daily Mail reached out to Sharyn for comment.

Fans, too, have feared for Manning, especially in the wake of troubling Instagram posts last year. 

In November, the 8 Mile actress posted clips of herself dancing topless and barefoot at her home while sporting disheveled hair, and in one caption she told her followers to 'come see me naked on OF [Only Fans] so yummy.' 

In another video she said: 'I know it makes some of you uncomfortable that I'm half naked but when you're just cruising around your own property, why can't I?'

The clip elicited pleas from followers for manning to 'get sober,' with one person calling the content 'embarrassing.' Another wrote, 'Taryn....you're a beautiful soul. Can tell you're struggling. Pls reach out if you want. You are loved.'

Her videos also drew comparisons to her Crossroads co-star ' , with one person claiming: 'It’s giving Britany [sic] vibes.'

A source exclusively told the Daily Mail: 'Taryn does have issues with alcohol... and Rick Mendoza is an issue. He isolates her from her loved ones. He wants to isolate her from everybody - he's also keeping her away from the positive influences in her life.' 

Taryn - who has in the past - denied to the Daily Mail that she has been using drugs, insisting, 'I have not relapsed.'

'It's not a crime,' the actress told us of her online behavior. 

'I may play those characters on TV but I’m not an addict,' she said. 'How would I be able to maintain a career since 1997 if I were an addict?

'What often goes unreported, though, is the full scope of my career - decades of consistent work, formal training, and ongoing creative output as a signed artist. That context matters.' 

Indeed, Manning is still booking gigs. In fact, she spoke to the Daily Mail while on the set of one of her upcoming movies, Puppet, which is currently in pre-production. 

And an industry insider raved that Manning's reputation is very positive: 'She has always been together, and on time, and professional and a joy to work with.'

'The people that she works with say they love her and that they want to work with her again. She’s shooting a movie and will be shooting another one in two weeks. [A lot of actors] aren’t working and she’s working.'

In multiple conversations with the Daily Mail, Manning sounded lucid and did not appear to be under the influence of any substances.

Mendoza, meanwhile, proudly takes credit for Manning's eyebrow-raising content.

'It’s just shock and awe. We know the fame game. We’re not dumb. We know how it works. I know how to give her publicity,' he boasted.

'The second the camera goes down, it’s over. The second they stop writing about you, it’s over. The second they stop saying your name, it’s over.'

Mendoza also denied that the videos are taken while using hard substances, claiming: 'The only thing that we ever do is maybe a little bit of some wine. That’s about it.

'Nothing else. There’s nothing that is in her system like that that is of concern. She just likes attention. She’s an attention-seeker.'

It's unclear why Manning kept Mendoza in her life for so long - despite her friends, family and even her own intuition telling her to cut ties - but she told us she is 'smart' and aware of his 'opportunistic' ways and is finally 'done' for good.

'We come from very different worlds. While he’s not naïve, he isn’t someone operating in the same professional or creative space that I am,' she said.

'His focus tends to be on reality personalities and social media culture, whereas my life has been centered around craft, training, and a long-term acting career. Because of that, we don’t really have much in common.'

The actress also said that Mendoza has some charming qualities, noting he can be 'funny' but noted it is a 'privilege' for the paparazzo to hang out with her.

'He’s a f*****g tool and he lives in his car. He’s Dennis Woodruff,' she added, comparing him to the late Los Angeles-fixture who would drive around Hollywood and ostentatiously self-promote his projects via wildly customized vehicles.

 Mendoza claimed that he 'agreed' to keep his relationship with Manning private, as he knows it's 'taboo' for a starlet to date a paparazzo, but he freely shared details with Daily Mail and has posted intimate pictures publicly on social media.

Mendoza continued to claim that he has genuine feelings for the actress, adding: 'I’m not saying we’re the love of each other’s lives but maybe we are, maybe we’re not.

'I’m not saying I’m her savior. At least, I’m a pretty well-balanced individual. If it wouldn’t be me, it would be another guy.'

But one source, who has known Mendoza for years, said they have seen troubling changes in the paparazzo in recent years.

'Rick, he’s been acting weird,' the source said. 'He has a beard now and he never had the beard, and he always seemed off. For a while he was living in his car because he got evicted from his apartment.'

They claimed that Manning had moved to Palm Springs to 'get away from LA and the nightlife' because it was taking a toll, so Mendoza may not be the best influence.

Mendoza has worked in entertainment for decades, often appearing on news documentaries as an expert in his industry. In 2009, he settled a lawsuit with Spears, 44, after the pop star ran over his foot while leaving a parking garage.

'He's an old school, creepy pap,' another insider claimed noting he's one of those 'I can make you famous' types. They added: '[He's] a weird guy.' 

Manning's friend also told the Daily Mail: 'Taryn is looking for something more serious and he’s not the one. 

'He has some unfinished business with exes... Taryn works so hard and deserves someone genuine, transparent and honest. And he is not it.'

Mendoza came into Manning's life shortly after she was , leading to a restraining order battle with his wife. 

'Every night, well, for about three nights in a row…I was l*****g his b******e because he liked it, and I didn’t mind doing it! Is that weird? That is what demons do,' Manning overshared in a graphic video at the time.

In a message to the wife, she added: 'Don’t you ever threaten me. I will show you how I do. Don’t you ever threaten me when your husband came to me to get his b******e l****d.'

She then apologized for exposing the affair, writing via Instagram: 'I was deeply hurt and handled things on a public platform when I should’ve dealt with them quietly with the support of my close friends and family.'

Taryn told the Daily Mail exclusively that, aside from Mendoza, she has been navigating other issues in her personal life.

'What is real is that I’ve been dealing with a prolonged and documented campaign of harassment, stalking, digital intrusion, and coercive control by people who have repeatedly tried to undermine my reputation, safety, and livelihood,' she said.

'They are people I am actively addressing through legal channels because of what they’ve done to me.'

In 2023, her makeup artist Holly Hartman was the Hustle & Flow star's car. A decade prior to that incident, Manning went to jail on misdemeanor charges for assault and strangulation following a dispute with Hartman. She was then charged, and in November 2012, Manning accepted a plea bargain.

Despite the negativity surrounding her, Manning told the Daily Mail she is 'focused on moving forward, staying grounded, and not giving oxygen to narratives that don’t reflect the reality of my life today.'