This list will probably leave you torn. On the one hand you think these celebrities should appreciate their lot. They have tonnes of adoring fans, a load of money and very successful careers. Yet many celebs hate their celebrity status. It seems that they all hate it for similar reasons too. They wanted to work, they wanted to have great careers in acting or comedy or music. Yet, they hate all of the other crap that comes with it.
Our favourite famous faces are constantly being harassed by the public or paparazzi. When you become a star you can no longer live a normal life. There's no chance you can just pop to the shop to get a carton of milk without there being a spread about it in a magazine. Celebrities who hate being famous claim that they didn't sign up for that kind of stuff.
On the one hand you think, well yeah, it's obvious that's what happens when you become famous. But on the other hand you can't help but feel some sympathy for those who have every move they make analyzed in the press.
Here are 15 celebrities who hate being famous. What do you think of their experiences and reasons for dismissing their stardom?
15 Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber is one of the most famous celebrities to ever grace the music biz. Some describe him as The Beatles of our generation. But it turns out that the Biebs isn't such a big fan of the crazy fandom that he receives. The singer told NME that he just wants the public to know that he is a human being. He also described the loneliness and suffering that comes with being famous, “People see the glam and the amazing stuff, but they don’t know the other side. This life can rip you apart.” Whether you like Justin Bieber or not, you have to admit that it must have been difficult to adjust to the mass hysteria that has surrounded him since he was a kid.
14 Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is a celebrated actor known for his numerous collaborations with director Tim Burton and stints as the very popular Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. He is super famous. But it's also a well-known fact that Depp doesn't appreciate his stardom. He wants to live a private life and spend time with his family without being mobbed or papped. Depp has previously described being famous as “living like a fugitive”. He knows that he's been lucky to have such a successful career but also that a successful career in his industry doesn't come without its pitfalls.
13 Kristen Stewart
The Twilight star is very open about her distaste for life as a famous starlet. She told Haaper's Bazaar UK that “fame is the worst thing in the world.” Joining such a popular franchise in the form of Twilight was obviously what rocketed her to the top. We have been eager to know all of her private business ever since. It's no surprise that Stewart doesn't like fame seeing as all of her dirty laundry has been aired for the world to see on several occasions. On the topic of interviews and press conferences etc. she said, "Having that much human energy thrust at you and then being critically analyzed is obviously disarming."
12 Robert Pattinson
Stewart's Twilight co-star, Robert Pattinson also came to detest the fame he received for playing sparkly vampire Edward Cullen. He said in an interview that he actually became depressed for two years after he finished the movies, between the ages of 23 and 25. What irked R Pats the most was the lack of freedom he now has thanks to fame. He said, “I couldn’t go where I wanted to go. I was in the tabloids every day, and I didn’t have access to the roles I really wanted. I wanted more, on every level.” It seems he felt that the sheer fandom involved in the Twilight franchise was detrimental to his career too.
11 George Clooney
So, the most fantasized over male on the planet doesn't like being famous either. The actor, who broke women's hearts the world over by getting married a couple of years ago, says he doesn't like fame because of all of its restrictions. The guy would just like to go out and take a stroll in Central Park, he told Esquire in an interview, but that's just impossible for him because he's so darn famous. Ever the thoughtful fellow, Clooney also opened up about how many run headlong towards fame, towards the career they want and the opportunity. But in the end you have to pay a price in the form of restrictions on your personal life.
10 Shia LaBeouf
The Even Stevens actor went a bit cray for a while, didn't he? The reason behind his random and strange behaviour was that he was getting seriously sick of the whole fame game. During a 2014 Twitter row over plagiarism LaBeouf declared, "In light of the recent attacks against my artistic integrity,I am retiring from all public life.” I'm pretty sure that never actually happened though, despite his intentions. Although he did try to show his animosity towards Hollywood life by wearing a paper bag over his head on the red carpet that said “I am not famous anymore.” Hmm... I'm pretty sure that only got him more media attention not less.
9 Jennifer Lawrence
The very loveable J-Law doesn't so much hate fame but rather refuses to take the whole thing seriously. Time and time again the Hunger Games actress pokes fun at herself as well as Hollywood culture. Here's one Jennifer Lawrence quote that really shows off her blasé attitude towards stardom,
“Not to sound rude, but [acting] is stupid. Everybody’s like, ‘How can you remain with a level head?’ And I’m like, ‘Why would I ever get cocky? I’m not saving anybody’s life.”
Don't you just love her? She's probably much better off not taking it so seriously. Unlike other young stars who become overwhelmed.
8 Megan Fox
Megan Fox seems like a fiery, tough, ass-kicking babe. But the truth is that she feels very vulnerable living in the public eye and that's why she dislikes being famous. In an interview with Esquire, Fox explained how we're all so quick to judge celebrities that complain about their fame because they're rich and successful. But for the sensual actress, the negative sides of fame outweigh the positives. She described being famous as worse than any high school experience you could have because it's “on a global scale, where you’re being bullied by millions of people constantly.”
7 Idris Elba
The rather handsome Brit seems to have had some issues thanks to his celebrity status. It's no surprise seeing as Elba has made it big in his home country, America and across the globe in both film and TV. In an interview with Loaded Magazine, the actor said fame is a bit like being on The Truman Show. He described how it can make things seem a bit surreal and confusing. And this can make an actor feel very paranoid.
6 Dave Chappelle
Funnyman Dave Chappelle famously rejected fame altogether. The multi-talented comedian was offered a whopping $50 million dollars for two more seasons of his hit sketch show, The Dave Chappelle Show, but turned down the sum of money in favour of a quiet life away from the media. That must have taken some guts! He took some well-deserved time out in Africa before settling in Ohio. Now he mostly stays out of the limelight but continues to do some stand-up.
5 Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis is a highly recognizable man, thanks especially to his part as Alan in The Hangover. We love him, we can't help it, he's brilliantly funny. But the actor certainly doesn't love the fame he got from starring in some hugely popular movies. Galifianakis absolutely let rip at a press conference stating, “Being a celebrity is sh*t — it's dumb and I'm not interested in it.” He explained further that the whole concept of celebrity is something that's man-made and insinuated that we're all just sheep following the herd, liking who we're told we should like. Maybe the guy has a point.
4 Daniel Radcliffe
Poor Daniel Radcliffe just can't get away from his Harry Potter image. He played the boy wizard for so many years that the actor has become utterly synonymous with the character. But since the Harry Potter movies ended he has tried desperately to shed that image by concentrating on indie films and theater. Radcliffe seems to reject the celebrity lifestyle. He has never been plastered all over the tabloids as a love rat or party animal for. He likes to keep his private life private. He has also expressed previously that celebrities who use social media can't complain about losing their privacy.
3 Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is just so famous, words can't even express how famous he is. His wife is famous, his ex-wife is famous, his family is famous. But according to Pitt he never wanted that at all. Back in 2009 he publicly complained about the fame game. In an interview with Newsweek he said, “This publicity machine is out of control. It’s everything we didn’t sign up for.” He continued to explain that he has never been content with that element of fame. He doesn't understand why his personal life even comes into it when he's out promoting a film.
2 Chris Evans
Interestingly enough Captain America star Chris Evans looks at the kind of fame that Brad Pitt has as something he never wants. In an interview with The Boston Globe, Evans explained that when he first started acting he really wanted to make it big. Since then he has come to be content with his level of fame because “once you’re Brad Pitt, you can’t not be Brad Pitt.". Well Chris, apparently Brad Pitt doesn't like being as famous as Brad Pitt either!
1 Keira Knightley
Knightley is stunning and has several amazing roles under her belt from Pirates of the Caribbean to Atonement and beyond. For this reason she's rather famous, but it turns out that the British actress isn't into fame. She dislikes the red carpet spectacle in particular,
“I hate red-carpet events. I absolutely hate them … You have this feeling that everyone wants a bit of you … every photo takes away a bit of your soul. I wish I was just an insignificant speck.”
Her statement seems a bit dramatic, but she is an actress so we shouldn't expect any less I suppose...
Sources: stylecaster.com, bustle.com, stylecaster.com
