You know how celebrities always seem to live in this completely different world? Designer everything, private jets, red carpet events 24/7. But when the cameras stop rolling, some of our favorite stars are doing stuff that’s pretty weird. And I mean that in the best way possible.
These hobbies aren’t your typical “I collect vintage wines” celebrity nonsense. We’re talking about genuinely surprising passions that’ll make you go “Wait, really?” So let’s dive into five celebrity hobbies that prove famous people can be just as quirky as the rest of us.
1. Angelina Jolie – Knife Collecting
Yeah, you read that right. The woman who’s saved countless lives through humanitarian work also collects knives. Not exactly what you’d expect from someone who spends half her time at UN meetings, right?
Jolie’s been obsessed with blades since she was a kid. And we’re not talking about a few decorative pieces on a shelf – this is a serious collection. She loves the history behind each piece, the craftsmanship that went into making them. It’s like holding a piece of the past in your hands.
She’s gotten her kids interested, too. Imagine family bonding time involving ancient daggers and medieval swords. Most parents struggle to get their kids excited about museum trips, but Jolie’s over here, turning weapon history into quality time. Pretty badass parenting, if you ask me.
2. Rod Stewart – Model Railroads
Rod Stewart – the guy who sang “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” – spends his free time hunched over tiny trains for hours. Sometimes all night.
We’re not talking about some basic train set you’d buy your nephew for Christmas. Stewart has built these incredibly detailed miniature worlds, complete with tiny people, perfectly scaled buildings, and even little streetlights that actually work. He’s been working on one particular layout for over two decades.
The man who fills stadiums with screaming fans finds peace in painting figurines the size of your thumbnail. There’s something beautiful about that contrast. While most rock stars are trashing hotel rooms, Stewart is carefully gluing miniature shingles onto a dollhouse-sized train station.
3. Taylor Swift – Crafting
Here’s someone who could literally buy anything she wants, and she chooses to spend her downtime knitting scarves, making friendship bracelets, and creating handmade birthday cards.
Swift has talked about how crafting helps her decompress after those massive stadium tours. Picture this: she goes from performing for 50,000 screaming fans to sitting quietly at home with a glue gun and some construction paper. It’s like meditation, but with more glitter.
And she’s not keeping this stuff to herself. Those handmade gifts she creates end up going to friends, family, and even fans sometimes. Imagine getting a birthday card that Taylor Swift literally sat down and made with her own hands. That’s way cooler than any expensive present you could order online.
4. Ben Affleck – Online Poker
Most Hollywood A-listers spend their off-hours at exclusive clubs or fancy restaurants. Affleck’s at home in his pajamas, playing online poker until 3 AM.
The guy’s actually pretty good at it, too. He’s won real tournaments, not just celebrity charity events. We’re talking serious money and even more serious competition. There’s something hilarious about imagining Batman sitting at his computer, trying to figure out if someone’s bluffing about their pair of sevens.
Affleck says the strategic thinking required for poker actually helps with his directing work. Both involve reading people, making calculated risks, knowing when to fold and when to go all in. Who knew that online poker could be professional development for filmmakers?
5. Claudia Schiffer – Insect Collecting
A supermodel who spent decades being photographed in the most glamorous settings imaginable collects bugs. Dead ones, to be clear, but still.
Schiffer started this hobby as a kid and never stopped. She’s got cases full of carefully preserved beetles, butterflies, moths – you name it. It’s like having a natural history museum in her house, except way more personal.
What I love about this is how patient you have to be. Modeling might seem glamorous, but it’s actually a lot of waiting around, holding poses, and dealing with details most people never notice. Insect collecting requires that same attention to detail, that same appreciation for things others might overlook.
The Bottom Line
These hobbies prove something pretty cool: celebrities are just people who happen to be famous. They need downtime, they need hobbies that have nothing to do with their day jobs, and sometimes those hobbies are completely unexpected.
Maybe there’s a lesson here for the rest of us. Don’t be embarrassed about your weird interests. If Angelina Jolie can collect knives and Rod Stewart can obsess over model trains, you can probably embrace whatever strange hobby makes you happy. Life’s too short to only do things that make sense to other people.
