The lifestyles of the rich and famous conjure images of premieres, star-studded parties, and travelling around the world, but the reality is that movie stars can have a lot of downtime between shoots, and many take up hobbies that might surprise their fans.
It goes without saying that most movie stars will have the funds and access to the kind of choices that we mere mortals might not, but some sometimes choose more leftfield pastimes.
Jason Flemmyng
Jason Flemyng was one of the stars of Guy Ritchie’s breakout movie, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The film focuses on a group of friends on the fringes of London’s underworld who lose a rigged poker game and have to race to clear their debt.
In a case of reality mirroring fiction, Flemyng enjoys playing poker in his spare time. However, his on-set experience could have gone better. While playing against some of the film’s backers, his losing streak meant that he ended up working for four days completing re-shoots free of charge.
Flemyng has been able to cut his teeth playing at some of the best gambling sites UK operators have to offer, and continued his love for the game long after filming wrapped. Such contemporary platforms attract both celebrities and regular players, primarily due to their diverse perks and additional features.
Jim Broadbent
Jim Broadbent is a national treasure and has appeared in a variety of movies and TV shows over the years, but his hobby of sculpture took a lot of people by surprise, especially when they saw the results.
Broadbent sculpts humans from wood, dressing them in real clothes and using real human hair wigs to finish them off. While many of the models would not look out of place in a folk-horror movie, Broadbent’s passion can’t be denied.
Idris Elba
Idris Elba is a massive UK success story, starring in The Wire, The Office, Luther, American Gangster, The Dark Tower, Pacific Rim, The Suicide Squad, and many more. His captivating performance in The Wire shocked many US fans when they heard his real accent, and he appears to have a strong future ahead of him.
As well as being a major film and TV star, Elba has also pushed his passion for music by DJing in major clubs around the world. His passion for football has also seen him manage a team in the Baller League.
The Baller League is a 6-a-side football tournament with a strong focus on entertainment, attracting influencers and football stars to management roles.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the finest actors in history, winning a selection of top awards for performances in films like My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, The Crucible, and more. Unlike many, DDL shuns the spotlight and is quite private outside of his trade, meticulously picking and choosing roles that he feels are right.
In the ’90s, he took a break from acting to undertake an apprenticeship in shoemaking under the master craftsman Stefano Bomer in Florence. The dedication he is known for in filmmaking translated well to the craft before he returned to movies in Gangs of New York.
Tom Hardy
Another relatively private actor the UK is proud to call its own is Tom Hardy. The star of Bronson, The Revenant, Dunkirk, Legend, Inception, and The Dark Knight Rises is well known for his love of dogs, even appearing on Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dogs.
Another passion of the star is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Blue-belt holder has appeared at tournaments without fanfare, winning medals in a selection of events. He took up the martial art after training for his role in the movie Warrior, and continued beyond.
Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill burst onto the scene as one of the UK’s top leading men, securing roles in a variety of action movies due to his physique. However, his passion for gaming is something that he has never hidden from, with a particular passion for Warhammer 40,000.
The tabletop game that combines lore and craft as players collect, build, and paint armies before competing against others. He has played the game for more than 30 years and sees it as the perfect way to relax and step away from his life of fame.
