Celebrities Who Are Addicted To Reality TV Shows
While it often seems like celebrities live on a different planet, every now and then they behave just like the rest of us. So the next time you sit down with snacks ready to enjoy your favorite reality show — be it something from the Bravo universe, the "Bachelor" franchise, or maybe an exotic choice like the U.K.'s "Love Island" — just know there's a good chance your favorite celebs are doing the exact same thing. It might be surprising to learn just how invested they are. In fact, an early COVID-19 pandemic series called "Celebrity Watch Party" captured the rich and famous watching TV at home. Some caught up with reality series like "90-Day Fiancé," "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," "Jersey Shore," and "Selling Sunset."
Curious as to which stars share your penchant for addictive reality television series? There are A-List actors and musicians galore (including a couple of famous Jennifers). Also tuning in are personalities like Chrissy Teigen and Paris Hilton, who have actually put in time themselves on reality shows. Who could forget Hilton on "The Simple Life?"
No matter how famous they are, some people just can't resist a good old-fashioned reality TV binge. Let's take a look...
Jennifer Lawrence is a Bravo superfan
One of Hollywood's most sought-after stars, Jennifer Lawrence, considers herself one of Bravo's biggest fans. The Academy award winner has been known to stop by Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant in West Hollywood to get a glimpse of the "Vanderpump Rules" stars, and she'll fangirl and ask for a selfie when spotting a star from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," like Lisa Rinna, out in the wild.
The actor has truly showed off her superfan status during appearances on "Watch What Happens Live." On one of her first episodes, she turned the tables and got the chance to grill host Andy Cohen with her burning "Housewives" questions. And on another occasion, Cohen surprised her with two legendary Bravo stars, Luann de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel, to which Lawrence exclaimed, "I'm seriously gonna cry!" and proceeded to ask them questions only a diehard viewer would think to ask.
Lawrence's appearances on "Watch What Happens Live" also taught us that she doesn't limit herself to just Bravo reality shows. After there were rumors that "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" might have inspired her accent in the film "American Hustle," she told Cohen it was actually another New Jersey-based reality series she loved — MTV's "Jersey Shore."
Mila Kunis' Bachelor devotion
Mila Kunis prioritizes watching her top reality TV picks. But unlike a normal fan, she gets the chance to rub elbows with the stars of her favorite shows. Kunis shares her love of "The Bachelor" with her famous husband Ashton Kutcher. The couple got the chance to live any "Bachelor" fan's dream and appear on the show in 2017. Kunis and Kutcher popped up on Rachel Lindsay's season of "The Bachelorette" to help Lindsay weed through her remaining men with a "Husband Material Obstacle Course" challenge. Kutcher and Kunis told producers exactly how they like to consume ABC's dramatic franchise: "Monday nights for us are white wine, vodka tonic, turn on 'The Bachelor' or 'Bachelorette,'" they said, finishing each other's phrases. They'll even watch "Bachelor in Paradise."
A few years later, Kunis guest-hosted "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and received a fun surprise. "If you know anything about me, you know that I'm obsessed with 'The Bachelor,'" the star began, before revealing Colton Underwood would be serving as the guest DJ on the episode. He brought along his then-girlfriend Cassie Randolph, and Kunis appropriately fangirled, exclaiming, "I've never nerded out on any actor. The only people I've ever fanned on were reality people."
Kunis is also really into "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." While appearing on a 2018 episode of "Live with Kelly and Ryan," during which "Housewives" legend Lisa Rinna was filling in for Kelly Ripa, Kunis was vocal about her passion for Bravo, telling Rinna, "I've seen every episode."
Margot Robbie's Love Island dedication
If you've ever watched an episode of the U.K.'s "Love Island," chances are you're forever hooked. That's what happened to movie star Margot Robbie, who fell so in love with the show she decided to throw herself a "Love Island" themed birthday party in July 2021! Her pal, model Kelly Gale, posted some of the photos on Instagram, showing that the party was poolside and included a mechanical bull.
Her love for the show runs deep — she's been a documented fan since 2018, when Robbie bared a striking resemblance to a contestant from Season 4, Megan Barton-Hanson. When an islander pointed out that Barton-Hanson looked a lot like Robbie, the diehard "Love Island" fan was delighted and spoke to Metro about the meta moment, sharing, "We were all like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe they know who I am on 'Love Island!'"
"I personally don't see the resemblance," Robbie said of the comparisons. But when it came to watching the show, the actor was just as addicted as normal people were, telling the Daily Star, "I won't know what to do when 'Love Island' finishes. I mean, what will I watch? It's literally the most addictive thing on TV ever" (via The Sun). She added, "We have dedicated our summer to watching those guys. We are going to miss them."
Paris Hilton spilled who won Love Island
Rich and famous hotel heiresses... they're just like us! Paris Hilton got into the U.K. version of "Love Island" in 2018, delighting fans with her tweets as she fell in love with the ITV series. She'd continue to have some interesting Twitter interactions over the years — most famously spoiling the winners of the Season 4 series before they were announced!
Though it's still unclear how Hilton received the news ahead of the big reveal, she tweeted on finale night, "Congrats @Dani_MasDyer & @Jack_Charlesf on winning @LoveIsland you both deserve it!," shortly before Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham were crowned that season's winning couple. And while a lot of fans were angry that she ruined the finale, one person in particular was thrilled by the tweet — Dyer! The reality star tweeted back, "Thankyou so much Thankyou for all your support! Can't believe your tweeting us." Per the Daily Mail, Hilton removed her tweet but reposted it after the official win.
Hilton made "Love Island" news again in 2021, this time for supposedly blocking an islander. During Season 7, contestant Chloe Burrows claimed on an episode, "I'm blocked by Paris Hilton and I don't even know why. ...I can't see any of her tweets or anything" (via Grazia). Burrows added, "I love her. I really don't think I'd ever have done anything [to her], but obviously I did." Hilton never responded to the comments, but maybe she skipped that season? The new mom might have some reality TV to catch up on!
Daniel Radcliffe isn't ashamed of watching reality TV
The guys can get in on the reality TV fun, too! Daniel Radcliffe is a self-proclaimed reality junkie. He was on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in 2022 and expressed his shameless love for the dramatic shows. When asked about his guilty pleasure, he told Clarkson, "At one time I would have referred to my love of reality TV and 'The Bachelor' as a guilty pleasure, but I now just have to admit that I am un-ironically enjoying it."
Though he can pin the original blame on his girlfriend, Erin Darke, for getting him into reality shows, Radcliffe fessed up to loving a brand new series at the time. The actor shared with Clarkson, "Now I have to own the fact that I'm also like, 'hey, you want to put on 'Love is Blind?'"
He's been open about his love of "The Bachelor" for years, revealing his affection for the show on "Good Morning America" in 2019. "I used to be one of those guys who's like, 'Yeah, my girlfriend makes me watch it.' It's not. I'm making the choice, it's me," Radcliffe said while answering a fan's question. He added, "I'm very obsessed particularly with this season. Also, [Colton Underwood] seems like a nice person this season. ... They haven't all been."
Jennifer Aniston's a Bachelor watcher
Jennifer Aniston starred in one of the most-watched sitcoms of all time. But when it comes time for the A-lister to settle down and watch television, she sometimes opts for a different genre, reality! This "Friends" star is a fan of "The Bachelor" franchise.
While talking to InStyle in 2021, Aniston said, "Honestly, the best version of 'The Bachelor' is the island — 'Bachelor in Paradise.'" She also weighed in on longtime host Chris Harrison leaving with a surprising confession — she wouldn't mind taking the job! The interviewer asked if she would ever choose to guest host, and Aniston at first made a joke, replying, "God, I don't know. I think they need a psychologist or psychiatrist, not just Chris Harrison — or whoever the host is now. There should be someone they can go and talk to." When told that she could fill that spot, Aniston replied, "Okay, well, I'll do that. Gladly. I'll be the one picking roses in the rose garden."
It wasn't the first time the big star was described as a "Bachelor" superfan. On the "Click Bait with Bachelor Nation" podcast in April 2021, her celebrity hairstylist Justin Anderson shared that the actor was starstruck over personalities from the shows, revealing, "It's so funny because when I would do 'Bachelor' people and I would post it to social media, Jennifer Aniston ... the next time I would see her she's like, 'Wait did you just meet so-and-so?' Like, we would talk about it. She's definitely a fan."
Chrissy Teigen is a Bravo babe
Chrissy Teigen made a name for herself by sounding off on social media. One of her favorite topics? The shows on Bravo — from "The Real Housewives" franchises to "Vanderpump Rules" and "Below Deck." Teigen has tweeted about a good rewatch (she recommends Seasons 5 and 6 of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"), shared her real-life run-ins and starstruck status (spotting Dorit Kemsley on a flight), and delighted in all things Bravo. And she truly practices what she preaches, as the star not only keeps up to date on all the shows, like most hardcore fans, but has even attended BravoCon, a celebration of all the network's reality programs.
The model makes frequent visits to "Watch What Happens Live" to discuss her passion with network bigwig Andy Cohen, taking on hot topics from all the series and showing off her impressive knowledge. She and John Legend also went up against "Vanderpump Rules" cast members on "Celebrity Family Feud" in 2019. In addition to appearing on competition shows, Teigen herself has worked in the reality genre, starring in and executive producing "Chrissy's Court," which broke viewing records for the Roku Channel (per Variety).
Amy Schumer loves Love Island
Funny lady Amy Schumer has developed a very relatable fascination with the U.K.'s "Love Island." The comedian loves the ITV series so much that she took part in an episode of Season 5's "Aftersun" in 2019. Unlike most fans of the show, Schumer got the opportunity to give her favorite contestant some praise.
"I'm loving this season of Love Island. I want to give a shoutout to Maura. She's just like my homie, I feel very connected to her," Schumer said in a clip (via the Mirror) that aired on the aftershow. And that wouldn't be the only time the star popped up on ITV — she also filmed a skit imitating "Love Island" cast members for the Season 7 reunion in 2021.
She even weighed in on her favorite parts, while pretending to wake up in bed like the reality stars often do. "I just want to say, from me Amy Schumer, I love 'Love Island,' I was so hurt to see Jiberty break up," she shared (via the Daily Mail), referencing one of that season's it couples, Jake Cornish and Liberty Poole.
Rihanna knows the Real Housewives
Think you don't have much in common with the one and only Rihanna? Think again, because this superstar loves a good Bravo binge session. And the proof is on social media, with Rihanna herself often sounding off on her favorite franchises. Unlike the usual Bravo viewers, Rihanna's name sometimes pops up on the shows.
On a Season 13 episode of "The Real Housewives of New York," Leah McSweeney referenced the fact that the star once wore her clothing line, Married to the Mob, during a squabble with Ramona Singer. After hearing her name mentioned in a fight, Rihanna hopped on Instagram to post a photo of the shirt in question (and even a clip of the argument!), captioning the snap, "what was said @ramonasinger ? [laughing emoji] #RHONY."
She has also partied with "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kathy Hilton post-Met Gala and exchanged DMs with "The Real Housewives of Potomac" star Karen Huger and "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Heather Gay over the years. Andy Cohen noticed when the singer uploaded an Instagram video where she's heard chuckling at a clip of "Vanderpump Rules." Cohen enthusiastically said in an ET interview, "Rihanna, come to the Clubhouse!"
Jon Hamm's Housewives viewing habits
This next one is quite a surprise. Known for playing the enigmatic Don Draper on the dramatic series "Mad Men," it's not expected that Jon Hamm would wind down with a Bravo series at the end of the day. But that's exactly what he does! And Hamm isn't just a casual viewer — he watches multiple franchises.
Hamm stopped by "The Howard Stern Show" in September 2022 and owned up to his "Housewives" viewing hobby, explaining that he got into the shows while watching them with his girlfriend, Anna Osceola. At first he wasn't totally convinced, telling Stern, "I'm fascinated by it, I really am. I resisted it for decades. I thought it was the low-hanging fruit, the lowest common denominator."
How Hamm became hooked in the first place is another surprise, as he told Stern: "The one that got me started, the first hit of the pipe, was New Jersey. Started in Jersey, then we went across the river to New York. And then we got on a plane and flew across the country and landed in Beverly Hills." Despite being into many different franchises, Hamm doesn't love them all, adding, "I can't get into the Salt Lake and the Dubai and the Atlanta. I can't get into the kind of ancillary markets."
Sarah Paulson has opinions on Lisa Vanderpump
Though she appears on the frightening show "American Horror Story," Sarah Paulson will watch much lighter fodder. The actor is a Bravo superfan, which was touched upon during her 2019 interview with "Vanity Fair." Paulson was asked about Bethenny Frankel and Lisa Vanderpump, and whether she would miss them after they left their respective franchises. The star had a lot to say about Vanderpump, sharing, "I won't miss her. I'll miss the dynamic she brings to the group, which is, you know, the fear of God she instills in everyone, but no, I won't miss her. I met her once at a party, she wasn't that nice to me."
She was also asked if she'd ever consider joining a "Housewives" series, which got an emphatic "Yes." As for which one, Paulson shared that "RHONY" is her favorite. In true Bravo fashion, Andy Cohen later asked her about the Vanderpump run-in on an episode of "Watch What Happens Live" in 2020. Paulson revealed a bit more about the encounter, saying, "She wasn't that friendly. She did let me hold her dog. ... She didn't know who I was; I didn't expect her to know who I was."
Despite sharing a negative story about one housewife, Paulson got to have a positive interaction on that same episode, appearing virtually alongside "The Real Housewives of New York City" star Sonja Morgan. Morgan reassured Paulson, "Come on, everybody knows who you are!" — leading Paulson to squeal with glee, "Sonja knows who I am! It's literally like the greatest day of my life."
Nicki Minaj co-hosted a RHOP reunion
"Real Housewives" fans wait all season for the dramatic reunion episodes to air on the small screen. But rapper Nicki Minaj is such a devotee, she managed to get in on the action firsthand.
For a segment on the Season 6 reunion of "The Real Housewives of Potomac" in 2021, Nicki Minaj was available to help with hosting duties. She gleefully shared the news on Instagram, then took to her Stories to ask fans to catch up on the season. "Everyone binge watch all the episodes cuz we finna get into some thangz hunty. My questions will be well thought out, too. Mixed with funny & epic of course," she wrote (via E! News). Though some might have thought this whole thing to be a joke, Minaj subsequently included screenshots of text messages she had exchanged with her publicist where he informed her, "Andy Cohen said he would gladly give up his seat to have you host the Potomac reunion." Cohen was still present, but so was Minaj!
While on hand to host part of the reunion, Minaj showed off her true superfan status with her savvy lines of questioning.