These Celebs Are Preparing For Doomsday
It used to be somewhat normal to prepare for the apocalypse, and back in the 1960s, families across the U.S. built bomb shelters in their backyards. The term "doomsday prepper" became a pejorative over time, referring to folks who lived on the outskirts of society, waiting for an apocalypse that never came. Then, 9/11 happened, and people began thinking like they did during the Cold War.
The market for home bunkers and bomb shelters skyrocketed as the 21st century revealed all kinds of new threats to humanity. Decades later, the COVID-19 pandemic only worsened people's fears, and more than a few folks looked to the past to create a safe haven in or near their homes. Of course, bunkers and secluded homes off the grid aren't cheap, ensuring only the wealthiest among us have the means to secure themselves should a doomsday arrive.
Tech billionaires and celebrities certainly fit the bill, and several high-profile people build incredible bunkers or learn to live entirely off the grid should the need arise. Each of these celebrities decided to prepare for the possibility of a doomsday scenario, and the wealthier the celebrity, the more massive and elaborate their shelters. Some built panic rooms or learned skills to keep them alive, while others built massive compounds, the insides of which remain a mystery to the public.
Bear Grylls made a career out of surviving every possible scenario
Few people have exemplified the term "survivalist" as professionally as Bear Grylls. After serving his country, where he learned more than most people need to know to survive in any situation, Grylls set about conquering every difficult challenge he could find. He summited Mount Everest, crossed the North Atlantic Ocean in a small boat, tackled challenging peaks in the Himalayas and Antarctica, and did much of it for charity.
Most people likely know Grylls through one of his many television series, though he's probably best known for "Man vs. Wild," which documented Grylls surviving in harsh climates, seemingly unassisted by anyone but his film crew. In this regard, Grylls cemented himself in the zeitgeist as the survivalist to beat, and he truly demonstrated an ability to survive any situation and thrive with very little in the most austere and harsh environments on the planet.
Grylls isn't so much a doomsday prepper, as he spent his adult life learning to survive in any situation — he's fully prepped. He's developed tools specifically designed to aid in survival preparation, and many of his products come with his "Priorities of Survival" pocket guide. Grylls isn't the celeb whose house you crash during doomsday because he won't be there. Odds are, he'll be out in the woods somewhere, thriving.
Roseanne Barr preps and plans for the worst
Roseanne Barr isn't a name many associate with doomsday preparation, but the comedian might surprise you. Barr's politics leaned pretty far to the right around the time Donald Trump received the Republican nomination for President. When this happened, some comments she made got her effectively canceled with much of the American public, but it was also shortly after Barr revealed how much work she put into preparing for doomsday.
In 2013, Barr posted a tweet on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying quite a lot about prepping and her advice to others. "In America: be prepared by organizing w ur [sic] neighbors to grow wholesome food/store/water/vitamins/guns." Barr followed up her comment with, "Grandmothers: organize your teen youth to protect the young ones and the old ones and grow community gardens if u want 2 [sic] survive things" (via The Washington Times).
At the time, Barr tweeted a lot about how negatively she saw then-President Obama's administration, which she'd rallied against since his first election in 2008. She also adopted a pro-gun platform, tweeting numerous supportive comments, including, "Arm the women of the world. Send guns and ammo everywhere. Train them to make clean headshots. #howtopreventrape." Her comments haven't changed much in the decade since.
Jamie Lee Curtis preps for any and all disasters
Many people prep for doomsday out of fear of the unknown. Jamie Lee Curtis' preparations are a bit different, as she takes a no-nonsense approach to disaster preparation and doesn't do it alone. Curtis joined forces with the American Red Cross to help spread the word on sensible disaster preparedness. She's gone on survivalist shopping sprees to help identify the products everyone should have in their homes, and she's filmed videos offering tips to the masses.
Curtis often posts emergency checklists to her fans on social media, including one in 2019, where she wrote, "As a lifelong Californian, I'm aware of the impact of natural disaster. I have worked with the American Red Cross for years on their preparedness program. There are disaster preparedness kits available online that you can personalize or you can build them yourselves. Remember glasses, prescription drugs, baby food, and diapers, as well as pet food."
Curtis' preparations aren't so much for a world-ending disaster as they are for incredibly devastating natural disasters. Just looking at California, that could include earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, tsunamis, and more. Preparing for these eventualities only makes sense, and Curtis not only knows this, but she actively works to ensure everyone else knows it as well.
Zooey Deschanel is proud of her prepping skills
Zooey Deschanel is another celebrity who not only loves preparing for disasters but also loves talking about them. During an appearance on "Conan," Deschanel explained that she usually wears clothing that makes it possible for her to make a fast getaway should the need arise. She acknowledged wearing high heels to the taping but said, "In life, you know, flat shoes. A bag that's strapped across ... agile clothing so that I can run."
Deschanel also mentioned being a generally prepared person with an earthquake kit. She also discussed needing a tent and other essential items commonly found in a disaster preparedness kit. The interview leaned much closer to humor than honest discussions of disaster preparedness. That makes sense, seeing as "Conan" isn't about that sort of thing, and Deschanel was there to talk about her ongoing projects, including "New Girl," which was in its second season.
During their talk on the show, Deschanel told Conan O'Brien that she loves being prepared for a disaster and is the kind of person who scopes out the exits whenever she enters a room. While she's always ready to run from any situation, her earthquake go-bag contains food she wouldn't generally enjoy eating to ensure she doesn't snack from its contents outside of a disaster, which isn't terrible advice.
Ronda Rousey's homestead in Southern California should weather any doomsday scenario
Ronda Rousey may be able to rely on her fighting skills should society come crumbling down, but the former UFC and WWE fighter knows there's more to survival than that. Rousey spoke about her preference for prepping during a sit-down with director Peter Berg in Los Angeles. "I am a big doomsday prepper. I think of it as a very positive outlook on the world" (via USA Today).
Rousey went on to explain that she'd "make it" given any apocalypse that comes her way. Rousey isn't all talk either, as she and her husband, Travis Browne, raise goats and chickens on their ranch in Riverside, California, dubbed "Browsey Acres." These offer an easy supply of eggs, milk, and meat. Of course, that's not all, and Rousey revealed just how prepped she and Browne are should the excrement hit the air conditioning.
In an Instagram post, Rousey showed off her crops, stores of frozen meat, massive water containers, solar batteries, and more. Rousey also wrote, "It's no secret I've been a proud prepper for years, but let's all learn from this pandemic panic and be a little more self-sufficient and prepared in the future. Taking steps to live sustainably takes time but ultimately saves money, permanently eliminates water and power bills, reduces our carbon footprint, and is just plain healthier."
Joe Rogan advocates doomsday prepping and has plans for the apocalypse
Joe Rogan talks to the world through his podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," discussing everything from comedy and politics to martial arts and survival. He hosts numerous guests, whose conversations often lean into controversial subjects, including how Rogan would survive a doomsday scenario. Rogan explained he'd get out of Los Angeles and head to any surrounding areas filled with game and other resources.
Rogan discussed how he'd never take his Tesla should the apocalypse come, preferring his "Apocalypse Mobile," a Toyota Land Cruiser boasting a 40-gallon gas tank. He'd also bring a lot of guns, bullets, bows, and arrows to sustain himself and his family. That was one of many conversations Rogan had on his podcast about surviving the end of the world. In other discussions, he explained how he became a doomsday prepper and his survival plan:
"I've got a crazy plan. The plan is to have a place that's completely self-sufficient, like a hunting ranch. When s*** hit the fan in Los Angeles, it opened my eyes ... I realized that we got really lucky ... but there was a real concern that it would get so bad that the supply chain would fall apart, and I would have to feed my friends ... I should probably have a place where all the people that I love can exist and survive."
Nathan Fillion is ready for the zombocalypse
When people think about apocalypses in terms of movies and television, one that dominates the rest is the zombie apocalypse, or zombocalypse, if you prefer. Zombie fiction offers viewers a unique perspective, and whether you're sitting down to watch "The Walking Dead" or "Dawn of the Dead," odds are, you thought about how you would try to survive a zombocalypse. It's a fun aspect of the genre, and Nathan Fillion is one celebrity who thinks about it as much as his fans.
During an appearance on "Conan," the conversation steered toward zombocalypse preparedness, as it sometimes does, and Fillion had plenty to say. Their discussion began with Fillion explaining how he makes his own costumes and uses his skills as a welder to make them unique. Most people don't know how to weld since it's not something you just get into — welding requires training and a lot of equipment, but Fillion took it up because, according to him, "Everyone wants to be handy."
After explaining his love of welding and how he went about becoming a welder, he spoke about his hobby of "Zombie apocalypse preparedness." Fillion detailed how his welding skills make him an ideal candidate for zombocalypse survival because "nobody wants that guy to get eaten, so everyone will work extra hard to keep me safe."
Josh Duhamel is an admitted doomsday prepper
Josh Duhamel looks like he knows how to live off the grid. Of course, it's not just a look — the man is famous for living a more rustic lifestyle than his peers in Hollywood. Duhamel owns property in North Dakota, and while it started as a small spot with no running water, it's evolved into a massive lakeside compound where Duhamel can live out his days with his family, entirely off the grid, should civilization come crashing down.
Duhamel told Inverse, "I've become a bit of a doomsday prepper, I guess." His "doomsday cabin" comes fully stocked with a Starlink internet setup, a custom water filtration system, and anything he might need to weather whatever doomsday scenario may play out. Duhamel explained to Inverse, "I'm learning how to hunt. I fish. I'm building something so if things do go south, I have a place to take my family."
Duhamel expanded his property to 54 acres and two cabins, each with its own outhouse, though they both have proper plumbing as well. Duhamel said, in terms of growing crops, "We started with clover and chicory and stuff, mostly just to feed the deer. It was my first time ever tilling, you know, clearing a space of land and tilling it and seeding it. This year, I'm gonna grow pumpkins and corn."
Post Malone's Utah Bunker is apocalypse proof
Post Malone isn't a fan of the government and has said as many times over the years. In 2018, Malone called the U.S. government "The biggest lie in the world" and urged his fans to move to the country. Malone felt that escaping to the countryside was the only way to free oneself from government control, and he heeded his own advice after purchasing a 13,000-square-foot property on seven acres in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The house isn't merely a secure compound — it's Malone's "apocalypse-proof" hideaway. Malone expressed his concern over the government in an interview with Montreality, saying, "Move somewhere, because whenever martial law is declared ... whenever your credit cards fail, whenever your banks fail ... you have three days to get out of where you are because that's when they're coming for you."
Malone spoke with Rolling Stone in 2017, revealing how he'd prep for the apocalypse. "I'm going to put in, like, 30 bunk beds. It's free country out there. Like, you can buy suppressors in Utah. You can do open-carry. Walk into the grocery store with a handgun on your hip. Cowboy s***. I can't wait." He said on the H3 Podcast, "It's going to be fun until the world ends. But whenever the world ends, it's going to be functional," referring to his Utah home.
Kim Kardashian included a bunker in her massive $60 million home
On the surface, Kim Kardashian lives a life free of the problems as the rest of us. That's the surface, but in reality, Kardashian has endured several frightening and invasive situations, including being robbed, bound, and gagged in 2016 as thieves stole $10 million worth of jewelry. That incident and hearing of a friend's similar robbery led Kardashian to investigate purchasing a bunker.
Kardashian explored bunkers on an episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," though she didn't purchase one at that time, as they were too confining and hot. Fast forward a few years, and Kardashian ran afoul of her neighborhood when her plans to build an underground "vault" and parking structure caused concern. The complex required the flattening of two hills and the compacting of 5,000 cubic yards of dirt.
While it's not entirely clear what Kardashian wanted to build, it's likely some aspect of the construction dealt with a bunker of some kind. Clyde Scott, the owner of Rising S Bunkers, said in 2017 (via Daze), "Did you hear about Kim and Kanye getting one built? Yeah, that's one of ours. I'm sure Kim's will have a pool too." It's unclear if Kardashian ever built that bunker, but it's not surprising she would keep something like that from the public.
Tom Cruise will sit out the apocalypse in style in his $10 million bunker
Tom Cruise is a relatively eccentric fellow, and he's also one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. Cruise's immense wealth allows the Hollywood star to buy or build whatever he wants, including a bunker. Cruise owns several properties around the world, but the one he plans to ride out the apocalypse in is in Telluride, Colorado. That's where his 298-acre property sits and where he planned to build his bunker.
Cruise's property is a $59 million mountain hideaway, which has everything from forest trails and riding stables to a private helipad and whatever else Cruise might need. In 2007, Wired revealed Cruise's plan to expand his Telluride home by adding a $10 million bunker, making it one of the most luxurious and expansive bunkers out there. Most are small, cylindrical affairs with little to do, but that's on the low end.
It's unclear if Cruise moved forward with his plans to deck out his Colorado home with a disaster-proof bunker, but given his means, he probably pulled the trigger. A source told America's Star (via Stuff), "Tom is planning to build a $10 million bunker under his Telluride estate. It's a self-contained underground shelter with a high-tech air-purifying system, where up to ten people can survive for years."
Jeff Bezos will survive the apocalypse on an island off the coast of Miami
Jeff Bezos is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and you can rest easy knowing Amazon's founder has plans should the world come to an end. Bezos' real estate portfolio is valued at more than $570 million, so he has plenty of places to call home. That said, one property, in particular, is where he likely plans to sit out the end of the world, and it's in southern Florida, just outside of Miami, on an exclusive island known as Indian Creek Island.
It's also known as Billionaire Bunker and is one of many artificial islands in Biscayne Bay. Still, unlike most islands in the unnatural archipelago, Billionaire Bunker is all but impossible to visit. Bezos owns two properties on the island, costing him $147 million. He's not alone, as he shares his turf with Tom Brady, Carl Icahn, Julio Iglesias, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. The island is entirely private, as is the road leading up to it.
Regarding doomsday preparation, Bezos' interests appear to focus more on privacy than anything else. His homes on the island may contain panic rooms or other forms of security, but if that's true, he isn't revealing it to the world. Billionaire Bunker comes with a heavily guarded entrance, and the Indian Creek Village Police Department is ready and able to answer any call a billionaire might make concerning their security.
Mark Zuckerberg's Hawaii bunker is part of a $100 million compound
Mark Zuckerberg is another mega-wealthy tech billionaire who isn't shy about spending his money. He's spent millions on properties around the world, and while his real estate portfolio isn't a match for Jeff Bezos', he's not hurting when it comes to luxurious houses. One such home is a sprawling Hawaiian compound, which boasts a private security force and a nondisclosure agreement everyone who enters must sign to keep it all hush-hush.
Despite the NDA, Wired dug up some details of Zuckerberg's massive compound, and it's the ideal place to sit out the end of the world. The compound sits on 1,400 acres of pristine Hawaiian land on the island of Kauai. The property, called Koolau Ranch, will have its own 5,000-square-foot underground shelter outfitted with food, independent energy, and everything else a billionaire like Zuckerberg might need to survive doomsday in style.
Wired's report from December 2023 details how much the project will end up costing the Meta CEO. Once it's all said and done, he'll likely spend more than $270 million on land and building costs to turn Koolau Ranch into his apocalypse-proof mega-mansion. The cost is significant as it makes Zuckerberg's Hawaiian property one of the most expensive properties on the planet.