The lives of the wealthy and famous are scrutinized by the entire globe. We all received a pretty high exposure to celebs' personal lives. Celebrities, even the ones who seem normal, actually have some of the most bizarre and weird secrets. True admirers are well-versed in their idol's biography and everyday activities. However, there are some facts that these celebrities try to conceal or, on the opposite, discuss.
We have compiled a list with some of the lesser-known, obscure and fascinating facts about A-list celebrities that would probably blow your mind. For example, did you know that
Katy Perry wrote a song about Scarlet Johansson? Or that Oprah's real name isn't Oprah? We're confident you'll take a fresh look at the lives of these renowned people.
#1 Affleck and Damon are relatives
Source: Getty Images Entertainment/Todd Williamson
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are an excellent illustration of male friendship. They first met in elementary school and have remained friends for more than 30 years. They're also distant cousins: their progenitor William Knowlton Jr. arrived to America in the 17th century.
#2 Walt Disney and the Oscar
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Jim Heaphy/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Walt Disney has been nominated for an Academy Award 59 times. It's a world record! With a total of 26 Oscars, he holds the record for most statuettes won by a single person.
#3 Gary Oldman’s bad acting
Source: Gage Skidmore/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The best British actor, Gary Oldman, was denied admission to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He was recommended to pursue something other than acting. But he had a dream and eventually realized his ambitions.
#4 Jason Statham’s sports career
Source: UnitedCBA Movies / youtube, The Mechanic / millennium-media
Jason Statham was a street vendor, model, and street theatre actor before he made it big in Hollywood. Statham's true interest, though, was diving. For 12 years, he was a member of the British National Swimming Squad and competed in tournaments.
#5 Shakira is a Facebook Queen
Source: Europa Press Europa/Press Entertainment
Shakira is the Queen of Facebook! Her achievement is noteworthy in that she was the first individual in the world to receive 100 million Facebook likes. Isn't it impressive?
#6 Dwayne Johnson’s selfie record
Source: guinnessworldrecords
The Rock established a record during a San Andreas film screening in London, taking 105 selfies in three minutes while taking photos with his admirers. It's worth mentioning that he broke his personal record of 75 photos in three minutes. The photographs were of good quality, and the faces in them were recognizable, according to the Guinness Book of Records judge. The actor claimed to be a self-proclaimed selfie aficionado.
#7 A birthday card for Robert Downey Jr
Source: guinnessworldrecords
Robert Downey Jr. has millions of followers all throughout the world, including in China. Downey received a birthday card from Chinese admirers. It wasn't just any card, though: 5,339 people signed it! That's what it looks like when love spreads across the country.
#8 Steve Buscemi helped search for survivors after 9/11
Source: zsreport / reddit, Lean on Me / Film4
Actor Steve Buscemi worked as a firefighter in New York City in the 1980s. He returned to his prior job after the 9/11 tragedy. He searched for survivors of the incident with the help of other rescuers. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Buscemi once again stepped in to help. Buscemi tried to conceal his participation in all of these events for a long time.
#9 Oprah “Orpah” Winfrey
Source: WireImage/Mike Marsland
Oprah's real name is Orpah Gail Winfrey, believe it or not. Orpah is a biblical character's name. Because of a simple error, Orpah is now known as Oprah.
Source: Robbie Dale / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Everyone pays attention to royal weddings, especially if it's a real-life Cinderella story! This was not an exception for Prince William and Kate's wedding. With over 2 billion views, the wedding was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for "Most Live Streams for a Single Event."
#11 Musician, Christopher Lee
Source: Siebbi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0, sezzles / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Saruman Christopher Lee was a notable heavy metal musician in the past. At the age of 88, Lee joined the Manowar Band and recorded his first metal album. The album was awarded the Metal Hammer Award. He also released a new album.
#12 A song devoted to Scarlett Johansson
Source: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Do you remember Katy Perry's song "I Kissed a Girl," which was a hit in 2008? Did you know that Scarlett Johansson was the inspiration for Perry's song? The singer stated that she first spotted Johansson on a magazine cover and fell in love with her stunning smile.
#13 Denzel Washington’s finger falls out of place from time to time
Source: Getty Images EntertainmentCarlo Allegri
Denzel Washington injured his pinky finger in a football accident when he was a kid and never had it corrected, resulting in the finger recovering in a crooked position. It occasionally bends 45 degrees outward from his other fingers at the bottom knuckle.
#14 Christopher Walken was a lion tamer
Source: Nine Lives / europacorp
Before making it big in Hollywood, many celebrities worked in a variety of interesting careers. But it's safe to say that Christopher Walken did the best job of them all. During the summers when he was 16, Walken worked as a lion tamer in a circus. He also worked as a nightclub dancer and appeared in one of Madonna's music videos.