They’ve got tricks up their sleeve: surprising celebrity sidequests

Do you have hobbies you want to pursue but keep putting off? This one’s for you. Some of the world’s biggest stars are refusing to stick to just one passion. Of course, it helps when you’ve got the time and money of a superstar, but the underlying message is clear: hobbies are worth pursuing – and they can be great conversation starters down the line.

While it is common for celebrities to branch into fashion, cosmetics, and charitable foundations, some are breaking new ground. Did you know Gal Gadot is an investor at a healthier macaroni and cheese company called Goodles in 2021? It’s a far cry from her Wonder Woman persona, but clearly even superheroes believe in nutritious cheat meals!

Did you know alt-pop singer PinkPantheress is also a chess champion?

The world might know Dua Lipa as a Grammy-winning singer, fashion icon, and two-time Guinness World Record holder, but she’s also building something off the stage. Service 95 grew out of her interest in curating recommendations and lists for friends and family. Now, under that banner, she runs a weekly newsletter with travel, fashion, and health tips, a podcast where she talks to authors, and even a book club! Her influence evidently runs well beyond the pop music stage.

Did you know alt-pop singer PinkPantheress is also a chess champion? Maybe we should have – strategy runs in her blood. Her grandmother, Susan Lalic,  is a five-time British Women’s Chess Champion, an International Master, and a Woman Grandmaster. Just as songwriting comes naturally, so does chess: otherwise known as Victoria Beverley Walker, PinkPantheress won the under-25 Grand Slam tournament in July 2025, and her ‘Romeo’ music video even feels like a nod to her chess roots. In September, she proved her versatility again, with a Mercury Prize nomination for her album Fancy That.

Anne-Marie is a true jack of all trades – even before her 10 BRIT Award nominations. At six years old, the ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S.’ singer appeared in Les Misérables and later in Whistle Down the Wind at age 12 alongside Jessie J. Her first job, though, was as a karate teacher – and she wasn’t playing around. She’s a black belt and a three-time world champion (she won a double gold at the 2002 Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association World Championships and gold and silver in 2007). If you’ve been thinking about trying karate for a while, her YouTube series Karate with Anne Marie might just give you the final push. And as if that weren’t enough, her self-help book ‘You Deserve Better’ became a Sunday Times best-selling author.

In addition, plenty of celebrities have design collaborations with fashion brands. Lewis Hamilton launched a Christian Dior capsule collection in 2024, Kim Kardashian teamed up with Nike to create NikeSKIMS, and Zendaya and her stylist Law Roach collaborated with On to design the Cloudzone Moon shoe, to name just a few.

Amidst all this glitter, Olympic diving champion Tom Daley carved out his own niche with Made with Love, a clothing company born from his knitting hobby. Daley became an internet sensation after he was spotted knitting during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Not only did he win gold and bronze medals that year, he also made knitting and crocheting cool again. Since then, he has given multiple interviews, launched his own YouTube knitting channel Made with Love Tutorials, and is the host for Channel 4’s knitting competition series Game of Wool.

You might have seen Seth Rogen’s Emmy-winning The Studio on Apple TV, but he also spends plenty of time in the pottery studio. His wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, took him to his first class, and there’s been no stopping him since. The couple ended up embracing the hobby together, and Seth noted that the first things he started making were an ashtray design. Today, he sells his quirky vases and ashtrays through Houseplant, the company he co-founded with Evan Goldberg and Michael Mohr – proof that his creativity extends well beyond Hollywood scripts.

A quick reminder though: hobbies can simply be hobbies – they don’t all need to become businesses or viral moments.

Did you know Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of Broadway musicals like Hamilton and In the Heights, is also a patron of the Drama Book Shop in New York City? The Grammy-winning songwriter purchased the store in 2019, along with fellow Hamilton collaborators, to prevent it from shutting down. The century-old shop sells scripts, sheet music, and theatre books. It also won the Tony Honour for Excellence in the Theatre in 2011. In a similar gesture, Peaky Blinders and Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy and his wife, Yvonne McGuinness, bought the historic Phoenix Cinema in Dingle, Ireland, in 2024 with the goal of refurbishing and reopening the beloved venue, which closed in 2021 due to high costs.

Ever wondered what the ‘Shape of You’ singer does when he’s not making chart-topping records? Ed Sheeran turns to painting. What began as a hobby and gifts for friends eventually led to his first exhibition. In July 2025, Sheeran’s original paintings and a series of prints were displayed at London’s HENI Gallery under the banner Cosmic Carpark Paintings.

From Gal Gadot’s mac and cheese to Ed Sheeran’s canvas art, these side projects remind us that we don’t need to be confined to one box. When you get a chance, try picking up a hobby you’ve been meaning to explore or return to. A quick reminder though: hobbies can simply be hobbies – they don’t all need to become businesses or viral moments.