There are a thousand ways to cut yourself off from the world. Going to live in a bus lost in the forest and dying while eating bad berries, for the most extreme, or putting your phone in the airplane world for a few days, for the less reckless. In any case, cutting yourself off from others is never easy, both emotionally and logistically. It’s complicated for ordinary mortals, so good… It’s hard to believe that world famous stars managed to lead a reclusive life, without being pissed off or recognized. And yet…
1. Robbie Coltrane
Let’s start this top with sad news, from which we are not ready to recover: Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid, in our hearts to all) died in mid-October 2022. On his death, tributes and articles retracing his life have multiplied on the Web. Among them: people articles telling that the actor, yet a millionaire, lived reclusively in a small, modest barn isolated in the Highlands of Scotland. That’s what People magazines say. We, the only thing we are sure of is that Hagrid lived apart, in his little tower, with only Buck, the best creature in the whole saga, for company. I have a tear running down my cheek by itself.
2. Jason Segel
More commonly known as “Marshall” in the sitcom « How I Met Your Mother ». Ok, to say that he lives cut off from the world is perhaps a bit too extreme. He simply wanted a little more nature, simplicity and calm at the end of filming (2014), and decided to put down his suitcases in “a small American agricultural town”. He leads a discreet life of Mr. Everyone, in a city where no one knows his notoriety.
3. Sugar
The Italian rock singer admits it himself: he lives almost in autarky. As a child, he grew up in a modest farming family in northern Italy. He leads a simple childhood, surrounded by nature and animals. Adult, nothing has finally changed. He still lives on a Tuscan farm, surrounded by animals, and produces his own wine, cheese, butter, or olive oil. Broom.
4. David Bowie
David Bowie led an isolated life from start to finish. Often considered one of the loneliest rock stars in the music industry, he even asked to be alone on his last trip. Indeed, the day of his funeral, no trumpets, no marching bands, no big ceremony, in fact… Not even family. Not even friends. His last wish: to be cremated in the greatest secrecy, without anyone attending the cremation. Cut off from the world, until the end.
5. Syd Barrett
He was one of the founding members of the group “Pink Floyd”, and was even the leader in the early years. After two albums, he finally decided to retire to a secluded life, shaken by mental illness and the aftermath of heavy LSD drug use. He cut himself off from the world so much that he also decided to cut off all contact with his former musical comrades.
6. Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis alone has an impressive track record, including being the only actor in the world to have, to date, received three Best Actor Oscars. THREE. In 2014, he was even named one of the hundred most influential people in the world by Time, and was elevated to the rank of Knight Bachelor by Elizabeth II. JUST THAT. Despite immense talent and recognition, the actor preferred the discretion and nature of the mountains of County Wicklow to Hollywood splendour. He lives recluse in his vast domain of 20 hectares. In 2017, he also decided to retire from cinema, after his last role in Phantom Thread.
7. Terrence Malik
Terrence Malick is an American director, known for hauntingly beautiful films like « Badlands », « The Tree of Life » or « The Thin Red Line ». Although he has worked with big names in cinema (like Brad Pitt, Martin Sheen, Richard Gere, Sean Penn, or even Natalie Portman), he remains very discreet and mysterious about his life. He almost never gives interviews, doesn’t appreciate photos (some of his contracts stipulate that no image of him should circulate), he has already forbidden producers to keep copies of his writing , between 1978 and 1998, he deserted the cinema without ever expressing himself on the question… He flees the spotlight so much that he did not appear at Cannes the day he received the Palme d’Or, in 2011. In short, in terms of reclusive people, we are on a high level.
8. Michael Jackson
It’s hard to say that Michael Jackson lived cut off from the world, when you know how much he was the idol of hundreds of thousands of people, how much he was exposed to the media and musically elevated to the status of king. King of Pop. Yet… Jackson was known for his more than solitary temperament. He was so cut off from the world that he had built his own amusement park, “Nerverland Ranch”, to lock himself away from others. In his slightly creepy world, straight inspired by the imaginary country of Peter Pan.