While countless aspiring stars flock to America hoping to make it big in Hollywood, a notable number of established celebrities have chosen to pack their bags and establish new lives overseas.
From seeking refuge from paparazzi to embracing different cultures, these famous figures have traded their American addresses for international residences for various compelling reasons.
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Eva Longoria divides her time between Spain and Mexico, locations connected to her professional projects and her husband José Bastón’s heritage. When speculation arose that her relocation was politically motivated, Longoria clarified on The View’s Behind the Table podcast, “I didn’t leave because of the political environment. I left because my work took me there.” She previously told Marie Claire, “I had my whole adult life here. But even before [the pandemic], it was changing. The vibe was different…Whether it’s the homelessness or the taxes, not that I want to shit on California — it just feels like this chapter in my life is done now.”
In 2024, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi reportedly fell in love with a property in England’s Cotswolds region and decided to relocate. According to sources who spoke with The Wrap and TMZ, the couple’s decision to establish residence abroad came following the 2024 presidential election results, though they haven’t publicly confirmed this motivation.
Privacy concerns drove Lindsay Lohan to settle in Dubai in 2014, where paparazzi photography is restricted by law. In a 2024 Flaunt magazine interview, she described her life there as surprisingly normal: “I’m up with my son in the mornings, I do breakfast with him, go to my pilates, come home for lunch, and go to the park, the same things that any normal mom would do in their daily life.”
Pop icon Janet Jackson has made London her home since approximately 2016. The Guardian reported that she remained in the UK capital after divorcing businessman Wissam Al Mana in 2017 to facilitate co-parenting their son. Jackson has stated that motherhood represented “the most important thing” and “biggest thing” she’s accomplished.
Seeking a change of scenery, Lily Collins and ,husband ,Charlie McDowell, established residence in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2023. “Life here is just so wonderful and so calm and bright,” Collins explained to Elle Denmark, praising the city’s vibrant aesthetics, cycling culture, and welcoming atmosphere.
In a 2024 Instagram video, Britney Spears revealed that “extremely mean and cruel” treatment from American paparazzi motivated her move to Mexico. “It really kind of hurts my feelings that the paparazzi make my face look like I’m wearing, like, a white Jason mask,” the singer stated, expressing frustration with how she’d been portrayed in photos.
Richard Gere relocated to Spain in 2025 to accommodate his wife Alejandra Gere’s cultural heritage. After selling his $11 million Connecticut property, the actor told Elle España, “The truth is, you’re seeing us in our moment. We’re happier than ever. She’s happy because she’s at home, and I’m happy because if she’s happy, I’m happy.”
Christina Milian and her family settled in France in 2023 after years of transcontinental commuting with her French husband, singer Matt Pokora. “We decided to commit to it last year because our kids were going to go to school,” Milian explained on The Jennifer Hudson Show, adding that she loves life in Paris and considers it a wonderful opportunity for her children.
Josh Hartnett chose rural Hampshire, England, where his wife Tamsin Egerton is from, preferring its anonymity to the fame-focused American entertainment hubs. The actor told The Guardian in 2024 that he appreciates how, unlike in Los Angeles or New York, where “people only want to talk about your career,” in Hampshire, “nobody cares.” His restricted travel due to visa requirements allows him to focus on family while still maintaining a selective acting career.
Legendary singer Tina Turner moved to Switzerland in 1995 with her then-boyfriend (later husband) Erwin Bach. She told CNN in 1997, “I have left America because my success was in another country, and my boyfriend was in another country.” Turner eventually became a Swiss citizen in 2013 and remained there until her passing in 2023.
Seeking reconnection with her roots, Pamela Anderson returned to Vancouver Island, British Columbia in 2020. She told Better Homes & Gardens the relocation helped her rediscover herself after feeling misunderstood in Hollywood. “When I started building the garden, it was really like a metaphor of putting my life back together,” Anderson reflected, finding healing in the place where she was born and raised.
