Famous people love Hawaii – there is no doubt about that – so next time you are staying in a Hawaii Vacation Rental keep an eye out for some of the celebrities you may see in the Hawaiian Islands.
When you have lots of fame and money, then it is quite logical that you would want to visit one of the nicest places on the planet. There are also many famous people who were born in Hawaii – such as Barack Obama – and then went on to achieve their fame.
Nicole Kidman is another famous person who was born in Hawaii. Though Keanu Reeves wasn’t born in the Islands, he has Hawaiian blood.
Kelly Hu, who played in Scorpion King and X-Men, is a Hawaiian-blooded actress who was born and raised in Honolulu. She attended Kamehameha Schools and won the Miss Teen USA title, and has gone on to have a great Hollywood career including movies as well as television.
You may have seen Tia Carrere in “Dancing With The Stars.” She was born in Honolulu and attended Sacred Hearts Academy on Oahu. Tia was the voice of Nani in Lilo and Stitch.
Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls was born in Hawaii and has Hawaiian blood. In fact her middle name is Elikolani, which means “Heavenly child.” And then there is actress Kelly Preston, who was born Kelly Smith and went to Punahou School on Oahu.
Renowned singer and actress Bette Midler was born and raised on Oahu where she attended Radford High School. Steve Case, founder of America Online, was born on Oahu and attended Punahou School. Case served as the Chairman of the Board of Time Warner.
Friends star Matt Le Blanc wed Melissa McKnight on the north shore of Kauai, and don’t forget mega gazillionaire Bill Gates who completely, and I mean completely, took over the island of Lanai for his wedding.
Oprah Winfrey owns a nice home in Hana, Maui and another in the upcountry Maui region, high on the slopes of Haleakala Volcano. Randy Travis also owns a Maui home, as does Britney Spears – hers is right near the ocean.
Let’s not forget teen golf phemom and now Stanford University student Michele Wie, whose professional career was at a standstill for a while but is now back on track.
Another famous athlete from the islands is Jason Elam, the Denver Broncos place kicker who was a student at the University of Hawaii and played on the Rainbow Warriors football team. Another star Warrior and now a Bronco is wide receiver Ashley Lelie, a first round draft pick. Renowned sumo wrestler Chad Rowan hails from Oahu – he was the first non-Japanese sumo wrestler ever to achieve the rank of Yokozuna.
Some mega-stars often seen in the Islands include Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso have also been spotted surfing in the Islands along with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. Some famous people who own homes on Kauai include Bette Midler, Pierce Brosnan, Natalie Merchant, and Ben Stiller.
Maui homeowners include Kelsey Grammar, Oprah Winfrey, Woody Harrelson, Kelsey Grammar. On the Big Island Roseanne Barr bought a former macadamia farm. Donald Trump has been busy constructing a major hotel-condo in Waikiki, and the units have been purchased by professinal golfers, NBA stars, and even Donald’s daughter, Ivanka.
With movies continually being filmed in the islands it is no wonder there are many celebrities. Some Kauai productions include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Blue Hawaii, the Jurassic Park trilogy, Six Days Seven Nights, and the old classic South Pacific.
Harrison Ford celebrated his 65th birthday on the Big Island’s Hamakua Coast with Steven Spielberg, John Hurt and Cate Blanchett who were making the fourth Indiana Jones movie.
So next time you are staying in a Oahu Vacation Rental keep an eye out for the rich and famous, because there are many who are frequently seen all around the Hawaiian Islands.