“When it is safe for all Americans to have equal rights that’s when we will consider returning.” Rosie O’Donnell’s quote, reported from her new residence in Ireland, reflects a mood that has been quietly gaining momentum in Hollywood. Amidst political change, lifestyle realignment, and individual epiphanies, more and more A-listers are relocating and saying farewell to the United States.
For decades, Los Angeles was the center of celebrity existence sunshine, studios, and the promise of the American dream. But for some celebrities, the dream has changed. From the English countryside hills to Byron Bay beaches, these moves are not just about real estate they are about recouping privacy, aligning with values, and experiencing happiness outside of the limelight.
1. Pamela Anderson’s Healing Garden in Canada
Pamela Anderson’s 2020 return to Vancouver Island wasn’t a move it was a reboot. Following years of being misunderstood and drained by public opinion, she purchased and restored her mother’s house. “I decided to come home and hide and get into my garden,” she explained to Better Homes & Gardens, calling the garden a metaphor for rebuilding her life.
Her time in France with soccer player Adil Rami had already given her a taste of life outside the U.S., but it was the quiet of Canada that offered the emotional space she craved. For Pamela, the shift was less about career and more about reclaiming peace and self-worth.
2. Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi’s Political Exit
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s move to the Cotswolds in late 2024 was sealed the morning after Donald Trump’s re-election. “We were like, ‘We’re staying here. We’re not going back,’” Ellen told English host Richard Bacon. The couple traded their Montecito mansion for a sprawling country estate, complete with chickens, sheep, and horses.
Ellen has described it as “a more simple way of life,” admiring the courtesy of locals and the treatment of animals. Their move is part of a wider trend where stars are fleeing the political situation they consider unacceptable.
3. Sophie Turner’s Return to London Roots
After years in Los Angeles and Miami with Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner returned to England after divorce. The move wasn’t solely out of heartbreak it was about identity and safety. “The gun violence, Roe v. Wade being overturned… everything just kind of piled on,” she explained to Harper’s Bazaar.
In London, Turner feels like herself once more. The relocation speaks volumes about how cultural and political contexts have the power to shape where celebrities decide to bring up their children.
4. Richard Gere’s Family-First Relocation to Spain
Richard Gere’s move to Madrid with wife Alejandra Silva was all about mutualism. “She was very generous in giving me six years living in my world, so it is only fair that I give her at least another six living in hers,” he said to Vanity Fair Spain.
The pair sold their Connecticut house in 2024 and moved into Spanish life, nearer to Alejandra’s family and heritage. Gere describes Spain as being a land where humans “live transmitting joy and happiness,” quite unlike what he’s referred to as a “dark place” in America.
5. Rosie O’Donnell’s Quest for Safety in Ireland
Rosie O’Donnell relocated to Ireland in January of 2025 with her 12-year-old child, citing political instability in the U.S. as a motivator. Having Irish grandparents, she’s pursuing citizenship and announced she would only think about coming back “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights.”
She confesses to missing her other children and friends but calls Ireland “beautiful and so welcoming.” Her relocation is a testament to how individual security and political beliefs can triumph over the convenience of a career.
6. Chris Hemsworth’s Australian Paradise
Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky traded Hollywood for Byron Bay in 2014, realizing Elsa’s long-standing dream of living on a property with horses. At first, they had promised not to make the other live in their respective home countries, but Byron Bay’s beauty prevailed over Elsa.
For Hemsworth, it’s about raising his kids in a location he’s described as “paradise,” far from the constant hustle of Los Angeles. The relocation is indicative of a passion for nature-based, family-oriented living.
7. Natalie Portman’s Love Affair with Paris
Natalie Portman relocated to Paris in 2014 with then-husband Benjamin Millepied and children, attracted by the city’s warmth and privacy. “Parisians are very good at privacy,” she’s remarked, referencing the cultural nuance of greeting everyone in a shop.
Her stay in Australia shooting Thor Love and Thunder also introduced her to the charm of life away from America. For Portman, foreign living is all about fitting into a culture of restraint.
8. Lily Collins’ Colorful Calm in Copenhagen
Lily Collins and her husband Charlie McDowell relocated to Copenhagen in 2023, a place they’d fallen in love with on their honeymoon. “Life here is just so marvelous and so peaceful and light,” she said to Elle Denmark. She adores biking around and the fusion of big-city life and coziness.
The pair remain property owners in the U.S., but Copenhagen provides them with a quieter, more community-oriented way of life that is far removed from Hollywood’s fast pace.
9. Amber Heard’s Spanish Privacy
After her very public trial with Johnny Depp, Amber Heard moved to Spain with her child. She first settled in Mallorca before moving to Madrid, where she allegedly uses the name Martha Jane Cannary for privacy.
A source at people said she departed the U.S. in her wake, after death threats and vicious online harassment. Anonymity and serenity are two commodities she never found in the states.
These star migrations are more than mere enviable new addresses they’re windows on the changing priorities of public figures under intense scrutiny. Politically, for protection, for family bonds, or a desire for peace, each move is a narrative about reimagining success and happiness. And by doing so, these celebrities remind us that sometimes, the most courageous move is simply finding a life that feels like home.
