01 May 2024 , 21:31
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They are more at home in their ivory towers than on the terraces but Hollywood A-listers are revealing themselves to be passionate football fans.
Anne Hathaway shocked an interviewer by interrupting their chat about her new movie The Idea Of You to celebrate Leandro’s Trossard’s opening goal for Arsenal against Chelsea last week. Tellingly, the actress was a lady in Arsenal red at a premiere soon after.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny famously bought their own club, Wrexham AFC – but they are clearly not the only A-listers who have fallen for the beautiful game. Here are some top-flight football teams with top-flight talent among their supporters.
Anne Hathaway
If Anne ever makes it to the Emirates, she could find herself forming a hat-trick of stars with fans Idris Elba and Jay Z. Other Gunners include Spike Lee, with Arsene Wenger above, Colin Firth and Kevin Costner, who was won over by going to a game while filming Robin Hood in 1991. "
I remember being taken by the emotion of it," he said. Anne might also come across seven-year-old Saint West - son of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West - who was recently flown to a match by private jet
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Samuel L Jackson and Mike Myers
Actors Samuel L Jackson, Mike Myers and Billy Bob Thornton are long-time Liverpool fans.
Billy Bob introduced his former wife Angelina Jolie to the club and she and son Maddox continue to support the team. Her next husband Brad Pitt also claimed allegiance to the Anfield side.
“I have some friends who are very close to Liverpool, so if I went another way, I might be disowned,” he said. He and Ange have since kicked each other into touch and judging by the red cards they’ve been giving each other during the divorce, Brad’s probably switched to Everton.
Meanwhile James Bond is also a Kopite. Chester-born Daniel Craig is even backing the departing manager Jurgen Klopp to be his 007 successor. The job’s still open Jurgen!
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone became a Toffees supporter in 2007 (AFP via Getty Images)Sylvester Stallone became a Toffees supporter in 2007 when he attended a game with friend and Everton director Robert Earl.
At the time the actor was offered the chance to buy the club but turned it down – a move he deeply regrets. In a 2015 interview with The Mirror, he said: “If I knew what I know now I’d have snapped it up. That was when football clubs were affordable but now it’s a billionaire’s game.”
The Rocky and Rambo star remains a fan and has visited Goodison Park a few times waving a blue scarf.
Margot Robbie
Barbie star Margot is a Fulham fan and has even been pictured at Craven Cottage.
Her affection comes from her British film producer husband, Tom Ackerley, who is a longtime supporter. He hails from Surrey and met Robbie back in 2013. Hugh Grant is another Cottagers supporter. The Bridget Jones actor lives just around the corner – in Chelsea.
Hugh Jackman
The Canaries can count on Wolverine’s support. Actor Hugh Jackman even joked about making a takeover bid - years before his “nemesis” and fellow X-Men alum Ryan Reynolds had even heard of Wrexham.
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The Australian has links to Norfolk through his mother, who moved to the UK after leaving Hugh and the family and is thought to still live in Norwich. He visited her a number of times as a child and even made a trip to Carrow Road aged 16.
Hugh was later asked to invest in the club and revealed he regretted turning it down.
Sir Patrick Stewart
He supports his home town club Huddersfield Town. (PhotoEye.co.uk)Star Trek and X-Men actor Sir Patrick Stewart supports his home town club Huddersfield Town.
He once wanted to explore new worlds and switch to Leeds but couldn’t engage properly. “So I was a Leeds fan,” he admits. “But they are not my local team and there was something about Huddersfield – although their great successes were way back in the 1920s.”
Daniel Day-Lewis
Millwall supporters get a bad rap, which is surprising considering they include the crème de la crème of British thespians: Daniel Day-Lewis.
In his acceptance speech after winning the 2008 Best Actor BAFTA for Lincoln, Daniel described the terraces at Millwall as one of the “playgrounds” of his youth. Brat Pack actor Emilio Estevez is also a fiercely proud member of the Millwall Pack.
Jude Law
Jude Law is among the more famous supporters of North London outfit Tottenham.
The Talented Mr Ripley actor grew up following Spurs and has passed on his love for the club to his kids who have joined him on match day. Singer Adele was born a stone’s throw from White Hart Lane. She may reside in LA these days, but she hasn’t forgotten her Hometown Glory. Ahead of a 2021 clash with West Ham she posted a video belting out Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotspur.
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts says she's a 'true fan'The Red Devils have seduced a Pretty Woman – with Julia Roberts last year proclaiming: “I’ve been to Old Trafford, I’m a true fan.”
She added: “I have three children and when they started playing soccer I didn’t realise how exciting it was to watch it on television. We got so into it and Manchester United just became our team.” Gary Oldman is also a Red Devil, despite being born in London and the brother of EastEnders' Laila Morse. He even has Sir Alex Ferguson’s number.
Eric Idle
Eric Idle always looks on the bright side of life – despite being a fan of Wolves.
Born in South Shields, the Monty Python star, above, was enrolled in Royal Wolverhampton School as a boarder at the age of seven. And thanks to mix-up on Twitter/X they have a fan who also follows LA Galaxy far, far away. Yes, Luke Skywalker star Mark Hamill, right, says: “I gained 6K+ followers by accidentally “liking” a tweet I thought was about an actual wolf.
"Now I’m a mad fan of Wolverhampton Wanderers.” His screen dad Darth Vader, the late actor David Prowse, was an honorary member on the board of Exeter City.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks thought Aston Villa sounded like a spa (PA)Hollywood nice guy Tom Hanks is really a Villan... and began supporting Aston Villa because of its funny name.
He said: “When I first came to England, the football scores were on the BBC and they all had kooky names. I thought [Aston Villa], ‘That sounds like a lovely place... it sounds like a spa.”
When the club got relegated in 2015, Tom messaged fans: “To all the claret and blue: Hang on. There’s not a club in the world that hasn’t experienced this and there’s not a club in the world that hasn’t fought back.” Indeed, the League is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.
Other fans include Prince William and his children George, Charlotte and Louis.