Which Celebrities Have Phobias?

pop singer Rihanna
Rihanna is terrified of fish.

With their flawless, airbrushed skin, dazzling white smiles, and impossibly good looks, celebrities portray the picture of perfection. However, many of Tinseltown's elite have the same deep-seated fears as the rest of the population. From a fear of flying, to cringing at the sight of spiders, even the rich and famous have their fair share of phobias.

Musicians Who Have Phobias

These award-winning artists represent a range of genres across various record labels, but they all share one label in common: phobic.

  • Aretha Franklin - The legendary songstress is said to have a fear of flying, a phobia she shares with fellow artist Cher.
  • Rihanna - Hailing from the island of Barbados, this self-proclaimed 'bad girl' suffers from icthyophobia, a fear of fish.
  • Kanye West - Notorious for his acerbic tongue and shameless rants, this hip hop star has telephobia, a fear of phones.
  • Justin Timberlake - This boy-band-favorite-turned A-list actor is credited with a lot more than bringing "sexy" back. However, his future plans won't include going anywhere near spiders, sharks, or snakes.
  • Madonna - This blonde ambition has taken the world by storm-and she's done it all while harboring a fear of thunder.
  • Adele - Having sold over 200,000 copies of her sophomore album 21 in the first week of its release, British singing sensation Adele is terrified of seagulls.
  • Kylie Minogue - Perhaps one of the most bizarre phobias yet, the Australian celeb says she's terrified of the sound coat hangers make when they're put in the wardrobe.

Hollywood Heavyweights and Their Fears

johnny deppJohnny Depp is afraid of clowns.

They may grace the covers of internationally-renowned magazines and fly their own private jets, but some of the most glamorous specimens of Hollywood have quirks and obsessions that rival the strangest of them all.

Leading Ladies

  • Kim Basinger - This southern belle and ex-wife of Alec Baldwin has agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces. This phobia is something she shares with another famous blonde, Daryl Hannah.
  • Nicole Kidman - Since childhood, this Oscar-winning actress has been afraid of tiny creatures that many find beautiful--butterflies.
  • Uma Thurman - The Kill Bill action heroine may have some serious martial arts skills, but has admitted to being claustrophobic.
  • Jennifer Aniston - This former Friends star joins the ranks of aviophobic celebs who are crippled by a fear of flying.
  • Scarlett Johannson - Hollywood starlet and former love of Ryan Reynolds is terrified of cockroaches.

Leading Men

  • Matthew McConaughey - Tinseltown's shirtless stud is afraid of revolving doors and tunnels.
  • Robert DeNiro - This Raging Bull star may pack a mean punch on-screen, but in real life, this dentophobe can't seem to defeat his fear of going to the dentist.
  • Johnny Depp - The 21 Jump Street and Pirates of the Caribbean heartthrob shares a fear of clowns with none other than hip hop's fearless mogul, Sean P. Diddy Combs.
  • Tom Cruise - This leading man, now more commonly known as Suri Cruise's father and Katie Holmes' better half, is horrified at the thought of going bald.
  • Howie Mandel - Television host and funny man Mandel has mysophobia, a fear of germs.
  • Orlando Bloom - British-born Bloom, who rose to fame after starring in The Lord of the Rings, is afraid of pigs.
  • Billie Bob Thornton - The former leading man of Angelina Jolie's life harbors a fear of antique furniture.

Cultural Icons

  • Natalie Wood - A lifelong fear of water plagued the actress, who died tragically after drowning in 1981 at the age of 43.
  • Alfred Hitchcock - This celebrated director and producer had ovophobia, a fear of eggs.
  • Marilyn Monroe - The iconic pinup was also an agoraphobic, possessing a fear of open spaces.
  • Michael Jackson - The legendary artist had aviophobia, a fear of flying, and some speculate that his fear of germs drove him to wear masks in public.
  • Bob Hope, Sir Laurence Olivier, Farrah Fawcett - Each of these iconic figures had social phobia, a fear of being humiliated in front of others.
  • Walt Disney - Ironically, the founder of "The Happiest Place on Earth" was terrified of mice.
  • Lucille Ball - The comedic genius suffered from ornithophobia, a fear of birds.

Phobias: More Common Than You Think

According to the American Psychological Association, more than 10 million people in the United States alone suffer from an irrational fear. Whether it's social phobia, a fear of flying, or a fear of butterflies, phobia-ridden stars have proven that even they aren't immune.The roles they play may exude poise and grace, but behind the gloss and glamour are real phobias that bring celebrities down to earth.