Taylor Swift and 19 other surprising celebrity bookworms

Taylor Swift's songwriting ability is one of the things that make her so unique. And when you learn that her passion for writing stems from her love of reading, it all makes sense. During a previous event, the singer shared that although she's transitioned to writing more than reading, she remembers what made her fall in love with books in the first place. 

“I could read about other characters’ feelings and other characters’ lives and their triumphs and their downfalls and it took me to a place that alleviated the pain of my reality, and that’s what music does for me,” she said.

Sheryl Sandberg, author of the wildly successful book about women in leadership called Lean In, told The Times that she enjoys reading traditional books with paper and pen as opposed to reading things digitally. Specifically, her essentials include a pen and a yellow highlighter. 

Natalie Portman's love for books has been well-documented on her social media. She launched her book club exclusively on Instagram and, since then, has encouraged millions of followers to join her in reading books like The Safekeep, Creation Lake, and Get The Picture. 

Chris Hemsworth surprised his followers in 2020 with a post about one of his "favorite" books, The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse. The children's book focuses on the developing friendship between the titular characters throughout their journey in the story; however, the Thor star described it as a book "for everyone," regardless of age. 

With Oprah's long list of authored publications, it's no surprise that the television host enjoys reading. She launched Oprah's Book Club during an episode of her show in 1996 and, over 15 years, recommended 70 books to audiences worldwide. 

In 2019, Apple TV+ revived the club for a special series that featured 14 episodes across two years. 

Reese Witherspoon's book club has garnered much praise from readers. On her website, the Legally Blonde actress said she created her business to "connect with all of you by shining a light on the stories I found meaningful."  

After recommending a book, Little Fires Everywhere, Witherspoon turned the novel into a series for Hulu, starring herself and Scandal's Kerry Washington. 

It's no secret that Daniel Radcliffe enjoyed reading JK Rowling's Harry Potter series as a child. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the actor joined other celebrities in reading chapters from the first book for a Wizarding World audiobook adventure. Later, the 35-year-old revealed that he's also read fanfiction about Harry and Draco's relationship. 

“I’m obviously aware there’s a lot of like shipping of Harry and Draco as characters together. So, I’ve read some of that," he said.  

Another Harry Potter star who has a deep fascination with books is Hermoine Granger, also known as Emma Watson. The actress has described herself as a "book ninja" who believes books are "revolutionary" and empowering. During a previous interview, she mentioned how books have allowed women to find their voice and power in a world that often tries to silence them. 

Award-winning actress and producer Kerry Washington said during a previous interview that she discovered a way to "soothe my loneliness by disappearing in books." Eventually, that passion for reading led her to the stage, where she originated the roles of powerful characters like Olivia Pope in Scandal and Charity Adams in Netflix's The Six Triple Eight. 

"I went to the imaginary, looking for some truth. And I found it there," she said. 

Former One Direction member Zayn Malik opened up about his life, interests, and hobbies as a child and adult during an interview with Teen Vogue in 2017. According to him, his love for reading began as a child when his grandfather, who was born in Pakistan and had to learn English, would make him read letters. "... he used to get me to read his letters to him when I was, like, 3 or 4," Malik said. 

"So I developed a real want to read things all the time. I would read books constantly as a child. I’m still a reader. I’ve read a lot of different kinds of things. At the minute, I probably spend too much time reading conspiracy theory books that give my mind way too much information that I probably don’t need. I like reading books about aliens and space."

Bill Gates has a deep passion for reading. According to his ex-wife, Melinda, the former Microsoft CEO reads 150 pages per hour, allowing him to read about one book per week. 

“Reading is my favorite way to indulge my curiosity," Gates said. "I still think books are the best way to explore new topics that interest you.”

Jeff Bezos launched Amazon in 1995 as an online shop based on his passion for reading. Understanding that makes learning that the shopping giant is the No. 1 place to purchase novels less surprising. 

Emma Roberts described reading as "transformative" during an interview with People in 2024, where she promoted her new online book club. In August of that year, the actress recommended several travel books for readers, saying, "My goal is that people will find inspiration and excitement in these books and, perhaps, even draw inspiration for their next European adventure."

Actress Halle Berry enjoys many things, including books. In a Facebook post, the Catwoman star described herself as "passionate" about reading before saying she wants to share her favorite reads with her followers. She also shared what types of books she enjoys most, saying, "LOVE is one of my favorite novels" because the topic "challenges me to think and feel deeply."

Ariana Grande is involved in many fandoms, including Harry Potter. In 2016, she shared a photo with her followers before the release of The Cursed Child to let them know she was rereading the series from the beginning. 

Sarah Jessica Parker, or SJP, is another celebrity bookworm who keeps her fans updated with her latest read by sharing suggested titles on Instagram. Recently, she excited her followers on Instagram when she posted a photo of a suitcase packed full of books. "Please don't lose my suitcase," she captioned the post. "I can get toothpaste and moisturizer anywhere." 

Kristen Bell, who most readers will know as Elsa from Frozen, gave Glennon Doyle a massive shout-out on her Instagram when she posted about their book Untamed. In her caption, the singer called it her "favorite book" before calling it an "anthem" for women worldwide. 

Olympic gold medalist Julien Alfred revealed that reading The Inner Game of Tennis helped her transform her mind into that of a champion after losing the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. "I read that book, and it just shows that putting so much pressure on yourself to do one specific thing may not always turn out the way you want to," she said. "But if you practice and continue to just execute what you've been practicing, I think that has meant the most to me, just using what was taught in that book."

English singer and actor Olly Alexander, who appeared in TV shows, movies, and the pop band Years & Years, revealed in a Google Nest session that books have helped him tap into new areas of themself that inspired fresh ideas for their music. 

American volleyball player Avery Skinner shared that one of her favorite books, Atomic Habits, has become a staple in her library. According to her, James Clear's book allowed her to shift her perspective on many different things in her life, ultimately allowing her to become a better version of herself. "I really enjoyed that one, and I keep it because I want to be able to refer back to it, and I have referred it to friends, too," she said.