Celebrities With Unusual Phobias

Stars may seem fearless on stage and screen, but even the most composed A-listers harbor some truly quirky fears. From butterflies to antique armoires, these unusual phobias reveal how human—and wonderfully idiosyncratic—our favorite celebrities can be.

Below, we’ve gathered a mix of surprising anxieties and the personal stories behind them. Some are rooted in childhood mishaps, others in long-standing aversions, and a few are just… delightfully odd.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah has a well-known aversion to chewing gum. She’s described being deeply uncomfortable around it, tracing the feeling back to childhood memories and the messiness it can bring into otherwise tidy spaces.

That discomfort was strong enough that staff and visitors knew to keep gum far away from the set of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’. Even today, she’s said to be vigilant about keeping her environments gum-free.

Nicole Kidman

Despite growing up in Australia’s great outdoors, Nicole Kidman has admitted she’s terrified of butterflies. The delicate flutter, the unpredictability—something about them sets her nerves on edge.

She’s joked that she’d rather deal with many traditionally “scarier” animals than walk through a butterfly house. Wardrobe teams have even been known to steer clear of butterfly motifs when dressing her.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton has a fear of antique furniture—especially ornate, old-world pieces. He’s said the carved faces and worn textures give him the creeps, and he prefers clean, modern lines.

That quirk pops up in everyday life: he avoids antique shops and sometimes requests that older furnishings be swapped out in rooms where he needs to spend time. Design teams who work with him often plan around it.

Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks is famously frightened of dolphins. As majestic as they seem, their intelligence and sudden movements leave her uneasy.

When shoots for ‘America’s Next Top Model’ involved water, she kept a careful distance if dolphins were nearby. Over the years she’s laughed about it, but she’s also been candid that the fear is very real.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has talked about being unnerved by clowns. The painted smiles and frozen expressions, he’s said, make it impossible to read what a clown is actually feeling.

It’s an ironic contrast to his own transformative roles, from heavy makeup to flamboyant costumes in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. On screen he can become the character; off screen, clowns still set off his alarm bells.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson has confessed to a fear of birds. The flapping wings, beaks, and darting movements make her tense, whether it’s pigeons in a city square or larger birds on set.

When productions involve avian cameos, handlers and trainers are briefed to keep a comfortable radius. She’ll steel herself for the moment, but it remains one animal encounter she’d rather skip.

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey has said revolving doors and enclosed tunnels unsettle him. He tries to avoid lingering in tight, moving thresholds where there’s no quick, straightforward exit.

Travel teams plan routes accordingly—regular doorways over revolving ones, and alternatives to confined underground passages when possible. He’s not shy about the workaround: do what keeps the vibes calm and the path clear.

Adele

Adele has shared that seagulls spook her, a fear she traces to a childhood run-in that left a lasting mark. The brazen swoops and snack-snatching antics aren’t just funny to her—they’re alarming.

When she plays outdoor venues near the coast, crews are extra mindful about food around the stage and keeping birds at bay. It’s a small layer of protection that lets her focus on the music.

Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci has said houseplants give her the heebie-jeebies. Something about the damp soil and the idea of what might be lurking in it makes them hard to be around.

She keeps interiors minimal and avoids leafy décor that might creep her out mid-meal. Friends who know the quirk tend to gift candles, not cacti.

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner has admitted she’s scared of butterflies—yes, despite the butterfly imagery that often appears in her branding and fashion. The unpredictability of a flutter nearby is what gets her.

On ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’, she’s been candid about how close encounters make her skin crawl. The aesthetic remains, but real-life butterflies? Preferably at a distance.

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner has spoken about trypophobia—discomfort triggered by clusters of tiny holes. Certain patterns, textures, or images can set off a visceral shudder.

Stylists and set designers who work with her often steer away from perforated fabrics or hole-heavy props. A little advance notice keeps photo shoots smooth and stress-free.

Liam Payne

Liam Payne has talked about a fear of spoons—specifically using communal ones. It’s an unusual quirk tied to childhood and a strong sense of what feels clean or acceptable.

On tour and at events, he’ll opt for his own utensils or alternatives. Catering teams who know the preference keep a spare set handy so he can eat in peace.

Megan Fox

Megan Fox has described a strong aversion to dry paper. Reading scripts or flipping pages can literally make her skin feel itchy unless her fingers are slightly moist.

She keeps lotion or a damp cloth nearby when she has to handle stacks of pages. It’s an easy fix that turns an oddly specific nuisance into a non-issue.

Alfred Hitchcock

The Master of Suspense had an unexpected nemesis: eggs. Alfred Hitchcock found them viscerally upsetting—the texture, the yolk, the whole experience.

It’s a delicious irony for the director of ‘The Birds’, a film that made audiences fear flapping wings. Off camera, it was breakfast that rattled him most.

Sean “Diddy” Combs

Diddy has joked—and insisted—about a fear of long second toes. It’s a quirky, hyper-specific body-part phobia that he’s brought up with disarming honesty.

He treats it with humor, but the discomfort is genuine enough to shape his reactions in real time. As with many phobias, acknowledging it openly has become part of the coping strategy.

Share the quirkiest celebrity fear you’ve ever heard—drop your favorite surprising phobia in the comments!