Many stars seem fearless, especially when they do their own stunts or go on reality TV, but they’re not all as brave as they may seem.
Kristen Stewart: Equinophobia
Like her ex, Robert Pattinson, actress Kristen Stewart is afraid of horses. Her fear’s due to a riding injury as a child. But she had to overcome the phobia for Snow White and the Huntsman.
Scarlett Johansson: Ornithophobia
Scarlett Johansson is terrified of birds, explaining it’s “Something about wings and beaks and the flapping.” This unusual phobia, which runs in her family, made things challenging while filming We Bought a Zoo.
Rihanna: Ichthyophobia
Although Rihanna is from the island nation of Barbados, she fears fish of all sizes. The clear Caribbean water actually made things worse, she told the now defunct Blender, because she panicked when seeing the fish swim around her feet.
Kylie Minogue: Fear of Coat Hangers
One of the most baffling celebrity fears is Kylie Minogue’s clothes hanger phobia. She hates putting things away, telling Elle UK, “I don’t like the way they sound when you put them in the wardrobe.”
Matthew McConaughey: Fear of Revolving Doors
According to E! News, Matthew McConaughey is terrified of revolving doors. “I get anxious just being near them,” the actor said.
Kendall Jenner: Trypophobia
Kendall Jenner is trypophobic, meaning she fears tiny little holes in weird patterns. She says “Things that could set me off are pancakes, [waffles?] honeycomb or lotus heads (the worst!)” and gets anxious just looking at little holes: “Who knows what’s in there???”
Daniel Radcliffe: Coulrophobia
Daniel Radcliffe suffers from coulrophobia, the fear of clowns — pretty much like any of us who saw It or Poltergeist when we were kids.
Nicole Kidman: Lepidopterophobia
Most people are delighted by butterflies, but not Nicole Kidman. The actress is scared of the cheerful insects. Kidman herself admits it’s bizarre saying, “I jump out of planes, I could be covered in cockroaches, I do all sorts of things, but I just don’t like the feel of butterflies’ bodies.”
Billy Bob Thornton: Antiques
Billy Bob Thornton is so afraid of antiques, he won’t stay in a room with pre-1950 furniture. He told Sky News that friends have speculated maybe he was “beaten to death with an antique chair in a former life.” Or, you know, because it looks haunted.
Kelly Osbourne: Haphephobia
Kelly Osbourne is afraid of being touched, a fear known as haphephobia. Osbourne reportedly dry-retches if someone so much as touches her collarbone.
Orlando Bloom: Swinophobia
A lot of people are grossed out by pigs, but Orlando Bloom is actually afraid of them. His swinophobia prompted him to run away when one of the heffers got loose on the Kingdom of Heaven set.
Madonna: Brontophobia
As tough as Madonna may be, she is not immune to fear. The Material Girl is a victim of brontophobia, which means she is terrified of thunder or storms that cause loud booming noises.
Megan Fox: Fear of Seeing Herself on Screen
Megan Fox’s list of phobias includes a fear of germs, dry paper, and looking at photographs or videos of herself. While many actors dislike watching their own movies, Fox was reportedly so uncomfortable about seeing Transformers, she had to drink champagne first.
David Beckham: Ataxophobia
David Beckham might seem like an easygoing guy but according to The Telegraph, he gets very upset when things aren’t organized according to “color, size, and quantity.” He has ataxophobia, which is similar to OCD.
Christina Ricci: Fear of Being In a Pool Alone
A lot of people have a fear of swimming, but Christina Ricci is afraid of being alone in a pool, imagining a little door will open and a shark will appear. She’s also, reportedly unnerved by house plants.
Diddy: Fear Of Long Toes
Diddy has always been unique, even with his phobias. The rap mogul revealed on The Tonight Show, back in 2008, that he’s afraid of dating a woman with a long second toe.
Oprah: Chiclephobia
Oprah has a good explanation for her fear of chewing gum: “My grandmother used to save it in little rows in the cabinet. I’d be scared to touch it because it was so gross, so I have a thing about gum.”
Cameron Diaz: Ostiumtractophobia
Cameron Diaz was so freaked out by doorknobs, she refused to touch them; opening the door with her elbow, and cleaning her doorknobs till the paint faded. But she seems to have overcome the phobia in recent years.