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While it might be hard to imagine celebrities would enjoy doing farm labor, many famous names have found joy in raising animals of their own. Keeping chickens is by far the most popular of the Hollywood farm past time, but some A-listers have taken their own farms further –keeping cows, horses, pigs, and even emus.
Amanda Seyfried
Growing up in suburbia, Amanda Seyfried’s dream has been to live on a farm. Since becoming a star, she has been able to make that dream a reality. While she doesn’t consider it a working farm, her family does have chickens that produce eggs, a rehabilitated donkey named Gus, and grows some of their own food. She hopes that living close to nature and having animals in their lives will help her daughter understand the cycle of life.
In her spare time, the animal loving actress also enjoys riding horses.
Meghan Markle & Prince Harry
Viewers spotted an adorable detail in the background of Oprah Winfrey’s special featuring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: “Archie’s Chick Inn, established 2021.”
The playfully named chicken coop, apparently belonging to the couple’s son Archie, is home to several hens that were rescued from a factory farm. Meghan described it as representative of their efforts to “get back to basics” as they start their new lives in America.
Oprah appeared to be holding a carton of eggs during her conversation with Meghan, so chances are she was able to sample some of the harvest Archie’s Chick Inn herself.
Carrie Mulligan
Carrie Mulligan has what she describes as “a working farm,” where she keeps cows, sheep, and chickens.
While she emphasized that the farm was not a dairy farm, the actress might have the skills to handle the workload if it was. For the 2015 film Far from the Madding Crowd, in which she played a young woman who works on a farm, she actually learned how to milk a cow. She described the experience as “mesmeric” and “very satisfying.”
Jennifer Garner
Farm animal or beloved pet? It all depends on your perspective!
Self-proclaimed "chicken lady," Jennifer Garner’s beloved chicken is named Regina George, after the ‘Queen Bee’ of the popular girls in mean girls – and apparently this pretty chicken is willing to go for walks with a harness and lead!
Carrie Underwood
It might seem difficult to come up with a gift for a superstar country artist like Carrie Underwood, but her husband Mike Fisher knew the perfect Christmas present for her – her very own cows.
“They’re my favorite animal,” Underwood told People, “I love them, they make me so happy.”
The cattle auction process was a bit confusing for the retired NHL star, who wasn’t exactly certain what was happening. “We just raised our little paddle a couple times and next thing you know they're loading up two cows to bring home."
The cows will certainly have a good life with Underwood. She explained, “I don’t want them for any purpose, just to love them.”
Jeffrey Dean Morgan & Hilarie Burton
Everyone loves animal friendships, and there’s none more adorable than the viral and unlikely pairing of Jack and Diane, a donkey and emu that fell in love on an abandoned farm. They have now found a forever home on the farm owned by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton.
It is believed that this wholesome pair became bonded due to loneliness on the empty farm in South Carolina. They were initially brought to a rescue group, but when the sanctuary attempted to separate them to put them with other donkeys and emus, they both showed visible signs of distress until they were put back together. The rescue group was initially worried about their future, since finding a farm that was looking to adopt both a donkey and an emu was a daunting prospect. Luckily Jeffrey Dean Morgan spotted their story on Twitter and reached out to offer to adopt them both:
Zayn Malik
For superstar Zayn Malik, working on a farm in rural Pennsylvania has been a way to stay grounded.
“I take the horses out and feed the cows and that kind of stuff,” Malik explained to Billboard, “It’s cool, I’ve always been interested in animals."
Farm life also reminds him of where he grew up – the rural countryside around Bradford, England.
Zach Galifianakis
Actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis says that he is, “trying to be a farmer,” and each year he learns how much he doesn’t know – but despite how much there is to learn about keeping animals, he has a tremendous 60 acre farm on his property with incredible animals.
The farm houses horses, honey bees, and goats.
Sources: PureWow, LIVE Kelly and Ryan, People, Taste of Country, The Guardian, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert