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How does a celebrity know that they have too much money? Is it when they can afford a $100,000 watch? Maybe it’s when they purchase their first Bentley or when they buy their first mansion with a tennis court and moat. It’s obvious which day it is. It’s the day they can finally afford to purchase their very own private island. Celebrities often earn millions for their work regardless if it’s in movies, music, or sports. Celebs usually get paid the big bucks alongside various endorsement deals. They get paid thousands of dollars for appearances and cameos. These celebs have so much money they don’t know what to do with it. Perhaps, even when they throw them all out into the ocean, they won't run out of it in a week's time. They’ve already purchased their homes, cars, and expensive jewelry. They’ve gone on expensive vacations and parties on yachts. However, the really smart ones don’t go on a three-week vacation, they go on a permanent vacation.
Imagine a vacation that never ends with all day spent at the beach. Even better, there is nobody around unless you want them to be. The only way celebrities achieve this dream of a life is when they purchase an island. These islands are often in the most beautiful and exotic parts of the world. These islands cost millions of dollars but the exotic and incredible landscapes make it worth it. It takes ridiculously rich celebrities to buy their own island but it happens all the time. Some celebs have it all. Here is a look at 15 Outrageously Rich Celebs That Own Private Islands.
Nicolas Cage – Leaf Cay, Bahamas
Nicolas Cage is known for loving to spend money. He’s bought everything from haunted mansions, crocodiles, King Cobras, an octopus, and dinosaur skulls. Of course, Cage is also going to buy an island. It's just common sense after buying a dinosaur skull. At one point, Cage was one of the highest paid actors in the world. He has an estimated net worth of $18 million and clearly has put that money to good use. Nicolas Cage has appeared in a number of memorable films such as Moonstruck, The Rock and Adaptation. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his iconic role in the critically-acclaimed film Leaving Las Vegas.
Nicolas Cage had a great deal of success and fame in his career. With all the incredible success came a great deal of money and he’s enjoyed every minute of spending it. In 2006, Nicolas Cage purchased Leaf Cay in the Bahamas for $3 million. He probably enjoys some alone time on his island with his dinosaur skull.
Eddie Murphy – Rooster Cay, Bahamas
If Eddie Murphy was ever stranded on an island, he wouldn’t need to worry at all. First, he’s well-known for his ability to play multiple roles so he’d be able to keep himself company. Second, he most likely owns the island he’s stranded on but if he doesn’t, he can simply buy it. Eddie Murphy first rose to fame as a stand-up comedian and is best known for the comedy specials Raw and Delirious. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live in the early 80’s as well. He’s starred in several memorable films like the Beverly Hills Cop series, Trading Places, The Nutty Professor, and 48 hrs. He received universal praise for his role as James “Thunder” Early in the film Dreamgirls.
Eddie Murphy is one of the highest paid actors in the world and it’s estimated that his films have grossed over $3.8 billion. He has an estimated net worth of $85 million. Eddie Murphy literally has it all. That includes his own private island. In 2007, Eddie Murphy purchased Rooster Cay in the Bahamas for $15 million. It’s rumored that he also owned another island, The Pearl.
Faith Hill & Tim McGraw – Goat City, Bahamas
Most couples that are madly in love will never forget certain moments together. They’ll remember their first car, first home, and of course, the first island they purchase together. Maybe that’s just Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Faith and McGraw are both international country singers. They have both achieved crossover success. The Grammy Award-winning Faith Hill has released several albums—Faith, Breathe and Fireflies. Tim McGraw is best known for the album Not A Moment Too Soon and is also a Grammy award winner. He’s appeared in the films The Blind Side and Four Christmases, as well as the TV series Friday Night Lights. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have been married since 1996.
Faith has a net worth of $80 million while McGraw has a net worth of $85 million. When love and money are combined, there is nothing that can’t be done. In 2006, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw purchased Goat Cay in the Bahamas. They also built a 15,000 sq. ft. home on the island.
Ricky Martin – Angra Dos Reis, Brazil
Like any boy growing up in Puerto Rico, Ricky Martin dreamed of the day he’d be an international phenomenon, sell millions of albums, and one day buy an island. Ricky Martin is best known for the enormously popular single “Livin’ la Vida Loca.” He later released his album, Ricky Martin, which to this day is one of the best-selling albums of all time. He released several other albums—Me Amaras, Sound Loaded, and Life. In the last few years, he appeared as a judge on Dancing With The Stars and The Voice Australia.
Ricky Martin is involved with several charities and often donates his time and money. Martin has an estimated net worth of $60 million. After all that incredible charity work, he decided to treat himself. In 2008, Ricky Martin purchased Angra dos Reis in Brazil for $8 million. Martin actually shopped around and checked out other islands in the Caribbean and parts of Latin America before purchasing Angra dos Reis.
Tyler Perry – White Bay Cay, Bahamas
The Island of Dr. Moreau revolved around a mad scientist that created an animal-human hybrid known as the Beast Folk. In all honesty, it’s a bit of a surprise that Tyler Perry hasn’t remade the film as Tyler Perry’s 'The Island of Dr. Madea'. It makes sense because he already has the island ready to go. Perry is best known for creating and performing as the character Madea. He has starred in several films as Madea, including Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea Goes to Jail, Madea Witness Protection, A Madea Christmas, and Boo! A Madea Halloween. Additionally, he created several TV shows, including Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, Meet the Browns, For Better or Worse, The Haves and the Have Nots, and The Paynes.
In 2011, Forbes named Perry the highest paid actor/writer/director in entertainment and has a net worth of $400 million. In 2009, Tyler Perry bought himself the ultimate birthday present—his very own private island. For his 40th birthday, Perry purchased White Bay Cay in the Bahamas. This is actually Tyler Perry’s second private island. Sorry, it’s known as Tyler Perry’s Private Island.
Mel Gibson – Mago Island, Fiji
Mel Gibson has often found himself at the center of controversy. When things get really tough and out of control, he probably wishes he could just run away and hide on an island. Luckily for Gibson, if that day ever comes, he has an island ready and waiting. Mel Gibson had his big breakthrough with his iconic roles in the Mad Max series and in the Lethal Weapon series. Additionally, he’s directed several commercially-acclaimed and sometimes controversial films like Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge.
Mel Gibson has a net worth of roughly $425 million and he put that money to good use. Gibson isn’t known for throwing around his money but has invested in several properties instead. In 2005, Gibson purchased Mago Island in Fiji for $9 million. He bought the island from the Tokyu Corporation but his purchase did cause some controversy with the descendants of the original inhabitants of the island. However, Gibson has left the island mostly untouched and claims he purchased the island to maintain the beautiful environment.
Celine Dion – Ile Gagnon, Quebec
Some celebrities will travel around the world to find the perfect tropical island. It’s far from their home and isolated from the rest of the world. However, not everyone wants to travel to Belize in order to be alone and isolated on a gorgeous beach. Celine Dion decided that her private island should be close to home. The five-time Grammy Award-winning Celine Dion is widely regarded as one of the best-selling artists of all time. She has released several popular albums, including Falling into You, Let’s Talk About Love, and D’eux. Additionally, she has released several chart-topping singles, including “Nothing Broken but my Heart,” “Because You Loved Me” and “My Heart Will Go On.” Celine has an estimated net worth of $380 million and could have chosen to have her island anywhere in the world. For her island, she chose to stay in Canada. She purchased the 830,000 sq. ft. Ile Gagnon in her homeland of Quebec. She had a custom-built house, “Chateau” on the island. Eventually, she sold the home for $29.7 million.
Shakira – Bonds Cay, Bahamas
Shakira is one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time. Shakira had her big breakthrough with the single “Whenever, Wherever.” Later, she released the enormously successful single “Hips Don’t Lie,” which became a worldwide phenomenon. She has released several albums, like Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, She Wolf, and Sale el Sol. She has won several major awards including 28 Billboard Latin Music Awards, 8 Latin Grammy Awards, and 2 Grammy Awards. Shakira has an estimated net worth of $220 million. Shakira struggled early in her career with her first two albums doing poorly. At that time, she probably just hoped to make enough money to get by. She most likely never dreamed of the day she’d own a private island. In 2006, she purchased Bonds Cay in the Bahamas for $16 million. At the time of the purchase, she had planned to turn the 700-acre island into a vacation resort.
Steven Spielberg – Madeira, Portugal
If E.T. was unable to phone home then the back-up plan was to stash him on Steven Spielberg’s private island. Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time. He is credited with ushering in the concept of the summer blockbuster film. He has released several blockbuster films, including Jaws, E.T. and Jurassic Park. He has released several other memorable films, like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Catch Me If You Can. Spielberg has won two Academy Awards for Best Director for the iconic films Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Steven Spielberg has an estimated net worth of $5.41 billion. If he wanted to, he could probably afford to purchase a small planet or even the entire universe. However, for now he’ll settle for his own private island. He purchased an island in Madeira, Portugal to serve as a vacation home for his family.
Leonardo DiCaprio – Blackadore Caye, Belize
Leonardo DiCaprio has so much money that after he donates to charity and buys himself a fancy home, he still has money left over to buy a breathtaking and gorgeous island. Leo has starred in several blockbuster films that have gained a huge fanbase—Titanic, Blood Diamond, The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street. He (finally) won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Revenant. Leo is known for his dedication to environmental activism. He cares deeply about the earth, plants, and animals. He’s worked with several environmental groups including the World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and International Fund for Animal Welfare. Leo has an estimated net worth of $245 million. In 2005, Leonardo DiCaprio purchased the Blackadore Caye in Belize. The 104-acre island cost Leo between $1.75 million and $2.4 million. He turned the gorgeous piece of land into an eco-friendly island resort.
Richard Branson – Necker Island and Moskito Island, British Virgin Islands
The science fiction series, LOST, revolved around a group of survivors that became stranded on a mysterious island. It’s never stated whom the island belonged to but after all these years, the mystery is finally revealed. Richard Branson likely owned that island too. He is best known for founding the Virgin Group, which controls roughly 400 companies. He started his empire with a series of stores. He also founded the record label, Virgin Records. In 2000, Branson was knighted at Buckingham Palace for “services to entrepreneurship.”
To be clear, Sir Richard Branson was already buying islands when most of the people on this list were still in diapers. In 1978, Richard Branson purchased Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands for 178,000 euros or roughly $270,000. He built his own private home, “The Great House” on the island. One island just wasn’t enough for Sir Richard. In 2007, he bought a second island, Moskito Island, also in the British Virgin Islands, for $10 million. He plans to build an eco-friendly resort on this island.
Jay Z and Beyoncé – The Bahamas
Jay-Z and Beyoncé are like hip hop Hollywood royalty. Beyoncé is one of the best-selling solo artists of all time and Jay Z is regarded as one of the greatest rappers alive. They have a combined net worth of roughly $1 billion. Beyoncé has released several universally praised albums, including Dangerously in Love, B’Day, I am…Sasha Fierce, 4, Beyoncé, and Lemonade. Jay-Z has released numerous iconic albums too—Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint, and The Black Album. The power couple both have so much money and love to spend on each other. Beyoncé once bought Jay-Z a $40-million jet for Father’s Day. However, Jay-Z is never one to be outdone. He went all-out for his anniversary and got Beyoncé a dream present. Queen B's hubby purchased an island in the Bahamas for $3 million. The island was their five-year wedding anniversary present.
David Copperfield – Musha Bay a.k.a. The Islands of Copperfield Bay, Bahamas
Some believe that David Copperfield making the Statue of Liberty disappear was his greatest illusion. However, his greatest illusion is when he made eleven islands appear with only the help of his millions of dollars. Forbes named Copperfield the richest and most successful magician. He won 21 Emmy Awards for his several specials—The Magic of David Copperfield. Additionally, he’s won eleven Guinness World Records for his various achievements. He has preformed several memorable illusions, including sawing Jennifer Lopez into six pieces, making the Statue of Liberty disappear, and sawing Taylor Swift in half.
The world-renowned magician has an estimated net worth of $900 million. In 2007, David Copperfield purchased Musha Bay in the Bahamas for $15 million. It’s actually made up of eleven islands, which he renamed The Islands of Copperfield Bay. He turned his private island into a private resort that costs $3,700 per night. Some of his guests have included John Travolta, Sergey Brin and Oprah Winfrey. Copperfield claims that the island also includes the Fountain of Youth, which explains Copperfield’s young looks...
North West and Kim Kardashian – Turtle Island, Australia
When North West becomes an adult, she’ll be able to say that she had her very own private island before most celebrities even landed an audition. North West is the daughter of reality TV star/socialite Kim Kardashian and musician Kanye West. Kim K is best known for her appearances in the reality TV series Keeping Up With The Kardashians and the many spin-offs. She has an estimated net worth of $85 million. Kim is known for her enjoyment of spending money. She’s gone on $100,000 shopping sprees and once bought herself a $10,000 ring. However, she also loves to spend her money on her daughter North. In 2014, she was in the process of purchasing Turtle Island in Australia for her daughter. It would cost roughly $5 million to buy the island, which includes a three-bedroom house. Kim’s plan is to build a theme park for North that she could enjoy. Not only is it very possible that North is going to have her own island, but also her own theme park.
Johnny Depp – Little Halls Pond Cay, Bahamas
Johnny Depp is one of the world’s greatest and highest paid actors with a net worth of $400 million. With all of his success and money, he decided to buy not one, but two islands. In the 80’s, Johnny Depp first gained recognition for his role in 21 Jump Street. Later, Johnny Depp starred in a plethora of memorable films, including Edward Scissorhands, Donnie Brasco, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His films gross millions and billions of dollars. This helps him make purchases a non-celeb could only dream of. In 2004, Johnny Depp purchased the Little Halls Pond Cay in the Bahamas for $3.6 million. The island includes six beaches that are named after his children, Lily Rose and Jack, Gonzo for Hunter S. Thompson, and Brando for his acting mentor Marlon Brando. In 2015, it was reported that Depp bought an uninhabited piece of land in the Aegean Sea for 4.2 million euros.
Sources: Toronto Sun, forbes, lonelyplanet, dailymail
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