As jet-setters with the time and money to seek out the best beaches around the globe, it is no wonder that many celebrities like to grab a board and hit the water during vacation breaks between performances and public appearances. From Hawaii to Australia, stars – young and old, male and female—have been spotted catching waves between making them. Some celebs have recently picked up the sport and invested in lessons, while others are veterans of the deep blue.
Pop diva Lady Gaga recently made the tabloids when she took surfing lessons in Puerto Vallarta – sans outrageous outfits or 8-inch heels – and tweeted about her experience along with a picture of herself riding a wave. “Twilight”-saga actress Ashley Greene also recently took lessons – without the social media frenzy – at an Oakley surfing clinic in Bali. Helen Hunt, the actress who portrayed Bethany Hamilton’s mother in the movie Soul Surfer, took lessons for the role, and then took up the sport for real. “I’m comfortable on my board,” she laughingly explains, “.”
Stars and starlets who have been hanging with the serious surfers for years include soccer phenom David Beckham (along with his whole passel of sons), “Parks and Recreation” star Rob Lowe, and even Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. Veteran actress Minnie Driver (most recently starring in “I Give It a Year”) has made surfing a large part of her life for decades. “,” she explains. “Surfing is an utter, necessary part of my life.”