Who is the most elusive/mysterious modern celebrity?

Michelle Pfeiffer for the most part. Not sure how she managed to stay out of the tabloids day after day.

They’re not actresses anymore, but my friends in NYC have told me Olsen watching has replaced Garbo watching as a favorite pastime. Yes, as in the twins from Full House. People just love catching a glimpse of these eccentric sisters, both of whom eschew social media, interviews and traditional press.

Emma Stone. I had no idea she was married and had a kid. She didn't even seem like the mommy type anyway.

Beyonce comes to mind…she rarely talks or gives interviews.

R2 There is a popular IG account dedicated to tracking their movements. People seem utterly fascinated by them. They must hate it. They look like a couple of gnomes, or witches. Like one knows how you die, and the other knows when.

R3 She gives me girl next door, not elusive or mysterious in the slightest. Would anyone really care to know more about her?

Cillian Murphy for sure. Not having social media or living in LA definitely helps maintain privacy.

Dolly and her husband. They have been married over 50 years and there are only a few pictures of him. There are a few from earlier days but none in recent years. I find that fascinating.

Sade.

Bradley Cooper

R2 Even their sister Elizabeth Olsen is fairly private and mysterious, despite appearing in Marvel movies. She deactivated her social media years ago and you never read anything about her personal life.

R2 and R5, one of Joan Rivers’ funnier jokes involved her seeing an image of the Olsen twins at some event. She open her eyes very wide, braced herself on the arms of her chair, and asked quietly “Do you see them, too?”

[quote] Sade.

Shah-day.

R1, though i love her and agree she was never out there, Michelle has an activive instagram account. Frankly, she does not reveal much about herself.

Cate Blantchett, Sigorney Weaver, Anette Benning are all private and as far as i know don’t have social media. Hopefully you will proVe me wrong, as i would love to know more about these great women.

Sandra Bullock is very private for an A-lister

Jonathan Groff does not have public social media presence.

Bradley Cooper also comes to mind.

I just want to put in a word here, I think I belong here. Don't forget to come out for my new show: "This Is Me . . . Tomorrow."

R15 So is her friend Keanu Reeves. As was River Phoenix when he was alive.

Rosamund Pike. Some producers were talking about how they wanted to cast her in a movie but she is difficult to find because she is so private.

Agree with poster who mentioned Cillian Murphy.

Also there are some new celebrities who aren't active on social media which provides more of a mystique. Although Joseph Quinn had a breakout year and was the most searched celebrity in 2022 who wasn't involved in a scandal (the only celebrities more searched than him were Depp, Heard, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith) prior to Stranger Things he wasn't active on social media. He still doesn't have a Twitter account. He didn't have a personal IG account until recently either (I think that is Doja couldn't DM him directly) and nobody knows anything about his personal life such as who he has dated.

My belief is more celebrities will stay off social media in the future. Although having lots of followers can help people get roles or job opportunities in the entertainment industry once a person becomes famous it's not required.

[quote]Even their sister Elizabeth Olsen is fairly private and mysterious, despite appearing in Marvel movies. She deactivated her social media years ago and you never read anything about her personal life.

They are smart. They aren't worth hundreds of millions for nothing.

When your brand is so wrapped up in your personal identity, you need to be as private as possible, because the public is ALWAYS looking for a reason to tear people down (for clicks). YouTubers frequently get taken down for reasons that range from silly to serious, but it does happen to movie/TV stars as well (see Depp/Heard).

Matt Damon has no social media presence, but he is neither elusive nor mysterious.

Daniel Day-Lewis, of course.

As far as the Olsen twins go, the mystery and the secrecy only feed people's curiosity. I bet, if they had social media, people wouldn't care much. They'd be a couple of has-beens.

The Olsen Twins have a luxury brand The Row which is quite successful.

r23 = Jodie Sweetin, waiting on her dealer

Most people did not know Riley Keough had a daughter until she was mentioned at Lisa Marie's funeral.

The Olsen twins are billionaires.

R24 The Row is the go-to for super high net worth individuals and A-list stars, and yet the Olsen twins don’t do interviews, don’t put their names or pictures in any marketing materials, stay off social media, etc. Even The Row’s Instagram page just shares images of art and furniture - not the clothing that they actually sell. It is certainly an interesting approach to marketing and yet it seems to have worked phenomenally well for them.

R26 I have a friend who worked with her recently and said Riley Keough was incredibly nice, normal and down to earth. My friend once visited her at home and was shocked to find her living in a modest, small bungalow, considering she is Elvis’s granddaughter and all.

R15 Sandra and her pal Jen Aniston are both known for being extremely private and averse to doing press. Interviews with Aniston are notorious for being highly controlled and regulated.

Elvis and Lisa Marie were said to be very down to earth, too, R29.

Kirsten Dunst.

Tom Cruise. He lives a very insulated life and you rarely see photos of him walking down the street. Until recently no one knew that he lives in an obscure London suburb.

Enya. All I know is she has a castle full of cats and boy if that ain’t goals!

Kate Moss has some of that mystique about her. She rarely grants interviews and doesn’t use social media.

R4 I agree. Her level of superstardom and comparative mystique and privacy is pretty much unheard of.

Rachel McAdams.

Melania. How the fuck did she get an Einstein visa??

I has said, "Leave the payment on table next the bed" in five language, r38.

Muriel! We know nothing about her!

Agreed, r21, Mat Damon is also a fag with a i suspect an older luscious ass.

Lady Gaga is kind of leaning into that enigmatic sphinx-like Garbo energy lately.

I think by holding back in interviews and the number of interviews and press they do gives celebrities an air of mysteriousness and reverence to their fans and people that talk about them. It protects the celebrity and their brand from criticism (when they run their mouth or have divisive opinions/takes on society) while also giving people enough crumbs to sustain their interest.

Examples: Beyonce and Jay Z, Harry Styles, the Olsens, Rihanna, Brangelina (pre and post divorce). I’m sure there’s plenty more examples. Contrast this with people like The Rock and the Kardashians who rely on interacting with media to promote their brands.

An opposite example I think would be someone like Johnny Depp, who used to be some mysterious moody heartthrob until he dumped his reputation in the garbage trying to bring his ex Heard down with him in public.

Without a doubt, the most elusive/mysterious modern celebrity is none other than actress Lisa Gerritsen. "WHO ????????????" you dare to ask ? Lisa Gerritsen - and don't let me repeat that again !

Gerristen, who got her first professional role in an episode of 'The Doris Day Show' in 1968, is most memorable as 'Bess Lindstrom'. She played the independent-minded daughter of Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman) of 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' (1970-75) and the spin-off series 'Phyllis' (1975-77). During that time, she also appeared in movies as well as guest appearances on other TV shows.

Gerristen, who was born as Leissa Orszag and now goes by her marriage name of Leissa Rustan, gave up acting and Hollywood at the age of 20 once the show 'Phyllis' was canceled in 1977. She went to college, and today is a 'facilities coordinator and relocation manager' in San Francisco and the mother of one son, with her husband of 24 years. She has no social media presence and has declined interviews over the years as former cast members have died.

A source close to the actress, 66, said she never kept in touch with the casts of either show, and never participated in any 'Mary Tyler Moore' reunions. It's been said she started writing her memoir during the pandemic, and it will reveal some of the awful experiences she had in Hollywood, and why she turned her back on an acting career.

And that's all I can share today about Lisa Gerritsen / Leissa Rustan - the most elusive/mysterious modern celebrity.

A lot of celebs pull back for mental health reasons or because they were dragged into the hellhole of sleaze mag journalism through the 00s, not necessarily because they want to be “elusive.” Beyonce was constantly made fun of for her interview responses. The Olsen twins had no semblance of normalcy as children and had Mary Kate's battle with anorexia used for laughs. In the past, Elizabeth Olsen has mentioned Mary Kate and Ashley sort of mentoring her in how to stay private and sane amongst all the insanity.

I vividly remember during the Oceans 13 press tour Matt Damon talking about how he admired Christian Bale for the fact that Bale could literally be in the hugest superhero movie of all time (at that time) and keep his private life completely private and never appear in paparazzi photos. Matt said something like “Does he live in Los Angeles? Is he married or single? I have no idea!” in total awe. Bale is someone who actually has a fairly interesting life story (like, Gloria Steinem is his stepmother?) but you never hear about it.

I’ll add Kate Bush to the list. She apparently lives a very normal life and doesn’t let her fame interfere.

Rosamund Pike is such an enigma to me.

Bill Sarsgaard has no social media and seems to live a quiet life.. I wish he had IG.

Kristy McNichol. Genuine talent who probably could have had an adult career. At the very least she could clean up at autograph shows and whatnot. I do remember when it was leaked she worked in her girlfriend’s salon sweeping floors and making appointments.

Mary-Kate Olsen was said to be involved in Heath Ledger’s death, and reportedly paid large sums of money (some call it hush money) to keep her role private. I’m not surprised she’s press shy these days.

R51 Supposedly she was his plug and provided the prescription drugs he OD’d on.

Jessica Chastain. Married to an Italian Count and has 2 children.

Vera Farmiga. Married with 2 teenagers.

Charlize Theron, Amy Adams, and Joaquin Phoenix also come to mind.

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard are pretty private. Can't believe they have a 12 and 17 year old. I've never seen them.

[quote] Supposedly she was his plug

What's "plug", precious? What's "plug"?

I did not like Heath Ledger in his role as "Joker".

Sarah Michelle Gellar is said to be quite press-shy.

It’s me.

How in the world can we have this thread and not mention the most elusive/mysterious celebrity of all....

MELANIA TRUMP ?

Thread closed.

Michael Jackson. So many questions.

Some of these people are “mysterious” because I’m sure a lot of them lead boring lives. I’m sure there’s nothing interesting with Cillian Murphy. He’s been with the same woman for almost 30 years and they have 2 teenage kids. I’m sure there’s nothing exciting there.

R53 All boring hetero parent life, nothing mysterious here.

I am a complete enigma to the public. I say nothing about my private life or about my children.

Beyonce does not do interviews because she is a moron. And that comes across when she has to talk.

I am the most mysterious of them all!

Jennifer "Kes" Lien who dropped out of sight in the mid 90s.

R64, didn't she become a drug addict, mental case and live in a trailer?

FYI, a cousin of Ethan Phillips, the actor who portrayed Neelix, used to post on DL.

R44, Lisa is the female equivalent of Michael Schoeffling.

Michael Schoeffling!!!!!

Now there is name I have not heard for two weeks.

Watched Longtime Companion on the weekend. Still, a great film, but, by Gods he is so very fucking handsome.

I’m gobsmacked by the Instagram that r5 linked. I don’t know how either of the Olsens can sleep comfortably at night knowing there are so many internet weirdos tracking all their movements. It’s beyond creepy and I’d have moved to rural Alaska if I were in their shoes

R19 It is also interesting (and sad) to watch young performers who start to make it big in the industry slowly shut down their social media presence. Or take out all of their personal photos off of Instagram depending on how hard they get trolled.

The Heartstopper kids, Young Royals kids, some of the Stranger Things cast. Many were active but now most of their personal photos have all been removed in favor of private finsta accounts. Self preservation in this age of instant and intense media notice is so important.

[QUOTE]Tom Cruise. He lives a very insulated life and you rarely see photos of him walking down the street. Until recently no one knew that he lives in an obscure London suburb.

That obscure London suburban AKA Scientology mecca Clearwater, FL where he recently had a penthouse built?

You're probably thinking of East Grinstead, a small clam stronghold with facilities where he has a residence among numerous other locations. It's for clam promotion. Or has he actually been seen spending time there.

R54, a plug is a drug dealer/drug connection.

R70 Is that you. Leah? Spillya guts?

Rosamund Pike has a public Instagram account she regularly posts on.

R7 don’t you read the Gaelic tabloids.?

Unreal 😵‍💫🚨🔥

R28 their hotel on 8th Avenue in Manhattan is a magnet for migrants. They must be stopped!

R37 she’s plastered all over the subway trains and platforms, as we speak…you can’t turn a corner without seeing that chick. Get real.

A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

I gotta tell ya, I’m pretty fucking mysterious

[quote] It is also interesting (and sad) to watch young performers who start to make it big in the industry slowly shut down their social media presence.

Alexa Demie (The only girl from Euphoria who’s not working)

I based my post on a NYT article where a reporter hunted him down, r70. It sounds like he lives in a place called Biggin Hill. He bought the Clearwater condo six years ago and there's some debate as to whether or not he lives there. If he spends time in Clearwater then he manages to never be seen there. I think he's pretty elusive for a big celebrity.

Sade for sure. She is the queen of disappearances. I have always admired that about her. A very quiet and mysterious lady whose friends are real people and not other celebrities. She has always been this way, from the start of her career onward. Unfortunately, her one daughter transitioned to a man and he is much more attention seeking, posting on social media about every aspect of his surgeries, etc. Naturally, that child doesn’t work for a living, I wonder if Sade doesn’t find this embarrassing, all the instagram posts, with all kinds of photos, etc,

Richard Simmons

Michelle Williams

Byron Allen (net worth, $800 million).

An update on Liesa.

13. Her last credited acting role was in 1978 on an episode of the short-lived NBC series Jigsaw John, starring Jack Warden. 14. Lisa retired from acting over forty years ago and went back to the original spelling of her name, Leisa. 15. In 2000, she married for the first time, to documentary filmmaker, John Rustan. They have one son, Jonathan. 16. Leisa has made her living in recent years as an Independent Relocation Coordinator and Facilities Project Manager in Petaluma, California. 17. At one point, she was active on Facebook but deleted her account several years ago. 18. Leisa did not remain in contact with her former colleagues and costars and does not participate in reunions, retrospectives or autograph shows. However, she is reportedly writing her autobiography, detailing her former showbiz career and why she chose to leave it behind.

Karen Lynn Gorney

Obviously Bobbie Gentry.

Ooh, good one R88.

Up yours, r21. I’m so fucking mysterious, you don’t even know.

Ask Ben. Ben! Ben!?

Christopher Walken

Did I mention I went to Harvard?

You only really hear about Tilda Swinton when she's obligated to promote a movie she's in, but otherwise, you probably don't hear much about her personal life.

Jessica Chastain owns this thread. Never talks about her family background, rarely discusses her Italian count husband (beard?), never takes her kids out in public, and will go to her grave lying about her age.

R94 Chastain was said to be fucking Megan Ellison for years, who in turn would provide roles in prestige films. Ellison was said to be utterly cunt struck and infatuated by Chastain.

R94 I’ll never forget the furor singer Mandisa (RIP) caused when she inadvertently revealed she was in Jessica Chastain’s class in high school.

A few other nominations:

Tobey Maguire

Frances McDormand

Bill Watterston

Lauryn Hill

Up until this year, Jonathan Gilbert, aka, Willie Olsen.

Or that guy who was in 16 Candles with Ringwold then became a carpenter. Schofield.

People are confusing “enigmatic and mysterious” with “never worked in Hollywood again.”

Thank you, r99.

Cunt struck, now there’s a charming euphemism.

I bought a zoo!

^that was me

Emma Stone does all these crazy movies, but also happens to be friends with Taylor Swift, endorsement deals, yet still fairly elusive. I agree as well that she doesn't seem like the motherly type. But many just let nannies raise them.

[quote] The Olsen twins are billionaires.

So is Elon Musk. Your point being?

[Quote] Beyonce comes to mind

You cannot be serious. If you are, do you have brain damage??

[quote] Mary-Kate Olsen was said to be involved in Heath Ledger’s death,

You make it sound like she had him killed.

Richard Simmons before he died

It usetuh be me until I got old and desperate. Now you can't get rid of me.

- Barbra.

Bill Murray doesn't even have an agent. Very difficult to get in touch with. Never seen him in the tabloids.

Susan Dey.

Margot Robbie (sort of)?

I know he is retired now but Daniel Day Lewis never seemed to seek the limelight.

I like him a lot, r113, but somehow DDL retirement and other shenanigans were a bit too attention seeking.

Someone on the DL said Daniel Day Lewis retired because of cognitive decline/early stages of dementia.

However, he is appearing in a project that his son is directing and/or producing(?).

Kim Namjoon of BTS

Well me of course.

R116 While the money doesn’t make me feel too sorry for those guys, I do feel bad for the two who just finished their military service. JHope and Jin look exhausted and miserable. They were thrust right back into TV and recording.

Eve Plumb

[quote] Lady Gaga is kind of leaning into that enigmatic sphinx-like Garbo energy lately.

Yes, I remember Garbo shilling prescription drugs on television. Weirdo.

Jack Nicholson

Duffy. She disappeared for years, came forward with a bizarre tale of kidnap, human trafficking, and rape as the reason for her disappearance, then went away again.

Christopher Walken.

Would some agree it’s that Kaley Coco from the Big Bang?

R58-Ms. Dump ain’t no celeb she’s a grifter. Winner is Bobbie Gentry

[quote] Christopher Walken.

He was on the boat with RJ Wagner and Natalie Wood, the night she died. He is very tight-lipped about that night.

He's married to Georgianne Walken, who did casting on the Sopranos.

Madonna--she hardly puts herself out there!

Which of the Olsen twins is the anorexic one? And how do you tell them apart??

Elizabeth is looking horrifcly thin.

[quote] Bill Murray doesn't even have an agent. Very difficult to get in touch with. Never seen him in the tabloids.

For awhile in the '00s, there were several stories about him randomly popping up and crashing college parties and such. There was also a story a couple years ago about him rumored to be dating Kelis of "Milkshake" fame.

I just read Al Pacino's bio and he says he wanted to emulate Garbo.

It is why he never went to Oscar ceremonies early in his career. (Plus the ones he did go to made him too nervous.)