6 celebrities you didn’t know were smokers, from Jennifer Lawrence, Barack Obama and Dua Lipa, to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jenna Ortega and even wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow

Jan 10 , 2024

Dua Lipa, Jenna Ortega and Gwyneth Paltrow have all been snapped smoking cigarettes. Photos: Reuters/AFP

Is smoking cool again? Hollywood certainly seems to think so.

Several celebrities including Lily-Rose Depp and Timothée Chalamet, who have a large and impressionable fan base, have been seen puffing away at vape pens or cigarettes, despite presumably being well aware of the health risks.

Danish Queen Margrethe has been dubbed the “Ashtray Queen” for being a chain smoker. Photo: EPA-EFE/IDA

Queen Margrethe of Denmark, who recently announced plans to abdicate the throne after more than half a century as her country’s monarch, has also been revealed to be a chain smoker, even to the point of earning the nickname “Ashtray Queen”.

Here are six more celebrities you may not have known were smokers.

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1. Jennifer Lawrence

While Lawrence, 33, has spoken candidly in the past about smoking marijuana, The Hunger Games actress has also been spotted smoking hand-rolled cigarettes and vapes over the years.

2. Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa publicly announced that she had quit smoking in 2022, but it apparently didn’t stick. Photo: X/@addictionlipa

In 2022, the singer, now 28, announced on stage that she had quit smoking to keep herself healthy for her Future Nostalgia tour.

She also said in an interview that she’d hired a personal yoga instructor to help her stay fit and healthy on tour, and feel more confident on stage, per British media.

Unfortunately, it seems the songstress has fallen back into the habit, as she was seen puffing away in the company of then boyfriend, Romain Gavras, in Ibiza, Spain, last year.

3. Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega, 21, was spotted smoking cigarettes in London in May last year, prompting many fans to condemn the “disgusting” habit.

Ortega’s mother – who works as a nurse – joined in, per Buzzfeed, sharing lighthearted memes on Instagram as well as snippets of articles warning of the dangers of smoking, mentioning that it is the leading cause of lung cancer in the US.

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4. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Possibly the world’s most unrepentant cigar smoker, Arnie once made his son-in-law Chris Pratt sick with a night of too many cubans. Photo: @schwarzenegger/Instagram

The famed actor, businessman, filmmaker and former governor of California has filled his Instagram with snaps and videos of him working hard at the gym and highlighting the importance of fitness. So fans might be surprised to learn that the 76-year-old former professional bodybuilder has been smoking cigars since he was 19.

However, the star has also spoken openly about his love of smoking, once famously bragging in a now-viral interview, “I smoke my stogie anywhere I want.”

During a 2023 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, actor Chris Pratt, who married Schwarzenegger’s daughter Katherine Schwarzenegger in 2019, revealed that he woke up with a lung infection after spending an afternoon smoking cigars with the Terminator actor.

5. Barack Obama

During his presidency, there was a running joke that Barack Obama, now 62, snacked on exactly “seven lightly salted almonds” each night to help him think. The speculation was quickly put to rest by Obama himself, per The Guardian – although he did admit to having a restrictive diet and avoiding snacks like crisps and cake.

Despite his discipline when it comes to his diet though, the former POTUS apparently used to smoke up to 10 cigarettes a day in the White House. He eventually quit under pressure from his daughters Sasha and Malia.

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6. Gwyneth Paltrow

A two-pack-a-day smoker beginning in her teens, Gwyneth Paltrow finally kicked cigarettes to the curb in her 30s when she became pregnant with her first child. Photo: Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

Despite building a business based on “wellness”, actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, 51, revealed that she used to be a heavy smoker, getting through two packs of cigarettes a day starting from her teens, per Elle.

The actress leads a much healthier lifestyle nowadays – although the internet has criticised her for her dangerously restrictive diet. When it comes to smoking, Paltrow finally kicked the habit when she became pregnant with her first daughter Apple Martin, per Healthline.

Fame and celebrity

Gen Z stars such as Lily-Rose Depp and Timothée Chalamet have been seen puffing away at vape pens or cigarettes, while chain-smoking Danish royal Margrethe has been nicknamed ‘Ashtray Queen’
Goop founder Paltrow quit when she was pregnant with her daughter Apple Martin, while Sasha and Malia Obama persuaded their former president dad to kick the habit