While we often see actors portraying superheroes, historical figures, and dramatic leads on screen, a surprising number of actors, singers and other famous figures, like sportsmen, are just as passionate about their gaming hobbies. Far from a passing phase, for many, gaming is a serious pursuit, a way to decompress, connect with friends, and even get into character.
Joe Jonas
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Actor and singer Joe Jonas, from the Jonas Brothers and DNCE, is an avid gamer. He loves to play Fortnight, and he even played with beloved YouTuber Nick Eh 30 to raise money for charity during the pandemic. “I have played for like 2 years,” he told him at the time. He also loves Pokemon.
Margot Robbie
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While it’s uncertain how often Margot Robbie plays video games, she has expressed her love for Hogwarts Legacy, a game set in the Harry Potter universe, revealing herself as a huge fan of the books and movies. She even has joked about how she is a Hufflepuff.
Zac Efron
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Efron loves video games so much, and in a 2016 interview with the Australian outlet Nine, he even revealed he had a hard time dating because he’s a “nerd” who loves “comic books and video games.” He reportedly loves to play games like Mario Kart 8 with Conan O’Brien and Seth Rogen.
Dwayne Johnson
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Given his wrestling career and action-packed movie roles, it’s no surprise that Dwayne Johnson favors fighting games, such as Mortal Kombat and Rampage, and he has also mentioned Madden as one of his favorites. He also has partnered with XBox, unveiling the console at CES 2001.
Jamie Lee Curtis
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After her son introduced her to the world of gaming by teaching her how to play Street Fighter, the Halloween and Knives Out actor has reportedly become passionate about multiplayer games like League of Legends. She has also contributed to raising funds for Twin Galaxies, an organization dedicated to legitimizing esports.
Mila Kunis
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Way back in 2008, during a conversation with Jimmy Kimmel, Mila Kunis openly admitted to being addicted to video games. Now, she has even created Armored Kingdom, a franchise spanning a Web3 trading card game, digital comics, animation and film. “I lost a good part of my youth to gaming, from World of WarCraft to Settlers of Catan,” said Kunis, when launching the project.
Drake
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Drake told The Washington Post back in 2018 that he plays video games a lot during his downtime in the recording studio. “We stay in the studio for so long, sometimes like 20 hours,” Drake said. “It’s just nice to take a little mental break,” he added. On the other hand, he broke records with his collaborative stream with the popular Twitch gamer Ninja. Their stream, in which the duo played Fortnite, broke the non-tournament record for the most-viewed stream by a single player with over 635,000 concurrent viewers.
Robert Kazinsky
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Known for roles in films like Pacific Rim and the series True Blood, Robert Kazinsky is an avid fan of World of Warcraft. He enthusiastically discussed his role in the Warcraft film, showcasing his passion for the game.
Leo Messi
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World champion Lionel Messi, who is now playing for Inter Miami, is another celebrity who is reportedly a gamer. According to his biographer, Guillem Balague, the Argentinian used to play PS2 when he first arrived in Barcelona, which helped him connect with his teammates. He plays mostly FIFA, and he reportedly is pretty good, even playing online.
Jack Black
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Jack Black, known for voicing Eddie Riggs in Brutal Legend, is involved in the gaming industry and runs a YouTube channel, JablinskiGames. He enjoys playing arcade games, Minecraft, and has expressed love for Red Dead Redemption 2.
