Ten Introverted Celebrities Dead or Alive

Here’s to the celebrities - dead or alive - that have shown you can be in the public eye, be hugely successful and remain part of the introvert club.

FREDDIE MERCURY:

"When I'm performing I'm an extrovert, yet inside I'm a completely different man"

Being able to adopt an outwardly extroverted persona for the purpose of work, sports, or the like is something many introverts might be able to relate to.

The hugely charismatic, flamboyant and much loved frontman of Queen was reported to be much more reserved and quieter away from the main stage. In an interview, Freddie advised “Most of the time, I leave that face back of the stage and I just become myself which is… very different”

COURTNEY COX

Courtney - aka Monica Gellar, the loud, high-maintenance, meticulous, clean freak character she played in Friends (regularly regarded as one of the greatest shows created) - said of her past relationship to Scream co-star David Arquette, that he was the outgoing one, whilst she was more of an introvert.

Courtney has also appeared as mouthy, hard-nosed journalist Gail Weathers in the Scream franchise, which showed us her colder, darker side. Whatever side she’s showing us though, as introverts we know to get to know the real her would be to engage in a one on one. If only!

ZAYN MALIK:

Often referred to as the moody, bad boy of One Direction, Zayn - who has since gone solo - admits to being anxious, shy and introverted. This tends to be misinterpreted, giving him his bad boy image. This tatted, introverted Yorkshire lad is also a bit of a fashionista and regularly appears on ‘sexiest men alive’ polls.

LADY GAGA:

With a hugely extroverted stage presence, a powerhouse of a voice, noteworthy acting credentials and the bolshiness to be seen in the infamous ‘meat dress’, it’s easy to mistake Lady Gaga as an extrovert.

Lady Gaga has herself stated she cherishes her loneliness and is quoted as being focused on her music and generally keeping herself to herself.

Lady Gaga’s name is taken from the song 'Radio Gaga' by Queen and much like frontman Freddie (also on the list), she has a flamboyant, charismatic stage presence and personifies stardom.

EMMA WATSON

Forever remembered for playing the straight-arrowed, but loyal know-it-all Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, Emma is also an activist, writer and fashion icon. She’s opened up about her preference for time alone and being a ‘socially awkward, introverted person’ - not that we’d ever guess. Emma has also been ranked by Forbes as being amongst the highest paid female actors in the world.

J.K. ROWLING

Billionaire author of the Harry Potter franchise, J.K Rowling is almost that archetypal writer - brilliantly minded and introverted, and at one stage ‘the struggling writer’.

She may not be a struggling writer anymore, having blessed the world with a creation sometimes too perfect and other-worldly to be real. And while she has been heavily criticised for some very infamous and outspoken views on certain minority groups, she is very much an introvert

KURT COBAIN:

Dubbed by most as almost entirely an INFP, the former frontman of Nirvana was sensitive, hated the limelight and was known as highly introspective and often referred to as an introvert.

Sadly, he committed suicide in April of 1994, but continues to live on not only as a voice of a generation (something he struggled with and dismissed vehemently), but a key part of the grunge movement and the ultimate anti-rockstar

LANA DEL REY

Unlike some of those on this list, this one might not come as a surprise. Lana Del Rey is the stage name invented by Elizabeth Woodrigde Grant (her name in real life) and is often the poster child for that moody, rebellious bad girl with a darkness that’s deeply alluring and seductive.

As an artist, Del Rey has come out with some brilliant, darkly emotive songs. The emotions of loneliness, longing and a sense of being misunderstood are just some of the themes involved in her music. So it’s no secret when she admitted to being an introvert.

JOHNNY DEPP

Love him or hate him, Johnny has played some truly memorable characters - from the deeply shy, quirky Edward Scissorhands to the loveable trickster, Jack Sparrow. He’s also the face of the intensely popular cologne, Sauvage by Dior.

His dark features and ability to play complex, moody characters often lead him to be a heart-throb to many the world over (he’s been in the top 5 favourite to all my past girlfriends). Johnny also describes himself as shy and not liking social situations.

BEYONCE

“I’m really more quiet, and not really shy but reserved and speak when spoken to and polite. When I’m on the stage I’m aggressive, I’m strong, I’m fearless. I’m not who I really am in real life”

If Freddie Mercury or Lady Gaga weren’t surprises for their off-stage, introverted personas, then Beyonce - aka Queen Bey and Sasha Fierce - sure is.

If not known for being a megastar in her own right, she is also known as being one of the founding members of one of the greatest female groups of all time, Destiny’s Child.

With numerous accolades and awards under her belt and sellout tours delivering, jaw-dropping, phenomenal performances, the extroversion exuded on stage is apparently just that: for the stage.

CONCLUSION:

While you shouldn't need to validate your introversion by knowing some of your favourite megastar celebrities are also introverts, it always helps to know how strong we stand.

We come in many shapes and forms and with names like Freddie Mercury and Beyonce, it shows that the ability to entertain, put on a show and ooze charisma isn't just for our extroverted counterparts.