These Famous Stars Own Private Islands and the Prices They Paid Will Leave You Speechless

For most people, a private island sounds like something from a movie.

For some celebrities, it is real life.

Private islands offer what fame usually takes away: privacy, space, quiet, and control. Some stars bought islands as family retreats. Some turned them into resorts. Some used them as long-term investments. Others kept them mostly undeveloped so they could escape the public eye.

Still, private island ownership can be complicated. Some celebrities own islands outright. Some have owned them in the past. Some bought islands through companies or investment groups. And some properties have later been listed for sale.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp owns one of the most famous celebrity private islands: Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Bahamas. The actor bought the 45-acre island in 2004 after falling in love with the Bahamas while filming Pirates of the Caribbean. The island has several beaches, and Depp has spoken in the past about how peaceful it felt compared with the noise of Hollywood life. He reportedly paid around $3.6 million for the property.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio bought Blackadore Caye, a private island in Belize, in 2005. The actor and environmental advocate purchased the island with plans to develop an eco-conscious luxury resort. The project was designed around restoration, sustainability, and renewable energy, though development has faced delays and environmental scrutiny over the years.

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry bought private island property in the Bahamas after becoming one of entertainment’s most successful creators and studio owners. He purchased White Bay Cay, a 25-acre island, along with a nearby seven-acre island. Perry has said the land was undeveloped when he bought it, meaning he had to bring in essentials like water, electricity, and even palm trees.

David Copperfield

David Copperfield owns Musha Cay in the Bahamas. The illusionist turned the island into one of the most exclusive private-island resorts in the world. Musha Cay is part of a larger island group in the Exumas and is used as a luxury rental destination for private groups.

Richard Branson

Richard Branson owns Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. The Virgin Group founder bought the island in the late 1970s and turned it into a luxury retreat. Necker Island has become one of the world’s most famous private islands, used for vacations, celebrity gatherings, business retreats, and high-end rentals. Branson also later acquired nearby Moskito Island.

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson owns Mago Island in Fiji. The island is one of the larger private islands in the South Pacific and has been publicly associated with Gibson since he bought it in 2005. The purchase was also controversial because descendants of original island inhabitants raised objections after the sale.

Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin has been linked to a private island in Brazil. The Latin pop star reportedly bought Ilha do Maia, a nearly 20-acre island near Angra dos Reis, in 2008. The purchase was widely described as an $8 million private retreat.

Shakira

Shakira was part of a high-profile investment group connected to Bonds Cay in the Bahamas. The large private island was once owned by a group of investors that included Shakira and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters. In 2026, the island returned to the market after years of limited development.

Roger Waters

Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, was also part of the investor group connected to Bonds Cay. The Bahamas island was once tied to plans for a luxury creative retreat involving artists and high-profile investors. Like Shakira’s involvement, Waters’ connection to the island belongs in the investment category rather than the private-family-hideaway category.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill owned L’île d’Anges, also known as Goat Cay, in the Bahamas. The country music couple bought the island in 2003 and eventually built a large vacation property there. In 2021, the island was listed for $35 million after years of work turning it into a family retreat with living spaces, staff housing, and island infrastructure.

Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy has been linked to Rooster Cay in the Bahamas. The comedian and actor reportedly bought the private island in 2007. The island sits near Nassau, making it more accessible than some remote celebrity retreats.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage has owned Leaf Cay in the Bahamas. The actor reportedly bought the island during his famous real estate-buying years, when his property portfolio included homes, castles, and unusual luxury purchases.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion once owned a private island estate in Quebec, Canada. The property included a large French Normandy-style mansion on a private island near Montreal. Dion and her late husband, René Angélil, later listed the island home for sale.

Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando bought Tetiaroa in French Polynesia in the 1960s. The actor fell in love with the island while filming Mutiny on the Bounty and later envisioned it as a peaceful retreat.

Bear Grylls

Bear Grylls owns St. Tudwal’s West, a small private island off the coast of Wales. Unlike the tropical islands on this list, Grylls’ island is rugged, cold, and far more rustic.

Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison owns most of Lanai in Hawaii. The Oracle co-founder bought the majority of the island in 2012 and has since been connected to major development, tourism, sustainability, and luxury resort projects there.

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan has been linked to private-island ownership and island investments. The action star’s global career has brought him wealth across film, endorsements, production, and business.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been repeatedly linked to private island purchases and luxury island retreats. The couple’s wealth, travel lifestyle, and real estate portfolio make the rumors believable, but many specific island-ownership claims are difficult to verify cleanly.

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg has also been linked to private island ownership in celebrity real estate discussions. Like several ultra-wealthy Hollywood figures, Spielberg has long had the resources for rare private property.

George Clooney

George Clooney is often associated with glamorous island-style living because of his famous Lake Como estate and luxury travel lifestyle.