Beloved (And Not-So-Beloved) Celebs Are Leaving The US In Droves Before 2025, Check Out Who
It seems to happen every time there's a presidential election: Depending on who wins, people pledge to leave the United States in an effort to put distance between themselves and the incoming president. The most high-profile example of this, of course, is when celebrities make these threats.
While some celebrities are serious about this and are in fact leaving the country, others are probably staying — despite what they say. We've also seen false reports. Let's delve in to how celebrities are reacting to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Who's going, and who's staying?
Sharon Stone
Earlier in 2024, film legend Sharon Stone announced that she would buy a house in Italy in the event of a GOP win in the election. Following the election, she doubled down in a panel discussion.
"You have seen this before," she said. "My country is in adolescense. Adolescence is naïve and ignorant and arrogant. Americans who don't travel, who 80 percent don't have a passport, who are uneducated, are in their extraordinary naïveté."
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné made headlines back in 2016 when she said she might just leave the United States following the election results. As she co-hosted The View, she mused that she would "move to Canada" in the event of a GOP win.
However, it seems that Raven-Symoné was just mulling over the possibility, as she did not wind up moving in the end. She later clarified her statements, saying that they were more of a lighthearted remark than a serious plan.
Miranda Maday
Of course, if Raven-Symoné were to leave the country, she would likely do so with her wife, Miranda Maday. Maday keeps a lower profile and doesn't appear to have said anything publicly about her plans.
Of course, when Raven-Symoné made her announcement in 2016, it seemed like a genuine plan. "My confession for this election is if any Republican gets nominated, I'm going to move to Canada with my entire family," she said. "I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear."
Vivian Wilson
While Elon Musk has made no secret of who he supported in the election, his estranged transgender daughter, Vivian Wilson, doesn't appear to agree with him.
In an Instagram threads post, she said, "I've thought about this for awhile, but yesterday confirmed it for me. I don't see my future being in the United States. Even if he's only in office for four years, if the anti-trans regulations magically don't happen, the people who willingly voted this in are not going anywhere anytime soon."
America Ferrera
Actress America Ferrera is set to move from the United States to England in the wake of the election results, according to the Daily Mail. While Ferrera was not quoted in the story, an insider said that she's "sick" with the results.
"America is sick that [he's] president again," the source said. "She is devastated that [the Democrats] lost. She thought the country she lived in was better than that."
Ryan Piers Williams
Ferrera's husband, actor Ryan Piers Williams, is of course part of the move across the pond. The Texas native will join his wife and their two children in England, if media reports are to be believed.
Williams, like Ferrera, has not publicly made any sort of announcement. A source told the Daily Mail that while Ferrera would not be living stateside, she still plans on having a presence in Hollywood.
Minnie Driver
Minnie Driver was born in the United Kingdom and raised in the U.K. and Barbados — but for the past two decades, she's called Los Angeles home and has dual citizenship. Despite this, it appears Driver is set to move back to her home country.
Back in July, Driver told the Times of London that, in the event of a GOP win, she "couldn't see [herself]" living in the United States anymore. "Living in California, you are somewhat insulated, she said. "But do you want to go and live in a bubble? Do you run away from the fire or do you go back and help?"
Whoopi Goldberg
At this point it's hard to take her claims seriously, but Whoopi Goldberg has a long history of threatening to leave the United States in response to a presidential election.
Along with other hosts of The View, Goldberg discussed the events of the election the day after it took place. But while co-host Joy Behar had sharp criticism for the results, Goldberg had little to say.
Cardi B
Cardi B was an unabashed supporter of the Democrats in the run-up to the election, and was understandably devastated at the election results. Following the news, she took to Instagram to express herself.
"I hate yall bad," she wrote in an Instagram story. "This is why some of y'all states be getting hurricanes." Later on, she shared a more heartfelt message in support of the Democrats and their cause.
Cher
Legendary singer Cher has never been afraid to speak her mind, and in a Rolling Stone interview conducted a little over a year before the election, she made her plans known.
"I almost got an ulcer the last time," she said. "If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave [the country]." While Cher hasn't followed up on this older interview, she also hasn't retracted her statement.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres claimed in her recent standup special that she was "kicked out of Hollywood." Now it seems as though she's kicking herself out of the country.
According to many media outlets, DeGeneres has decided to leave the United States as a direct response to the election results. While she hasn't commented on the move publicly, reports indicate that she'll be moving to the Cotswolds — a rural region of central England.
Portia de Rossi
Ellen's wife Portia de Rossi will be joining her on the move to England. While de Rossi has born and raised in Australia, she's spent much of the past two decades in the United States to pursue her acting career.
As a dual citizen, de Rossi is free to live in either the United States or Australia — but with the news of the move, it seems that she and Ellen might be U.K. citizens in the coming years.
Barbra Streisand
Like many other celebrities back in 2016, Barbra Streisand said she would leave the country in the event of a GOP win — and like many of those same celebrities, Streisand chose to stay put.
Despite this, Streisand has revisited the idea on at least one occasion in the years since. On Stephen Colbert's Late Show in 2023, she said, "I can't live in this country if he becomes president." She named England as the country she'd like to move to.
Amy Schumer
Comedian Amy Schumer said in no uncertain terms in 2016 that she planned to leave the country. "My act will change because I'll need to learn to speak Spanish because I will move to Spain or somewhere," she said. "It's beyond my comprehension if [he] won. It's too crazy."
After the results of the 2016 election came in, Schumer said that her plans were just a joke. She's been relatively silent on the issue ever since.
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler went through a full range of emotions following the 2016 election on her Netflix show Chelsea — describing her disappointment and the drive to leave the country in frustration. Despite this, she chose to stay put.
"It's so easy to throw in the towel and that we're going to leave or I'm going to move to Spain, because I want to move to Spain," she said. "I really, really want to move to Spain right now."
Jon Stewart
Political satirist and commentator Jon Stewart has been plugged into U.S. politics for more than a quarter century, so it might come as a surprise that he planned to leave the country. That's because reports stating that he's leaving appear to be false.
After the 2024 election, he shared an inspiring message: "We're all going to have to wake up tomorrow morning and work like hell to move the world to the place that we'd prefer it to be."
Miley Cyrus
In 2016, reports indicated that pop star Miley Cyrus said she'd be "moving if this is my president," but the following years stated to NME, "I'm not [expletive] leaving the country, that's some ignorant [expletive], that's dumb."
"I hear every day on my Instagram, 'Just leave already! When are you going to leave?' Well, that's not going to be any good. Does it really matter where I am? Because wherever I am, my [expletive] voice is gonna be heard, and I'll make sure of it."
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria once lived in the United States and now lives in Spain, but she insists the move was not made in response to the election results.
"Will you please let them know I didn't move out of the United States because of [the election]?" she said on The View. "I didn't leave because of the political environment. I left because my work took me there."
Snoop Dogg
It's hard to imagine rapper Snoop Dogg living anywhere else but southern California, but it seems the icon has been looking to the Great White North in response to the election.
He posted a picture of the CN Tower in Toronto on Instagram and asked Canadian rapper (and Toronto resident) Drake for some real estate advice, saying, "I need the hookup on some property...I'm going to the 6ix."
Al Sharpton
The Reverend Al Sharpton is no fan of modern GOP policy, and has been sharply critical of Republican policies in the past. In 2016, he said he'd leave the country in the event of a GOP win, saying he'd probably be deported anyway.
Later, he admitted that the remark has just a joke, and that he was going to stay in the U.S. to continue his work. "Saddle up your horse," he said. "This is gonna be a fight for the future of this country."
Keegan-Michael Key
Comedian Keegan-Michael Key grew up in the Detroit area, and said in 2016 that he'd move out of the country — but not far — if the Republicans won the election.
"[Canada] is like, ten minutes from Detroit," he told TMZ. "That's where I'm from, my mom lives there. It'd make her happy too." It seemed like an offhand remark, and it clearly was, as Key continues to live in the United States.
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate made no specific plans to leave the United States, but she did not hold back on sharing her opinion — and her disappointment — in the election results.
"Please unfollow me if you voted against female right. Against disability rights. Yeah that," Applegate wrote on Twitter/X. "Unfollow me because what you did is unreal."
George Lopez
George Lopez was ahead of the curve when it comes to threats to leave the country. Way back in 2015, more than a year before the 2016 election, the comedia told TMZ that if the GOP won, he'd move to Mexico.
"If he wins, he won't have to worry about immigration — we'll all go back," Lopez said in a tongue-in-cheek remark. Lopez, of course, continues to live stateside.
Bryan Cranston
Actor Bryan Cranston was blunt in his assessment of the GOP candidate in the 2016 election, saying, "Absolutely, I would definitely move [if the GOP wins]." He added, "It's not real to me that that would happen. I hope to God it won't."
Following the election results, he struck a more subdued tone. Cranston acknowledged that he was "shocked and disappointed by the outcome," but expressed his hopes that the new president would unify the country.
Mandy Moore
Singer Mandy Moore took to Instagram in the wake of the 2024 election results to share her thoughts. In an Instagram story, she called for mental wellness during a stressful time.
"Shout out to all of us processing our grief, disbelief, anger, fear, uncertainty, devastation while simultaneously carrying on with life and putting on a brave face for our families," she said. "I see you. Let's be tender with ourselves and one another."
Lena Dunham
Girls creator and star Lena Dunham made very specific plans to move to Canada in the wake of the 2016 election. "I know a lot of people have been threatening to do this, but I really will," she said. "I know a lovely place in Vancouver."
After the election, she followed up: "For those demanding I move to Canada based on something I said when this man seemed like a steak salesman with a long shot at the presidency, stay busy reveling in your new regime."
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson is another celebrity who pledged to leave the country if the Republicans took the White House in 2016 with a caustic statement directed at the GOP.
"If that mother[explective] becomes president, I'm moving my black [behind] to South Africa," Jackson said in characteristic fashion. While social media users in South Africa prepared to welcome Jackson with open arms, he did not wind up making the move in the end.
John Legend
While most celebrities made their threats to leave the country during the 2016 and 2024 elections, singer John Legend made his comments in the run-up to the 2020 election.
He told Cosmopolitan that he and his wife Chrissy Teigen had contemplated leaving the country in response to the 2016 election. "Every once in awhile, you think about it," he said. "We were born and raised here, all of our families are here. It would be hard to leave. But I don't know what one's supposed to do when you have a leader who is trying to destroy democracy."
Tommy Lee
Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee told The Big Issue back in 2020, "Dude, I swear to God if [the GOP wins], then I'm coming over to visit the U.K."
"I'm out of here," he continued, "I'll go back to my motherland, go back to Greece, and get a house on one of the islands." While Tommy Lee does have Greek heritage and may own property outside the U.S., he still lives primarily stateside.
Bruce Springsteen
He might have been born in the U.S.A., but the Boss said in 2020 that he was prepared to go to Australia in the event of a GOP win. "If [the GOP] is re-elected — which they will not be, I'm predicting right now they're gonna lose — if by some happenstance they should be, I'll see you on the next plane."
The remarks were tongue-in-cheek, and the GOP was not in fact elected in 2020, so Springsteen broke no promises.
