Over the past few years, celebrities and high-flyers alike have been exiting the US en masse, descending on the UK in droves, and setting up shop in luxurious hotspots like London and the Cotswolds.
From Ellen DeGeneres to John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, these A-listers have been shedding their LA blues for British views.
Click or scroll to discover the list of celebrities who have hopped across the pond…
Ellen DeGeneres has built a million-dollar career for herself with her talents as an actress, writer, producer, talk show host, and stand-up artist.
DeGeneres is perhaps most famous for her 19-year stint as host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which earned her 64 Daytime Emmy Awards, until accusations of workplace bullying ultimately led to the show’s decline and termination.
However, Ellen’s legacy as the first openly gay lead character on an American network television show remains intact.
In 2024, in the wake of the US election, DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, decided to pack up their longtime LA home and move to the UK, buying a bucolic 43-acre (17.4ha) Cotswolds property known as Kitesbridge Farm for £15 million ($20m) in 2024, £2.5 million ($3.3m) over the asking price.
The pair were very blunt about the fact that their move was precipitated by politics and their concerns over their rights as a gay couple if they remained in the US. Ellen reportedly told a crowd in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire that life "is just better" in the UK.
Kitesbridge Farm is back on the market via Sotheby's International Realty for £22.5 million ($30m).
Silver screen star and Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Gosling has won fans the world over through his starring roles in cult classics such as The Notebook, Crazy Stupid Love, La La Land, and Barbie.
Like many of Hollywood’s biggest stars of his generation, Gosling got his start as a member of Disney's The All New Mickey Mouse Club. In 2022, the star broke hearts by finally settling down, marrying retired actress Eva Mendes.
While Ryan and Eva have not yet made their transatlantic move official, the pair certainly enjoyed the London high life, renting in Notting Hill to accommodate Ryan’s filming schedule during Project Hail Mary.
Eva’s Instagram is full of glamorous snaps like this one from their London townhouse, where the pair moved with their two daughters for a significant portion of 2024.
“Seriously, it’s magical,” Eva said of their new home, suggesting they might be considering a more permanent relocation.
A versatile actor known for his eclectic roles and charismatic performances, Johnny Depp initially rose to fame in the 1980s with 21 Jump Street. He later became a frequent collaborator with director Tim Burton, starring in films like Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd.
Depp gained global recognition for his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Beyond acting, he's also a musician and producer, with a career marked by both critical acclaim and public controversies.
Amid the maelstrom of his very public defamation trial with actress and ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp fled the prying eyes of the American press to an 850-acre (344ha) country pile in Somerset, where he moved to focus on his rum brand.
Depp’s estate comes complete with a 12-bed, eight-bath 19th-century house dubbed Somerset Mansion, walled gardens, and even its own dairy farm, which the star acquired for £13 million ($17.3m). “I just love places with character”, Depp said of his new home.
At the age of just 14, Sophie Turner shot to fame as Sansa Stark in the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, a performance that earned widespread praise as her character evolved from a naive girl to a powerful leader.
Turner has also starred in films such as X-Men: Dark Phoenix, playing Jean Grey. The British-born star then married the equally famous musician Joe Jonas, with whom she has two daughters, only to divorce in 2024 after just five years.
After her divorce, Sophie fled LA for her beloved London, declaring, “I never want to move again”. Rattled by school shootings in the US and the persistently invasive press corps, Sophie was open about the fact that she wanted to raise her daughters in the UK.
While she has remained, understandably, private as to the exact location of her home beyond the fact that it is in West London, she makes numerous references to favourite haunts in the charming neighbourhood of Fulham.
Though perhaps most famous for his revitalisation of the Gucci brand in the 1990s, Tom Ford’s resume also includes credits as a fashion designer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur.
After serving as creative director at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, he launched his own luxury label in 2006, which became renowned for its sleek, modern style.
Born in Austin, Texas, Ford later transitioned into filmmaking, earning acclaim for directing A Single Man and Nocturnal Animals. His bold aesthetic and influence extend across fashion, film, and culture, making him a defining figure in modern luxury.
While Ford is known to have a luxurious collection of properties around the world, including LA and New York, in November 2024, the designer added a £80 million ($104m) London mansion to his portfolio. The sale was dubbed the UK’s most expensive real estate transaction of the year.
While the exact property remains unidentified, it is “believed to be a white stucco-fronted mansion” in the posh Chelsea neighbourhood. Ford had recently sold a different London mansion, this one in Regent’s Park, for an impressive eight figures.
Praised by many as the unapologetic voice of the millennial generation, Lena Dunham is likely best known as the creator of the HBO series Girls, which earned critical acclaim and several awards.
Another multihyphenate, Dunham is a writer, director, actress, and producer, whose characteristically raw, honest storytelling has won her both praise and criticism.
She is also an outspoken advocate for body positivity and mental health awareness, and has written numerous essays and books, and has directed several feature films outside of her TV career.
A well-known Anglophile, Dunham officially swapped her LA bungalow for a London pad after marrying Peruvian-British musician Luis Felber in 2021.
The pair now share a four-storey townhouse in North London, which Dunham has taken great joy in filling with colour and unique furnishings, which she regularly shares in snaps like this one on her Instagram.
“There's nothing (literally nothing) I love more than decorating a home”, she captioned one post about her new digs, which she regularly describes as an “English fantasy”.
Minnie Driver is a British-American actress and singer known for her breakout role in the film Circle of Friends and her Oscar-nominated performance in Good Will Hunting.
With a career spanning film, television, and music, she has appeared in projects like The Riches and Speechless, and has voiced characters in animation.
Driver is also an accomplished singer-songwriter, having released several albums. Her distinctive voice, versatility, and charisma have made her a lasting presence in the entertainment industry for more than three decades.
After 27 years in Los Angeles, Minnie Driver returned to her British roots in 2024, hopping back across the pond to London, a move which she has publicly explained was politically motivated.
Minnie, who retired from acting after the birth of her son, has enrolled him in school in the UK. While the exact location of her home is unspecified, it has been described as a “tall, elegant, and stuccoed” property somewhere in West London, from which she regularly posts family snaps like this one, revealing a cosy, homey atmosphere.
One of the most prominent celebrity power couples of the day, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have built an empire from their talent, charm, and strong social media presence.
Legend is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and EGOT winner, while Teigen is a model, TV personality, and cookbook author known for her humour and candidness online.
Married since 2013, they’ve become beloved for their authenticity, openness about family life, and advocacy on social issues, creating a powerful public partnership based on their supposed ‘relatability’.
While John and Chrissy do not yet live in London, the couple have enjoyed numerous Christmases there as a family, and have been seen house hunting in Chelsea.
The famous duo admitted to considering a move across the pond after becoming smitten over the course of several trips. “We love it here. Chrissy loves it and the kids love it”, Legend revealed in an interview with British newspaper The Sun, “we like to be in a colder place. We don't like to be in Los Angeles for Christmas".
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