Giving back. Celebrities may be beloved by people around the world, but it’s not a one-sided relationship. Stars such as Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban adore their fans right back, going out of their way to make sure their supporters know that they are appreciated through acts of kindness.
For some, like Drake and Katy Perry, that means getting in some serious face time with their admirers, while others help out in more creative ways: J.K. Rowling lent her signature for an uber-personal tattoo, while Thor’s Chris Hemsworth gave a traveling fan a lift to his destination.
In 2021, single mom Angelia Cantrell set up a GoFundMe page, asking for assistance to keep her home after she lost her husband to COVID-19. As she continued her pleas, Kim Kardashian quietly donated $3,000 to the cause.
“When I saw the donation, I literally fell to the floor in tears. I shared my GoFundMe link with several celebrities, including Supernatural TV stars Alaina Huffman and Lisa Berry who donated as well, just simply asking them to share,” Cantrell told Entertainment Tonight at the time. “I never dreamed that celebrities would take notice of our story, let alone donate. … Words cannot describe how blessed and thankful we are. This, by far, has been one of the biggest miracles God has given.”
Cantrell further discussed the Skims mogul’s generosity: “During this difficult time in my life, I prayed daily and continuously kept my faith throughout. When I received the donation, I had hours left to gather the money and pay my landlord to avoid eviction. Words cannot describe how blessed and thankful we are. This, by far, has been one of the biggest miracles God has given.”
Less than a year earlier, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum announced via social media that she wanted to “spread the love” by sending 1,000 fans $500 in December 2021. She wanted to help those who were “struggling, worried about how they’re going pay rent” or “put food on the table” amid the holiday season.
The KKW Beauty founder is not the first celebrity to give back to her devoted fans. Shaquille O’Neal once paid for a young man’s engagement ring for his bride-to-be after they met in a jewelry store.
“Whenever I leave the house, I just try to do a good deed,” the professional athlete revealed during an April 2021 episode of NBA on TNT. “I’m just trying to make people smile, that’s all.”
Scroll through for more stars who have taken the time to say ‘thank you’ to the ones who made them famous.