10 celebs who have tried celibacy for personal reasons: From Lenny Kravitz to Justin Bieber
10 celebrities who have been candid about practicing celibacy
Sex can be a touchy topic, especially when you're always in the public eye. While most celebrities prefer to keep their sex life hush-hush, some have taken a more open approach. A smaller group, which includes the likes of Julia Fox and Andrew Garfield, claims to have forgo having sex for a while and that, most of the time, it genuinely improved their lives. Here are 10 celebs who have been more than willing to talk about practicing sexual abstinence:
1. Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz revealed to Maxim back in 2008 that he had been celibate for three years and intended to wait to get married before having any sexual relations. The rocker took a celibacy pledge in 2005 and tackled it by "taking responsibility. Discipline. Not letting my own desires take over." In a recent interview with The Guardian to promote his new album, the 60-year-old singer reaffirmed his vow to abstinence, responding, "Yes. It’s a spiritual thing," before adding that he hadn't been in a committed relationship for nine years.
2. Julia Fox
In a recent TikTok comment, Julia Fox addressed her decision to remain celibate. On May 12, she left a comment on a TikTok video, stating, "2.5 years of celibacy and never been better tbh," as per Page Six. During an appearance on 'Watch What Happens Live', Fox admitted that it was difficult initially but she has now adapted to abstinence. "I think it’s just like getting over anything ― smoking, drugs, whatever it may be. Eventually, you just forget, and then all that energy that you were putting toward sex, you can put it toward other things," said the Italian-American actress.
3. Suki Waterhouse
Suki Waterhouse underwent a protracted "bout of celibacy" before reconciling with her longtime partner Robert Pattinson, according to an October 2023 installment of 'Driven Minds: A Type 7 Podcast'. In the long run, it proved to be a "brilliant" decision for her mental well-being. She went so far as to go on "no dates [or] no nothing" at that time. "It turned out to be great. I got very clear and got very comfortable with being by myself — then I ended up meeting my boyfriend," shared Waterhouse about practicing celibacy.
4. Andrew Garfield
Andrew Garfield decided to live a celibate life while preparing for his part in Martin Scorsese’s 2016 movie 'Silence'. The actor claimed that he went on a strict fasting diet and abstained from sexual activity for six months before filming, which turned out to be an intense spiritual experience. During his appearance on the 'WTF With Marc Maron' podcast, Garfield shared, "I had an incredibly spiritual experience... It was very cool, man. I had some pretty wild, trippy experiences from starving myself of sex and food at that time."
5. Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber embarked on a protracted journey of abstinence before meeting his current wife, Hailey Bieber, as he explained to Vogue, to address his "legitimate problem with sex." The couple chose to postpone having sex until after they were married because they felt that doing so would bring them closer to God. The 'Baby' singer told the outlet, "I think sex can cause a lot of pain. Sometimes people have sex because they don’t feel good enough ... And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result. There are perks. You get rewarded for good behavior."
6. Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson chose to put off having sex until after she married Nick Lachey in 2002. "My virginity is something I stand strong in," said the singer at the time, adding, "It's not always easy. But I do respect it. Virginity can be cool and sexy." The couple parted ways in 2005 and their divorce was officially formalized the next year. In 2014, Simpson married Eric Johnson, a former NFL player, while Lachey married actress-model Vanessa Lachey in 2011.
7. Lady Gaga
In 2010, Lady Gaga decided to go celibate to protect her creativity. Speaking about her love life, she stated that she was content to be single and celibate for a long because she didn't have time to get to know anyone. The singer told the Daily Mail at the time, "I can’t believe I’m saying this – don’t have sex. I’m single right now and I’ve chosen to be single because I don’t have the time to get to know anybody. So it’s OK not to have sex, it’s OK to get to know people. I’m celibate, celibacy’s fine."
8. Kevin Jonas
The Jonas Brothers gained notoriety in the 2010s for wearing purity rings as a sign of their abstinence. Moreover, older brother Kevin abstained from having sex until he married Danielle Deleasa in 2009, despite younger brothers Joe and Nick's later admission that they removed the ring soon after. Kevin told PEOPLE Magazine, "I could’ve gotten married the day after we got engaged. We’d have gone crazy waiting any longer."
9. Julianne Hough
According to Elite Daily, Julianne Hough told CosmoGirl! back in 2008, she wanted to wait to get married before having sex. "I think [the choice] to have sex before marriage is an individual one, but if you’re just with one person, it’s only for one good reason, and [waiting to have sex] will strengthen that relationship. I’m not trying to preach consequences here, but I think when you say no, down the line, it will be a better decision," shared the 'Footloose' star to the publication.
10. Nicki Minaj
According to Elite Daily, Nicki Minaj addressed her relatively sex-free time while she was romantically linked to Nas during an interview on the 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' in 2017. She noted at the time, "I’m just chillin’ right now. I’m celibate. I wanted to go a year without dating any man. I hate men."
