Famous Faces

Knitting might seem like a quiet hobby, but it has found some rather unexpected fans in the world of celebrities. From Olympic champions to Hollywood stars, more famous faces than you might think enjoy picking up their needles and creating something by hand.

Tom Daley – The Olympic Knitter

Perhaps the most famous celebrity knitter of them all is British Olympic diver Tom Daley. He first picked up his knitting needles in March 2020, during the pandemic, and quickly discovered that knitting helped him relax and switch off from the pressures of elite sport.

Knitting became a regular part of his Olympic experience. At the Tokyo Games, cameras caught Daley knitting in the stands while watching other events, and his hobby soon became almost as recognisable as his diving.

He has knitted everything from sweaters and scarves to toys, baby clothes and blankets. He also creates colourful Olympic-inspired pieces. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, he knitted a red, white and blue sweater featuring the Eiffel Tower, the French and British flags, his name and the number five to represent his fifth Olympic Games. 

What started as a way to relax has now grown into his own knitting and crochet brand, Made With Love by Tom Daley. He has even taken his knitting beyond clothing, creating artwork and exhibitions inspired by his love of yarn.

Actress Amanda Seyfried, known for films such as Mamma Mia! and Mean Girls, is another keen crafter. In a 2026 interview with The Irish Times, she described herself as a "massive crocheter" and said she makes hats and sweaters, while also knitting scarves. Her creative interests extend well beyond yarn: she also enjoys embroidery, paper crafts and other textile-related activities. She explained that she is particularly inspired by colour, fabric and textiles. Her projects include sweaters, scarves, hats and baby blankets, often made as gifts for friends and family. For Seyfried, crafting provides a welcome break from the busy world of acting and gives her the satisfaction of making something herself.

Even Ryan Gosling has a connection with knitting. While filming Lars and the Real Girl, he spent time knitting on set and discovered just how relaxing it could be. Film sets involve plenty of waiting around between scenes, so knitting gave Gosling something creative to do while passing the time. He has spoken about enjoying the simple satisfaction of starting with a ball of wool and finishing with something he could actually use or give to someone. Interestingly, Gosling has recently found himself connected to knitting again thanks to Project Hail Mary. The distinctive hand-knitted cardigan worn by his character sparked huge interest among knitters, with fans recreating the vintage-inspired design.

Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has also been photographed knitting while working on films. She has spoken about her love of clothing and textiles, and her mother taught her to sew. She reportedly knitted ponchos for members of her family, showing that, for her, crafting isn't simply something to do between film roles — it can also be a way of making something personal for the people she loves.

Julia Roberts may be one of Hollywood's most recognisable actresses, but she has also spoken about enjoying the much quieter activity of knitting. Roberts has described herself as enjoying making things and has talked about knitting as something that helps pass the time — particularly during periods of waiting around.

Sex and the City star Kristin Davis has also been associated with knitting. Davis, who played Charlotte York, was reported to have taken up knitting as a way of occupying herself between meals rather than snacking. Instead of reaching for food when bored, knitting gives the hands something else to do — and at the end of it, you have something you have made yourself.

And then there's Russell Crowe — although his knitting story comes with a twist. He really did learn to knit as a child, but the famous photograph of him knitting as an adult was actually taken during a photo shoot. Crowe himself has explained that the picture helped create the impression that he was a keen adult knitter!