Just like Tarzan needs Jane, and Robin Hood needs Maid Marian, Superman needs Lois Lane. Christopher Reeve's portrayal of the Man of Steel may have been the most iconic of any to reach cinema screens, but it wouldn't have been quite the same if Margot Kidder wasn't there to play Lois Lane with real humanity and grace. She gave us a Lois that we could relate to, and it made her a star.
In truth, Kidder found fame hard to deal with. She struggled a lot with mental health issues after her she had her big break, and later became a passionate advocate for mental health charities and particularly bi-polar sufferers, having finally had her disorder correctly diagnosed. Her equally passionate advocacy for animal rights saw her spend great deals of time outdoors, which eventually led to health problems. She died at home in May, aged 69.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.