Let’s be real. When you think of A-list actors, basketball legends, or reality TV stars, your first thought probably isn’t bestselling author. Maybe you’ve seen them in movies or watched them dominate on screen. Yet some of these famous faces have quietly stepped into the world of publishing and created works that actually hit the bestseller lists. The twist? Most people have no idea they wrote books at all.
Not every celebrity memoir is what it seems. Some famous names work with ghostwriters while others genuinely sit down and craft novels themselves. The line can get blurry. Still, there are those rare individuals who’ve managed to surprise us by penning legitimate fiction that stands on its own merit. I think what makes this so fascinating is how unexpected it is. These aren’t just vanity projects. Some of these books are genuinely good reads. So let’s dive in and discover which celebrities have secretly been moonlighting as authors.
1. Carrie Fisher – Postcards from the Edge
Published way back in 1987, actress Carrie Fisher’s semi-autobiographical novel is generally acknowledged to be among the very best examples of the celebrity-turned-author phenomenon. Most people knew her as Princess Leia, forever immortalized in the Star Wars universe. What fewer fans realized was that Fisher had serious writing chops.
Postcards from the Edge is the story of a young actress who is struggling to rebuild her life while battling a drug addiction but is still able to find the humor in everything. Carrie adapted Postcards into a film starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine in 1990, and the When Harry Met Sally star, a bestselling author, went on to pen three more novels and three autobiographies. Her courage in addressing addiction and Hollywood’s darker side made the book unforgettable. Honestly, it’s one of those rare instances where celebrity status didn’t overshadow literary talent.
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Mycroft Holmes
Here’s something that’ll surprise you. Basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar grew up adoring the Sherlock Holmes novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In 2015, he surprised the world by publishing Mycroft Holmes, a novel featuring Sherlock’s older brother Mycroft, the British civil service, and a mystery set on the island nation of Trinidad.
Cowritten with author Anna Waterhouse, the novel was very well received and kick-started an ongoing series of books. Abdul-Jabbar didn’t just slap his name on a project and call it a day. He genuinely loves the Holmes universe and brought that passion to every page. It’s hard to say for sure, but I’d wager most basketball fans had no clue their hero was also a mystery writer.
3. Hugh Laurie – The Gun Seller
Before he became the sarcastic genius Dr. House, Hugh Laurie was busy crafting something entirely different. British actor Hugh Laurie made a surprise visit to the mystery-thriller genre in 1996 with The Gun Seller, a kind of comic espionage tale about an ex-military British mercenary with a soft heart and a penchant for trouble. The New York Times review called the book “genuinely witty and sophisticated entertainment.”
Laurie’s wit and comedic timing didn’t just translate to screen. His novel was sharp and self-aware. The fact that he also plays blues music just adds another layer to his creative repertoire.
4. Molly Ringwald – When It Happens to You
Subtitled A Novel in Stories, When It Happens to You is the debut book from actress Molly Ringwald, who became incredibly, uncomfortably famous after starring in 1980s films like Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink. The book’s interconnected stories focus mostly on family and relationships, particularly the parent-child dynamic at the heart of the title story.
Ringwald grew up with us. So did her writing. She explored the messy, complicated realities of adult life with nuance and emotional depth. This wasn’t just another celebrity cashing in on name recognition. It was a genuine literary effort that critics actually praised.
5. David Duchovny – Truly Like Lightning
Fox Mulder solving mysteries on The X-Files was one thing. Best known for his role as FBI agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files, author and actor David Duchovny has written several novels since achieving celebrity status. His fourth, and generally considered his best, Truly Like Lightning, tells the strange tale of a former Hollywood stuntman, his homesteading Mormon family in the California desert, and a radical change in lifestyle.
Duchovny holds a master’s degree in English literature from Yale University and has published several other books. That academic background shines through. His novels aren’t fluff. They tackle big themes like human nature and environmental trauma with real thoughtfulness.
6. Tom Hanks – The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece
Tom Hanks is a proper Movie Star – in his long career onscreen, he’s become a kind of ambassador of the American character. So when Hanks writes a book, we should pay attention. Hanks’s novel, his first, unspools across three timelines: 1947, 1970, and the present day.
The story follows a war hero who inspires a comic book character, which in turn inspires a giant superhero movie. It’s about how stories are told and how movies are made. Hanks brought his insider knowledge of Hollywood to the page. The novel even includes original comic books written by Hanks himself. It’s a love letter to storytelling, crafted by someone who genuinely understands the medium.
7. Susanna Hoffs – This Bird Has Flown
As de facto lead singer of the Bangles, Susanna Hoffs was the target of a million teenage crushes in the 1980s. Her debut romantic comedy is also set in the world of music, as fading pop star Jane Start gets what’s left of her mojo back by way of an extended London fling with a sexy Oxford literature professor. This Bird Has Flown is getting remarkably strong reviews, with critics praising Hoffs’ writing chops and her unsinkable lead character.
The rock star turned novelist? It sounds too good to be true, but Hoffs actually pulled it off. Her understanding of the music world gave the book authenticity that most romance novels can’t touch.
8. Steve Martin – An Object of Beauty
Steve Martin is a majorly talented writer, and An Object of Beauty is one of many projects that attests to that. It’s one of two fiction novels he’s published and follows a young woman who moves to New York to immerse herself in the art scene.
Martin’s always been more than just a comedian. His deep knowledge of art collecting and the New York gallery world brought real substance to this novel. The humor is subtle, the observations sharp. People who only know him from his comedy might be genuinely shocked by how literary his writing can be.
9. Ethan Hawke – A Bright Ray of Darkness
A bracing meditation on fame and celebrity, and the redemptive, healing power of art; a portrait of the ravages of disappointment and divorce; a poignant consideration of the rites of fatherhood and manhood; a novel soaked in rage and sex, longing and despair; and a passionate love letter to the world of theater, A Bright Ray of Darkness showcases Ethan Hawke’s gifts as a novelist as never before.
The book is raw. It explores a young actor’s emotional collapse during a Broadway production of Henry IV. Hawke didn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths about fame and personal failure. His insider perspective on theater gave the book an intensity that felt achingly real.
10. Steve Martin – Shopgirl
Martin conjures a world of modern melancholy and provides a kinda-sorta happy ending. But be aware that the humor here is subtle and dry. This novella follows a young woman working behind the glove counter at a Los Angeles department store, navigating loneliness and unlikely romance.
Martin’s writing has always been understated. Shopgirl captures a particular kind of urban isolation that resonates with anyone who’s ever felt adrift in a big city. The book was later adapted into a film, but the novel remains the superior version.
11. B.J. Novak – One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories
B.J. Novak’s fiction debut was pretty well received. The series of short stories explore being human in a way that’s humorous but has staying power. Most people knew him as Ryan from The Office. Few expected him to craft a collection of stories that would earn legitimate critical praise.
The stories range from absurdist comedy to surprisingly tender observations about modern life. Novak’s background in television comedy gave his prose a snappy rhythm, but he also demonstrated real depth as a writer. The book proved he wasn’t just a funny face on a sitcom.
Conclusion
These eleven celebrities didn’t just phone it in or rely entirely on ghostwriters to do the heavy lifting. They actually wrote books that earned critical respect and commercial success. Some brought academic credentials to the table. Others channeled personal experiences into compelling narratives. What they all share is a willingness to step outside their comfort zones and try something genuinely difficult.
It’s easy to be cynical about celebrity books. Plenty of them are vanity projects or thinly veiled cash grabs. Yet these examples remind us that talent can cross boundaries in unexpected ways. The next time you see a famous name on a book cover, it might be worth giving it a chance. You might just discover that the person you knew from the screen or stage has an entirely different story to tell.
What do you think about celebrities writing fiction? Does it surprise you that some of them are genuinely talented authors? Let us know in the comments.
