13 Female Celebrities Who Own Guns (PHOTOS)
Their careers may be on fire, but some female celebrities are packing another kind of heat. Whether they arm themselves for security reasons, collect guns as a hobby, blow off steam at the firing range, or hunt deer and ducks in rural areas, a number of women in Hollywood proudly exercise their Second Amendment rights by owning a gun -- or five.
While it's hardly shocking to learn that celebs like Angelina Jolie and Miranda Lambert love the feel of cold steel in their hands, there are some unexpected names on our list of 13 gun owners. Get ready to meet Hollywood's locked-and-loaded ladies.
Image ©Xavier Collin/Splash News
Angelina Jolie
If Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie seems comfortable riddling enemies with bullets in action flicks like Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wanted, and Salt, it's because the mother of six does, in fact, know her way around a gun. In a 2008 interview, Jolie admitted that she bought real versions of the weapons she used in Tomb Raider in order to feel secure in her ability to protect her brood. "If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, I've no problem shooting them," said Jolie, seen in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, at left.
Miranda Lambert
Saucy country singer Miranda Lambert says she's always been comfortable around firearms thanks to her police officer father, who introduced her to guns at an early age and taught her how to handle them safely. Nowadays, the "Kerosene" singer hardly needs to rely on flammable substances to protect herself. In a 2012 Self cover story, Lambert admitted to carrying a gun for security purposes, a decision she made after receiving several death threats. "I don't want bodyguards," she said. "I am my own security."
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Amber Heard
Like her husband Johnny Depp, actress Amber Heard gets pumped up when talking about guns. In a 2010 interview, the native Texan spoke passionately about her pro-gun stance, intimating that she owned several guns and was an active member of a gun club. "I sleep with my gun in a place that's close enough that, if I needed to protect myself, I could," said the star of The Danish Girl. "It's not in bed with me, though; it's in a safe location." Her weapon of choice? A .357 Magnum.
Demi Moore
Back in 2010, Ashton Kutcher tweeted a photo of his then-wife Demi Moore firing a machine gun at a gun range, captioning the photo, "This is why we don't mess with Mrs Kutcher." The gun enthusiasts invested in a pair of firearms shortly after their 2005 nuptials: a Springfield for Kutcher and a Glock for Moore, seen at left in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.
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Sherri Shepherd
She may be a comedian, but Sherri Shepherd doesn't consider her family's safety a laughing matter. In May 2013, Sheperd spoke publicly about her decision to buy a gun following a home invasion scare during which the alarm system in her New York pad went off. Luckily, the incident proved to be a false alarm, but Shepherd was left feeling vulnerable, saying that, at that moment, she realized all she had to protect her son was a wicker basket. Now that she's a gun owner, she presumably rests a lot easier.
Laura Prepon
Could Orange Is The New Black star Laura Prepon be just as tough as her character on the show? The statuesque actress owns an AR-15 rifle and a Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle. “I love the energy you feel when you shoot," Prepon told Stuff magazine in August 2000. “Some people get a little freaked out by it, but I am so into guns."
Eva Longoria
Growing up in Corpus Christi, Texas, the Desperate Housewives star first picked up a gun at age 4 and, with her parents' guidance, developed a knack for hunting deer, turkey, and quail on her family's ranch, perfecting her aim in order to capture her prey. "I used to go target shooting all the time growing up, so I'm great with a gun," Longoria, pictured at left shooting The Sentinel, boasted. "We'd shoot Coke cans and anything that exploded."
Kelly Carlson
In 2012, Nip/Tuck actress Kelly Carlson found herself fearing for her life. A former acquaintance began stalking her, going so far as to hire people to break into her home. The police, meanwhile, failed to take her complaints seriously. In order to protect herself, Carlson purchased a gun, a decision she has called "life changing." Now an advocate for safe and responsible gun ownership, Carlson argues, "If you have intruders or any scenario where you're being dominated physically, a firearm] is the only equalizer you have."
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Whoopi Goldberg
Known for her liberal views, The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg shocked some audience members in a May 2012 taping of the show during which she revealed she's a card-carrying member of the NRA. Immediately after Goldberg's remark, show guest and Fox show host John Stossel joked, "Are you packing now?" to which Goldberg countered, "You don't want to find out." Zing!
Dolly Parton
During her childhood in rural Tennessee, the now-legendary singer and actress would often accompany her dad and brothers on hunting trips. At 69, Parton says she still keeps guns in her home, adding, "If anyone walked in on me I would probably shoot them." Take heed, folks: unexpected pop-ins are probably not the best idea in the Parton home.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
It turns out the surname "Huntington" is quite fitting for this British model and actress. The Victoria's Secret Angel grew up shooting pheasants and rabbits in her family's farm in the city of Plymouth, located in the southern coast of Devon, England. "Everything gets eaten on the farm," she said. "It’s where food comes from."
Heidi Montag
While filming the 2013 documentary Speidi: Scandal, Secrets & Surgery! for the UK's Channel 5, reality TV star Heidi Montag and her husband Spencer Pratt showcased a veritable arsenal of weapons stored in their Santa Barbara, California beach house. The couple's collection includes an FBI sniper rife and a Benelli semi-automatic shotgun. Regarding her own passion for shooting, Montag said, "It is one of my favorite activities...It makes me feel proud to be an American."
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Hilary Duff
In November, the former Disney star was spotted leaving a gun store in Culver City, California, carrying a Glock case and a bag holding a box of Remington bullets. It's unclear why Duff purchased the firearm, though Internet sources speculate that the divorced single mom might have wanted it for safety reasons.