It all started in 1967. That was the year Marlon Brando bought a private island to call his own: Tetiaroa, a French Polynesian atoll about 30 miles north of Tahiti made up of 12 small islets strung around a lagoon. The actor had fallen in love with the serene spot, for which he paid a reported $200,000 (or about $1.89 million in today’s dollars, adjusted for inflation), while on location for his 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty. “If I’ve ever come close to finding genuine peace, it was on my island,” Brando wrote in his autobiography. The actor envisioned the development of an eco-friendly resort on Tetiaroa—a dream that was posthumously realized in 2014, when The Brando officially opened for business, eventually drawing the likes of Beyoncé and President Obama.
Nearly six decades later, the precedent set by Brando continues to have its allure. Seeking a peaceful spot outside the reach of prying eyes and paparazzi, the rich and famous continue to follow in his footsteps, dropping millions to acquire their own private island paradise. Below, we’ve rounded up a few of the celebs who have done just that.
Tyler Perry
Media mogul Tyler Perry celebrated his 40th birthday in 2009 by splurging on some land in the Bahamas: the 25-acre White Bay Cay and a nearby seven-acre island. The larger of the pair was listed for a reported $7 million, though the total that the filmmaker paid for the two parcels is unknown. “There was nothing there when I bought [White Bay Cay],” Perry told AD. “I had to bring in the water and electricity—even my own palm trees from Miami.”
Ricky Martin
According to People, Ricky Martin bought a Brazilian island in 2008 called Ilha do Maia. The King of Latin Pop paid $8 million for the nearly 20-acre plot, Forbes reported. Located about two hours from Rio de Janeiro, the compound reportedly has 12 cannons and watchtowers guarding a Portuguese colonial–style villa equipped with a party room.
David Copperfield
