In
a past online discussion, we were talking about celebrities
that we know of that have rats as pets. I thought it would be cool
to try and maintain a list here, for reference. If you know of a celebrity
that has pet rats, please e-mail
me. If you found an article that proves it, please also let me
know, and if it is online, please provide a link to support your claim.
I want the list to be as accurate as possible, however, I do make discretionary decisions about who is and is NOT included, for ethical and personal reasons. Thanks!
CONFIRMED
Michaela
Dorfmeister (Austrian Skier - Gold Medalist in Women's SuperG at Torino
Olympics in 2006)
During
NBC Olympic coverage on Monday, February 20, 2006, journalist Jimmy
Roberts did a piece on Olympic athletes with unusual backgrounds.
At the end of the piece, he mentioned that Michaela keeps rats as
pets. Since then, I have also heard that she has been known to bring
one of her rats to the podium with her when she wins medals in events!
Jamie
Lee Curtis (Actress)
In the November 29, 2004, issue of People magazine (sexiest man alive
issue) there is an article about Jamie Lee Curtis, where she reveals
her son has a pet rat, Diglett. She mentions giving him medication,
and there's a picture of her with Diglett on her shoulder!
Rupert
Grint (Actor)
After the filming of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,"
Grint (Ron Weasley) decided to adopt the two rats used to play Scabbers,
Ron's pet rat in the film.
Source: Berliner Morgenpost, via Ananova
Kim
Basinger (Actress)
Kim's Basinger's 8-year-old daughter Ireland (with her ex Alec Baldwin)
shares the actress's love of all creatures great and small. 'I have
21 animals at home - dogs, cats, ducks, bunnies, a cow, hermit crabs,
fish and a rat named Nibbles,' says Basinger, 50, costarring in the
upcoming drama The Door in the Floor, 'I've had every pet there is,
but never knew much about rats. At the end of Ireland's kindergarden
year, the rats needed to go home with someone. There were only two
names in the jar. Ireland ran home and said, 'Mom, I won you the rats!'
I couldn't say no. They're fun to play with, and they're incredibly
bright. They sit on your shoulder while you're working on the computer.
They're just beautiful.'"
Source: People Magazine
Clint
Eastwood (Actor)
Source: ABCNews.com Article.
Clint even cleans their cages!
John
Cleese (Monty Python)
Source: Rat Report, February 2001. Sam and Tony put him at ease before
he tackles a project. Here's an article on Monty
Python's Daily Llama that mentions them.
Frankie
Muniz (Malcolm on Malcolm in the Middle)
Source: Yahooligans
Chat Transcript. At the date of this chat, Frankie's rat had no
name yet...
Justin
Berfield (Reese on Malcolm in the Middle)
Source: Teenmag.com
Article and Efanguide.com
Biography.
Edward
Furlong (Terminator II)
Source: Rat Report, November 1998. Saved rats from the filming of
the movie Pecker, which were going to be killed after filming.
Angelina
Jolie (Girl, Interrupted, Tomb Raider)
Source: MSN
Entertainment article. Harry was a gift from her husband, Billy
Bob Thornton.
Grace
Slick (Jefferson Airplane, Starship)
Source: Rat Report, July 2000. She likes being licked!
Howie
Mandell's wife
Source: The Howie Mandell Show where Debbie Ducommun of the Rat Fan
Club was a guest.
Lynn
Herring (Port Charles and General Hospital)
Source: Celebrity
Interview Q&A archive
Rikki
Rockett (Poison)
Source: Animal
News.com Interview
Marylin
Manson's mom (Parent of Freak... I mean Recording Artist)
Source: Oh
the things you find on the internet.... He had a pet snake, and
she was supposed to feed it rats when he left home. Instead, she adopted
them as pets.
Beatrix
Potter (Author)
Source: RMCA Article.
Dedicated a book ('The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or the Roly-Poly Pudding')
to her PEW
Theodore
"Teddy" Roosevelt
Source: Article from
Bartleby.com. Had a male 'piebald' and two kangaroo rats; also
kept dogs, a macaw, a pony, and a flying squirrel
Taran
Noah Smith (Mark on Home Improvement)
Source: An issue of People Magazine (dated 09/03/01) featured a photo
of Taran with his pet rat and dog.
Pink
(Recording Artist)
Source: Radio Station 107.5 KZL
in NC in the Music News section. "In concert this summer, Pink
will be able to bring her two most prized possessions with her on
The Party Tour. 'I'm taking my rats,' Pink said. 'Those are my friends
for the tour. Thelma and Louise. They're so cute.'" Pink recently
wrote a letter to Petco, urging them to stop selling live animals.
Thanks for joining the crusade! Read her letter here.
The
Mikkelsons (Snopes.com Geniuses)
In a recent
interview, Barbara Mikkelson confirms she and her husband own
"cats and rats," which of course the interviewer finds funny because
so many urban legends involve rats. How appropriate--rats, after all,
are the poster children for putting reason and compassion before fear
and superstition.
SUSPECTED
Eddie
Murphy (Comedian/Actor)
Reason: Rats featured somewhat positively in Dr. Doolittle (he saves
ones life w/ mouth-to-mouth) and The PJs (the main character adopts
a city rat as a pet).