People are burnt out from the fakeness of social media — the days of curated feeds, Facetuned figures, and flawless selfies are crashing and burning as people crave more authentic content that they can actually relate to. Just think of all the Kardashian Photoshop fails in recent years, and the growing evidence that social media is having a negative mental health effect on adolescents with its unrealistic body standards, one-sided “highlight reels” of people’s lives, and the pressure to curate a “perfect” digital image. Enough is enough: But not all Hollywood figures are part of the problem.
Most of the time, celebrities are the least relatable people on the planet, but there are more than a few famous figures who are authentic and candid in both their shared thoughts and photos on Instagram — think Hilarie Burton Morgan unabashedly embracing her graying hair, Blake Lively making fun of her hilarious drawn-on heels moment, Ciara sharing silly Reels of her and her kids, and more.
If you’re looking to fill your feed with inspiring celebs who keep it real about mental health, body image, being weird and silly, parenting struggles, and other relatable but somehow taboo traits when it comes to social media, hit the follow button on these stars’ refreshingly real Instagram accounts.
Adele
While Adele usually uses her Instagram to promote her upcoming shows and new music, she also shares raw photos of her, makeup-free, rehearsing for shows, unfiltered shots of her cheering on her football team, and silly snaps of her bowing down to Queen Bey as the rest of us mere mortals do. Adele’s humble personality shines through her Instagram in the way that she balances glamorous photos of her performing and on magazine covers with bare-faced candids and funny photos of her “5 ciders in.”
Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba may be a mega-celebrity, but her Instagram feels like your favorite relatable lifestyle blogger’s account. With Reels of her working out with her hair in a messy bun, wholesome “Instagram vs. reality” carousels of family photos, and inspiring sayings that help to lift her spirit, Alba shows that she’s just like the rest of us, regardless of her status.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston doesn’t post on Instagram often, but when she does, you can expect unfiltered selfies, silly photos with friends, adorable videos with fellow celebs, wholesome photos of her fangirling, and more. She’s an icon, but she’s also a regular cool girl, which basically makes her everyone’s online bestie.
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Bank’s IG bio starts with “Amateur Goofball,” and that really says it all. The hilarious actress and director’s account features unglamorous videos of her going on river floats with friends, cackle-worthy Reels, and photos backed by messages that stand up for women’s rights and other important human rights causes that are being challenged. She may be known as a movie star, but she’s just like so many of us outside of the big screen.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore is incredibly candid in every aspect of her life, from sharing her battle with addiction as a child and teen to getting real with guests on her talk show and being unapologetically herself on Instagram. Scroll her feed and you’ll find a hilarious Reel of her experiencing virtual reality, her attempting to belt Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire,” photos of her celebrating National Hotdog Day, and so much more wholesome content that just feels like sunshine for the spirit.
Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell keeps it cute and candid just as much as anyone on this list, sharing adorable selfies, hilarious videos with husband Dax Shepard, makeup-free, impromptu shots of at-home workouts, chuckle-worthy mom content, and more. Yeah, she’s ultra-famous, but she also experiences life’s struggles and hysterical moments just like the rest of us, which she doesn’t hesitate to show on her social channels.
Hilarie Burton Morgan
Hilarie Burton Morgan has made a career out of unapologetically being herself and refusing to be anything other than that, and her Instagram chronicles her dedication to being real and authentic. From shots of everyday farm life and carousels of quiet days spent with her family to no filter snaps of her gray hair and her favorite witchy books of the moment, Burton Morgan is the epitome of refreshingly real in every aspect of her personhood, both on and off social media.
Sophia Bush Hughes
Sophia Bush Hughes, like Jessica Alba, feels like your internet bestie. Her Instagram is as beautiful as it is authentic, with candid shots of her activist work, silly photos with friends, and relatable Reels of her layering clothing for a day spent at the farmers’ market, which she laughably calls “her Coachella.” She shares her glam moments, no filter moments, and everything in between with absolute authenticity, and we love her for it.
Ciara
Ciara often shares stunning snaps of her jaw-dropping outfits and glamorous photos of her and husband Russell Wilson, but she just as frequently shares videos of her trying the latest TikTok dances, hilarious voiceover Reels, hysterical moments with her kids, makeup-free snaps, and more everyday content that reminds the public that she experiences “normal life” too.
Emilia Clarke
Emilia Clarke doesn’t post on Instagram often, but when she does, it’s almost always a charmingly silly photo, like this shot of her hanging from a rock wall, this photo of her making a kissy face at three toy dragons (long live the Mother of Dragons!), and this carousel of her being playful on a Liverpool beach. If you need someone to remind you that celebrities are wholesome weirdos too, give Clarke a follow.
Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox’s Instagram is a mix of glamour and realness, where she frequently shares #TransIsBeautiful content, silly videos of her dancing makeup-free, and her raw, personal testimony of being a transgender woman to normalize and uplift other trans folks while educating the cisgender population. From iconic fashion ensembles to content that celebrates humanity’s beautiful diversity, Cox shares it all with grace.
Ayesha Curry
Add Ayesha Curry to the list of celebs who feel like your Instagram bestie. Sharing a fun mix of content ranging from silly photos with friends and sweet, candid snaps of her family to posts with funny captions and carousels of her and husband Steph Curry being goofy, Curry doesn’t pretend to have a perfect celebrity life, and that’s what makes her so refreshingly relatable.
Miley Cyrus
Everyone knows that Miley Cyrus is as real as real gets in every facet of her life, and Instagram is certainly no exception. From videos of her being sassy as hell and low-light selfies of her looking relaxed in the studio to family photos with cheeky stoner captions and hysterical throwbacks to some of her most infamous moments, what you see is exactly what you get with Cyrus, and it’s nothing short of iconic.
Jenna Dewan
Jenna Dewan is another celebrity whose Instagram feels more akin to your favorite lifestyle blogger than the famous actress, producer, and dancer she is. Sharing selfies with her pets, candid carousels of weekends with her kids, motivational messages about wellness, and more, Dewan is just like the rest of us when she’s not sparkling on camera.
Hilary Duff
We loved Hilary Duff circa Lizzie McGuire, and we somehow love her even more today. If you scroll her Instagram feed, you’ll find hilarious photos of her kids being a mood, husband appreciation posts with cheeky captions, silly carousels of time spent with her friends, and a bazillion other relatable posts that make you wish she was your best friend IRL.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross is the internet’s girlfriend, truly. On her Instagram, you’ll find photos of her celebrating her body, videos of her being a total weirdo in the most iconic, hilarious way possible, makeup- and filter-free selfies, hysterical videos of her promoting her haircare line, and more laughter-inducing content that will keep you looking forward to every post.
America Ferrera
America Ferrera is the queen of no-filter life on the internet. Her Instagram feed is full of chuckle-worthy mom moments, candid selfies, important information about human rights crises, reading lists with relatable captions about buying books she won’t have time to read, and more authentic content that feels like a breath of fresh air.
Isla Fisher
With a bio reading “small ginger ninja,” Isla Fisher’s Instagram is a treat. You’ll find carousels of photos that feel like IG circa 2012, low-quality date night selfies, photos with cheeky captions, and more content that embraces the imperfections of real life in the best way possible.
Lady Gaga
Living by the message in her song, “Born This Way,” Lady Gaga is her authentic self at all times, Instagram included. If you scroll her feed, you’ll find a raw video of her nervously talking about her return to performing on stage post-COVID, a grainy, makeup-free selfie, a casual mirror pic with a sloth pillow in the background, and more content that shows her gentle, genuine personality behind her mega-star status.
Jennifer Garner
If you haven’t been obsessed with Jennifer Garner since 13 Going On 30, the time is nigh. Her Instagram is jam-packed with the cutest, most wholesome content including her “Pretend Cooking Show” videos, Reels of her working out and taking breaks to be her goofy self, and hysterical shorts of her just being downright hilarious. She’s a weirdo in the most wonderful, relatable way, and we can’t get enough of it.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Instagram feed is wholesome content on wholesome content. From photos with punny captions and snaps of her poking fun at herself to candid selfies of her and husband Freddie Prinze Jr. and cute photos of their dogs, it’s giving cuteness overload, and we love it.
Selena Gomez
An advocate for mental health and celebrating what makes each person unique, Selena Gomez’s Instagram is a reflection of her dedication to embracing realness. From silly photos with her besties and candid street shots with uplifting messages to unfiltered puppy pics and playful behind-the-scenes posts, Gomez embraces not being a picture-perfect celebrity to ensure “normal” people know they don’t need to emulate a sparkly, fantastical, Facetuned life that isn’t real.
Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham embraces her goofy side just as much as her glamorous side on her Instagram, with her IG highlight photos all being pics of her making silly faces or using funny filters to distort her face into hilarious expressions. Her goofball nature extends to her grid, with playful selfies and wholesome videos of her hyping up strangers on the streets, and she also keeps it incredibly real with tandem breastfeeding posts, videos about prioritizing her mental health, and more.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway is simply adorable on her Instagram feed, with silly selfies, wholesome selfies, makeup-free selfies — all the authentic selfies. She also shares funny photos with fellow celebs, cute behind-the-scenes posts, photos celebrating human rights causes, and more content that shows her lovely, down-to-earth personality.
Kate Hudson
Even Kate Hudson’s glam moments scream “real” on her Instagram feed. With sweet carousels of family outings, candid snaps of her laughing, selfies at unflattering angles with friends, unfiltered mornings, and so much more, everything on Hudson’s socials feels authentic and unposed.
Jameela Jamil
You won’t find a single post on Jameela Jamil’s Instagram that doesn’t come across as authentic. From a hysterical video of her sniffing Paul Rudd (yes, sniffing Paul Rudd) and a carousel of her fangirling over Keanu Reeves to adorable Reels with her dog and posts advocating for human rights, Jamil is unapologetically herself at all times, online and off.
Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling’s IG feed looks like a digital scrapbook of moments in her life that are beautiful, silly, casual, carefree, and ultimately, genuine to who she is. With vulnerable videos about her breastfeeding experience, funny photos of her with friends, in-the-moment, makeup-free selfies, and more, Kaling isn’t putting up a picture-perfect front on her socials — she’s sharing her life as it truly is.
Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick is an absolute hoot, and her IG bio reading “emotional eater” should let you know her social presence is hilariously relatable. Sharing a casual snap of her and a few Pitch Perfect co-stars on Halloween, playful selfies with friends, her experiences advocating for human rights causes, and more, Kendrick would sooner make fun of herself in a glam photo than pretend her life is really that picture-perfect all the time.
Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu’s Instagram is such a happy, playful, authentic space in the digital world. Scroll her feed and you’ll find photos of her jumping for joy, carousels of her celebrating her Asian American Pacific Islander heritage, candid snaps of her with her son, silly renditions of OOTDs, and more wholesome content that will make you smile.
Blake Lively
Blake Lively is another star who doesn’t take to Instagram too often, but when she does, it’s almost always giggle-inducing. With low-quality shots of her trying to capture her glam ensembles on self-timer “bc everyone was asleep when [she] got home at 9,” free-spirited, disposable camera-esque carousels, grainy selfies caught in mid-laughter with husband Ryan Reynolds, cackle-worthy shots with equally hilarious captions, and more, Lively is sweet, funny, humble, and authentic in every post she shares.
Lizzo
Lizzo is known for brazenly being herself, so it’s no surprise that her Instagram is chock-full of posts celebrating her bold authenticity. From cute photos with captions that make you literally laugh out loud and carousels chronicling her night out and hungover aftermath to hysterical Reels of her being absolutely ridiculous and videos of her being a hilarious mood in Target, Lizzo’s content will never fail to make you feel good as hell.
Leslie Mann
If you’ve seen any movie with Leslie Mann in the cast lineup, you know she’s one of the biggest goofballs on the planet. This is proven on her Instagram, where you’ll find a hilarious photo of her and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, silly family photos, her hysterical rendition of a viral TikTok, and so much more amazing content that embraces her inner weirdo.
Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes’ IG feed looks gorgeous, but don’t like the pretty aesthetic fool you from what’s below the surface. From laughable mom moments and truths to adorable videos of her papi raving about her business and wholesome moments with her friends to posts half making fun of and half celebrating husband Ryan Gosling, Mendes’ social presence is cute as much as it is a hoot.
Chrissy Metz
Chrissy Metz’s sweet and genuine personality shines through her Instagram content. You’ll find funny voiceover Reels, wholesome posts celebrating her co-stars and friends, silly snaps of her at events, makeup-free selfies with fellow musicians, testimonies about the difficulties of caring for aging family members, and more realness that comes straight from her soul.
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore is one of the sweetest, most authentic celebs out there. Her personality exudes a soothing, friendly nature, and you can feel it through her Instagram posts. Sharing her honest journey of breastfeeding her son, cute Reels of her kid being a messy eater, touching behind-the-scenes moments from This Is Us, and more, her good human-ness is a breath of fresh air.
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o has such cool girl energy — she’s so herself in the most wonderful, free-spirited way. Her IG feed is full of joyful photos with food, body-positive posts, funny Reels, vlog-style shorts of her love for New York City, sweet family videos, and more serendipidous, care-free moments.
Gwyneth Paltrow
While Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop storefront may be a bit unrealistic for the budget of us everyday folk, her personality is undoubtedly down to earth. Scroll her Instagram feed and you’ll find impromptu, makeup-free selfies, carousels of ordinary moments, snaps of her favorite books, shots of her meals of the day, and more real, unfiltered moments that show her easy-going persona beyond her mega-celebrity status.
Paulina Porizkova
Paulina Porizkova is so refreshingly real on Instagram, especially when it comes to the subject of aging women, mental health, and body image. She shares unposed selfies advocating for antidepressants, honest testaments to what a day in the life of a model can actually be like, makeup-free photos of her looking incredibly beautiful in bikinis, and joyful everyday moments that have a profound impact on her. Her vulnerability and authenticity make her an inspiring role model for women of all ages.
Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh is beautiful and glamorous, but she’s also silly, weird, and unapologetic in the best way. Her Instagram features photos of her with her grandma, powerful messages about women’s bodies and rights, carousels of her being goofy with friends, photos of her staring dreamily at hotdogs, and other candid, unstaged, carefree moments of realness that are oh so refreshing.
Nikki Reed
Nikki Reed is another celeb whose Instagram is giving your fave lifestyle blogger. Her content is stunningly gorgeous, but it’s also very raw and real. She shares beautiful shots of nature with messages of her love of photography, quiet candids celebrating her child, relaxed, nostalgia-inducing photos with Twilight co-stars, and more tranquil content that feels just as dreamy as it is grounding.
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana keeps it real on IG by sharing a little bit of everything: viral TikTok attempts with her kids, her hilarious Reels series of her unsatisfying diet while filming Guardians of the Galaxy, cute shorts of her trying different face filters, carousels of real-life mom moments, hysterical videos of her being a goofball, and other good-humored, relatable content.
Jodie Sweetin
Jodie Sweetin lives up to her name — her sweet personality is undeniable on and offline. If you scroll through her IG grid, you’ll see candid carousels celebrating women, makeup-free selfies with her best friend and their daughters, carefree shots in the salon chair, IG Lives discussing allyship and education, and other uplifting content that the world needs to see more often.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is another celebrity who doesn’t take to Instagram too often, but when she does, it’s to share her trademark authenticity. The singer/songwriter is known for being true to herself on every occasion, and her realness shines on her Instagram through videos with her cats, candids from birthdays spent with friends, shots of her goofy Halloween costumes, posts educating her audience on Juneteeth and other human rights history and issues, and more.
Chrissy Teigen
With Chrissy Teigen, what you see is what you get, and her authenticity is incredibly refreshing. Scroll her feed and you’ll see vulnerable testimonies about her experience with miscarriage, candid photos of her family, the reality of certain cosmetic procedures, snaps of her sleeping with her pups, photos shedding light on global human rights crises, and more content that resonates with every day people.
Gabrielle Union-Wade
Gabrielle Union-Wade’s presence on Instagram feels like that of your cool older sister. She shares playful videos with husband Dwayne Wade, bloopers from filming with her daughter, memes shedding light on mental health struggles, Reels celebrating her transgender step-daughter and the LGBTQ+ community, and more authentic messages that are inspiring and refreshing to see from a celebrity of her stature.
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington is a mega-celeb, but she keeps it real on her Instagram with funny Reels urging her audience to register to vote, playful videos celebrating bad bitches, hilarious shorts about attending church service, makeup-free Reels raising awareness for mental health, and more chuckle-worthy content that uses humor to bring light to issues many people struggle with, both famous and not.
Susan Kelechi Watson
There’s just something about those This Is Us women, Susan Kelechi Watson included! The TV star takes to Instagram to share uplifting affirmations, trending memes making fun of herself, hilarious Reels, photos celebrating history-making milestones in the Black community, and other relatable content that you’d just as soon see on a friend’s feed.
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson is a riot onscreen and on Instagram — scroll her feed and you’ll find cackle-worthy photos of her with friends, totally unposed and unfiltered “mirror” pics, relatable Reels of her trying to take a photo on the streets of NYC, and other content that’s silly, refreshing, and real.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon doesn’t feel like your online bestie — she feels like your digital big sis. Her Instagram is full of casual book reviews in which she talks to you like you’re Facetiming, candid carousels of time spent with her kids, Reels of her skincare routine, casual, imperfect selfies, and more content that feels homey and happy and full of gratitude. If you’re looking for good vibes, you’ll find them in abundance on Witherspoon’s feed.
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