From Timothee Chalamet to Dua Lipa - books are the hottest new accessory

Daily Mirror

06-05-2025

Reading isn't just for nerds as a new wave of celebrities launch book-clubs and are photographed by the paparazzi holding the hottest books. This age-old hobby is making a mainstream comeback
Bookworms unite: reading is finally cool again. With everyone from Timothee Chalamet to Bella Hadid getting papped with paperbacks in their hand, it seems having your head in a book is the new hottest look. A recent Reddit thread showcasing famous figures reading books has gained over 5K upvotes, showcasing the hobby's surge in popularity.
It's impossible to ignore the recent rise in celebrity book-clubs, like Reese Witherspoon's Reese's Book Club, which launched in 2017 and has now gained over 2.9 million followers on Instagram. Pop-icon Dua Lipa is another famous example, as she launched Service95's book-club in June 2023, which was created with the aim of telling diverse stories around the globe. But why is this centuries-old pastime that (let's face it) has been viewed as kind of nerdy making a mainstream comeback?
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After all, a lot of us can remember when books were associated with being geeky and introverted. Plus, less of us are reading now, as according to a YouGov poll, 40% of Brits haven't picked up a book in the past year.
However, when pictures of the classically handsome Timothee Chalamet reading Dune by Frank Herbert on the New York Subway began to be circulated online, it acted as a cultural reset. There was something undeniably avant garde chic about being caught pouring over a novel on public transport.
Recently, Hollywood heartthrob Jacob Elordi was also snapped reading The Art of Cinema by Jean Jocteau on holiday. As was high fashion model Bella Hadid, when she was seen sporting The Outsider by Stephen King, with the book providing a very on-trend pop of red against her grey suit.
But it's more than just aesthetics – some celebrities have even used them to make political statements. It's hard to forget when Canadian musician Grimes stepped out in front of the paparazzi in 2021 with a copy of The Communist Manifesto front and centre in her hands as way to "troll" the media.
Of course, reading is also attractive. Perhaps no better example of this is superstar US athlete LeBron James, who regularly posts half-dressed pics of himself glued to a novel on Instagram – including the dystopian bestseller The Hunger Games.
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It also ties in with a growing cultural appreciation for sensitive, romantic men, aka 'men who yearn'. The hashtag 'yearning' has over 60K posts on TikTok, and features clips of Jane Austen characters eloquently expressing emotions. Actors like Cillian Murphy, who are known for their thoughtful public personas, also make a frequent appearance.
As does Pedro Pascal, who has publicly stated his support of LGBTQ and trans rights. The Last Of Us actor has been snapped reading Rosewater by Liv Little, a queer love story.
There is something about reading a book, especially a good book, that imbues the reader with a certain je ne sais quoi. Perhaps it's the timelessness of the activity, which has been shared by the progenitors of the romantic era: eighteenth century poets longing for love.
Or maybe it's the aura of mystery that a book contains. It's harder to interrupt someone who is reading a book versus someone who is on their phone. There is generally a shared understanding that the reader is enveloped in their own world, that their thoughts, at least for the moment, are their own.
Is it shallow? Maybe – but if shirtless pictures of celebrity athletes and pap shots of supermodels with books in their hands are what it takes to get people reading again, then maybe it's not wholly a bad thing.