Eddie Murphy is extremely successful in the entertainment industry, coming on to the scene from a young age and has a career that’s now almost forty years long. But does this comedic movie star and musician own an island?
Eddie Murphy does own an island. He bought the island Rooster Cay in the Bahamas in 2007 for 15 million dollars. The island is near Nassau, the capital and commercial center of the Bahamas.
Read on to find out more about Murphy’s island adventures, as well as other celebrities who have islands, too.
Rooster Cay
Murphy’s island, which is featured in posts like this one and pictures like this one, is named Rooster Cay and is in the Long Cay region of the Bahamas. Rooster Cay covers about 15 acres and is largely undeveloped.
Murphy bought the island in 2007, about 27 years into his career as an actor, comedian, and musician. He bought the island for 15 million dollars, which is well within his price range, as he makes about 20 million dollars for each movie he is in–just one acting job could pay for the island and then some.
Since the island is just five minutes from Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, Rooster Cay could become a popular tourist spot if Murphy decided to build a resort there. So far, it’s still very natural, and Murphy uses his private island to relax and vacation with his family, and any further plans for the island are unknown.
Island-buying seems to be a trend for many celebrities like Eddie Murphy, especially islands in the Bahamas. So who are some other fan-favorite stars who have Bahamian island properties?
Famous Island Owners
Private islands provide celebrities with a safe place where they can take a break from the spotlight without the risk of paparazzi or other disruptions to their relaxation.
Johnny Depp is another Bahamian island owner like Murphy, who bought the 45-acre Little Halls Pond Cay in 2004 for 3.6 million dollars after allegedly falling in love with the place after shooting Pirates of the Caribbean. “I don’t think I’d ever seen any place so pure and beautiful. You can feel your pulse rate drop about 20 beats. It’s instant freedom,” the movie star and musician said of the island in 2009.
Bonds Cay is another island in the Bahamas owned by Shakira, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, and Alejandro Sanz. The three musical artists bought the 700-acre island for 16 million dollars before having it developed into a tourist spot, complete with luxurious hotels, golf courses, and more–and they’re looking to make it into an artists’ retreat.
Nicolas Cage bought Leaf Cay in 2006 for 3 million dollars and turned it into a tourist spot with luxury hotels and other buildings. Leaf Cay is near Bonds Cay, Depp’s private island.
Also near Depp’s Bonds Cay and Cage’s Leaf Cay is Goat Cay, the island owned by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, a power couple and two of the greatest country music artists there are today. Their island is also developed, featuring nature trails and luxury buildings.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z also shelled out 3 million dollars for their island in the Bahamas, called Strangers Cay. Theirs is 360 acres of natural island land, undeveloped apart from the luxury mansion they had built for when they visit.
Tyler Perry, who performs as Madea and is the creator of her character, is yet another celebrity with a Bahamian island. His is named White Bay Cay, and while it was undeveloped when he bought it, he had multiple buildings put in, like guest housing, a spa, a marina, and other additions.
Islands in the Bahamas are perfect celebrity getaways, so it’s no wonder that so many celebrities have decided to buy their own island.
Watch the YouTube video below to find out more about some other island-owning celebrities.