Most surprising celebrities who love to hunt... after Ella Langley sparked backlash over divisive hobby

Ella Langley came under fire this week after her old hunting photos resurfaced – but she is not the only celebrity to flaunt her love of the controversial pursuit.

The Choosin' Texas hitmaker, 27, has posted a series of images to her own social media accounts of her kills over the years. 

And, amid her recent chart-topping success, animal rights activists and pop music fans unaccustomed to country life piled in to brand her as 'disgusting.'

But there are a whole host of other unexpected stars who also enjoy the divisive hobby.

Here, the Daily Mail has rounded up some of the most surprising famous faces who love to hunt, from Chris Pratt to Miranda Lambert.

Chris Pratt

Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt, 47, has not shied away from sharing his love of hunting and fishing.

Back in 2015, the actor told the Guardian: 'I have a great deal of respect for the animals that I kill and I feel remorse and all of the emotions that come with it.' 

He added: 'The thing inside me that drives me to go out and hunt is very animal. But the remorse, emotion and respect I feel, and the closeness to God that I feel when I'm out there, is my humanity. 

'It's an opportunity for me to explore what parts of me are animal and what parts of me are human.'

He also proudly details his hobby on social media by sharing photos of his kills and snapshots of himself decked out in camouflage gear, alongside gushing captions explaining he is 'really excited for hunting season.'

The Jurassic Park star was previously asked on X about his 'favorite thing to hunt,' to which Pratt replied: 'I like it all but it's hard to beat a good elk hunt.'

Miranda Lambert

Country singer Miranda Lambert, 42, has also long been an avid hunter and is said to have personally harvested a deer to make cutlets for her wedding feast in 2011.

Back in 2012, Lambert's ex husband Blake Shelton told US Weekly that the couple enjoyed hunting together.

Discussing how they would be spending Thanksgiving, he shared: 'We went hunting a few nights ago and [Lambert] actually got a wild hog with her bow and arrow. 

'Miranda is the real deal, I mean she doesn't just sing about guns and things like that — she does it! 

'She's a big bow hunter — people don't even know that about her — and it's so impressive to see this hot girl walking out of the house with a bow and arrow, shooting things with it. It's crazy, you know?'

The star has previously shared images from her hunting exploits.

Alongside one image from that same year, which showed her in camo hunting fatigues, she wrote: 'Baby it's time we got back to the basics of love...first time in the woods this season.'

Eva Longoria

Actress Eva Longoria, 51, has openly discussed being a big hunting enthusiast.

'[I've been] hunting with my dad since I [was] six,' she said during a 2005 appearance on NBC's Dateline. 

'I can handle a gun. I could skin a deer, I could skin a pig. I can pluck quail — you name it, I've done it.' 

The Desperate Housewives alum, who grew up in Texas, later told Digital Spy: 'We didn't do it for cruelty.

'That's how we had dinner! We skinned our dinner.'

However, her admissions have not gone unnoticed by animal rights organization PETA which placed her on its 'worst-dressed' list in 2008 due to her use of furs.

Shaquille O'Neal

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, 54, exercised his skills back in August when he spent a night hunting hogs in East Texas.

In a video uploaded to social media at the time, the 7ft1in former athlete declared: 'I smell pigs. Some people need nightvision. I am the nightvision.' 

He fired his gun into the darkness before eventually walking over to an injured hog and finishing it off.

But it was not O'Neal's first outing.

It has seemingly been a longtime hobby for the star – targeting everything from waterfowl to goats – and he even devoted a section of his 2001 autobiography Shaq Talks Back to his hunting adventures.

In 2016, he also joined survivalist Bear Grylls for an episode of Running Wild.

The show saw the basketball pro trek through the Adirondacks before spending the night sleeping outside in the woods.

Kurt Russell

Acting legend Kurt Russell, 75, has previously defended his family's love for hunting. 

In March, The Madison star appeared on the Table Manners podcast where he admitted he is an avid hunter – particularly of elk.

He said that he always thanks his kills 'for their service,' adding: 'By the way, there's no pleasure in the taking of life.

'There's great pleasure and honor in taking an animal that feeds you. And I respect that and honor that. And it means a big deal to me. And you know, I make no apologies.'

But Russell conceded that it was not a universally admired lifestyle.  

'It's not something I push on anybody,' he added. 'I mean, it's not for everybody, but I like bringing down my own meat. I grew up in that family.'

Riley Green 

Fellow country star Riley Green also previously sparked outrage after killing a massive buck.

Back in November, the 37-year-old shared the images in a carousel on his Instagram account, captioning the post: 'That was a hell of a drag out… blessed to be back out here #weouthere #bowhunting #bigboy.' 

His post divided viewers, with some appalled at the cavalier attitude and his decision to share it with his followers. 

Green often shares his hunting adventures on social media, sharing a similar series of photos on his Instagram in 2024.

In January, the You Look Like You Love Me singer revealed he was hospitalized after suffering an accident to his foot while hunting.

'At the emergency room, 'cause I stepped on a nail,' he said in a video shared at the time.