Women with Elephants

Shooting the film Water for Elephants, a movie about life in the circus, Reese Witherspoon had to interact with many different animals. But it was an 8,800-pound elephant named Tai that ultimately stole her heart. “The day I had to say goodbye to her, I wept all day,” Witherspoon said. “You work with actors and directors, but to have this nonverbal complete relationship with an animal that we were all very connected to was very magical.”

20th Century Fox

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Katy Perry is no stranger to elephants. She worked with elephants in her 2009 video for “Waking Up in Vegas.” Even her wedding to comedian Russell Brand featured a parade of camels and elephants. But her most memorable use of an elephant came in 2010, when she entered Perez Hilton’s birthday party, riding an elephant while singing “ Happy Birthday.”

WENN

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Movie star Julia Roberts took a break from filming Eat Pray Love in Indonesia's Bali so that she could take her children to visit Taro’s Elephant Safari Park.

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Actress Cheryl Hines was snapped riding the Flying Elephant with her daughter at Disneyland in 2007.

Todd Henderson / Disney

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Before popping the question, Bachelor hunk Brad Womack took Emily Maynard on an elephant ride through the African jungle. But it was not meant to be—they broke up this week.

ABC / WENN

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In 2010, R&B singer Brandy tweeted photos of herself getting a tattoo. The image she chose was the Hindu deity Ganesh, who is in the form of an elephant, and who Brandy explained is the “remover of all obstacles.”

Twitter.com/4EverBrandy

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Dakota Fanning posed with a purple elephant Beanie Baby to support The Elephant Project’s fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

Elephant Project

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Bindi Irwin has followed in her late father’s footsteps and become a passionate animal lover. By 2007, the 8 year old was the host of Bindi the Jungle Girl. She visited with elephants on the set of her show in Australia. Of her love for animals, she said, “I’ve always wanted to teach people about animal conservation… I want to follow in my father’s footsteps. I loved him very, very much.”

Getty Images

Women with Elephants

As Reese Witherspoon's Water for Elephants stampedes into theaters, see photos of other leading ladies—from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry, Madonna to Julia Roberts—getting cozy with their enormous gray friends.