Ana de Armas may be a famous face in Hollywood, but in the small Vermont town where she purchased a home in 2022, she’s one of the friendly locals leading a private, peaceful life.
“I think it’s a great town here for her to be in,” Zoë Zilian, the owner of Au Comptoir in Woodstock, Vermont, a high-end cocktail bar where de Armas, 37, likes to hang out, exclusively tells Us Weekly. “Funny enough, I think as big of a celebrity she is, there’s a lot of people here that are just kind of out of the know, and they’re not really, I guess, so much wrapped up in that.”
Zilian says that de Armas is “lovely” and down-to-earth whenever she stops by the speakeasy.
“You wouldn’t even think that she was a celebrity,” Zilian adds. “You just think she’s just like any other customer, and she blends right in beautifully, and a lovely human being. She’s been so nice, always. I always have great conversations with her and it’s very just, [she’s] treated like she’s just another visitor, another guest in the town. It’s kind of like how we like to treat all of our customers anyway, just with great hospitality and just like everyone equally.”
Zilian says de Armas is always very “personable” and happy to chat with the locals in town.
She also notes that de Armas can “live a quality life without feeling stressed” in Woodstock.
De Armas purchased her home in the Green Mountain State for $7.2 million in November 2022, according to Realtor.com. She told E! News in September 2024 that she wanted to get “away from the craziness of the world.”
“We all want to have the chance to build your own safe space,” de Armas said. “I found a home where I really feel off the grid. I can collect myself and only bring there who I want to be with. I have my little cocoon there.”
According to Zilian, the locals in Woodstock are used to having celebrities in town.
“We have Sandra Bullock come in, she comes in a couple times, which has been really nice,” Zilian says, adding that Scarlett Johansson has also visited.
“She comes in sometimes, it’s nice and it’s just no big deal, and they’ll just sit at the tables. Just customers are there, and I think everyone’s really respectful, so that’s just a nice overall experience. And we’re really small too, so it’s just very personable in there,” she continues.
Even when de Armas was spotted in town with boyfriend Tom Cruise on Sunday, July 27, Zilian says the locals still gave them their space.
“I haven’t personally spotted them walking around together, but even if so, you’d just kind of be like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. I know who that is.’ You know what I mean? But that’s it,” she adds. “No one’s chasing them down and asking for autographs. I think it’s just a different vibe here. It would be uncool to do that.”
“I think we’re all welcoming,” Zilian continues. “I think everyone’s welcoming and happy that they can find a sense of peace somewhere where it’s not stressful, more of quality of life, what we’re all about here.”
As for the other ways de Armas might spend her time in Woodstock, Zilian says the town has “a beautiful little hike up Mount Palm.” Additionally, the bar owner says she has seen de Armas spend time in the local shops.
Zilian says that at Au Comptoir, de Armas has enjoyed their “Emerald Kiss” drink.
“That’s a cucumber-infused gin that we make in-house,” she says. “And it’s very light, very low on the alcohol. It’s just a very lovely kind of refreshing, healthy cocktail, I like to call it. It’s a beautiful little summer drink.”
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