What if the film star best admired or the latest bestseller aced their anthro or juris finals? The idea that Hollywood starlets opt to leave college hoping for overnight stardom is no longer universal. Reality is that celebrities struggled in academia before the era of, before, or after the success that propelled them to the big leagues.
Some pursue careers aligned with their interests, such as literature or performing arts, yet also venture into paths far removed from the Red Carpet. Theirs are the tales that narrate how different yet unpredictable their careers can be professionally and the careers that brought out the people we know today. From the graduates of the Ivy League to double major celebrities, check out nine celebrities who might be surprised you with their degree.
1. Emma Watson’s literary ambition
Like Hermione Granger to the world, Emma Watson wasn’t deterred from studies despite childhood stardom. She graduated with a degree in English literature from college at Brown in 2014, juggling film projects with studies. Watson has said that studies made her value the art of storytelling even more, substantiating her move to fund projects that promote the cause of women as much as that of education.
2. Rowan Atkinson’s Engineering Mind
Prior to the side-splitting comedy of Mr. Bean, Rowan Atkinson had gotten himself engrossed in electrical engineering. He graduated as an undergraduate at Newcastle University then did a master’s at the University of Oxford. His technical bent honed his ability to resolve problems because he’s the one who came up with the exact slapstick that propelled him to household stardom.
3. Psychology Approach of Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman graduated from Harvard College in 2003 with a bachelor of arts in psychology. She notoriously declined movie offers to attend class, citing the discipline later that the study of human behavior made her a better actor. Portman’s study discipline equates to a prudent approach to choosing to act in movies with highly developed emotionally complex characters.
4. Two Degrees of Dwayne Johnson
Years prior to Hollywood action success, Dwayne Johnson laced up the uniform to play football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. The athletic stint ended with an injured knee, yet the honors graduate persevered to graduate in 1995 both in criminology and in physiology. Johnson traces professional education in human performance continuing to inform workouts as well as his businesses.
5. Gemma Chan’s Law Career Detour
Gemma Chan attended Worcester College, Oxford University, where she graduated with a bachelor of laws degree in 2001. She had even worked with one of the big firms before making the leap to acting. Chan credits her legal training with helping her quickly memorize lines and review contracts, giving her an edge in her career.
6. John Legend’s Literary Lens
It took John Legend long to win Grammys, as the singer graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania in African-American literature. The studies impacted his composition as his music includes social-conscious lyrics as well as strong narrative.
7. Neuroscience Expertise of Mayim Bial
Mayim Bialik is doing more than acting as a scientist on television she herself is a UCLA-trained Ph.D. in neuroscience with a Hebrew studies degree. Her real-life research experience adds credibility to her portrayal on The Big Bang Theory and supports her advocacy for STEM education among young women.
8. Economics and Foreign Relations of Ben McKenzie
You might best know Ben McKenzie from The O.C. He graduated college with honors in economics and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. Releasing a co-book about cryptocurrency and the fraud that is committed with it in 2023 brought that college degree to bear in a completely different way.
9. The Worldview of Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o attended Hampshire College, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in film and African studies in 2007, then attended Yale, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting in 2012. Her upbringing as a child in Kenya and area of concentration in African studies indelibly stamped her direction in film roles, to movies with high cultural traditions.
Such degrees aren’t items on a resume theyre parts of the building blocks that compose each star’s worldview, craft, and future career trajectory. Whatever their studies do or don’t represent their craft, these celebrities show that college can coexist handsomely with stardom, giving depth, discipline, and unsuspected skills that last a lifetime.
