10 Celebrities Who Are Surprisingly Smart
Actors, musicians, and performers aren’t always given credit for their brains. It’s easy to assume someone who plays silly characters or headlines pop charts can’t also crush calculus or study law. However, many famous names have impressive academic backgrounds or serious intellectual chops that often don’t make it into interviews. These celebrities prove that talent and brains can absolutely share the spotlight—just not always in obvious ways.
Natalie Portman
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While filming Star Wars, Natalie Portman was also studying psychology and working in a research lab. Her name even appears on two published neuroscience papers. Between red carpets, she also studied Arabic and Japanese.
Mayim Bialik
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She played a neuroscientist on The Big Bang Theory, but Mayim Bialik was also pursuing a doctorate in the field. Her PhD research explored a rare genetic disorder. She has also authored books on parenting, spoken at science events, and remains one of the few TV stars who have also published in academic journals.
Ashton Kutcher
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Ashton Kutcher enrolled at the University of Iowa to study biochemical engineering. His original plan was to help find a cure for his twin brother’s heart condition. A surprise modeling competition drew him in a different direction, but he has continued to build a tech-savvy career that includes venture capital and support for anti-trafficking tech tools.
Jodie Foster
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Reading by age three? Check. Fluent in French by high school? Also check. Jodie Foster grew up in film and graduated magna cum laude from Yale with a degree in literature. She wrote her senior thesis on Toni Morrison and has acted in and directed films in multiple languages.
Rebel Wilson
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Rebel Wilson earned two degrees—one in law and another in theatre—from the University of New South Wales. She also competed in national math competitions and was a member of the debate team in high school. Before her big screen breakout, she considered practicing law, but a bout of malaria during travel reportedly inspired her to pursue acting instead.
Rowan Atkinson
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Rowan Atkinson’s most famous character rarely speaks, but the actor behind Mr. Bean could probably explain circuit theory in detail. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in electrical engineering, and he was working toward a doctorate when performance comedy began to take over.
Brian May
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When Queen’s tours slowed down, guitarist Brian May picked up where he left off—by finishing his PhD in astrophysics. He’d paused his studies for music decades earlier, but eventually completed his thesis on interplanetary dust. He’s published scientific papers, co-authored books, and even worked with NASA’s New Horizons team to analyze space data.
Cindy Crawford
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Cindy Crawford was a straight-A student who graduated as her high school’s valedictorian. She earned an academic scholarship to Northwestern University and began studying chemical engineering. Although modeling took off quickly, her educational track record and later business ventures—including a skincare line—highlight how seriously she has taken both sides of her career.
Ken Jeong
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After completing medical school and residency, Ken Jeong practiced internal medicine while performing stand-up comedy at night. His big break came after he landed roles that combined both worlds, like Dr. Ken and The Hangover.
Lisa Kudrow
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Before she became Phoebe Buffay, Lisa Kudrow graduated from Vassar with a degree in psychobiology and worked with her father, a specialist in headache treatment, on neurological research. She contributed to a study on hemispheric dominance and types of headaches.