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Here's where 52 celebrities went to collegehttps://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/hereaposs-where-52-celebrities-went-to-college/slidelist/93435404.cms2022-08-08T19:54:36+05:30

Here's where 52 celebrities went to college

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Anjelica Oswald,Jacob Shamsian,Talia LakritzAug 8, 2022, 19:54 IST

Here's where 52 celebrities went to college — Emma Watson, Jessica Chastain, and John Legend all had illustrious college careers.Getty Images ; Getty Images ; Reuters
Mindy Kaling, Viola Davis, and Lupita Nyong'o studied theater in college.
Some celebrities, like Emma Watson and Steven Spielberg, went to college after they became famous.

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Emma Watson, just like Hermione, is really smart. She went to Brown.

Emma Watson, just like Hermione, is really smart. She went to Brown. — Emma Watson graduating from Brown University in 2014.AP Photo/Steven Senne
The "Harry Potter" actress graduated in 2014 with a degree in English literature. She also took classes at Oxford University.

Lupita Nyong'o landed her Oscar-winning role shortly before graduating with a Yale master's degree.

Lupita Nyong'o landed her Oscar-winning role shortly before graduating with a Yale master's degree. — Lupita Nyong'o. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
She lander her role in "12 Years a Slave" before completing her three-year degree in acting at the Ivy League school in 2012. For her undergraduate degree, she attended Hampshire College.

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Conan O'Brien was the president of Harvard University's satirical paper.

Conan O'Brien was the president of Harvard University's satirical paper. — Conan O'Brien.Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
The Harvard Lampoon is a resume marker for many male comedians and writers, including B.J. Novak and John Updike. Conan O'Brien had a stint as the organization's president and graduated in 1985.
While O'Brien was at Harvard, the editor in chief of the Harvard Crimson, the rival, non-humorous student newspaper, was Jeff Zucker. Later, as an executive at NBC, Zucker took "The Tonight Show" away from O'Brien and gave it to Jay Leno.

James Franco went to a lot of colleges.

James Franco went to a lot of colleges. — James Franco.Getty
He dropped out of UCLA at first, but then finished his degree in 2008 as an undergraduate.
But as a masters student, he's attended New York University, Columbia University, Brooklyn College, and Yale University.

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John Legend turned down a scholarship from Harvard to go to the University of Pennsylvania.

John Legend turned down a scholarship from Harvard to go to the University of Pennsylvania. — John Legend.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
He graduated in 1999 and served as president of a co-ed a capella group while he was there.

Mindy Kaling wrote plays and a comic strip at Dartmouth University.

Mindy Kaling wrote plays and a comic strip at Dartmouth University. — Mindy Kaling.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Graduating in 2001, the comedian majored in theater and illustrated a daily comic for the student newspaper called "Badly Drawn Girl."

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Natalie Portman went to Harvard University after starring in "Star Wars."

Natalie Portman went to Harvard University after starring in "Star Wars." — Natalie Portman.Getty
Portman was still a student at Syosset High School when she filmed "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." Afterwards, she attended Harvard University, graduating in 2003 with a degree in psychology. Her academic work has been twice published in scientific journals.

Matt Damon came up with the idea for "Good Will Hunting" while at Harvard University.

Matt Damon came up with the idea for "Good Will Hunting" while at Harvard University. — Matt Damon.Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images
It explains a lot about the movie's plot about a gifted janitor at fellow Cambridge school M.I.T. He ended up dropping out before graduating in 1992 to pursue acting, but received an honorary degree from the school in 2013.

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Mayim Bialik has a doctorate in neuroscience.

Mayim Bialik has a doctorate in neuroscience. — Mayim Bialik.Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
The "Blossom" and "Big Bang Theory" actress switched between acting and academia. In 2000, she received an undergraduate degree in neuroscience with minors in Hebrew and Jewish studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. She was awarded a PhD in neuroscience from the school in 2007.

Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal both attended Columbia — but only Maggie graduated.

Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal both attended Columbia — but only Maggie graduated. — Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment
The elder Gyllenhaal, Maggie, graduated in 1998. Her brother joined the school when she was a senior, but dropped out his sophomore year to pursue acting.

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Jessica Chastain is Julliard-trained.

Jessica Chastain is Julliard-trained. — Jessica Chastain.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Chastain graduated from the famous performing arts school in 2003. She was able to attend because of a scholarship funded by Robin Williams, who himself graduated in 1976, funded by a full scholarship.

Ken Jeong was pre-med at Duke University before getting a medical degree.

Ken Jeong was pre-med at Duke University before getting a medical degree. — Ken Jeong.Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Television
The "Hangover" and "Dr. Ken" star is a licensed obstetrician. He graduated from Duke University in 1990 and obtained his medical degree in 1995 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

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Denzel Washington played college basketball at Fordham University.

Denzel Washington played college basketball at Fordham University. — Denzel Washington.Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
He decided to go with acting instead, and received degrees in drama and journalism in 1977.

Jodie Foster went to Yale, but acted through the summers.

Jodie Foster went to Yale, but acted through the summers. — Jodie Foster.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Graduating from Yale University in 1985, Jodie Foster became a role model for many child actors who wanted to get an education while maintaining a career in Hollywood.

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Ellie Kemper went to two of the best schools in the world.

Ellie Kemper went to two of the best schools in the world. — Ellie Kemper.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" star graduated from Princeton University in 2002 with a degree in English and then spent a year getting a graduate degree in the same subject at Oxford University. After graduating, she spent a year interning for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" in New York.

Steven Spielberg graduated from California State University — 34 years late.

Steven Spielberg graduated from California State University — 34 years late. — Steven Spielberg.Pascal Le Segretain
The legendary director dropped out in 1968. But decades later, he returned to finish up his remaining credits and get his degree. He submitted "Schindler's List," which won seven Oscars, as one of his student films for a course. It passed.

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Michael Jordan didn't give up college when he went pro.

Michael Jordan didn't give up college when he went pro. — Michael Jordan.Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
As an NCAA player, Jordan was a student at the University of North Carolina. After he got drafted in 1984, he still took classes and graduated in 1986.

Kourtney Kardashian, a University of Arizona grad, is the only Kardashian sibling with a college degree.

Kourtney Kardashian, a University of Arizona grad, is the only Kardashian sibling with a college degree. — Kourtney Kardashian.John Sciulli / Getty Images
She graduated with a degree in theater in 2002. Her mother, Kris Jenner, doesn't have a college degree, but her father is famed lawyer Robert Kardashian, who attended USC and University of San Diego School of Law.

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Brad Pitt majored in journalism at the University of Missouri.

Brad Pitt majored in journalism at the University of Missouri. — Brad Pitt.Rich Fury/Getty Images
He dropped out to pursue acting two weeks before graduating.

Tom Hanks went to the nearby Chabot College.

Tom Hanks went to the nearby Chabot College. — Tom Hanks.Jason Meritt/Getty Images
Hanks had low expectations when it came to getting accepted to colleges. He ended up attending Chabot College, a local community college that was affordable for him and his family, for two years before transferring to California State University, Sacramento in 1972. He wrote about his experience at Chabot in an essay for the New York Times.

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Octavia Spencer went to school in Alabama.

Octavia Spencer went to school in Alabama. — Octavia Spencer.Getty Images
She graduated from Auburn University in 1994, and started acting professionally two years after college.

Oprah Winfrey got a full scholarship to Tennessee State University.

Oprah Winfrey got a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. — Oprah Winfrey.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
She attended the historically black university after winning an oratory contest that got her a full scholarship and winning the Miss Black Tennessee pageant.

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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson could have been a pro football player.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson could have been a pro football player. — Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.Jesse Grant/Stringer/Getty Images
He played for the University of Miami Hurricanes in 1991, and apparently he was pretty good. But he stopped playing after an injury in 1992 and graduated with degrees in criminology and physiology in 1995. He went on to fulfill his family tradition of being a professional wrestler before becoming an actor.

Sandra Bullock did theater productions while at East Carolina University.

Sandra Bullock did theater productions while at East Carolina University. — Sandra Bullock.Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Before graduating in 1987, she acted in productions of "Peter Pan" and "Three Sisters." (Despite its name, the university is in North Carolina).

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Meryl Streep went to Vassar College and Yale.

Meryl Streep went to Vassar College and Yale. — Meryl Streep.Christopher Polk/Getty Images
She started taking acting as a serious potential career after starring in a production of "Miss Julie" at Vassar in 1969. After graduating in 1971, she took a couple of years off before enrolling in the Yale School of Drama, getting her masters degree in 1975.

Adam Sandler went to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Adam Sandler went to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. — Adam Sandler.Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney
He got his degree in 1988, performing comedy routines in clubs while he was still a student, and started writing for "Saturday Night Live" in 1990.

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Viola Davis studied acting at Rhode Island College before going to Julliard.

Viola Davis studied acting at Rhode Island College before going to Julliard. — Viola Davis.Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images
Growing up in poverty, Davis struggled to get a good education. She was able to attend Rhode Island College on a full scholarship, graduating in 1988 with a degree in theater. After graduating, she was one of the few actors accepted into Julliard, where she received a degree in 1993.

John Cho briefly taught English after graduating from UC Berkeley.

John Cho briefly taught English after graduating from UC Berkeley. — John Cho.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
Born in South Korea, Cho moved to the states as a kid and grew up in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an English degree in 1996 and taught English while pursuing his acting career.

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Kerry Washington was an RA while attending George Washington University.

Kerry Washington was an RA while attending George Washington University. — Kerry Washington.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
The actress designed her own major while at school focusing on anthropology, sociology, and psychology and graduated in 1998.

Mahershala Ali went to Saint Mary's College of California on a basketball scholarship.

Mahershala Ali went to Saint Mary's College of California on a basketball scholarship. — Mahershala Ali.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
In an interview for the university, he said he didn't enjoy basketball by the time he graduated in 1996.
"Honestly, I kind of resented basketball by the end of my time there," he said. "I'd seen guys on the team get chewed up, spat out and I was personally threatened with being shipped off to the University of Denver. All in the name of wins and productivity."
He studied mass communication while there and began to participate in poetry slams.

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Funny woman Kathryn Hahn studied theater at Northwestern and then Yale.

Funny woman Kathryn Hahn studied theater at Northwestern and then Yale. — Kathryn Hahn.Jesse Grant/Getty Images
She graduated from Northwestern in 1995 and the Yale School of Drama in 2001. She said she struggled to play serious roles.
In an interview with the Observer, she said: "In 'Hamlet,' I played Polonius, which was already hilarious. It was very hard for me to not wink, especially during the death scene. It was hard for me to not tip it over to the other side."

Chris Pine wasn't entirely interested in acting while studying at the University of California, Berkeley.

Chris Pine wasn't entirely interested in acting while studying at the University of California, Berkeley. — Chris Pine.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Though his parents acted, Pine chose to be an English major before wandering into acting. After graduating in 2002, he attended the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts and continued taking acting classes while pursuing his career.
"I never had a passion for acting, I never wanted to do it," he told the Hollywood Reporter. "But like any human being — people want to be loved, and it seemed to be the thing I could do where I got love."

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Issa Rae graduated from Stanford University after majoring in African and African-American studies and minoring in political science.

Issa Rae graduated from Stanford University after majoring in African and African-American studies and minoring in political science. — Issa Rae.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for BET
Before graduating in 2007, Rae created a mockumentary called "Dorm Diaries." After graduating, she became well-known for her web series "The Mis-adventures of Awkward Black Girl" and broke out in Hollywood as the creator, cowriter, and star of HBO's "Insecure."

Riz Ahmed went to Oxford University to study philosophy, politics, and economics.

Riz Ahmed went to Oxford University to study philosophy, politics, and economics. — Riz Ahmed.Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
While at college, Ahmed thought about leaving, but then he decided to fill his time with something he liked and created a club night called "Hit and Run" and a drama group. He graduated in 2003.

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Julianne Moore studied theater as an undergrad.

Julianne Moore studied theater as an undergrad. — Julianne Moore.Lars Niki/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards
She graduated from the College of Fine Arts in 1983 and then moved to New York City and worked as a waitress before her acting career took off.

The "Walking Dead" star Steven Yeun majored in psychology at Kalamazoo.

The "Walking Dead" star Steven Yeun majored in psychology at Kalamazoo. — Steven Yeun.Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Netflix
Yeun graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2005. He actually found his love of acting after watching a performance of college improv group Monkapult. He ended up taking an improv class and joining the group. After graduating, he moved to Chicago to pursue his career.

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Tina Fey threw herself into the drama department as a student at the University of Virginia.

Tina Fey threw herself into the drama department as a student at the University of Virginia. — Tina Fey.Andrew Toth/Getty Images
Fey studied playwriting and acting as a student. After graduating in 1992, she moved to Chicago to pursue her comedy career at Second City.

Pedro Pascal moved to New York from Orange County to attend New York University.

Pedro Pascal moved to New York from Orange County to attend New York University. — Pedro Pascal.Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Pascal got into drama in middle school. He ended up auditioning for and getting into the Orange Country School of the Arts before heading off to NYU.
"I begged my parents to let me go, and I won that fight so I ended up in New York in '93 and sort of got stuck here," he said in an interview with So It Goes.

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Amy Poehler was part of improv group My Mother's Fleabag at Boston College.

Amy Poehler was part of improv group My Mother's Fleabag at Boston College. — Amy Poehler.Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Poehler graduated with a degree in media and communications in 1993. She then moved to Chicago and studied improv at Second City, which is where she met Tina Fey.

Kumail Nanjiani double majored in philosophy and computer science at Grinnell College, a small liberal arts school in Iowa.

Kumail Nanjiani double majored in philosophy and computer science at Grinnell College, a small liberal arts school in Iowa. — Kumail Nanjiani.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
While there, he stumbled into stand-up comedy and tried it for the first time as a senior. After graduating, he moved to Chicago to try his hand at it, and the risk was worth it.

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Anne Hathaway had already started her career when she decided to take classes at Vassar.

Anne Hathaway had already started her career when she decided to take classes at Vassar. — Anne Hathaway.Rich Fury/Getty Images
She spent her freshman year as an English major, but then took a break to continue pursuing her career. She eventually transferred to New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, but she ended up not graduating.

Daniel Dae Kim studied political science at Haverford College.

Daniel Dae Kim studied political science at Haverford College. — Daniel Dae Kim.Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly and PEOPLE
The Haverford alumnus took an acting class as an elective in college and decided he wanted to pursue it after graduating in 1990.
"Once I took acting, something opened up for me," he said in an interview with NBC. "Something changed in me. So I took as many acting courses as I could, and I pursued an independent major in acting at a local neighboring college [Bryn Mawr] because my college didn't have an acting major. After that, when all of my friends were joining places like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, I bucked the trend and ended up going to New York to act."
He ended up going to NYU for a master's degree that he earned in 1996.

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Elizabeth Banks graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Banks graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. — Elizabeth Banks.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
The actress studied communications and theater arts at the University of Pennsylvania before graduating in 1996. She was also a member of Delta Delta Delta. She went on to earn her master's at the American Conservatory Theater in 1998.

Oscar Isaac attended community college before becoming a Julliard grad.

Oscar Isaac attended community college before becoming a Julliard grad. — Oscar Isaac.Nicholas Hunt/Getty Image
The actor took classes at Miami Dade College and studied theater there before auditioning for Julliard on a whim while acting in an Off-Broadway show in New York. He graduated in 2005.

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Rashida Jones went to Harvard.

Rashida Jones went to Harvard. — Rashida Jones.Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images for Peabody
Jones earned her BA in comparative religion from Harvard in 1997. She showed her musical and theatrical talents by writing music scores, performing in campus plays, and acting as the musical director of the co-ed a cappella group.

John Krasinski was involved with the sketch comedy group Out of Bounds while at Brown.

John Krasinski was involved with the sketch comedy group Out of Bounds while at Brown. — John Krasinski.Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Krasinski spent his first semester teaching English in Costa Rica before returning to Brown as an English major with a focus on playwriting. His time in the theater school made him want to pursue acting. He interned at "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and graduated in 2001. He later studied at the O'Neill National Theater Institute.

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Uzo Aduba was a top sprinter at Boston University.

Uzo Aduba was a top sprinter at Boston University. — Uzo Aduba.Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Not only was she an incredible athlete but the 2005 College of Fine Arts grad was a killer opera singer and actress. She graduated from the school of music with a focus on voice performance.

Matthew McConaughey thought about going to law school after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin.

Matthew McConaughey thought about going to law school after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. — Matthew McConaughey.Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Instead, the actor got his bachelor's degree in radio, television, and film in 1993. He returned to help teach a producing class at the university in 2016.

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Rachel McAdams went through a four-year-theater program at York University.

Rachel McAdams went through a four-year-theater program at York University. — Rachel McAdams.Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The Canadian actress graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2001. While there, she worked with the Toronto-based Necessary Angel Theatre Company. Very shortly after graduating, McAdams made it to Hollywood. Her career took off with 2004's "Mean Girls."

Frances McDormand became BFFs with Holly Hunter in grad school.

Frances McDormand became BFFs with Holly Hunter in grad school. — Frances McDormand.Vince Bucci/Invision/AP
The "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" actress graduated from Bethany College in 1979 with a degree in theater.
Afterwards, she went to Yale for a master's degree in drama, which she received in 1982. While she was there, she roomed with actress Holly Hunter. The two got along so well that they continued to live together when they moved to New York City after graduation.

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Stephen Colbert graduated from Northwestern University.

Stephen Colbert graduated from Northwestern University. — Stephen Colbert.Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images
Colbert transferred to Northwestern as a junior and completed the school's three-year acting program in two years. He gave the commencement speech and received an honorary doctorate at his alma mater in 2011.

Kerry Washington double majored in anthropology and sociology at George Washington University.

Kerry Washington double majored in anthropology and sociology at George Washington University. — Kerry Washington.Kris Connor/Getty Images
Washington, who was a presidential scholar for the arts at GW, delivered the commencement speech and received an honorary doctorate in 2013.

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