Hollywood has no end of surprises. Just when you’re thinking you’ve got your favorite celebrities all wrapped up, they produce an entirely unexpected talent that has you wondering–can they do anything? From musical abilities to death-defying circus stunts, here are ten of the biggest surprise hidden talents celebrities have up their sleeves.
10. Christina Hendricks – Accordion Enthusiast
We know Christina Hendricks best as Joan, the sassy and chic force of nature from Mad Men. What you may not be aware of? She’s a passionate accordion enthusiast. When producers requested that she play piano for a scene at one time, Hendricks volunteered her actual accordion talent instead. She refers to the instrument as “very romantic,” and even sneaked the accordion onto the set. Who knew Madison Avenue needed a touch of Parisian café ambiance?
9. Mark Ruffalo – Unicycle Rider Extraordinaire
The unicycling Hulk is a laugh-out-loud sketch idea, but for Mark Ruffalo, it’s everyday life. He taught himself toafterwardicycle as a child and never forgot how. Years afterwards, he remounted for a TV guest spot and even rode a mammoth six-foot unicycle for The Graham Norton Show. He and James McAvoy even engaged in a unicycle battle. Forget Avengers–someone already put him in a circus movie.
8. Angelina Jolie – Knife Collector and Thrower
Angelina Jolie’s action hero parts are no coincidence–she’s really proficient with knives. She became a knife enthusiast at Renaissance fairs when she was a kid, and it became both an arsenal and a honed ability. Jolie has dazzled late-night audiences with her butterfly knife magic tricks and even performed her own knife-throwing stunts in Tomb Raider and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Lara Croft would be proud.
7. Steve Martin – Banjo Virtuoso
Yes, Steve Martin is a comedy great, but he’s equally great with a banjo as he is with one-liners. Self-taught on the instrument in his teenage years, he won numerous Grammys for his bluegrass playing. Martin even established the Banjo Prize to honor other artists. See him on stage, and you might catch him swapping jokes for string picking.
6. Geena Davis – Almost Olympic Archer
After seeing archery on TV at the Olympics, Geena Davis thought to herself, Why not give it a shot? Two years of rigorous training later, she was shooting at national and international competitions. She even qualified for the semifinals of the 1999 U.S. Olympic trials, coming in at 24th place. Not bad for a girl who simply picked up the sport by chance.
5. Kesha – Jewelry Maker… with Teeth
Kesha has always embraced her quirky side, but this one takes the cake. She once asked fans to send her their teeth–and they did, by the thousands. She turned the collection into a series of wild creations, including earrings, necklaces, and even a bra top. It’s strange, it’s creative, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from Kesha.
4. Pierce Brosnan – Fire Breather
Before becoming James Bond in a tuxedo, Pierce Brosnan was actually breathing fire. As a teenager traveling with a theater troupe in London, he learned the trick and flaunted it on television years later. But after a mishap during an appearance on Muppets Tonight left his lips blistered, he hung up the fire-breathing act. Still, not a bad icebreaker to keep in your back pocket.
3. Christopher Walken – Teenage Lion Tamer
Christopher Walken’s CV is as unexpected as his performance technique. At 16, he took a job in a circus as a lion tamer. His co-worker? A lioness named Sheba, whom he wrote about more like a big housecat than a beast. Even then, lion taming is quite an unbeatable teenage summer job.
2. Hugh Laurie – Multi-Instrumental Musician
Better recognized as the cantankerous yet clever Dr. House, Hugh Laurie is also a very accomplished musician. Piano, guitar, drums, and saxophone are all instruments that he can play, and he’s made numerous albums of blues and jazz songs. His Spotify profile is testament enough that he would have no problem trading in acting for music altogether if he were ever so inclined.
1. Clint Eastwood – Composer and Pianist
Before he became a Hollywood legend, Clint Eastwood had dreams of a music career. A talented pianist, he has written music scores for some of his own pictures, such as Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby. His musical foundation is so great, he might have just as easily been famous as a musician as an actor-director.
Hollywood’s biggest surprises often aren’t written into scripts. The most interesting tales are sometimes the unseen abilities these actors have up their sleeve–abilities they only unleash when the time is exactly right.