Let’s face it, when you envision celebrities, you likely see red carpets, premiere nights, and designer madness, not lecture halls or lab coats. But trust us, many stars have academic achievements that would put most of us to shame. From rocket science to political philosophy, here are some celebrities who show that you can be just as smart as you are famous. Here’s a 10-Countdown of 10 stars whose education is as dazzling as their careers.
10. Rebel Wilson – The Legal Comedy Queen
Before Rebel Wilson had audiences roaring with laughter in Pitch Perfect, she was studying hard in Sydney. She graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Studies. Wilson used to believe she’d become a lawyer or politician, but life (and her impeccable comedic sense) had other ideas. But she’s one of the few celebrities who can defuse a joke as well as a courtroom oratory.
9. Gemma Chan – The Oxford-Educated Marvel Hero
Gemma Chan’s resume is all prestige, on and off screen. Prior to leading roles in Crazy Rich Asians and Eternals, she attended law school at Oxford’s Worcester College and even landed a training contract with one of London’s most prestigious firms, Slaughter and May. She went on to trade case briefs for scripts, but still uses her quick legal mind to assist with contracts and character research.
8. Brian May – Rock Star and Astrophysicist
Queen’s lead guitarist isn’t only a musical mastermind, literally, he’s a doctor of astrophysics. Brian May started his PhD coursework at Imperial College London in the 1970s, but suspended his studies when Queen took off. Years later, he returned and finished his thesis on interplanetary dust. Rock star by night, scientist by day, talk about range.
7. Mayim Bialik – The Neuroscientist Behind the Sitcom Star
She portrayed a neuroscientist on The Big Bang Theory. She is one in real life. Mayim Bialik graduated from UCLA with a PhD in neuroscience in 2007, specializing in the brain’s involvement in conditions such as Prader–Willi syndrome. Few actors can say they’ve played their actual career on television and gotten it right.
6. Rowan Atkinson – Engineering Meets Mr. Bean
Rowan Atkinson’s antics as Mr. Bean may not be yelling “science brain,” but the actor behind the hapless character has considerable brainpower. He graduated in electrical engineering from Newcastle University and went on to take a master’s at Oxford. Underneath all the slapstick, there’s a man who likely knows the inner workings of every gadget his character can’t seem to figure out.
5. Shaquille O’Neal – The Brainy Jock
Shaq isn’t only a basketball legend, he’s also Dr. Shaquille O’Neal. After leaving the NBA, he obtained a doctorate in education from Barry University. He explained that it was a commitment to his mother and a means of advancing himself in business and leadership. Safe to say, he’s slam-dunked academics and athletics alike.
4. Angela Merkel – The Scientist Who Led a Nation
Before being elected as Germany’s first woman chancellor, Angela Merkel was in the midst of quantum chemistry studies. She took her PhD from the Central Institute for Physical Chemistry in East Berlin, releasing a dissertation on molecular interactions. Her critical thinking skills and application of discipline in science evidently translated well into her political life.
3. Taylor Swift – The Pop Star with an Honorary Doctorate
Taylor Swift may not have wasted years of grad school, but NYU still figured she was worth some academic sparkle. The school gave her an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts in 2022, when she delivered a hilarious, sincere commencement address on owning cringe and listening to your gut. It was a very Taylor ending to a lifetime of artistic genius.
2. Miuccia Prada – The PhD-Wielding Fashion Genius
Before she became the fashion world’s redefiner of luxury, Miuccia Prada acquired a PhD in political science from Milan University. Once a member of the Italian Communist Party and a feminist activist, she went on to redirect her brain towards transforming her family’s luggage company into one of the globe’s most powerful fashion dynasties. Clever, chic, and provocative, that’s Prada in a nutshell.
1. Neil Armstrong – The Engineer Who Walked on the Moon
Before his historic moonwalk, Neil Armstrong was a no-nonsense aeronautical engineer. He received his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and subsequently a master’s degree from USC. His technical acumen set the stage for his groundbreaking 1969 lunar landing. Armstrong did not simply set his sights high; he actually left Earth to accomplish it.
From comedians with law degrees to rock stars with PhDs, these celebs prove that fame and intellect aren’t mutually exclusive. So the next time you’re watching one of them on stage or screen, remember: behind the stardom might be someone who can solve equations, or draft legal briefs, better than most of us.