Sure, you might have an idea that celebrities aren’t that bright. If they were, why would they be in front of the camera instead of behind it, right? Well, that’s not always the case. In fact, these ten celebrities are probably smarter than you.
Ken Jeong
Ken Jeong, a beloved comedic actor who has appeared in The Hangover and Community, is a medical doctor. That’s not a joke—he’s literally a licensed physician who earned his MD from UNC School of Medicine in 1995. As you might expect, he no longer practices medicine in favor of his acting career.
Charlie Day
Charlie Day, well-known for his role as Charlie on It’s Always Sunny, is actually a very smart man despite his character’s questionable intellect. He’s an accomplished writer, a producer, and a multi-instrumentalist. He graduated from Merrimack College in 1998 with a degree in art history.
Lisa Kudrow
Despite playing the airy and vapid Phoebe on Friends, Lisa Kudrow is a sharp academic. She has a degree in biology from Vassar. She even worked as a medical researcher before landing her role on Friends. She’s not exactly a coffee shop worker!
Kesha
Kesha might have a public image centered around partying and hitting the club, but don’t let that fool you. She’s no slouch when it comes to her studies—she aced the SATs and was accepted to Barnard. She dropped out due to her passion for music.
Nolan Gould
You might remember Nolan Gould for his role as Luke Dunphy on Modern Family, a popular and long-running sitcom. Despite Luke’s hilarious lack of wit, Gould himself graduated from high school at age 13. That’s better than most people can say!
Ina Garten
Ina Garten isn’t just that lady on the Food Network cooking up some yummy meals. She’s a world-class economist who worked during the Ford and Carter administrations. Not bad for someone you wrote off as “just a TV chef,” right?
Dolly Parton
Dolly is a beloved country singer and songwriter who is occasionally accused of being a “dumb blonde.” Sure, she has lots of makeup, pretty dresses, and blonde hair—but she’s far from dumb. She wrote many of her own songs and is regarded as a skilled public speaker and activist for women’s rights. Moreover, blonde isn’t even her natural color!
Shakira
Shakira, the stunning musical artist known for her huge voice and lovely stage outfits, isn’t just a pop star. She’s a multilingual genius! She speaks Spanish, English, Italian, Arabic, and Portuguese fluently and translates her own lyrics when she records alternate versions of her songs. Congratulations, now you somehow love her even more than you already did!
Read More: The 10 Best Celebrity Sitcom Cameos
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson’s public persona is that of a silly, over-the-top comedian who’s always a little lost. In reality, she’s studied to become a lawyer and earned a Bachelor of Laws degree while studying at the University of New South Wales.
Read More: The 15 Best Stand-Up Comedians of All Time
Chris Pine
Star Trek and Dungeons and Dragons star Chris Pine has a way with words. He’s not just eloquent, either: he has an English degree from Berkely. A running gag between him and Star Trek co-star Zachary Quinto saw the pair competing to see who could inject more obscure vocabulary into their press interviews.
Read More: Celebrities Who Tragically Passed Away in 2024
