Think fame and textbooks don’t mix? Think again. From astrophysicists with arena tours to comedians with law degrees, these celebs took surprising academic detours. Meet the stars whose majors—yes, real ones—make their résumés even more delightfully unexpected.
1. Natalie Portman’s Harvard Psychology Degree
Natalie Portman didn’t just ace the acting world—she aced academia, too. The Oscar winner graduated from Harvard University in 2003 with a degree in psychology, balancing coursework with early career buzz from the Star Wars prequels. Portman even co-authored scientific papers and later took graduate classes at Hebrew University. Her choice of major makes sense: she’s long been fascinated by how people think and behave.
This arguably deepened roles like Black Swan. Portman famously skipped a Star Wars premiere to study for finals—a very Jedi move, but also a very Harvard one.
2. Allison Williams, Yale English Grad
Before Girls and Get Out, Allison Williams graduated from Yale in 2010 with a B.A. in English. On campus, she performed with the improv group Just Add Water and appeared in musical and sketch shows, sharpening the timing she’d later bring to screen. A viral YouTube performance helped her break through soon after graduation. Williams has said close reading and literary analysis translate directly to script work.
It helps in spotting motivations, structure, and subtext. It’s a practical humanities success story: turn seminar smarts into scene-stealing poise, then keep mixing prestige projects with delightfully dark twists.
3. Sacha Baron Cohen Studied History at Cambridge
Yes, the man behind Borat and Ali G is a bona fide history graduate. Sacha Baron Cohen earned a degree in history from Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he also performed in the Cambridge Footlights. After university he trained in clowning under Philippe Gaulier, blending scholarly curiosity with fearless comedic craft. That historical lens—and habit of research—shows up in his mockumentary setups, where characters test real social boundaries.
It’s an unlikely pipeline: from medieval chronicles to mankini diplomacy. But with Baron Cohen, rigorous prep meets audacious improvisation, and history winds up making hysterically uncomfortable headline.