15 Celebrities With Advanced Degrees In Surprising Subjects

Celebrities are often associated with being talented artists who can do a number of things really well: sing, dance, act and not much else. The concept of vapid personalities dominating Hollywood has recently come under fire as a growing number of celebrities are seeking professional careers outside of movies, concerts and their talk shows. It

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Celebrities are continuously associated with being talented artists who can do plenty of things really well: sing, dance, act and not much else. The concept of vapid personalities dominating Hollywood has lately come underneath fire as a rising selection of celebrities are seeking professional careers outside of films, concert events and their talk displays. It is not any secret that the world of celebrities has hundreds of artists with Bachelor’s degrees in their craft, whether or not it's theater, tune manufacturing, screenwriting or literature. However, there are a make a choice few in the business that experience long gone above and past their comfort zone.

The following checklist highlights individuals who have made tens of millions doing what they love, while simultaneously working exhausting against advanced degrees, together with masters, Ph.Ds. and regulation degrees from probably the most country’s and international’s height academic institutions. There are superstars comparable to Ke$ha who excelled in school via scoring a 1500 on her SATs and incomes a scholarship to Columbia-affiliated Barnard College to study psychology. However, the celebrities highlighted in this record only includes artists who've finished an advanced level in their second passion. They are living proof that you'll crush it in their public careers whilst also learning in a private atmosphere that earned them top grades from nerds everywhere.

15. Hill Harper

Hill Harper helped himself by way of enjoying a brainy coroner in hit show CSI: NY for just about a decade, shaping the picture of the 50-year-old as an intellectual performer. Harper’s acting profession blossomed following his time in his undergrad Brown University, where took theater courses and rocked the stage with a lot of degree performances. He received his level from the Ivy League establishment in 1988, garnering the dignity of valedictorian as he wore a graduation robe that integrated magna cum laude honors to it.

The award-winning actor pursued advanced degrees after faculty, following in the footsteps of his folks, who have been both physicians. Harper went on a somewhat other route, earning admission from Harvard University’s famend Law School. Apart from learning regulation, he also got a point in public administration and spent summers at quite a lot of companies. Ultimately, he used to be extra in the learning side of the law rather than the practice of it, prompting him to pursue an illustrious career in appearing.

14. Greg Graffin

Bad Religion front man Greg Graffin has earned himself a place in punk rock lore as he wrote and performed in one of the vital style’s maximum influential albums, together with 1994 classic Stranger than Fiction, which went Gold in the U.S. Outside of his gnarly vocals, catchy guitar riffing and his skill to dance at the piano’s ivories, Graffin’s used his smarts to excel in the study of animals, raking in three degrees in the process.

The 52-year-old double-majored in anthropology and geology in UCLA, and followed his hobby of nature by way of getting a master’s in geology from the same school. The singer went Ivy League for his Ph.D in zoology from Cornell University, writing his dissertation on his evolutionary and atheistic ideals. He wrote a memoir/manifesto known as Anarchy Evolution, detailing his naturalist beliefs that feed off of his musical anti-religion thematic issues. To peak all of it off, Graffin joined Cornell’s zoology faculty, teaching a direction on evolution twice per week.

13. Peter Weller

Peter Weller is a star from a bygone technology, rocketing to the height of stardom in the Eighties earlier than experiencing a gradual decline in his undying career. For the ones of you too young to bear in mind, he performed the titular persona in RoboCop and its sequel RoboCop 2, a persona this is repeatedly being referenced or imitated in next motion motion pictures that pay homage to the pop culture staple. Some might be mindful Weller from The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the eighth Dimension, a cult classic where he performed a super-genius who is a physicist, neurosurgeon, pilot and rock superstar.

The film gave us a preview of what Weller used to be succesful of outside of Hollywood as he spent greater than two decades pursuing his passion for art history. He completed a grasp’s in Roman and Renaissance Art from Syracuse University in 2004, in addition to a Ph.D in Italian Renaissance art historical past ten years later. The guy behind RoboCop blended his movie and academic background in one of the crucial several classes he has taught, requiring scholars to watch sandal epics such as Ben Hur while studying in regards to the history of the Romans to educate students with a full-fledged symbol of the complexities that defined that civilization.

12. Rachel Maddow

MSNBC’s host of The Rachel Maddow Show is a trailblazer in more tactics than one, becoming one of the first and maximum a hit female TV hosts in the U.S. Rachel Maddow could also be the primary openly homosexual anchor at a big prime-time news program in the country, inspiring millions with her liberal ideals that supply perception and opinion into one of the crucial greatest topical subjects at any given day. The California-native has won a large number of awards for her well-informed content, considerate analysts and unapologetic perspective within the business, including the “Breakout Star of 2008” via The Washington Post in 2008.

In order to add credibility to her display screen career, Maddow raked in somewhat an impressive educational CV, including a bachelor’s degree in public coverage from Stanford University. She additionally earned a PhD in political science from Oxford University, attending as a Rhode Scholar—these scholarships are offered to one of the global’s brightest and hardest-working scholars in the arena pursuing a postgraduate stage.

11. Ron Jeremy

The name Ron Jeremy is most often connected with his arguable career trail of appearing in adult entertainment films. Nicknamed “The Hedgehog,” Ron Jeremy is favored by many because of his friendly disposition and openness concerning the industry he works in, while many others denounce his paintings and the whole thing it stands for. Whatever your opinion on Jeremy may be, it's arduous to argue in opposition to his intellectual background as he devoted the primary stage of his skilled existence against educating the country’s formative years.

The 63-year-old double-majored in education and theater, and he adopted his undergrad work with a grasp’s level in special education. He considering high school special education classes, aiding autistic children and teenagers who suffer from schizophrenia. Jeremy additionally did some exchange teaching before coming to the conclusion that teaching was once no longer for him. After spending some years suffering to consume, the actor joined the grownup entertainment trade and his profession took off.

10. Dexter Holland

Dexter Holland is best-known because the singer, rhythm guitarist and major songwriter of multi-platinum promoting artist The Offspring, and there’s a chance he would’ve been simply as successful pursuing his 2nd occupation. Holland earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from University of South Carolina, following this feat up via getting a grasp’s in Molecular Biology from the similar school. The “Why Don’t You Get a Job?” vocalist will have gotten any process in the business had he completed his Ph.D in Molecular Biology from the same faculty. Nevertheless, he could always go back to university or search employment with his grasp’s if The Offspring ever name it quits.

His passion for the human form has been displayed in lots of the band’s album covers, including a ugly dissection of a man’s entrails in the artwork of their first album. 6x platinum-album Smash captures a skeletal scan of a person’s torso and head, the “She’s Got Issues” video options animated monsters and 2003 album Splinter presentations a statue’s head breaking into items.

9. Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik has received the hearts of nerds all over the place with her role in The Big Bang Theory, where she performs a neuroscientist who is socially awkward, romantically afflicted and insecure regardless of her great mind. Over the process the series, she wins the center of one of the most protagonists, advances her occupation, turns into an integral part of an established social crew of nerds and adds a dose of lovable humor as she possesses a great center. What makes the 40-year-old’s efficiency extra spectacular is how close she comes to the mark in portraying a neuroscientist because of the truth that she is a real neuroscientist.

Bialik earned a B.S. in neuroscience with minors in Hebrew and Jewish research, ultimately netting a Ph.D in neuroscience. Her dissertation tackled the hypothalamic job in patients who be afflicted by Prader-Willi syndrome, a genetic disorder that leads to the underdevelopment of muscle tissue. She has helped to advance the sphere in addition to oldsters in every single place via writing a book that tackles the challenges of parenting with her knowledge of the hormones of attachment all of us possess.

8. Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Atkinson will perpetually be immortalized in tv and picture lore for his unique and iconic portrayal of Mr. Bean, the well-intentioned gentleman who's as quiet as he's clumsy. The British star endured his work as a hero to underachievers all over the place in Johnny English Reborn, serving as a tribute and parody to James Bond and other spy motion pictures from again in the day. Atkinson is a demise breed, relying on the slapstick humor that turned into the trademark of some of comedy’s biggest minds, including Charlie Chaplin, the Marx brothers and the minds at the back of The Three Stooges. However, the actor is far from being the clown that he pretends to be as he has challenged himself to procure degrees in some difficult professions that require precision.

He studied in his homeland, garnering some extent in electrical engineering from Newcastle University as well as an MSc from Oxford of all puts. The famend establishment named him as an Honorary Fellow in 2006, nevertheless it was his theater work that in the Experimental Theatre Club of Oxford that helped Atkinson make a name for himself. In 2012, he determined to retire his Mr. Bean function due to the fact that he was not the spry, younger comic that he constructed his career on.

7. Miuccia Prada

Born Maria Bianchi, Miuccia Prada is likely one of the largest minds in model of the 20 th and 21st century. She embodies her luxurious brand as she is regularly noticed dressed in some of her classiest outfits while operating a highly successful industry. Building an empire like Prada’s does not happen in a single day which begs the query of ways she pulled it all off.

Descending from a conservative Catholic circle of relatives helped to outline what Prada didn't want to embrace in her style. She confirmed up at her college dressed like a hippie at age 14 all through the Nineteen Sixties, serving to to set the tone of what her existence can be devoted to in the longer term. She began her type days with an academic occupation that was highlighted by means of a PhD in Political Science. She proceeded to paintings in the theater, designing outfits for actors that helped to form her avant-garde taste. With a internet price of $11.1 billion, Prada is now one of the crucial richest and brainiest ladies in the world.

6. Brian May

Brian May is an absolute legend who was once continuously looking for to one-up his friends in Queen by way of writing larger and better songs. The Middlesex guitarist penned probably the most band’s maximum a hit hits, including “We Will Rock You,” “Fat Bottomed Girls” and “The Show Must Go On.” One has to marvel where the grandiosity of May’s songwriting comes from, nevertheless it is sensible while you believe his interest for academia, which have earned him roles in numerous prolific clinical entities together with NASA.

His astronomical intelligence was once put in display throughout his days of upper training, which incorporates a BSc degree in physics, in addition to a PhD stage that revolved around the mirrored image of sunshine from interplanetary mud, among other universal quandaries from the astrophysicist. May’s interest for space used to be put in display by the aforementioned area organization in 2015 where he met with the crew that is examining Pluto. The Queen superstar used to be at NASA as greater than a spectator as May was named as a collaborator of interplanetary house probe New Horizons.

5. Ken Jeong

If there is one comedy that has defined the millennial generation, it is more than likely The Hangover. One of the film’s iconic parts used to be the character portrayed by way of Ken Jeong, who was once a gangster chief with a Napoleonic complicated that makes for comedic gold. Perhaps the only side of Jeong that fits the hilarity he is in a position to conjuring is his talent as a physician. He were given his undergraduate stage from Duke University, followed by way of an M.D. level at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Jeong established himself in New Orleans by means of completing his internal residency in a hospital there. He pursued his comedic paintings simultaneously, performing stand-up in a bid to make a name for himself. The Korean-American put in years as a doctor before making it as a comedian and actor. Jeong is authorized to apply drugs in California and he still takes patients when he isn’t operating in order to stay his double lifestyles going. It all came full circle for the 47-year-old in 2015 when he was announced as the celebrity of Dr. Ken, a sitcom in which Jeong performs a funny doctor.

4. Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren is a power to be reckoned with. The Swedish massive struck fear into the eyes of Americans in every single place in Rocky IV, as he portrayed Soviet boxer Ivan Drago six years before the Soviet Union collapsed. Lundgren proceeded to determine himself as one of the preeminent action stars of Hollywood, together with a role in Masters of the Universe and The Expendables film sequence. The actor has the chops to check his on-film bravado as he’s a black belt in karate, changing into a European champion in 1981.

Before making it in the biz, Lundgren proved he had the brains to back his brawn via incomes a chemistry bachelor’s, some extent in chemical engineering and a master’s level in chemical engineering. Top it all off, the stalwart actor earned a Fulbright Scholarship to attend MIT in 1983. Perhaps one among Lundgren’s most impressive feats involved a scenario in which he didn’t elevate a finger as robbers broke into his area, saw a picture of the muscle-builder and right away exited the house, cowering in worry. The Swedish hunk embodies everything that’s right concerning the American dream.

3. Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler is among the peak foreign skills that Hollywood has seen during the last two decades. The Scot has had starring roles in 300, P.S. I Love You and RocknRolla, organising himself as a flexible artist able to doing action, drama and romance. In addition to his on-film paintings, the actor has an educational background that virtually noticed him practising as a lawyer to pay the expenses.

Following a regulation stage, Butler started to train to change into a legal professional with a company in Scotland. At age 25, he used to be nonetheless too green for the industry due to his partying, prompting the company to fireside him. Although many would have been dismayed via what took place to Butler, he noticed his shortcomings as a legal professional as a blessing in hide. He pushed himself to turn into an actor with the hopes of being well-known. He adopted numerous jobs on his path to stardom, together with waiting at a restaurant. His ability proved to be too massive to resist as he eventually made it in the business.

2. Art Garfunkel

Art Garfunkel is known for his feuding with fellow musician Paul Simon as much as he’s known for the entire great songs the pair wrote all the way through the years together as Simon & Garfunkel. The pair was once inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 due to composing music that pulls on the heart strings, together with “The Sound of Silence,” “Scarborough Fair,” “America” and the long-lasting track from The Graduate in “Mrs. Robinson.” When taking a more in-depth look at Garfunkel’s existence, it turns into clear that he's also a skilled athlete and highbrow.

In his time at Columbia, Garfunkel was part of the tennis, skiing, fencing and bowling team, while earning a bachelor’s in artwork history in the Sixties. The decade was excellent to him as he received a grasp’s in arithmetic from the similar faculty a few years later, while also changing into a chart-topper with Simon around the same time. He even worked towards a PhD in mathematics training on the identical school.

1. Shaquille O’Neal

Perhaps essentially the most surprising entry in this checklist is Shaquille O’Neal, considered by means of some to be the greatest center in NBA history. The Lakers and Magic megastar used to be a majestic figure of the sport, standing tall at 7’1" and weighing over 300 pounds at times. What he lacked in his free-throwing ability he made up for in court presence and defensive prowess. Shaq’s other careers are well-known to his fans, including a platinum rap album and a brief acting career.

What a lot of people don’t know about the four-time NBA champions is that he’s a savvy businessman, earning an MBA from online institution University of Phoenix. Over the years, Shaq has amassed quite the CV, showing up in commercials, working with law enforcement, trying different sports including wrestling and becoming a spokesperson for Pepsi, Apple, General Electric and other companies. There are plenty of athletes who feel lost in their path once their playing career ends, but Shaq is proof that you can become a multi-talented entrepreneur who constantly revamps his brand if you put the work in.

Sources:Wired, MSNBCCNN, Independent, The Guardian

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