Actors Who Went to Art School

Celebrities who started out on the way to a Fine Arts degree.

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We always hear stories about the 15 year olds who made it big in Hollywood, and every path to stardom seems to start with waiting tables. Instead of glorifying the people who skipped school, why don't we take a moment to admire those who weren't one in a million? Some actors actually studied, taking time to hone their craft. Find out who went to college before becoming a celebrity with our list of 25 Actors Who Went to Art School

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Hugh Jackman

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Hugh Jackman

Art school: Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Studied: Drama

Jackman mostly focused on communications while in college but was very involved in music and drama during his undergrad as well. He realized his innate talent at age 22 and even turned down a role in a popular Australian soap opera in order to study drama.

America Ferrera

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America Ferrera

Art school: University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts
Studied: Theater and International Relations

Ferrera graduated from high school as her class valedictorian and won the USC presidential scholarship. Her rigorous double major balanced her intellect and passion perfectly.

Kelly Preston

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Kelly Preston

Art school: University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts
Studied: Drama and Theater

Preston was raised in Hawaii and Australia, and she moved to California to study drama and theater at USC. Her move to the mainland launched her successful acting career.

Orlando Bloom

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Orlando Bloom

Art school: Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Studied: Drama

Who knew that one of Hollywood's heartthrobs had a very educated start. Bloom attended this prestigious school in London. He coped with dyslexia and became a wildly successful actor. 

Oprah Winfrey

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Oprah Winfrey

Art school: Tennessee State University
Studied: Communications, Speech, and Drama

Oprah won an oratory contest in high school to secure a full ride to Tennessee State. She took full advantage of college, graduating with three majors. It's no surprise that her passion and drive led her to where she is now.

Robin Williams

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Robin Williams

Art school: Julliard
Studied: Drama

Williams spent three years at Julliard from 1973 - 1976. He was one of only 20 people to be accepted into the freshman class that year. Along with Christopher Reeve, Williams was one of two students chosen for the advanced program. Like many alumni, after he became successful, Williams created a scholarship for future students.

Jessica Chastain

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Jessica Chastain

Art school: Julliard School
Studied: Fine Arts

If it's not impressive enough that she went to Julliard, Chastain entered a program with Michael Urie and Jess Weixler. She was also one of the students to benefit from Robin Williams' scholarship program.

Zach Braff

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Zach Braff

Art school: Northwestern University
Studied: Film

When Zach Braff was asked about what his dream profession was as a child, he said he always wanted to be a filmmaker. He got a lot closer than most kids do.

Sandra Bullock

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Sandra Bullock

Art school: East Carolina University
Studied: Drama

Bullock did work as a bartender, cocktail waitress, and coat checker before she got her big break. But before working in the service industry in New York, she attended school in the town of Greenville, North Carolina as a drama student.

Ben Stiller

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Ben Stiller

Art school: University of California Los Angeles
Studied: Film

Stiller got his start as the opening act for Jadin Wong, a cabaret performer. His three semesters at UCLA and cabaret experience seem to have given him the experience he needed to make it big. After college, he moved to New York and started auditioning for various roles.

Daniel Craig

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Daniel Craig

Art school: Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Studied: Drama

Going to school is totally worth it if you end up as James Bond after college. Craig attended the same school in London as Orlando Bloom and completed his full degree there.

Kyra Sedgwick

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Kyra Sedgwick

Art school: University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts
Studied: Theater

Sedgwick started her undergraduate career at Sarah Lawrence College but closed it at USC. Her schooling ranged from coast to coast, and she definitely received a broad theater education.

Tom Hanks

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Tom Hanks

Art school: California State University in Sacramento
Studied: Theater

Hanks began his undergraduate career studying theater at Chabot College in Hayward, California. Then he transferred to Sac State with all intentions of completing his program. But an awesome internship with Vincent Dowling (head of the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland) got him off track. From college dropout to household name, Tom Hanks is king.

Madonna

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Madonna

Art school: University of Michigan
Studied: Modern Dance

In high school, Madonna was a straight-A student and a cheerleader. This got her a dance scholarship to college and convinced her father to let her get ballet lessons. And after that, there was no stopping her.

John Krasinski

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John Krasinski

Art school: Brown University
Studied: Theatre Arts and English Literature

Not only did he go to Brown and double major, he also graduated with honors. All that hard work just makes John Krasinski more awesome.

Miranda Cosgrove

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Miranda Cosgrove

Art school: University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts
Studied: Film

This child star took a break from celebrity life and decided to study film at USC after Drake and Josh, iCarly, School of Rock, various commercials, and her music career. We can't wait for her next move.

Forest Whitaker

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Forest Whitaker

Art school: California State Polytechnic University and University of Southern California
Studied: Music (voice) and Drama

Whitaker actually paid for school with his football scholarship. After a bad injury, he decided to switch his major to drama. Talk about a blessing in disguise. 

Angelina Jolie

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Angelina Jolie

Art school: New York University's Tisch School of the Arts
Studied: Drama

Although Angelina's stunning looks often overshadow her career, it's impossible to deny that the actress has talent. She trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, which is run by NYU.

Zac Efron

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Zac Efron

Art school: Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts
Studied: Acting

Efron's early success led him to defer from the University of Southern California. His continued on-screen roles kept him away from this prestigious school, but it couldn't keep him from taking classes and improving his craft.

Debra Messing

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Debra Messing

Art school: Brandeis University and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts
Studied: Theater Arts and Fine Arts

Messing completed her undergrad at Brandeis and graduated summa cum laude. Then she got into a graduate program at NYU that only accepts 15 students per year and completed the program in three years.

Adam Sandler

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Adam Sandler

Art school: New York University's Tisch School of the Arts
Studied: Fine Arts

Brooklyn-born Sandler stayed in the city for college and graduated from NYU in 1988. He was well known on campus for his extra-curricular involvement.

Anne Hathaway

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Anne Hathaway

Art school: American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Studied: Stage Acting

Hathaway prefers stage acting to any other kind of acting, and she trained for live theater after graduating from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Hathaway started her collegiate career at Vassar College as an English major and Women's Studies minor before she found her calling.

Ed Harris

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Ed Harris

Art school: California Institute of the Arts in Valencia
Studied: Acting

Harris started off studying acting at Oklahoma University but quickly moved over to this art institute that is located about 30 minutes north of LA. He graduated after two years and says that he believes his education was very significant in improving his acting.

Rachael McAdams

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Rachael McAdams

Art school: York University
Studied: Fine Arts

McAdams completed a four year degree from this theater program in Toronto. She graduated in 2001, three years before she became a household name with Mean Girls and The Notebook.

James Franco

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James Franco

Art school: NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and Columbia University School of the Arts
Studied: Directing and Writing

Franco is one of Hollywood's favorite enigmas, and he kept the mystery alive when he decided to sign up for both of these schools' prestigious programs simultaneously. Before this ambitious endeavor, Franco had already attended UCLA. And afterwards he went on to take classes at Brooklyn College, Warren Wilson College, Yale, and the Rhode Island School of Design. It's obvious that under all that mystery and cool, Franco's secretly a nerd.

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