Fame often overshadows education, but many well-known actors, musicians, and entertainers pursued higher learning long before—or even during—their careers in the public eye.

Their academic paths reveal surprising choices, ranging from neuroscience to architecture.

Natalie Portman, for instance, graduated from Harvard University with a degree in psychology, while fellow actress Allison Williams earned an English degree from Yale.

Sacha Baron Cohen studied history at Cambridge University, where he was also active in the dramatic society.

Several actors chose scientific fields.

Mayim Bialik earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA, and Ashton Kutcher graduated with a degree in biochemical engineering from the University of Iowa.

Brian May, guitarist of Queen, holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics, and Ken Jeong, now best known for comedy, trained as a medical doctor at the University of North Carolina.

Other stars leaned into humanities and the arts.

David Duchovny studied English literature at Princeton before obtaining a master’s degree from Yale.

Bradley Cooper earned his degree in English from Georgetown, and Julia Stiles graduated in English literature from Columbia.

J.K. Rowling studied French, along with Greek and Roman history, at the University of Exeter.

Some academic choices were more unconventional.

Will Ferrell holds a bachelor’s in sports information, Rebel Wilson earned both law and arts degrees, and Weird Al Yankovic graduated in architecture.

Lionel Richie studied economics, David Spade business, and Carrie Underwood mass communications with a focus on journalism.

Actors like James Franco and Danai Gurira continued their education at advanced levels—Franco with a Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. studies at Yale, and Gurira with a bachelor’s in social psychology.

Freddie Highmore pursued languages, earning a double first in Spanish and Arabic from Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Rooney Mara completed a degree covering psychology, international social policy, and nonprofit management.

Others followed paths tied to their families or personal interests.

Lisa Kudrow earned a biology degree and worked on her father’s research team, while Eva Longoria completed a master’s in Chicano studies at age 38.

Gabrielle Union studied sociology at UCLA before moving from modeling into acting.

From rock legends like Gene Simmons, who studied education, to comedians like David Spade with a business degree, the list underscores the wide range of academic backgrounds among celebrities.

Whether in sciences, humanities, law, or economics, many of these figures built foundations in classrooms before achieving fame on stage and screen.

The list: