One of the coolest things about people is how multi-faceted they are. Nobody’s really a one-trick pony. We all have lots of different skills, talents, and passions that we can wow the world with. And our beloved celebrities are no different.
The r/AskReddit online community recently had a fun discussion about all the (not so) hidden skills and talents that celebs have that could easily make them famous… if they weren’t stars already. We’ve collected some of their most interesting bits of knowledge to share with you. Scroll down to learn more about some of the most well-known stars in showbiz.
Bored Panda wanted to find out how to overcome frustration when learning new skills and rekindling interest after burning out, so we reached out to neuroscientist Burcin Ikiz, Ph.D. She is the founder of the EcoNeuro project and the host of the Connecting Neurons blog on Psychology Today. You’ll find our interview with her below.
#1
Brian May is the world level guitarist for the band Queen as well as many solo projects. He also has a PhD in astrophysics and is taken seriously as a researcher in interplanetary dust. (The PhD is not honorary, his dissertation is titled “A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud”. ) He is a visiting research at Imperial College.
Image source: javanator999
#2
Viggo Mortensen – I really thought someone else would mention him!
He is fluent in English, Spanish, Danish, and French and can function in a lot of others
He paints, released three jazz albums, incredibly accomplished horseman, and has written a book of poetry. Still writes poetry. Has had his photography in an exhibition, surfs, often did all his own stunts, and picked up swordfighting real easy.
Love this guy.
Image source: LividAd5306, wikipedia
#3
Hedy Lamarr. Laid the groundwork for Bluetooth.
For a lot of radio transmission actually. She did it during WW2 to have jam-free radios.
Image source: cutratestuntman, wikimedia
#4
Terry Crews is actually a really talented artist. He used to do courtroom sketches. They sort of show it in some Brooklyn 99 episodes. He also plays football, is a good flautist, designs furniture, the list goes on. Man of many talents
Image source: carolstilts, wikipedia
#5
Natalie Portman was working her way toward a research career in neuroscience when the acting career took off. She got into Harvard on academics (earned high As on an academic course load all through high school) and she’s coauthored scientific research papers
Image source: doublestitch
#6
Hugh Laurie, actor (House, Blackadder amongst many others), is an accomplished jazz pianist
Image source: chickenkev, wikimedia
#7
Jamie Foxx, this man should be studied, he is a top tier amazing actor, he sings like a absolute angel, he is an amazing stand up comedian, and his impressions are spot on!
He’s also a classically trained pianist, for which he went to college on a scholarship. And the director and producers of Ray did NOT know that before casting him as Ray Charles.
Image source: lellaa, Gage Skidmore
#8
Matthew Perry was a nationally ranked tennis player in Canada (top 20 in singles, top 10 in doubles).
Image source: saucytopcheddar, wikipedia
#9
Haven’t seen Dolph Lundgren mentioned here yet.
That man has a master’s degree in chemical engineering.
Image source: piperpike, wikipedia
#10
Geena Davis almost made the 2000 Olympic archery team
Image source: OldPolishProverb, wikimedia
#11
Lucy Liu is a compelling, awesome and accomplished sapphic painter under the name Yu Ling!
Image source: darangatang, wikipedia
#12
Not too long ago Tom Hardy turned up at a Jiu Jitsu tournament unexpectedly and won it.
Image source: Unusual-Shopping1099, Gage Skidmore
#13
Steve Martin, actor/comedian but also well-known serious banjo player.
Image source: Bally_3, wikipedia
#14
Ken Jeong gave up practicing medicine in California to begin acting.
Image source: ComplexDessert, wikipedia
#15
Nick Offerman is an accomplished woodworker.
Image source: fotodevil, wikimedia
#16
Christopher Lee, he had a pretty successful military career.
Image source: PhilosopherExpert625
#17
Peter Weller is very well known as RoboCop and Buckaroo Bonzai, but is also a serious art historian with a PhD in the Italian Renaissance.
Image source: CarrieNoir, wikipedia
#18
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden. Also a pilot, not recreation, but type rated commercial and actually worked for an air carrier. Supposedly did some high-profile sorties including evacuating British citizens from conflict zones. Pilot the band’s own aircraft at times, with one of the most famous is a Boeing 747 with Iron Maiden livery “Ed Force One”. Owns own training and maintenance company of sorts too.
Image source: parking7
#19
Jack Johnson was world #2 in surfing then broke his ankle and instead became a chart-topping musician.
Image source: RelativelyOldSoul, wikimedia
#20
Gerard Way, My Chemical Romance and wrote the Umbrella Academy. Both very famous in their own regard.
Image source: ilovecaffeinatedtea, wikipedia
#21
Aldis Hodge is an actor most famous for playing Alec Hardison in Leverage, but has also been in features like Hidden Figures and Straight Outta Compton. He’s also an incredibly talented watchmaker.
Image source: thirtyflirtyandpetty
#22
Bryan Adams has a career as an award-winning photographer. He was asked to photograph Queen Elizabeth during her Golden Jubilee.
Image source: babatofu
#23
Anthony Hopkins is also a composer!
Image source: _schlong_macchiato
#24
Dwayne Johnson. If he wasn’t an actor he could have been a wrestler. Dude is built like a rock.
Image source: Mr_Good_Stuff90
#25
Rowan Atkinson can drive. I think he’s 2nd all time best celebrity driver on Top Gear.
He could have been a race car driver.
Image source: Aberrantkitten, wikipedia
#26
Vanilla Ice was ranked like 6th in the world in jet ski racing
Image source: DankVectorz, wikipedia
#27
Jennifer Tilly has won MANY professional poker tournaments
Image source: annierarara
#28
Rod Stewart has an absolutely legendary model train layout. He is highly regarded amongst model train enthusiasts.
Image source: pm_me_ur_demotape
#29
Jason Lee (my name is earl) was pro skater
Image source: Former-Neat-4258, wikipedia
#30
Steve carell is a very good ice skater because he played hockey a lot before he got big for acting. They wrote that plot of Michael going to the ice rink in the office for that reason.
Also shoutout to Bridget mendler for making the U-turn from Disney kid to getting her PHD
Image source: releasethekaren
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