10 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Geniuses

5. James Franco

James Franco’s educational resume might actually be more impressive and substantial than his acting one. He completed his undergraduate degree at UCLA in just two years, as he convinced the school to allow him to take 62 credits in one semester as opposed to the normal 19. After this, he completed two master’s degrees, one from NYU and one from Columbia University, and is currently working towards his PHD in English at Yale.

4. Cindy Crawford

More than just a pretty face, this iconic model was her high school class valedictorian, and was headed to get her degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University on academic scholarship; however, her modeling career soon took over.

3. Natalie Portman

It’s tough to rank Natalie Portman’s most impressive intellectual feats. She holds a degree in Psychology from Harvard, and has published two research papers in scientific journals, one of which she wrote in high school. And when it comes to languages, her intelligence is unmatched. Portman speaks English and Hebrew, as well as conversational German, French, Spanish, and Japanese.

2. Shakira

Not only is she a multi-talented performer, she is also a multi-talented linguist. This star is fluent in four languages- English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. Shakira also has a highly respectable IQ of 140, has opened a school in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, and was once a guest speaker at the University of Oxford.

1. Matt Damon

Ever wonder why Matt Damon always seems to play roles as the genius prodigy in films, such as Good Will Hunting, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and the Bourne Series? Well, maybe it’s because these roles are actually in his comfort zone. Before seriously pursuing his acting career, Matt Damon was attending Harvard University, and with an IQ of 160, he is one of the smartest actors in the business.

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Well there’s our list of 10 celebrities you didn’t know were geniuses. Did this listicle make you feel like an underachiever? Me too. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter and Facebook.