March 30th, 200910 Hot Celebrities Who Are Actually Incredibly Smart
By Alisa Johnson
With all the glitz and glamour, it’s hard to remember that celebrities are just regular people, too. Before they were famous, they went to school, had part-time jobs, and possibly even had dreams besides stardom. And while certain celebrities decided to give up on those dreams once they made it big, others have continued to pursue worthwhile causes, educating themselves and proving their worth beyond their high profile images. These ten celebrities aren’t just good looking and talented, they’re also incredibly smart and driven.
Jenny McCarthy: Former Playboy model–she was Playmate of the Year in 1993–Jenny McCarthy dominated the B-list entertainment industry as the big-chested blonde with an irreverent sense of humor. Over the next ten years, McCarthy hosted Playboy TV’s Hot Rocks, MTV’s Singled Out, E! TV’s Party at the Palms and The Jenny McCarthy Show on MTV. She continued to pose for and work for Playboy, but in 2007, McCarthy became known more for her autism activism than her crude movie roles and modeling gigs. After her son Evan was diagnosed with autism in 2005, McCarthy became a highly visible advocate for autism awareness and often criticized childhood vaccinations for their alleged role in causing autism. McCarthy served as spokeswoman for Talk About Curing Autism in 2007 and 2008, has written a book on autism advocacy, Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism, and contributes to FHM magazine.
George Clooney: George Clooney has been a celebrity since he started acting as Dr. Doug Ross on ER, but he belongs to a family of Hollywood royalty. His aunt was the legendary singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, who was married to Academy-Award winning actor Jose Ferrer. Over the years, however, Clooney developed from a TV star to a blockbuster movie star and sex symbol into a serious actor and director who has worked on award-winning projects like Good Night and Good Luck and Michael Clayton. Besides nurturing his career in the entertainment business, Clooney is well-known for his activism in bringing awareness to Darfur and other disadvantaged, war-torn regions in Africa. In January 2008, he was named by the United Nations as a Messenger of Peace and by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World for his involvement in bringing awareness to Darfur. He has collaborated with writer and Nobel Prize-winner Elie Wiesel, his father Nick Clooney, fellow actor Don Cheadle, and others in various film and activism projects on behalf of the people in Darfur.
Ben Affleck: Another movie star-turned activist, Ben Affleck first became a real celebrity when he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. Though he took smaller roles in films before Good Will Hunting, after he shared the Oscar with Damon, Affleck was able to find work in more high-profile projects, like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. In 2007, Affleck won praise for directing and co-writing the screenplay for Gone Baby Gone, which starred his younger brother Casey Affleck. In addition to his film career, Ben Affleck is a political and social activist who has campaigned for Al Gore, John Kerry and Barack Obama. He has even hinted that he may one day consider running for government office, and in 2008, Affleck began backing advocacy projects that seek to bring awareness to the humanitarian crisis in the Congo.
Brooke Shields: Brook Shields has been in the spotlight since she began modeling at 11 months old. As a young teenager, she appeared on the cover of French, Italian and American Vogue magazines, and in Calvin Klein ads. Shields’ most famous child role was as Emmeline Lestrange in The Blue Lagoon, and she was a People’s Choice Award winner four years in a row in the early 1980s. In 1983, Shields enrolled in Princeton University and graduated in 1987 with a degree in French Literature. Shields is still considered an in-demand actress and maintains a high profile presence in the entertainment industry.
Ashley Judd: Actress Ashley Judd suffered a dysfunctional childhood as she traveled around the country with her mother Naomi Judd and half-sister Wynona Judd, as they pursued their musical careers. Judd, however, eventually attended the University of Kentucky and graduated with a degree in French and minors in Anthropology, Art History, Theater and Women’s Studies. Ashley Judd has appeared in movies like Ruby in Paradise, Natural Born Killers, and De-Lovely, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination. Today, Judd continues to act and is a strong supporter of women’s rights and animal rights.
Adam Sandler: Most Americans know Adam Sandler as the goofy SNL graduate who stars in comedies like Click, Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, and The Wedding Singer. His rambunctious style combines toilet humor and physical comedy, but Sandler has also demonstrated serious acting skills in films like Punch-Drunk Love and Reign Over Me. Sandler is also head of his own production company called Happy Madison Productions, which produced Joe Dirt, Little Nicky, The Master of Disguise, and more. In addition to enjoying huge commercial successes, Sandler also spent time as a serious performing student at New York University, graduating with a BFA in 1991.
Reese Witherspoon: Reese Witherspoon is one of the highest paid actresses in the entertainment industry, and is known as a do-it-all force who produces, acts and serves as a spokesperson for companies like Avon. She has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line. Before becoming a movie star, however, Witherspoon acted in films as a child, including The Man in the Moon, her first big role. After acting in other films and TV movies, Witherspoon attended Stanford University and majored in English literature before dropping out to pursue her movie career.
Angelina Jolie: When Angelina Jolie first became famous, she was known for her publicly sexual relationship with Billy Bob Thornton, penchant for knives and blood, and gothic appeal. When she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Girl, Interrupted, her award was nearly overshadowed after she kissed her brother during the ceremony. Over the years, however, Jolie continued to receive critical praise and box office success for her movies, including the Lara Croft movies, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and A Mighty Heart. She has evolved to become a high profile advocate of various humanitarian causes and has been named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and received the first ever Citizen of the World Award from the United Nations Correspondents Association. As a Goodwill Ambassador, Jolie has traveled to Pakistan, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and Sri Lanka, and has given speeches at the World Economic Forum, a National Press Club luncheon, and other events.
Claire Danes: As a teenage actress, Claire Danes was the poster child for 90s angst and one of the most influential and successful young actresses of the time. She attended the elite Dalton School in New York and later won a Golden Globe for her role in the TV series My So-Called Life, starred in Little Women, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and others. Danes is the granddaughter of the dean of the art and architecture school at Yale University, and for two years, Danes enrolled at Yale as a psychology student before dropping out to pursue her film career. She is still considered a thoughtful, intelligent actress who stars in successful films like Shopgirl and The Hours.
Lily Cole: British model Lily Cole doesn’t fit the models-are-stupid stereotype. Cole graduated from the selective Latymer Upper School in London. As a teenager, she signed with the modeling agency Storm Models and has worked with top fashion professionals like photographer Steven Meisel and designers like Alexander McQueen. She has been the face for Rimmel, Tiffany & Co., and other brands, and has even appeared in a Marilyn Manson film called Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll, in which she plays Alice. She was also accepted into King’s College at Cambridge in 2007 and began studying art history there in 2008.
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