Celebrity Classmates
Did you know these stars went to school together? Nope, neither did we!
Rex FeaturesClaire Danes
Claire Danes attended New York City’s Dalton School while growing up. But what she wouldn’t have realised at the time was that there was another Homeland star there with her.
PA PhotosMorena Baccarin
Yes, Brody’s missus, Morena Baccarin, shared the same homeroom with Claire for a year and a half. The actresses both recently discovered that they had even been bullied by the same girl. Who’s laughing now though?
Rex FeaturesKate Hudson
Kate Hudson is an LA girl through and through, attending Crossroads High School with her brother Oliver, and another certain famous face…
PA PhotosCash Warren
Yep, Jessica Alba’s husband, film producer Cash Warren, also attended the same school. How Hollywood likes to stick together, hey?
PA PhotosEddie Redmayne
Eton is one of the most prestigious schools in the world – so we’d expect it to produce a few famous faces. First up, Les Mis star Eddie Redmayne, who graduated from the boarding school in 2000, the same year as….
PA PhotosPrince William
Our very own Prince William. The actor revealed: "It's the first thing that gets written about me. It's the weird thing that Eton does - you're at school next to lords and earls and, in my case, Prince William, so you end up being used to dealing with those sorts of people… They'd (the media) say William was doing something somewhere and I knew he wasn't because we were both in double French (class)."
PA PhotosTom Hiddleston
Eddie Redmayne also knew fellow thesp Tom Hiddleston from drama, even though the War Horse star was a year older.
PA PhotosJohn Krasinski
The American Office star John Krasinski learnt the acting trade at Massachusetts's Newton South High School, where he studied with someone else who went on to be famous.
PA PhotosBJ Novak
His Office co-star BJ Novak attended the same school and credited John’s acting success…to himself. ''I think John started acting as a direct result of my casting him in the senior show," BJ said. ''So technically, he has me to thank for all of this, right?"
PA PhotosLena Dunham
Lena Dunham is a New York girl through and through so we weren’t surprised that she attended Saint Ann's School in New York City with a certain famous someone.
Rex FeaturesJemima Kirke
… Who just happened to be her Girls co-star, Jemima Kirke. This isn’t quite the coincidence it first seems. When Lena was casting for the pilot, she thought of Jemima for the role of Jessa. “I think she convinced me because it was a pilot and I was really proud of her to get the offer to make a pilot. I didn’t think ahead. I’m not the star of it, so it’s kind of fine. “I’d love to appear in your pilot.” Then it became this huge thing. In my mind, I didn’t really sign up for this. I signed up for the pilot, but this is where it took me. It’s great,” Jemima revealed.
Getty ImagesRobert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson’s classmates at The Harrodian School didn’t seem to appreciate the star’s acting talents at the time. “I got beaten up by a lot of people when I was younger. I was a bit of an idiot, but I always thought the assaults were unprovoked,” he revealed. “It was after I first started acting and I liked to behave like an actor, or how I thought an actor was supposed to be, and that apparently provoked a lot of people into hitting me.” How could do such a thing to that beautiful face? Especially as he wasn’t the only famous face to attend the Barnes school.
Mario TestinoTom Sturridge
The school’s hallways were graced by another British actor with a gorgeous façade. Tom Sturridge was just a year younger than R-Patz but followed his schoolmate to Hollywood and got himself an A-List girlfriend in the shape of Sienna Miller.
Rex FeaturesJack Whitehall
The Harrodian boasted another famous face, albeit a few years after this pair. Comedian and Fresh Meat star Jack Whitehall also studied here, and regularly refers to how Robert Pattinson bagged the best roles in the school play, leaving him to play the “fifth villager”.
Rex FeaturesFreddie Prinze Jr
New Mexico’s La Cueva High School also seems to be a bit of a hub of blossoming talent. Freddie Prinze Jr discovered he loved drama (but hated studying) there, as did another famous student.
PA PhotosNeil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris hit the big time with his role as the precocious young doctor, Doogie Howser, while he was at La Cueva and had to fit studying around his acting work until he graduated in 1991.
PA PhotosJeremy Piven
Entourage star Jeremy Piven attended the Evanston Township High School in Illinois. And he made an A-list friend while he was there.
PA PhotosJohn Cusack
John Cusack and Jeremy Piven were roommates and besties but, if Jeremy is to be believed, fell out when he hit the big time. "It just says so much about a person if he has space for other people's success," the Entourage actor about their friendship.
Rex FeaturesJada Pinkett Smith
Way before she had even heard of Will Smith, Jada Pinkett attended the Baltimore School for the Arts with another famous rapper.
Getty ImagesTupac Shakur
Jada bonded with the late Tupac Shakur over their shared love of acting, poetry, jazz, and surprisingly ballet. The pair never had a romantic relationship but their friendship was volatile and they weren’t on speaking terms in 1996 when Tupac was killed in a drive-by shooting. Speaking after his death, Jada said: “It was beyond friendship for us. The type of relationship we had, you only get that once in a lifetime.”
PA PhotosGwyneth Paltrow
New York’s Spence School must really know how to pick its students. As well as Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, it spawned another Hollywood leading lady just four years later.
Rex FeaturesKerry Washington
Django Unchained star Kerry Washington might not have shared lessons with Gwynnie but we’d like to imagine them admiring each other as they rushed to class. Kerry may have noticed another star in her midst too…
Rex FeaturesEmmy Rossum
Emmy Rossum also attended Spence, although her memories aren’t all happy ones. The US Shameless star admitted she “didn’t fit in” because while she was “good at science and math” she just wasn’t into boys which apparently was important at the all-girls school.
PA PhotosLenny Kravitz
Even the King of Cool, Lenny Kravitz went to school – and a prestigious one at that. The Hunger Games star attended Beverly Hills High School, famous itself for appearing in films like Clueless.
PA PhotosNicolas Cage
And Lenny wasn’t the only famous alum. Nicolas Cage, guitarist Slash and Gina Gershon all learnt their times-tables and the art of performance at this LA institute.
PA PhotosJessie J
The London-born singer/songwriter with a penchant for urban fashion has been taking the world by storm with her unique style and singing voice…
PA PhotosAdele
… as has her former school mate Adele, whose sophomore album 21 spent a record-breaking amount of time at the top of the UK Albums Charts. The pair went to the BRIT School - a state-funded college of performing arts - together. “She was in a different class to me,” Adele said. “I think her voice is illegal. The things she can do with her voice are criminal.” Jessie J elaborated: “We used to jam at lunch time and someone would play guitar and we both would just sing." Now THAT we’d pay to see!
Rex FeaturesLeona Lewis
Also in their school at the same time? A little-known X Factor winner called Leona Lewis. Talk about talented!
PA PhotosCameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz was a good, wholesome, all-American cheer leader during her high school years at Long Beach Polytechnic…
PA PhotosSnoop Dogg
…which is why we were shocked to learn that not only did she go to school with bad boy rapper Snoop Dogg, but she also (according to her, at least) bought weed off of him! "We went to high school together," Diaz said. "He was a year older than me. ... I remember him, he was very tall and skinny. He wore lots of ponytails. I'm pretty sure I bought weed from him…”
PA PhotosPrince William
The media agreed to let Prince Wills’ private life stay private during his time at St Andrews University…
PA PhotosKate Middleton
…so little did we know that His Royal Highness had found the love of his life in fellow History Of Art student Kate Middleton. Their romance blossomed, so we’re told, from the moment they met during Fresher’s Week in 2001. Almost a decade later, and they are now officially married. Lucky girl…
PA PhotosLady Gaga
This New York singer/songwriter is so strange at times it’s hard to believe she went to school on this planet…
PA PhotosParis Hilton
…let alone with vanilla celeb heiress Paris Hilton! The seriously famous pair went to Convent Of The Sacred Heart together – a private all-girls Roman Catholic school on Manhattan’s Upper East Side (Gossip Girl, anyone?) As, in fact, did…
PA PhotosRussell Brand
This former lothario’s self destructive past is well documented, as are his former celebrity conquests (Kate Moss included)…
PA PhotosLouise Redknapp
…but did you know the star went to Italia Conti in London with Louise Redknapp? By his own admission, he was completely besotted with the Eternal singer, who went on to marry footballer Jamie Redknapp. "I used to write Louise endless poetry. I adored her," he told reporters.
PA PhotosMartine McCutcheon
Also in Russell and Louise’s class was Martine McCutcheon. “Russell Brand said in his autobiography that he kissed me,” Martine told reporters. “That was a lie. I was scared of boys then. Especially boys like him,” she said. Do we blame her?
PA PhotosJosh Hartnett
Super-hunk Josh Harnett went to Minneapolis South High School, where he was a jock before an injury left him unable to compete on the athletics field. Instead, the now-famous actor took to the stage, and went on to star in several plays.
PA PhotosRachel Leigh Cook
Good job he got some practice behind him. His experience went on to score him a number of Hollywood movie roles, including starring alongside former school mate Rachel Leigh Cook in romantic comedy Blow Dry (2001). It’s a small world, even for the A-list!
PA PhotosNicole Kidman
Australian actress Nicole Kidman showed a natural talent for acting and ballet when she attended North Sydney Girls High School, which stood her in good stead for her future Hollywood success…
PA PhotosNaomi Watts
…As did best school friend and fellow actress Naomi Watts. Was there something in the water?!
PA PhotosCharlie Sheen
It may come as no surprise that troubled star Charlie Sheen – then known as Carlos Estévez – was expelled from Santa Monica High School a few weeks before he graduated for poor grades and attendance. During the rest of his time there, however, he showed a keen interest in acting, and even made amateur Super-8 films with his brother Emilio…
PA PhotosSean Penn
…and his now seriously famous school friend Sean Penn! The pair were both in the Brat Pack movies together in the 1980s, too. Must have been like a class reunion, especially as…
PA PhotosRobert Downey Jr
…their equally famous high school chum Robert Downey Jr also appeared in them! And to think they went to school with Iron Man...
PA PhotosRob Lowe
…Or, for that matter, their other famous class buddy, Rob Lowe! Not sure what they were feeding the kids at this school, but whatever it was, WE WANT SOME!
PA PhotosKate Hudson
Kate Hudson is the daughter of cinema royalty. Multi award-winning actress Goldie Hawn is her mother, and she considers legendary actor Kurt Russell – her mother’s long-time partner – her father.
PA PhotosLiv Tyler
So it is perhaps of little surprise that she made a bee-line for BBF Liv Tyler, whose father is rock ‘n’ roll king Steven Tyler from Aerosmith and mother is famous model and singer Bebe Buell. The pair first became friends when they attended the Crossroads School in Santa Monica.
PA PhotosMatt Damon
Matt Damon is said to been a studious and disciplined pupil when he attended the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, as did his distant acting cousin…
PA PhotosBen Affleck
…Ben Affleck. The pair performed in several high school theatre productions together, and Damon often credits drama teacher Gerry Speca as being the most important artistic influence on him. “Mr Speca always seemed to trust Ben [Affleck] with the biggest roles and longest speeches,” Matt said. Do we detect a hint of school boy rivalry?
PA PhotosKevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey is a well-respected member of the acting community, both on the big screen and on the stage. But as a school boy he had a lot of competition to contend with in terms of who bagged the biggest role in the school play…
PA PhotosVal Kilmer
…which is unsurprising when you’re sharing a stage with the legendary Val Kilmer! The pair attended the Chatsworth High School in California together and were even in the same class.
PA PhotosBillie Piper
Billie Piper’s life couldn’t have turned out to be any more different than her former Sylvia Young Theatre School chum…
PA PhotosAmy Winehouse
…Amy Winehouse! “Amy was a character at school. “I love Amy,” Billie said. “She was a wild girl but it was different from the trouble she's in now,” another school friend, Gem Allen, said of her.
