What do you do when you have everything you could possibly want in life—including fame and fortune? Why, go back to school of course!
Some celebrities view school the way most parents wish their children would—a new and challenging outlet to tackle a subject matter outside of their comfort zones. This fall welcomes a slew of celebs hankering to tackle their subjects of choice.
1. Jerry O’Connell, Southwestern Law School
O’Connell just couldn’t be content with his hot wife, Rebecca Romijn, and beautiful little twin girls. Rather than play Mr. Mom while Romijn tackles her latest role in ABC’s upcoming Eastwick, the thirty-five-year-old plans to give law school a whirl. He’s currently enrolled at Los Angeles’ Southwestern Law School.
“I had always planned on continuing my education at some point … and I’m home all day with the girls, I figured I would take a couple of classes at night,” O’Connell told US Weekly. “It was either that or play video games until 2 a.m.”
Seeing as O’Connell didn’t really mention any upcoming acting jobs for himself, law school is probably the next best bet over that video game console.
2. Emma Watson, Brown University
Ah, little Hermione is officially off to college!
More bookworm than potions master, Watson managed to land herself among the Ivy League elite in between all those Harry Potter movies. The actress is enrolled this fall at Brown University in Rhode Island to study literature.
“It sounds so geeky, but I really do like studying and reading, and if I’m not working on Harry Potter, then my greatest relaxation is to sit with a book. That’s how I escape stress—in literature,” Watson told Paste Magazine back in July. “I always have several books on the go at any one moment. I think that reading is just about the only similarity I have with Hermione, if you ask me.”
Rumor had it the nineteen-year-old freshman arrived in a helicopter for orientation this month, but the actress has said she hopes her stardom doesn’t put a damper on the kind of college experience any average student would expect. And fear not, Watson fans, the student says she’s not giving up acting, but will instead consider roles in between class breaks.
3. Ashley Judd, Harvard University
She’s the Judd who didn’t get into the family business and could give Bono a run for his money.
While her mom and sister—Naomi and Wynonna—are big country singing stars, the forty-one-year-old actress is best known for roles in films like Kiss the Girls and The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. But in the last few years, this Judd has also gained attention for the humanitarian work that led to her enrollment at one of the most prestigious universities in the country.
Judd is registered for Harvard University’s Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) program which is designed to “increase the knowledge and skills of well established, high-performing professionals, who seek to enhance their public service careers or to move from the private sector to a leadership position in either the public or non-profit sectors,” according to the program’s Web site.
Judd’s previous education included a stint at the University of Kentucky where she was a Phi Beta Kappa and Honors Program student majoring in French with four minors. And while Judd continues to act, she’s also served on the board of directors for healthcare nonprofit Population Services International since 2004 and was Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, the organization’s HIV education and prevention program.
4. James Franco, Columbia University
Continued success hasn’t kept James Franco away from the schoolbooks.
The Pineapple Express star and UCLA graduate (he majored in English, focusing on creative writing) has continued his studies at Columbia University’s School of Arts where he’s pursuing his MFA degree in writing.
