Did you know these celebrities have a PhD?

• Ken Jeong
• Mayim Bialik
• Art Garfunkel
• Rachel Maddow
• James Franco
• Miuccia Prada
• Ken Jeong
• Brian May
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Condoleezza Rice
• Ashley Judd
• Peter Weller
• Dexter Holland
• Dan Grimaldi
• David Duchovny
• Michael Crichton
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Sophie Ward
• Shaquille O’Neal
• Sterling Morrison
• Sai Pallavi

Ken Jeong

When a celebrity gets famous enough, they’re often awarded an honorary PhD as a sign of respect and admiration from a specific university. But there are several stars who have put in the hours and hours of work needed to complete actual doctorates. Here are 20 such smart and talented examples.

Mayim Bialik

The actress who came to be known as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory is as smart as the TV character she played. After wrapping Blossom in the mid ‘90s, she went on to earn a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. Her dissertation focused on the brain activity of those with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Art Garfunkel

What do you do when you’re stuck between pursuing a PhD in mathematics education at Columbia University and chasing a music career as part of the legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel? You choose the latter and put the former on hold! That’s just what Garfunkel did as he and Paul Simon shot to fame in the ‘60s.

Rachel Maddow

An international Rhodes Scholar, the host of MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show is also a Doctor of Politics. She completed her degree at Oxford University and focused on HIV/AIDS and healthcare reform in prisons.

James Franco

He may play a goofball in some of the films he’s starred in, but Franco is no dummy. In fact, he is known to have enrolled in a PhD program at Yale University. He already holds a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University.

Miuccia Prada

Even though this designer’s primary passion is fashion, she’s been highly engaged in furthering herself through education. Not only did she train to be a mime, she also earned a PhD in political science from the University of Milan.

Ken Jeong

Many people don’t realize this beloved comedian is also a licensed doctor, having studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Medicine. The only reason he made the leap into acting was because his wife convinced him to give it a try.

Brian May

To some, May is one of the best guitarists in the world (thanks to his role in Queen); to others, he is a well-respected doctorate holder, having completed a PhD in astrophysics in 2006. He actually began the program prior to Queen hitting it big, but was forced to abandon his work given the band’s touring schedule.

Martin Luther King Jr.

It should come as no surprise that this Nobel Peace Prize winner and legendary orator held a doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University.

Condoleezza Rice

As the second African American to become secretary of state, and also the second female to do the job, Rice is well respected within her field. She has a master’s degree in economics and a PhD in international studies from the University of Denver. After leaving office, she went on to join the faculty of Stanford University.

Ashley Judd

Though she isn’t technically a PhD holder (yet!), this beloved actress and social justice advocate was accepted at UC Berkeley to pursue a doctorate in public policy in 2016.

Peter Weller

Who would have thought hiding beyond the cyborg costume (in RoboCop) that made this gentleman famous would be a highly educated and talented historian? In 2013, Weller received a PhD in art history from UCLA.

Dexter Holland

Turns out the lead singer of The Offspring can rock out not just on stage, but also in the classroom. In the midst of his career as a famous frontman, he was able to complete a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Southern California. His focus? The molecular dynamics of HIV and general virus/host interactions.

Dan Grimaldi

It’s hard to believe Grimaldi had his sights set on a career in computer science and not acting, given his role on The Sopranos; but prior to hitting the big time, he earned a PhD in data processing at City University in New York City. He even worked in a lab.

David Duchovny

Not only does this The X-Files and Californication star hold an English degree from Princeton, he also began a PhD at Yale University. (Much to his mother’s chagrin, he has yet to complete the program.)

Michael Crichton

The man behind Jurassic Park wasn’t just an incredible author, he was also a medical doctor. While pursuing his career as a writer, he attended Harvard Medical School. The famous novelist also developed a computer program that he believed could help people budget their finances.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The creator of the fictional character Sherlock Holmes may have had something in common with the beloved literary figure: a love of science. Sir Conan Doyle obtained a doctoral degree from the University of Edinburgh Medical School and even practised as a physician before achieving fame as a writer.

Sophie Ward

With a PhD in English and comparative literature from Goldsmiths, University of London, it should come as no surprise that British actress Sophie Ward is a wizard with a pen. She wrote her first novel, Love and Other Thought Experiments, in 2020, and has a number of film credits under her belt. In the ‘80s, she played Elizabeth Hardy, the love interest of Sherlock Holmes in the series Young Sherlock Holmes.

Shaquille O’Neal

There’s basically nothing Shaq can’t do. Not only is he a legendary basketball player, he’s also the owner of a doctoral degree in organizational learning and leadership from Barry University. He also completed an MBA with the University of Phoenix.

Sterling Morrison

Though Morrison died young (at the age of 53), he accomplished a lot in his time on earth, including creating The Velvet Underground and completing a PhD in medieval studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame posthumously in 1996.

Sai Pallavi

At just 29, Pallavi may be one of the youngest famous people to hold a PhD—a medical degree from Tbilisi State Medical University, in Georgia. In 2020, the much-beloved Bollywood star was one of Forbes magazine’s 30 under 30 in India.