Before they stepped into the limelight, all your favorite celebrities had something in common. They were once students! Gawky or confident, shy or not, all of them attended high school and have some fascinating tales associated with the time. Their misadventures, their routines, there are many interesting things about that time their fans are dying to know about.
So let's embark on this journey through time and discover what these popular faces were like when they were in school. Get a glimpse of their yearbook pictures and find out what you have in common with them.
Jennifer Lawrence - Kammerer Middle School - 2005
Jennifer Lawrence attended Kammerer Middle School in Louisville, Kentucky. She was a good student despite her hyperactivity and social anxiety. She stood out among her mates and was voted the most talkative in her class. Despite people’s opinions, she still took part in softball, hockey, basketball, horse riding, and was also a cheerleader.
Now, she has one BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards and many more awards to her name. She has achieved major success with many movies, including the X-Men franchise, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1 & 2. We’re very sure you’ll fall in love with her if you see these movies.
Justin Bieber - St. Michael Catholic Secondary School - 2008
Renowned singer Justin Bieber started high school in 2008. He attended St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford, Ontario and loved playing the piano, drums, and guitar. His high school life was private as he learned via the e-learning platform. In 2012, he graduated from the school with a 4.0 GPA. Surprisingly, the superstar missed his graduation ceremony!
Scooter Braun discovered Justin and he even tracked him to his school. Justin is now a Grammy Award winner and holds 14 Guinness World Records. He has collaborated with Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Ed Sheeran, Chris Brown, and many others over the course of his singing career.
Reese Witherspoon - Harpeth High School - 1994
Actress Reese Witherspoon studied at the Harpeth High School. It’s an all-girls school located in Nashville and she joined it in 1990. Reese was an intelligent student, often regarded as a bookworm by her parents and friends. They nicknamed her Little Type-A. She did a lot of activities in her high school which involved reading and cheerleading.
Reese Witherspoon is now an Academy Award-winner and among one of the highest-paid actresses in the world. She has starred in films like Monsters VS Aliens and Big Little Lies. She also owns a production company called Hello Sunshine.
Emily Ratajkowski - San Dieguito High School - 2008
Emily attended the San Dieguito High School in Encinitas, California in 2006. It was at this school that her parents met each other. She experienced both good and bad times at the school. As a girl who lived in a place where she could express herself freely, she loved dressing in her way. Emily was a football player when she was in school.
Today, Emily is a popular actress and has starred in many movies including We Are Your Friends (2015) and iCarly, a TV show. She has also featured in music videos including Maroon 5 Love Somebody. She is married to Sebastian Bear-McClard.
Fergie - Glen A Wilson High School - 1990
Fergie attended the Glen A Wilson High School and then enrolled at the Mesa Robles Middle School for further studies. She was an active and intelligent student in high school and participated in many activities including cheerleading, spelling-bee group, and she was also a Girl Scout. Fergie was known to be an A grade student.
Now the world recognizes her through her singing and acting talent. She has received over 150 nominations and won 61 awards. There is no way you will read about the Black Eyed Peas without the mention of her name. She has also starred in movies including Poseidon and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
Julia Roberts - Campbell High School - 1985
The gorgeous actress is a graduate of Campbell High School in Smyrna, Georgia. She was an active and intelligent student. During her high school years, she was part of a musical band and played her favorite instrument, the clarinet. She was once the treasurer of the student council.
Julia Roberts is a three-time Golden Globe Award winner and an Academy Award winner. She is one of the highest-paid actresses and delivered an outstanding performance in the Ocean’s franchise, a movie series about heists.
Victoria Beckham - St Mary's High School - 1992
This gorgeous teen, who later became David Beckham's wife, attended St Mary's High School and Sixth Form in Cheshunt. Victoria who came from a very rich family was embarrassed in school due to her family's fortune. She had to beg her father to stop dropping her off at school in his Rolls Royce. While struggling with her issues at school, she joined a musical band called Persuasion.
Victoria grew up and became a successful businesswoman and singer. She was a member of the Spice Girls, a pop band till 2000. She has her own fashion label and even won the Designer Brand of the Year (Britain) Award in 2011.
Courteney Cox - Mountain Brook High School - 1982
In 1978, Courteney Cox joined Mountain Brook High School in Alabama. The beautiful teen was active in sports and academics. She was popularly known for cheerleading, playing tennis and swimming in her high school. Though she was a stubborn student in school, she was noted to be a neat freak.
Courteney first appeared in a music video in 1984. She acted in her first movie in 1987. Later, she acted in the Blue Desert, How To Live With Them and Shameless, a TV series. She has won many awards including a Teen Choice Award and has received over 20 nominations including a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Beyonce -High School for Performing and Visual Arts - 1996
Most people choose their careers after reaching a more mature age, but Beyoncé selected the singing line since she was pretty young. She was born in Texas and attended St. Mary’s Elementary School there. Along with her studies, Beyoncé started fulfilling her passion while taking dance classes at the school. In 1990, she enrolled at Parker Elementary which was a music school.
Today, she is one of the finest American singers and has achieved many top rankings. Some of her amazing albums include Dangerously In Love, Crazy In Love, and Baby Boy. She’s also the recipient of five Grammy awards.
Blake Lively - Burbank High School - 2003
This beautiful blonde was born in Los Angeles. At Burbank High School, Blake was a cheerleader. One of the major reasons for her popularity at school was that she was the president of her class and also participated in the choir championship. Her mates recall that she was a naughty student, but also a hardworking one.
Today, Blake Lively is a famous American actress. She is living a joyful life with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and two adorable children. She has acted in various films and series including Gossip Girl, which helped her rise to fame.
Kim Kardashian - Marymount High School - 1995
Kimberly Noel Kardashian West was born in California and attended the Marymount High School which is situated in Los Angeles. It was a Roman Catholic all-girls school. She was quite the social butterfly at school. While her studies pretty much came to an end after completing high school, recent reports suggest the socialite plans on taking up the career of a lawyer.
Today, Kim is working in multiple fields. She’s a popular businesswoman, TV personality, actress, socialite, and model. She has worked in a wide range of films and fashion shows. She has also appeared in thrilling and romantic films like Deep In The Valley and Disaster Movie.
Taylor Swift - Hendersonville High School - 2005
Taylor Swift was born in Pennsylvania and was a student of the Hendersonville High School located in Henderson (what a surprise!). According to her, she was one of the most unpopular girls in school. Her lack of confidence always made her stand last in team activities and she rarely took part in competitions.
Taylor recorded her first album while still in school. Today, she is famed for her narrative songs that contain stories related to her life. She has worked with various recording companies and performed live in several concerts. Some of her most popular songs include You Need To Calm Down, Love Story, and Shake It Off.
Rachel Bilson - Notre Dame High - 1999
Rachel Bilson is an alumnus of the Notre Dame High School. She’s been quoted as saying in several interviews that it was a great time for her. The only problem was her hair which was so sticky and curly that she had to iron them every day to make them look straight.
Today, Bilson is a popular actress and has worked in several movies. Her talent comes naturally since she was born into a show business family. She made her TV debut with O.C. and movie debut in The Last Kiss. She was a regular character on the CW series, Hart of Dixie.
Zoe Saldana - Newtown High School - 1996
Zoe Saldana started her education at Newtown High School and we must say, she sported a very ‘90s look while there. She was a fabulous dancer, and she also joined ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy, where she learned different dance forms, but her favorite dance form was the ballet. Though she was a good student, Zoe reportedly struggled due to prejudice.
Today, Zoe Saldana is counted among the most hardworking actresses in Hollywood. She started acting in theater and later signed up for the movie Center stage. More recently, she’s been spotted in action and sci-fi movies like Avatar, Avengers, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Ben Affleck - Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School - 1987
Getting offers from casting agencies during high school is a sign of a successful acting career in the making. Ben Affleck got into acting while still studying. While at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, Ben started working in television. Although he was involved in bad habits like drinking and smoking marijuana, he was quite popular due to his acting.
Today, Ben Affleck is a well-known actor, producer, and screenwriter. He’s worked in super hit movies like Good Will Hunting and Pearl Harbor and has won various awards for his acting and production.
Lea Michele - Tenafly High School - 2004
Here comes another gorgeous American actress who was well-known for acting and singing at high school. Lea Michele attended Tenafly High School, located in New Jersey. She was an intelligent student and always took part in competitions. Just like Jennifer Aniston, Michele was also renowned for her acting skills.
Today, Lea Michele is a gorgeous singer, author, and actress. She has worked on many TV series and movies. While playing the role of Rachel Berry in the popular Fox series Glee, she got two Golden Globe nominations, and an Emmy Award nomination.
Amy Adams - Douglas County High - 1992
Everyone has some spicy memories of their high school. Amy Adams has some of those up her sleeves. Amy attended Douglas County High. During an interview, Amy said that in her school days, she used to steal her sister’s mascara to get ready for class.
Born in Italy, today this hot blonde is mostly known for her dramatic and comedic roles in movies. She made her debut in the film industry in 1999 with Drop Dead Gorgeous. In 2014, she was named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time and also features in Forbes' Celebrity 100 list.
Madonna - Rochester Adam High School - 1975
Madonna attended Rochester Adam High School in Rochester Hills, Michigan. She was an intelligent student and her high school records can attest to that. She was also part of the cheerleading group of the school. Thanks to the dancing lessons she took in middle school, she eventually became a cheerleader.
Madonna colored the ‘80s with her songs. She was referred to as the “Queen of Pop”. Her melodious songs earned her many Grammy awards. She is the best selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. Though she’s 61 years old, she always dresses elegantly and doesn’t look her age.
Cameron Diaz - Long Beach Polytechnic High School - 1988
Cameron Diaz is a graduate of Long Beach Polytechnic High School. She was in the same class as Snoop Dogg. All teenagers like experimenting with stuff and Cameron has admitted that she once bought some weed from Snoop Dogg. She was an intelligent student and was also a cheerleader.
The petite blonde started modeling at the age of 16. She modeled for Calvin Klein and Levi. Cameron portrayed the role of a singer in her first movie, The Mask in 1994. She also acted in Gambit and The Other Woman. The 47-year-old actress has won over 10 awards including one People’s Choice Award.
Hilary Swank - Sehome High School - 1990
Hilary Swank was born in 1974 in Nebraska and attended Sehome High School in Bellingham. She was active in Bellingham Theatre Guild, Seattle's Children Theatre, and Hatch's health class. The enthusiastic swimmer and gymnast participated in the Junior Olympics and Washington state championships in swimming.
Today, Hilary is one of the most sought-after Hollywood actresses. She’s appeared in numerous movies including Boys Don’t Cry, Insomnia, Logan Lucky, and The Core. She is often spotted in TV series too. Swank has accumulated numerous awards including two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes.
Katy Perry - Dos Pueblos High School - 2000
Katheryn Hudson, popular known as Katy Perry, attended Dos Pueblos High School, though she dropped out to pursue her music career. Katy Perry was a foodie in high school and she once won a pie-eating contest, though we don't know if the two are connected. Katy enjoyed math in high school and she didn't like missing classes.
The teen that loved math is today an acclaimed singer. She became popular with songs like Roar, I Kissed A Girl, and Last Friday Night. Katy has received one Brit Award, five American Music Awards and four Guinness World Records. She has even performed live at a Grammy awards night.
Leonardo DiCaprio - John Marshall High School - 1989
Leo has always been a handsome boy, even when he was in high school. He attended the John Marshall High School in the class of ’87 but dropped out when he was in his third year. He has revealed that he found it difficult to pay attention and that eventually led to a decline in his learning. He earned his General Equivalency Diploma (GED) after much hard work.
Today, Leo is a living legend in Hollywood. He’s acted in Romeo and Juliet, Titanic, The Great Gatsby, The Wolf of Wall Street and many more blockbuster movies. This man has six Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and four British Academy Film Awards.
Megan Fox - St. Lucie West Centennial High School - 2001
Megan Fox attended St. Lucie West Centennial High School in Port St. Lucie, Florida. She said that her high school experience was quite unpleasant, as other students picked fights with her at any chance. She has also said she was popular with the boys but not so much with the girls, and we can see why.
The beautiful teen has today blossomed into a seasoned actress who has starred in Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Legends of The Lost With Megan Fox. She has received over 30 nominations and she has won 9 awards including four Teen Choice Awards.
Meryl Streep - Oak Street School - 1967
Meryl Streep attended Oak Street School which served as her junior high school. It was in this school that she starred in a play called The Family Upstairs. Due to moving to Bernardsville in New Jersey, she then attended Bernards High School. She became a cheerleader and the homecoming queen. She loved drama and was part of the school’s drama group.
Streep is widely considered the best actress of her generation. She has won eight Golden Globe Awards and three Academy Awards. She has starred in the Mamma Mia film series, Out of Africa, and several other movies.
Mariah Carey - Harborfields High School - 1987
Mariah Carey attended Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York. She graduated with the class of ‘87. It was in high school that Mariah started writing songs. She worked with Gavin Christopher and used any opportunity to write songs. She even used the basement of her father’s store.
The beautiful girl is now a singer and actress. The Guinness World Records have named her “Songbird Supreme”. She has released many songs that have broken U.S Billboard charts multiple times. Mariah has also starred in The Lego Batman Movie and Girls Trip. She is the holder of five Grammy awards, nineteen World Music Awards, and fifteen Billboard Music Awards.
Jennifer Garner - George Washington High School - 1990
Jennifer Garner enrolled at George Washington High School in Charleston, West Virginia. She earned the nickname 'Liver lips' because of her full saxophone blowing lips. She said that she was proud of her being in a band. She revealed that her school was strict and didn’t allow makeup so she would sit in her room and apply eye shadow.
Garner is today among the highest-grossing actresses in Hollywood. She has starred in many movies including Washington Square, Daredevil, Nine Lives, Arthur, and a TV show Law & Order. Her outstanding acting has been rewarded with many nominations and awards.
Tom Cruise - Glen Ridge High School - 1980
Tom Cruise was a student at Glen Ridge High School, from where he graduated. He joined the school in 1977 when he was 15. He loved sporting shaggy hair in school and was a much-loved footballer. He was also quite involved in wrestling.
Tom has moved from the teenager who wrestled in Glen Ridge to a superstar in Hollywood. If you love action movies, there is no way you could have missed Tom. He is the lead actor in the Mission Impossible series. He has acted in many other movies including The Last Samurai, Edge of Tomorrow and The Mummy. He has many accolades to his name including three Golden Globe Awards.
Jennifer Lopez - Preston High School - 1987
Jennifer Lopez attended Preston High School in 1983 and she graduated from the same school. She was more active in sports than academics and took part in gymnastics and track events. She was also a member of the school's softball team. She upped her athletics dream in high school by competing in national track championships.
Lopez today has found huge success in the movie industry. Unsurprisingly, she is the highest-paid actress of Latin origin. She has acted in movies like Anaconda (1997), The Boy Next Door (2015), and the latest one she's been involved in is Hustlers (2019).
Jennifer Aniston - LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts - 1987
There are two categories of popular students. Some are popular due to their high grades and some due to their talent. Anniston belonged to the second category. She attended Manhattan's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts, and due to her acting skills in the school’s drama society, she became popular there.
Today, Jennifer Anniston is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood according to Forbes. She first gained popularity after the role of Rachel Green in the TV sitcom Friends. Currently, she’s working on several film projects including her latest release, Murder Mystery.
Sandra Bullock - Washington-lee High School - 1982
Sandra Bullock attended the Washington-lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. She graduated from the school with the class of '82. Sandra was an active cheerleader and a performer in high school theatre productions. She loved wearing Mickey Mouse ears alongside her friends. She was a member of Ski Club and vice president of the Thespian Honor Society.
Counted among the most stunning actresses in Hollywood, Sandra Bullock has delivered some stellar performances over the years. She’s played the lead in acclaimed movies like Ocean’s 8 and recently, Bird Box. She is the recipient of one Golden Globe Award, one Academy Award, and three Critics’ Choice Movie Award.