Actors Who Dropped Out Of College
Most professional actors started their careers at performing arts schools. They participated in theater projects, studied their craft, or used the time to network with like-minded individuals. But not all Hollywood stars have degrees. There are some performers who got into acting without going to school for it — some stars like Harrison Ford, Ken Jeong, and Gerard Butler worked in completely different professions before becoming actors. Some untrained actors, like famous directors who never went to film school, got where they are thanks to luck, talent, and sheer will. In a few cases, actors entered college only to drop out and pursue their passions on the stage and screen.
This doesn't happen often — rarely will a top-tier player drop out of college and become rich and famous. So if you're serious about acting, don't use Tom Hanks' career as a blueprint and drop everything to move to L.A. — consider staying in school instead! These actors either didn't get that advice or ignored it, and they all dropped out of school to pursue their dreams.
Ashton Kutcher left school after one year
Ashton Kutcher got his start on "That '70s Show" and went on to become a significant movie and TV star. He built up a massive following and was the first person to break one million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. But what many of Kutcher's fans might not know is that his twin brother, Michael, has cerebral palsy, and that when Ashton entered college, he did so with the goal of finding a cure.
Kutcher studied biomedical engineering at the University of Iowa, where he spent a year learning what he could to help his brother. Toward the end of his freshman year, Kutcher found himself between two possible paths: finish school and enter the biomedical industry, or leave school to become an actor. As we all know, he pursued the latter.
"I pursued something I was passionate about and for 22 years, I haven't felt like I've worked a day even though I work every day," he told Newsweek. Kutcher may have left school, but he never stopped supporting his brother or causes related to his condition. He donates his money and time to numerous charitable causes and organizations, including UNICEF, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and several that seek to end human trafficking.
Sofia Vergara left dental school after three years
Most people in the United States first met Sofia Vergara through her unforgettable role on "Modern Family," but her acting career began in various Spanish-language markets in the 1990s. Long before "Modern Family," though, Vergara pursued a career in dentistry.
Before getting into acting, Vergara attended dental school for three years before leaving to follow her acting dreams. In an interview with The Free Lance-Star, Vergara explained how she shifted her dental dreams to something else: "Things started changing, and you start getting opportunities and getting offers of money, and you start following your instinct, and here I am."
Vergara wasn't looking for a career outside dentistry, but being in the right place at the right time made it happen. Vergara was discovered on the beach, where she was approached and asked to shoot a commercial. She filmed an ad for Pepsi, which blew up, and after that, opportunities came her way that directed her attention away from teeth and toward Tinseltown.
Tom Hanks cut college short to enter the theater
Tom Hanks started out in comedy, and throughout his decades-long career, he branched out into all kinds of genres, winning two Academy Awards for best actor for dramatic performances. Hanks also became a producer and director, so he's put on plenty of hats since becoming an actor in the late-1970s. Many fans might be surprised to know, though, that while Hanks' education landed him at several schools, he dropped out before earning a bachelor's degree.
Hanks studied theater in school, so it's fair to say his education, while limited, was incredibly successful. An internship helped him learn everything he needed to know in the industry, so he left school to pursue acting full-time. Eventually, Hanks did receive a degree from Harvard, which conferred an honorary doctorate of arts upon the actor in 2023.
Hanks discussed his education when he spoke at the commencement address at Harvard University (via Washington Monthly): "On behalf of all of us who studied for two years at Chabot Community College in Hayward, California, two semesters at California State University, Sacramento, and for 45 years at the School of Hard Knocks, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in one damn thing after another, thank you."
Alexandra Daddario left school to devote all her time to acting
Alexandra Daddario had her breakthrough role playing Annabeth Chase in the "Percy Jackson" films and went on to develop a successful career as an adult. Daddario has been in numerous high-profile films and television series over the years, she's popped up in music videos, voiced a variety of characters, and she's modeled. Before her career took off, she also attended Marymount Manhattan College for a year.
Daddario said she planned on becoming an actor since she was 11, having explained on the "Whiskey Ginger" podcast, "I loved storytelling. ... It was just something I genuinely wanted to do — and I could've done anything, really. I did have every opportunity on the planet." Daddario's education focused on the theater, and early opportunities landed her several roles.
Because of this, Daddario decided to leave school early so she could pursue acting full-time. The decision was partly practical, as she missed school for gigs on "Law & Order" and other shows. She had similar problems with auditions, as she explained to The Daily Beast: "I was wearing myself too thin. I thought, I have to devote myself to this fully, or I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Joseph Gordon-Levitt got hooked on video editing
Joseph Gordon-Levitt began his acting career early, appearing as Tommy on "3rd Rock from the Sun" as well as other TV shows and movies like "10 Things I Hate About You" (a role he almost turned down). Gordon-Levitt balanced his early education with acting roles like most child actors, but when it came time to go to college, he put acting aside to focus on his education at Columbia University.
While Gordon-Levitt had a successful career in acting, that's not what ultimately took him out of school. As he explained to Glamour, his passion was editing, so when he got a copy of Final Cut Pro, he dropped out of school. "Honestly, if there's one thing that influenced me dropping out of college more than anything it's when I got Final Cut Pro," he said. "I could either be writing a paper for a class or editing this video, and it's addictive."
Eventually, Gordon-Levitt returned to his calling and adjusted his plans to become a movie star. This endeavor worked remarkably well, and shortly after leaving college, he made that dream a reality, appearing in everything from "500 Days of Summer" to "The Dark Knight Rises" and more.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus left school for Saturday Night Live
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is probably best known for playing Elaine on "Seinfeld," but that's hardly the only credit to her name. Louis-Dreyfus has appeared in several prominent series, including "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Veep."
Louis-Dreyfus attended school at Northwestern University, where she joined a sorority and studied theater. Louis-Dreyfus took part in the school's student-run Mee-Ow Show, helping her to hone her improv talents. She also worked with The Second City, building her skills at improvisation and live theater, which brought about an opportunity she couldn't pass up. When she was only 21, Louis-Dreyfus was offered a spot on "Saturday Night Live," which she took, requiring her to drop out of college.
Louis-Dreyfus remained on "SNL" from 1982 until 1985, and that experience, which brought her to Larry David's attention, landed her "Seinfeld." From there, she was an international superstar, but she never forgot her Northwestern experience, citing it as enormously important in her career and life. Louis-Dreyfus ultimately earned an honorary doctorate of arts degree from Northwestern, where she gave a commencement address in 2007.
Vin Diesel left school to pursue his acting career
Vin Diesel started acting in the 1990s, and before long, he landed high-profile roles in "Saving Private Ryan," "The Iron Giant," and "Pitch Black," which launched one of his many franchises. He's best known these days for the "Fast and Furious" franchise, but he also lends his voice to Groot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and much more.
Diesel attended Hunter College in New York City, where he studied creative writing, but his interests remained in acting. Diesel struggled to find roles while going to school and working as a bouncer. He decided to leave Hunter College after three years and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time. Still, he never forgot his experiences at Hunter, and it seems, the school didn't forget about him either.
In 2018, Diesel's former school honored him by making him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in English. At the commencement address, Diesel said (via Metro), "While I was in Hollywood, I always had this pride of Hunter College. I would tell everybody that I learned and took so much away from my experience at Hunter College."
Zooey Deschanel never thought she fit in at college
Zooey Deschanel is recognized for her quirkiness, which was in full focus throughout her time working on "New Girl." Of course, Deschanel's career has seen her appear in a plethora of movies and television series, and on top of that, she's built a successful singing and songwriting career, earning Grammy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy nominations and many other accolades.
Deschanel had trouble fitting in with other kids in school, though, and she hoped that would change when she attended Northwestern University. Unfortunately, she didn't have a great experience there, which she explained during an interview with Allure (via Us Weekly): "I had gone to a really nontraditional high school. I was like, 'It'd be cool to have a traditional college experience.' ... Then I was like, 'Oh, but none of these people understand what's cool about me. My specialness is not appreciated in this place.'"
After about nine months in college, Deschanel opted to drop out to pursue her acting career full-time. It didn't take too long for Deschanel to build up her career, finding roles in "Mumford," "Almost Famous," and "Manic" before landing more prominent roles in films like "Elf," "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," and "500 Days of Summer."
Ben Affleck put school aside to write Good Will Hunting
Ben Affleck is one of Hollywood's A-listers, having appeared in numerous high-profile films, playing everyone from Daredevil to Batman. Along the way, he's branched out into directing, winning the best picture Academy Award for "Argo." That was Affleck's second Academy Award, and the first one he received was also not in an acting category; it was for "Good Will Hunting," which he dropped out of school to make.
Affleck studied theater in his adolescence and worked with Matt Damon as the two auditioned for parts and followed their dreams. Initially, Affleck attended school at the University of Vermont but left to continue his studies at Occidental College, where he studied Middle Eastern affairs. Throughout this time, he also acted and built up his career. In June 1993, Affleck dropped out to focus on his writing.
While attending school, Affleck and Damon worked together on their script for "Good Will Hunting." It took them six years, but eventually, they sold their script and went on to win an Academy Award for best screenplay in 1998. While he didn't earn a degree from Occidental College — and Damon never graduated from his school, Harvard, either — Affleck was honored by Brown University with an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts in 2013.
Jessica Biel left school to film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Jessica Biel may be an international actor these days, but initially, she planned to become a singer. Her interests shifted to acting as she landed various minor roles in commercials and TV series before landing the role of Mary on "7th Heaven." From there, she devoted her time to acting and went on to star in "Blade: Trinity," "The Illusionist," "Total Recall," and the lauded mystery series "The Sinner."
When she was younger, Biel went to college at Tufts University in Massachusetts, where she remained for around 18 months. During this time, she landed her first major film role, playing Erin Hardesty in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," so she dropped out of college and devoted her time to acting, building a career that has seen her in a variety of television series and feature films.
While speaking to Allure (via Irish Examiner), Biel revealed her regret in leaving school early: "I wish I would have had that time that my girlfriends all had. I wish I would have lived in that crappy, nasty brownstone that they all lived in. If I had to do it again, I would have stuck around and finished it out."
Jake Gyllenhaal dropped out his sophomore year
Jake Gyllenhaal has had a fruitful acting career, having appeared in numerous critically acclaimed films and big-budget projects. Gyllenhaal began acting as a child, first appearing in "City Slickers" in 1991. From there, Gyllenhaal went on to land leading roles in "Donnie Darko," "Brokeback Mountain," and the "Road House" remake.
Despite his early successes in acting, his father was adamant about his son finishing his education. When he was cast in his first major leading film role in "October Sky," Gyllenhaal's father told him he wanted his son to go to school before telling him he landed the role. Ultimately, Gyllenhaal attended Columbia University, where his sister, Maggie, attended and their mother graduated from.
While at Columbia, Gyllenhaal studied for two years before dropping out to focus on his acting career full-time. Despite this, Gyllenhaal never lost his interest in his education and wanted to return to study Eastern religion. When he was younger, Gyllenhaal's parents stepped in and stopped him from appearing in "Mighty Ducks" because they wanted him to have a normal childhood and not be traveling around the country to work on films, so it's unsurprising his father wanted him to finish school.
Brad Pitt left school two weeks before graduation
These days, Brad Pitt is one of the most recognizable actors on the planet. His career has seen him appear in everything from "Thelma and Louise" to "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." Pitt's work has seen him earn numerous accolades, including Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Pitt's work has made him an international superstar, though it took years and a lot of work to get him to that level. Pitt attended the University of Missouri, where he majored in journalism with a focus on advertising. While he focused on his education, Pitt dreamed of becoming an actor, and two weeks before graduation, he left school.
In an interview with Terry Gross for NPR, Pitt explained that while his friends were looking for jobs, he decided he could quit, saying, "I just felt I was done, I was done with it." Pitt decided he wanted to spend his time working to become an actor, so he told his folks he would attend the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Of course, he didn't actually do that, and instead, Pitt worked odd jobs while taking acting classes and auditioning.
Reese Witherspoon attended school for a year
Reese Witherspoon got her start as a teenager, working in TV movies and cult films before landing a breakthrough role in "Cruel Intentions." From there, Witherspoon was elevated to leading lady status via films like "Legally Blonde" and "Sweet Home Alabama." She won an Academy Award for her work in "Walk the Line" and has since developed a rich career as a producer.
Witherspoon attended Stanford University, where she studied English literature. She didn't remain at the school for more than a year and went off to pursue her acting career. During an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2019 (via US Weekly), Witherspoon lamented having to say goodbye to her daughter when she went off to school, and she related what she was going through with what happened when she left home for Stanford.
"I went to college for one year, and then I started making movies and I moved to L.A. and I never came back," she said. "Sorry, mom. My poor mom." Witherspoon also explained how angry her mother was when she dropped out of college, as she wanted her to become a plastic surgeon.
Ryan Reynolds dropped out of school without attending a single class
Ryan Reynolds kicked off his acting career as a teenager, appearing in a Canadian teen soap opera before landing small roles in other ventures. Eventually, he landed the eponymous leading role in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder," helping to make him a star. From there, Reynolds landed numerous top-tier gigs, including playing Deadpool.
Of all the actors who went on to have amazing careers without finishing school, Reynolds may hold the record for least amount of time spent on his education. He quit acting after graduating high school, and he enrolled at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, but he never attended a single class. Instead, Reynolds registered but dropped out after about 45 minutes.
Reynolds decided to leave college (before starting) when his friend Chris Martin convinced him to give acting another go. He agreed and dropped out before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his career. It didn't take Reynolds too long to see that dream become a reality. He's since become a global superstar, successful business owner, and co-owner of Welsh football club Wrexham AFC alongside his acting pal, Rob McElhenney. Not bad for only 45 minutes of college.