Former Teachers Share Stories About The Future Celebrities They Taught

Believe it or not, celebrities went to school like the rest of us. They too once sat in a classroom learning about the French Revolution, zoning out, likely daydreaming of stardom. The only difference is that for them, those dreams actually came true.

Before Anne Hathaway and Bill Murray were globally-recognized actors, they were just normal high school kids. Did you know that Blake Lively was just as cool as you’d expect her to be? What about how one of Whoopi Goldberg’s favorite teachers was a nun?

Their teachers saw something special in them, and knew they were destined for stardom. Take a look at what former educators of some of the biggest actors, musicians, and professional athletes in the world have shared about the ups and downs of wrangling these future superstars in their classroom….

You’ll Never Be Famous

One of my professors taught Lady Gaga at NYU. She said Gaga used to stand up after class every day and tell everyone to come out and see the gigs she was playing in. Lady Gaga wasn’t doing very well in the class, so my professor asked to meet with her. She told her that maybe if she focused more on her school work and less on her gigs, she’d be more successful. Phew, awkward.

Apparently Lady Gaga had a bit of a rough time when she was in college. Her classmates never really understood her, even going as far as to make a Facebook group about how she wasn’t talented and would never be famous. MAJORLY awkward. Guess she proved them and my professor wrong; I’m surprised my teacher would even admit she said this. Reddit user: Username674

Leo Was Lonely

Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t get along well with the other kids, and came in during lunch to eat with the teachers and faculty. He had already been acting for a solid few years at this point, and he probably just felt out of place among the other students. Especially growing up in Los Angeles with all the pressures and expectations.

Even though he was a bit of an awkward kid, it’s safe to say that he’s well past that now. It’s also proof that just because you weren’t necessarily popular as a child, it doesn’t mean you won’t go on to succeed later in life. He finally got his Oscar and is still best friends with Tobey Maguire even after 30 years! Reddit user: growingconstipation

Rock Star In Training

One of my high school math teachers taught Tom DeLonge, the lead singer of Blink 182. He pointed out exactly where he sat and said he was a huge class clown, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t half bad. I guess the year my teacher had him, he was prom king. He’s from the San Diego area just like me. 

It’s a little crazy to think that the Sombrero’s Mexican food restaurant down the street is the same one they sing about in “Josie.” It shouldn’t be too surprising that he was a goof in high school though, considering all the Blink 182 lyrics about skipping school, hanging out at clubs on the weekends, and living it up. Reddit user: [redacted]

Duke Silver

My high school band director taught Nick Offerman. He said he was always pretty funny and apparently a talented musician. He actually won the jazz award at the school for playing the tenor saxophone. At first I was surprised to hear about his musical skills, but then I remembered that he was Duke Silver on Parks and Recreation and could do anything.

In fact, he has a pretty impressive resume that spans long before he became Ron Swanson. He’s also a woodworker who builds boats on the side, has written three books, and is a stand-up comedian in his spare time. The dude is more impressive than anybody even realizes, and it’s awesome that he and I have/had the same high school teacher. Reddit user: SidneyFriedman

Cage Match

My grandmother was the secretary at Beverly Hills High School (where literally all of the A-listers have always gone) when Nicolas Cage was attending. She said he was always late and often at the principal’s office for goofing off. Apparently he also dropped out of school for a bit. She also described him as charming in a Ferris Bueller sort of way.

“Charming” isn’t always the exact word one would use to describe Nicolas Cage, but I took her word for it. It’s interesting to imagine him as a teenager, as he has such a distinct face, and I always just think of him as being on the hunt for national treasures. But if he was just like Ferris Bueller, that’s definitely a compliment. Reddit user: Fatlol

Hockey With Khal Drogo

Jason Momoa and I were on the same hockey team in junior high. I still contend that I was much better than him, and therefore the rightful ruler of the Dothraki. He was always pretty rad to me. Just generally fun to be around…I don’t ever remember seeing him get upset or worked up. His mother is even cooler than he is (I’m sure he agrees with me).

I remember the day he got the phone call telling him he was selected to be on Baywatch Hawaii and thinking “Yeah, I can see that.” Everyone wanted to be friends with him; he has the right mentality to handle the spotlight in stride, and regardless of how big he makes it, I doubt he’d ever get in over his head. Reddit user: LarryEustachy

She Just Didn’t Care 

I live where Katherine Heigl grew up. My old Spanish teacher had taught her. Never paid attention, she just sat there putting her makeup on and chatting all through class. She dropped out after her sophomore year. I’ve also heard a lot of stories from people who knew her before she made it big, saying that she was extremely full of herself and difficult. 

This isn’t hard to believe, considering all the Hollywood gossip and rumors about her being hard to deal with. She publicly snubbed the show that helped make her famous and even her film debut in Knocked Up. I get that she’s been acting since she was very young and just wants to be respected, but get it together, girl. Reddit user: iGotPride

Well Wishes From Mr. Lawrence

My dad’s ex-wife was Martin Lawrence’s teacher when he was younger, I believe around middle school. He was a very disruptive kid in class, so she suggested that he try standing up. The rest is obviously history. Unfortunately, she passed away recently…but when she was really sick, Martin was thinking of her and gave a few kind words about her.

He was on a late night talk show (I forget which one) and gave her a shout-out wishing her all the best and thanking her. At least some people never forget where they come from. I gained a lot of respect for Martin after that, and it’s nice to know there are some genuinely good people in Hollywood. Reddit user: bstandturtle7790

Beauty And Brains

Dad went to high school with Ed Norton. Said he was the sweetest kid, but a little bit nerdy. Apparently, he was killer at trivia. Years later, my grandmother asked my dad what job she thought Ed had ended up at. Dad guessed a U.S. ambassador or an executive at a company, but she whipped out the local newspaper article about his latest movie. 

Both my dad and grandma were completely shocked, as they thought he’d make more use of the brains he was blessed with. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to diss acting as a lesser-than career, they had just assumed that he’d pursue something more…academic? But the acting thing is clearly working, so more power to him. Reddit user: [redacted]

Blake Lively Is the Best

My school adviser went to college with Denzel Washington, and of course, he was the best in acting class and was very serious and polite. No surprises there. I also attended school in California with Blake Lively from 7th-12th grade. She was in choir all those years, and she’s actually a pretty good singer. I have nothing but nice things to say about her. 

This just in: Serena Van Der Woodsen is seriously the best. Blake Lively is a very sweet, polite, and bubbly girl, and I’m really happy to see how far she’s come with her adorable marriage to Ryan Reynolds and sweet kids and solid acting career. She deserves all of it, and I hope to run into her again someday. Maybe at our reunion! Reddit user: lilamoi

Not Impressed With Tay Tay

I have a lot of friends that went to high school with Taylor Swift, including a couple of teachers who had the displeasure of teaching her. They all say the exact same things about her: that they’re not at all surprised she got famous, as her parents had money. She is, however, extremely stuck up and pretentious, and she thought the whole world was about her.

I couldn’t say I was too surprised, though a lot of others might be. Her actual self is apparently quite different from her media persona, where she’s always gifting less-fortunate fans and taking them to prom. She’s basically the result of a little talent, a lot of family money, and a really great PR team. Good for her, I guess. Reddit user: [redacted]

Crosby’s Cool, Chandler… Not So Much

My aunt taught Sydney Crosby, the hockey player who won the Olympics for Canada. She said he was very friendly, a great student, and even came back to visit her a few times. Last time I checked, she still talked to him on occasion. But really…a Canadian who’s super nice and polite to their elders? No big shock, really. 

On another “not surprising” note, my aunt’s boyfriend went to school with Matthew Perry, or Chandler in Friends. He said he was a total jerk…which is really saying a lot, because so is my aunt’s boyfriend. But the guy has a terrible reputation in Hollywood, so I’m bound to believe him. I always liked Joey better anyway. Reddit user: DancingPurpleCat

They’re Still Friends 

I have a teacher in my class who’s a religious nun, and she taught Caryn Johnson, also known as Whoopi Goldberg, in class. She told us that Whoopi was really nice, but not really the smartest, but she did try, and she certainly wasn’t dumb. The two of them are still good friends, even after all these years and Whoopi’s success.

In fact, she had been invited by Whoopi to a few Hollywood parties…though she didn’t always go. Also, in an interview, Whoopi did say that her favorite teacher was a sister that taught her class, so there’s that for proof. My teacher always had great things to say about her and that she deserved all her fame and success. Reddit user: Kommandantvideo

Cher Lloyd Is a Bully

My mum taught Cher Lloyd, and a few acquaintances in college knew her at school too. By all accounts she was a terrible person and a huge bully to everybody. There was even one infamous instance that I’ve heard about from a few different people where she bullied a girl and dragged her across the playground by her hair. What’s wrong with her? 

I’ve also seen her school report, and it basically said she was going to fail a lot of her GCSEs. On the other hand, she once entered a school talent show/performance, and one of my mum’s colleagues said that Cher Lloyd would go on to win X Factor one day. She may have won a talent show, but she’s still a D-lister. Reddit user: Debaser97

Writing Wizard

JK Rowling used to be a teaching assistant in my school. This was before I was there, when she was struggling for work and living in Edinburgh. Apparently when she was asked what her interests were, she would mention in passing that she was trying to write a book. Little did anybody know it would become one of the most popular book series of all time. 

She was pretty shy and mostly kept to herself. It’s no surprise that everybody said she was a really good person. This is the woman who gave away so much money to charity that she lost her status as a billionaire, and she continues to write novels for her fans even when she doesn’t need to. She deserves everything she has. Reddit user: [redacted]

Go Away, Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway went to my high school, a bunch of classes above me. She was gone by the time I got there, but my film class teacher would not shut up about her. She showed us her really bad video project for her class (while saying how great it was) and praised/watched the horrible 7th Heaven knock-off show she was on.

It was cancelled only seven episodes in, and for good reason. But she treated it like the holy grail for would-be actors. My teacher loved Anne Hathaway, but I’m sick of hearing about her at this point. And it seems like a lot of other people are too, as I’m constantly meeting other people who can’t stop talking about how annoying she is. Reddit user: Vexing

No Thanks, Sherlock

My drama teacher taught Benedict Cumberbatch’s A level theatre course when he was a teenager. He stands by his statement that Cumberbatch is an utter “T-word,” very arrogant and unkind. That was pretty typical of kids that age, but it didn’t make him any more understanding. I still love the guy and his acting, but my drama teacher definitely does not. 

I also heard about somebody who saw Cumberbatch in a play quite a few years ago, and since it was a school visit, they were allowed a Q&A with the cast afterwards. He seemed to have a bad attitude. Sure, everybody has off days…but chances are, he isn’t as friendly and relatable as people want him to be. Reddit user: katomatt

Depp Just Wanted Out

My high school science teacher taught Johnny Depp, and it went about as well as you’d expect from him. She said he was a disrespectful hooligan that would rarely show up, and whenever he did, he would just be really distracting and rude. All he cared about was himself and his dreams of becoming a rock star, which is totally believable, to be honest.

She couldn’t stand him or the fact that he’s now so highly respected. She said he eventually dropped out. I haven’t talked to her in a while, but I’m sure she’s happy that his film career is starting to die down and people are starting to see him for who he really is. Talent doesn’t make you a good or respectful person. Reddit user: [redacted]

Dance Like Uma Thurman

I taught Uma Thurman briefly in high school, but I didn’t really ever get to know her; she was always taking time off to model/act, never did her work, and was generally entitled but spent so little time in the classroom I really didn’t get a chance to get a more positive impression of her. Maybe if she’d done a bit of homework, that’d help. 

But it seems like that’s a common thread for celebrities who start acting from a young age. Uma has been acting and modeling since she was a teenager and probably just didn’t care about school at the time. I can’t say I really blame her either, since it clearly worked out for her. But it’s still strange seeing her on-screen. Reddit user: [redacted]

Queen Bey Got Bs In School

My seventh grade science teacher taught Beyonce a few years before me. She said she was friendly but not especially bright and a little ditzy. I’m not sure exactly what age this was, but I know it was in Texas where Beyonce grew up. My teacher also coached tennis with one of the Williams sisters. I can’t remember which one. 

Apparently said Williams sister is a pretty boring person and doesn’t really like kids. Hopefully it’s not the one that married the co-founder of Reddit and just had a baby, because that would be pretty awkward. This is an international school; I should ask around and see if any other teachers have cool stories. They’ve lived everywhere. Reddit user: charlesmajora

Shaqtin’ A Fool

My girlfriend’s mother was a P.E teacher in a San Antonio elementary school where she had Shaquille O’Neal in one of her classes. She noted that he always wanted to be an NBA player, but everyone told him that he would never be good enough, even all the way through high school. She never said it to him, but he took it pretty hard, apparently. 

Nobody thought the 6′ 6″ tall child could become a basketball player? It may sound strange, but seemingly nobody had any faith in him…even after seeing him play. He was never great at making free throws, but he still went on to become one of the most dominant and famous players in NBA history for a reason. Reddit user: FormotherTexas

Oh, Lorde

Lorde. I was her English teacher a few years ago. She was incredibly bright and wrote one of the best short stories I’ve ever read. She was 14 at the time. She was a nice kid and interacted with all the other students. It was a great class, and I’ve loved watching her become an overnight success. She’s just a super talented kid. 

Full disclosure: I’ve heard a few not as nice stories since I taught her. How she’s difficult to get along with, has let fame get to her head, is super in love with herself, etc. But I can only tell you that my experience teaching her was great. And what teenager wouldn’t be a little full of herself after becoming famous basically overnight? Reddit user: sabotagegaz

Funny Man

My aunt taught Seth Rogen in a high school English class. She says he was the typical “class clown,” as you’d imagine from somebody who has made comedy his career, but he was never disrespectful or disruptive in her class. On the contrary, he was always kind and polite to everyone. He was absolutely hilarious and excelled at English and theatre in school. 

“He was the kind of kid nobody could even attempt to dislike,” she said. Many people have tried to dislike him over the years, with critics giving Seth a hard time over him playing “the same role over and over again” or his annoying laugh, but he’s much, MUCH more likeable than Katherine Heigl, who also made it big in their movie Knocked Up. Reddit user: [redacted]

Demi Lovato Is A Liar

My high school was right across the street from the middle school Demi Lovato went to. All my friends and teachers knew her, and all my friends hated her. You know that story she told about being constantly bullied in middle school? Yeah, that’s a lie. She was the bully. Apparently she was full of herself and tore people down to make herself feel better.

She was just a terrible person in general. Whenever people called her out on her attitude, she would say their opinion didn’t matter because she was going to move to Hollywood and become famous. Who knew it would actually turn out that way. I know now that she has a lot of issues, but it doesn’t excuse the way she treated people. Reddit user: DisneyDroid

Before Tik Tok 

Went to middle school with “Ke$ha.” She was a totally normal girl that just liked to sing. Did a number at a talent show that I remember. Was definitely the best singer of the school; fairly quiet in general and seemed nice. I also know a guy who dated her in high school. He said she was almost the complete opposite of who she is now.

By that I mean…in terms of how she dresses herself and stuff. She was much more “normal” than her public persona would have you believe, but she was still definitely an oddball. She told him she wanted to be a professional singer, and he said he laughed in her face. I’m glad he remembers that, because it was pretty mean. Reddit user: gpretty

A Special Bond

My mother was a teacher for 40 years before she passed away. Mainly she taught elementary school and some special classes. Well one year, she was teaching 3rd grade in Terrell, Texas, and she had a student named Eric Bishop. He was a wild child, always running around and making the class laugh, but he was also a sweetheart and a caring person like his grandmother who raised him. 

My mother had many sit downs with Eric and his grandmother and ultimately helped him not only pass 3rd grade but also to channel his energy into appropriate times and places. Eric later became Jamie Foxx, the comedian and actor. I still have the decorative bowl that he gave my mother and the letter he wrote her once he made it to Hollywood. Reddit user: athlete3000

No Rage In The Classroom

One of our neighbors taught Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine back when he was in high school. He was a good kid and didn’t really rage against the establishment according to what I remember him saying. Granted, that may be due to the fact that his mother was also a teacher there, and he would have probably been on her list.

Mary Morello was not the type of person you want to make angry. I remember my dad telling me stories about how he was terrified of her but in awe of her tenacity. The fact that she was pretty much in a head to head battle with Tipper Gore in the ’80s over censorship in music, along with her human rights work, gives you an idea of how awesome/terrifying she could be. Reddit user: Cash5YR

A Chance To Shine

One of my teachers in high school brought in a guest poet (one of his friends) who was a former teacher in Chicago. Said poet taught Chance the Rapper and said he was just a goofy but very talented teenager. Was pretty cool to hear. He said that he and Chance would talk about rhyme schemes and that he still sees him a couple times a year.

He also said he isn’t shocked one bit about all of his success, as he recognized the dude’s talent the moment he saw him. He said that some students just have that “glow” (you just know that they’ll be somebody one day), and Chance was one of them. As a fan of his, it was nice to hear that he was always destined for stardom. Reddit user: russellp1212

She Dated Michael Scott

My high school drama teacher dated Steve Carrell in college. She said he was a fantastic dude and a very kind soul who lived to make others laugh. It was how he felt good about himself. I guess he was really just an OK student, and kind of a clown, but wasn’t everybody’s first pick for comedic genius. And here we are.

When you think about it, Steve Carrell is kind of an inspiration. He was already in his 40s when he got his big break on The Office, and he’s been a central figure in comedy (and the object of countless memes) ever since. Michael Scott may be an incredibly annoying, if also hilarious, guy… but Steve Carrell is a sweetheart, and that’s all that matters. Reddit user: demonchefofportland

Alright, Alright, Alright

My mother’s best friend taught Matthew McConaughey way back in the day. She said he was one of her favorite students because he was so sweet. Apparently he came to see her and talk to her class when he first started acting. Seems pretty cool, and he was always willing to help out others who share the same dream he had and achieved. 

Sure, Matthew McConaughey never wears a shirt and is the object of a ton of jokes on Family Guy, but he still has more film credits to his name than the rest of us ever will. He’s just an awesome guy who likes to have fun in his career and say the same catchphrase over and over. Alright, alright, alright? Reddit user: FrogCurry

Belle Of The Auditorium

One of my high school teachers had Kristen Bell in her class for a few years. She said that Kristen was a very bright student, always well liked, and that she had a beautiful singing voice and was the lead in all the school plays. One particular memory she had of Kristen was when she was Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the main cast, but rather the munchkins who stole the show, because they were the varsity football team walking on their knees through the auditorium. Kristen was supposed to sing at my teacher’s wedding but had to cancel because she had just been hired for a job (which turned out to be Veronica Mars). Reddit user: lazyfirefly

The Makings Of A Diva 

My mom said she went to high school with Mariah Carey. She told me that Mariah was two years older and was actually a big bully (no surprise). She was a total diva. My mom found out that Mariah would get up really early for school to get ready. She said she would take a needle to her eyelashes so each one was straight and perfect.

She’s also heard a ton of other accounts of Mariah being a diva, both from teachers and other students. It’s not exactly a shock, since Mariah has been a superstar for decades now, but it seems like it wasn’t the fame that turned her that way. It’s who she’s always been, and she was just waiting to unleash the diva in high school. Reddit user: Hunny_Bunny20

A Young King

My 4th grade math teacher taught LeBron James. She said he was always obsessed with basketball. When asked what he was going to be when he grew up, he said he was going to be in the NBA. When she told him he needed a back-up plan, he just looked into her soul and said, “No, I’m going to be in the NBA.” 

Honestly, I don’t understand why my teacher would tell a child that he wasn’t going to make it… especially since LeBron turned out to be right. Lots of kids are obsessed with basketball, but not every kid is LeBron James. She said that he was a pretty nice and polite kid for the most part, just a little cocky. Reddit user: D_Mes

Class With Kanye

My mom taught Kanye West in his Music Theory class in high school. She said he insisted he would one day be a famous rapper, and that he was a decent student but sometimes a bit stubborn. Yeah, you may be thinking, “Kanye West? Stubborn? No way.” Stopping sarcasm now. Overall not that noticeable, although he did like free styling. 

He and some other students threw a little baby shower for my mom while she was pregnant with my sister, which is nice. While he definitely had his moments, he was never the crazy media presence he is today. Maybe it was his trauma with his mother or his marriage to Kim that changed him; guess we’ll never know. Reddit user: onebigcat

Jobs Was A Jerk 

My dad went to middle school with Steve Jobs. He never had a class with Jobs, but he did hear stuff about him and saw him sometimes. My dad told me that Jobs really didn’t have any friends and was bullied. Part of that was because he brought it on himself by being a jerk sometimes, but Jobs was just kinda awkward socially and maybe didn’t know better.

This was only for a year, since Steve Jobs basically forced his parents to move so that he could go to a different school, because other than the bullying, Jobs also claimed that there were a lot of trashy people there and that the teachers sucked. According to my dad, that was not true. My dad said he felt bad for Steve Jobs at the time…which was weird. Reddit user: cgsdawgs

Meet Jar Jar

My high school band director has a story where he talks about how he taught Ahmed Best, the guy who voices Jar Jar Binks. The story starts by my band director casually saying how one time he said his name, and he misheard him as “I’m Ed” and not “Ahmed.” Then he casually tells us, “You might know him better as Jar Jar” at the end of the story.

When you think about it, I’m sure the guy gets the whole “you might know him better as Jar Jar” thing pretty often. I mean…what else is he really known for? Besides his own subpar TV show. It almost makes me feel bad for him, but then I remember how rich he is and I’m good. Reddit user: [redacted]

Bruno Shakespeare

One of my old high school English teachers taught Bruno Mars. He was teaching Shakespeare at the time and pointed out how the opening lines to Just the Way You Are are reminiscent of a verse from Romeo and Juliet (something about her eyes make the stars look like they aren’t shining). According to my teacher, “I still haven’t gotten my check yet….”

I wonder if my teacher has listened to any of Bruno’s music since then. When he taught him, he was still writing beautifully romantic songs about women’s eyes and curves…but now his lyrics are a lot more raunchy. I don’t think my teacher would have been down to help write any of those songs. He said Bruno was always super talented, though. Reddit user: master_a_skywalker

Hello, Mr. Murray

My grandma taught Bill Murray in elementary school way back in the ’60s in suburban Chicago. She said he’s always been a jokester. While I can’t remember any specific stories off the top of my head at the moment, I do have this one. A couple of years ago, they had the 50th reunion of that class from the small catholic grammar school, and Murray was filming a movie overseas at the time. 

Astonishingly, he flew back to attend the reunion, and upon seeing my grandma, he transformed into a completely different person. He came up to her and said as politely as he possibly could, “Hello, Mrs. X.” And then proceeded to have a conversation with her. One of the biggest stars in the world was still intimidated by his grade school teacher 50 years later. Reddit user: KB17ROY