There are a lot of actors who consider acting school to be a necessity. It is definitely beneficial because acting teachers and professors are able to teach dynamic skills that actors otherwise wouldn’t be able to learn. Other actors have risen to fame without ever taking an acting class because they naturally knew exactly what to do once the cameras were rolling.
Interestingly enough, some actors are very proud of the time and they spent in an acting school while other actors are proud of the fact that they never needed to take an acting class a day in their life. Whether these actors got where they needed to go through acting school or otherwise, it is interesting to uncover how they got their start.
10 Never Took A Class: Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey is an incredible actor who literally manifested his amazing career. He is a hilarious comedian who made a deal with himself that he was going to be successful and then follow through on that deal! Rather than taking acting classes, he went to various auditions and landed small acting roles until he was able to land his role on In Living Color. It was then that his career was able to skyrocket in the right direction and he was able to land a leading role in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
9 Went To Acting School: Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman actually did attend acting school! He went to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and studied drama. While he was a college student, he focused on the subject of communications the most but he also made sure to be heavily involved in drama and music during his undergrad years.
When he was 22 years old he turned down a role in an Australian soap opera so that he could stay in school and continue to study drama.
8 Never Took A Class: Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is another major actor who never needed to rely on an acting class in order to reach high levels of success. He grew up loving movies more than anything else and decided that acting was going to be the thing that was going to change his life. When he got older, he decided to move to New York City to pursue a career in acting. After only six months in New York City, he landed a role and a movie called Taps. A lot of actors spend years and years trying to get there a big break but for Tom Cruise, it took him six months!
7 Went To Acting School: Glenn Close
Glenn Close is an extremely dynamic and well-known actress who has taken on some amazingly huge roles in the past. She explained that the college she went to provided a very good liberal arts education but it also had an extremely strong theater department for her to depend on and she benefited from it.
When a college or university has a strong theater department, it paves the way for aspiring actors and actresses to learn important skills.
6 Never Took A Class: Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan didn’t need an acting class to reach the success that she has reached in this day and age. She decided that she wanted to leave Connecticut behind and move to New York City to study journalism. While she was in New York City is studying journalism, she ended up auditioning for commercials and TV shows. After landing a couple of commercials and working as an extra for several feature films, she realized that acting was definitely the right path for her. Those tiny parts only paved the way for her future career as a top actress.
5 Went To Acting School: Samira Wiley
You’ll most likely recognize Samira Wiley from Orange Is the New Black. The Netflix original show focuses on women who are imprisoned for various crimes and sheds light on what the prison system is really like. Spoiler alert… The female prison system is portrayed in an accurate and super depressing way in the show! Samira Wiley knew that acting school was going to benefit her so she decided to pursue it on her way up to the top. She ended up attending Juilliard, one of the biggest and most prestigious art schools ever.
4 Never Took A Class: Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz didn’t need acting school to get famous. While living in California, a famous photographer named Jeff Dunas approached her and inquired with her about who her agent was. She explained to him that she didn’t have any agent and he provided her with his business card. She ended up becoming a model with Elite Modeling Agency and from there the rest is history. She started acting in movies that are beyond unforgettable. Unfortunately, these days she has retired from the acting game.
3 Went To Acting School: Al Pacino
Al Pacino went to acting school, as shocking as it might sound! Not too many people would expect that someone as talented as him ever went to an acting class because it seems like his acting skills, so naturally. He revealed that he was able to go to acting school for the experience and he was able to practice in front of an audience. He said that it required a certain amount of commitment. Al Pacino is certainly one of the biggest actors in this day and age... he’s been at it for decades!
2 Never Took A Class: Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt decided he wanted to make a change in his life and pursue acting. He decided to make the trip from Missouri to Hollywood in order to follow his dreams. He saw an ad in the newspaper when he first arrived in Los Angeles for a part as an extra in a movie. After his audition, he ended up landing the role! The ball was rolling fast for him and his career obviously moved in the right direction from there. He had hope, faith, and dedication from the very beginning.
1 Went To Acting School: Anthony Mackie
These days, people know and love Anthony Mackie from his time in Marvel movies. He plays the role of a superhero named Falcon. Interestingly enough, before his days in Marvel movies, he actually attended Juilliard! He graduated in 2001. Like we mentioned before, Juilliard is one of the most prestigious art universities to attend. Even getting accepted into the school is a challenge!
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