16 Successful Celebrities Who You Didn't Know Started Off As Ballet Dancers
All these actors began their careers as ballet dancers.
Some celebrities look like they were born under a spotlight, but plenty of them started in a very different kind of glow. Before the red carpets, before the big premieres, there were pointe shoes, scraped knees, and years of training that most fans never see.
Charlize Theron attended the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City until a knee injury cut things short. Elisabeth Moss trained with former New York City Ballet ballerina Suzanne Farrell while studying at the School of American Ballet, and Diane Kruger studied at the Royal Ballet School in London before injuries ended her ballet career. Meanwhile, Jamie Bell got chosen from 2,000 boys to play Billy Elliot, and Neve Campbell stunned audiences in The Company after training at the National Ballet School of Canada.
Now the question is, when these dancers turned into screen stars, how much of that stage discipline followed them?
1. Before a knee injury halted her dancing career, Charlize Theron attended the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.
Steve Granitz/ Getty Images2. Sasha Radetsky was a ballet dancer who enjoyed a successful career.
He made his acting debut in the lead role of "Center Stage." The actor stopped performing on stage in 2014, but he has continued to participate in films and TV shows.
broadwaydancecenter3. Jamie Bell studied dance when he was young.
Out of 2,000 young boys, he was chosen to play Billy Elliot in the movie. Since then, the English actor has appeared in several films, including Jane Eyre, The Adventures of Tintin, and Fantastic Four.
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4. Ballet was Jennifer Garner's childhood pursuit. On her Instagram, the actress frequently reposts videos of the New York City Ballet.
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5. Elisabeth Moss gained notoriety for her critically acclaimed performance in the suspenseful drama The Handmaid's Tale.
The actress used to dance. She trained with former New York City Ballet ballerina Suzanne Farrell while attending the School of American Ballet.
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6. Emily Tyra received intensive ballet training, as evidenced by her work on the dramatic ballet-related series.
Since then, the actress has made numerous film and television appearances.
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7. Sarah Hay danced with the Semperoper in Dresden before securing the lead role in "Flesh and Bone."
The actress starred in HBO's Room 104 and Jim Carrey's comedy series I'm Dying Here.
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8. In the dance movie The Company, Neve Campbell astonished the audience with her talents.
The actress received her training at the National Ballet School of Canada, where she also performed in Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.
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It also echoes the dad stuck choosing between his daughter’s piano recital and his son’s baseball game.
9. Before an injury ended her ballet career, Diane Kruger studied at the esteemed Royal Ballet School in London.
She is well known for her work in "Troy" and "Inglourious Basterds."
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10. Do you recall Zoe Saldana from the teen drama Center Stage from 2000?
Her on-screen ballet performances weren't solely about acting. The actress began her career as a ballet dancer and has since become well-known for her work in the Star Trek, Avatar, and Guardians of the Galaxy series.
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11. Channing Tatum may not have received formal dance training like other celebrities, but he can still dance.
This hunk became well-known for his roles in Step Up and Magic Mike, both dance movies.
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12. Unbelievably, Batman actor Christian Bale took ballet lessons as a child.
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13. Before landing a role in the TV series Firefly, Summer Glau studied dance.
To align with her background in dance, the actress even completed her studies at home. Unfortunately, a fractured toe ended her dance career, which encouraged her to relocate to Los Angeles to pursue acting.
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14. Kristen Wiig, a hilarious actress, spent seven years as a child studying ballet.
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15. Sarah Jessica Parker
The Sex and the City star received vocal and ballet instruction as a child. She arrived on Broadway before transitioning to television and film.
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16. Gal Gadot, the Wonder Woman star, spent 12 years dancing and received training in ballet, hip hop, modern, and jazz.
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Charlize Theron’s Joffrey Ballet School days show how quickly a knee injury can rewrite a whole future.
Then Jamie Bell’s “Billy Elliot” casting proves ballet talent can jump straight into movie magic.
Elisabeth Moss and Diane Kruger make it even messier, since their training paths were both intense and still got derailed by real life.
And by the time Neve Campbell dazzles in The Company, you can see how ballet background turns into on-screen confidence fast.
Given that each of these celebrities is now well-known—and yes, some of them have even won the coveted Oscar—it would be difficult to deny that they made the right decision. Now, these are just a few of the well-known actors who are also ballerinas, including those who have starred in dance movies throughout the years.
These stars didn’t just switch careers, they carried the choreography of their old life onto the screen.
For the “keep it exclusive” fight, read why a cousin demanded the secret dance routine for her wedding.
