48 Famous People Who Went To School Together
Some of them are still pretty close...
Some celebrity classmates end up in the same yearbook, but a few go on to become household names. That makes these school connections feel a little surreal, especially when the pair later shows up on opposite sides of music, film, fashion, or politics.
This list brings together 24 famous people who attended school with another celebrity, or crossed paths at the same school. Some came from wealthy, well-connected families, while others were just regular students who happened to share hallways with future stars.
From elite campuses to public schools with surprisingly famous alumni, the connections are everywhere. Read on to spot the celebrity duos who were in the same place long before fame arrived.
1. Cameron Diaz & Snoop Dogg
The actress and rapper attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, a school in California known for its football program. Cameron has stated that she is "quite confident" she purchased marijuana from Snoop Dogg in the past.
Getty Images2. Meghan Markle & Katharine McPhee
"Meghan and I did musicals together as kids," Kat wrote on Instagram. "She grew up to be the Duchess of Sussex, and I grew up to star on the West End, so same life if you ask me."Nowadays, the ladies are close friends.
Instagram / Katharine McPhee3. Ansel Elgort & Timothée Chalamet
Both performers attended New York City's prestigious LaGuardia High School as teenagers. The up-and-comers were both nominated for acting honors at the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards just a few years later.
Merritt/Getty Images
4. Rachel Bilson & Rami Malek
The Oscar winner and the O.C. alum went to high school together, but after sharing a throwback photo from their graduation trip to New York, Rami reached out to Rachel and asked her to take it down.
She says, "...I even wrote him a really nice message: 'I'm so sorry. Go get the Oscar! You're doing amazing.' And I never heard anything back, which is fine. But I was super bummed because he was always so nice, and we were good friends."
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Jon Kopaloff/Getty Image
5. Zach Braff & Lauryn Hill
This brilliant duo from Columbia High School in New Jersey combined humor and musical talent.
John Shearer/WireImage.com, Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
6. Lady Gaga & Nicky Hilton
Both actresses attended New York City's Convent of the Sacred Heart, a Roman Catholic all-girls school. Paris Hilton also enrolled but did not complete the program.
Larry Busacca/Getty Images, Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Clear Channe
7. John Krasinski & B.J. Novak
Before acting together in The Office, the classmates from Newton South High School in the Boston area participated in the same school play.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images, Imeh Akpanudosen/WireImage
8. Tupac Shakur & Jada Pinkett Smith
The famous rapper and actress both attended the Baltimore School of the Arts.
Twitter
9. Claire Danes & Morena Baccarin
These two Homeland actresses went to the same middle school in New York.
Eric Charbonneau/WireImage
10. Sean Penn & Robert Downey Jr.
They enjoyed their school days by the beach at Santa Monica High School.
Getty Images; startraksphoto.com
That’s wild, just like Bill Clinton’s “true reason” for Trump and Epstein’s friendship ending.
11. Charlie Sheen & Rob Lowe
They began their friendship in high school in Santa Monica. Lowe wanted to pursue theater, while Sheen aspired to become a baseball player.
L. Cohen/WireImage
12. Adele & Jessie J
Both singers attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts.
Sylvia Linares/FilmMagic, Steve Granitz/WireImage
13. Rachael Leigh Cook & Josh Hartnett
They both attended Minneapolis South High School.
Flynet, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for PCA
14. Ed Helms & Brian Baumgartner
The Westminster High School alumni came together on The Office.
NBC
15. Kate Hudson & Liv Tyler
There is a two-year age difference between them, so they attended Santa Monica's Crossroads School for a brief time together.
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16. David Duchovny & John F. Kennedy Jr.
The politician shared a classroom with Duchovny at New York's Collegiate School.
Dario Cantatore/Getty Images, Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage
17. Jay-Z & Busta Rhymes
The rappers both attended classes at George Westinghouse High School near Brooklyn.
Getty Images
18. Anderson Cooper & Christian Slater
They attended Dalton School in New York together before starring onscreen or covering battles for CNN.
Steve Granitz/WireImage.com, Michael Caulfield/WireImage.com
19. Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
The Hollywood actors were friends at Cambridge Ridge and Latin High School in Boston long before they co-wrote and performed in Good Will Hunting together.
Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage
20. Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
The famous singers attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup
21. Neil Patrick Harris & Freddie Prinze Jr.
They met at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and became friends.
Steve Granitz/WireImage.com, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
22. John Cusack & Jeremy Piven
The two actors not only live across the street from each other, but they also attended Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. They studied acting with Piven's parents, Byrne and Joyce Piven, who are both well-known acting professors.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
23. Nicole Kidman & Naomi Watts
Before they moved to Hollywood, they were friends at North Sydney Girls' High School.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
24. Jennifer Aniston & Chaz Bono
They both attended LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts.
Anthony Behar/Sipa, Araya Diaz/WireImage
It is hard not to notice that many of these celebrities are children of wealthy and influential people from the business world, politics, and showbiz. Therefore, it is not so strange that they've crossed paths.
They move in the same circles, often live in the same posh neighborhoods, and as a result, attend the same high-end schools.
That is the kind of school roster that makes fame feel oddly small.
Want more celebrity secrets, including twins hidden in plain sight? See the secret twins of your favorite stars.
