High IQ Celebrities: Famous People’s Intelligence Quotient

Among famous people, high intelligence stereotypically seems to be reserved for scientists, philosophers, inventors, and physicists. However, popular celebrities with high IQs aren’t uncommon either—in fact, many actors, musicians, and directors have rather impressive scores.

Given the nature of their professions, their intelligence may be overshadowed by their other talents and accomplishments. That’s why we’ve done some thorough research to uncover twenty celebrities with high IQs.

Let’s dive in and discover the top contender!

Top 20 Celebrities With High IQs

High IQ celebrities

Before we start the countdown of the top 20 female and male celebrities with high IQs, a disclaimer is in order: many of these musicians, actors, and directors haven’t officially taken an IQ test. As a result, the scores listed below are expert estimates based on their accomplishments.

That being said, let’s see who has the highest IQ in Hollywood and beyond.

#20. Ken Jeong: 130

Ken Jeong rose to fame playing a side character in the Hangover series, after which he starred and appeared in numerous comedies such as Knocked Up, The DUFF, and Crazy Rich Asians.

However, the famous American actor and comedian initially pursued a medical career, graduating from Duke and obtaining an M.D. five years later. He was a licensed physician for a decade before he fully committed himself to acting, one of his greatest passions during his student days.

#19. Nicole Kidman: 132

Australian actress Nicole Kidman consistently lands a spot on the list of the highest-paid actresses in the world thanks to her versatility and natural talent.

In fact, Nicole Kidman starred in over 70 films of various genres, such as Batman Forever, Eyes Wide Shut, The Hours, The Golden Compass, and Aquaman. In addition, she had prominent roles in TV series, including Hemingway & Gellhorn, Big Little Lies, and Nine Perfect Strangers.

#18. Arnold Schwarzenegger: 135

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s presence on this list of high-IQ celebrities may come as somewhat of a surprise—after all, the Austrian-American actor is known for his action roles that prioritize brawn over brains.

However, Schwarzenegger proves that big muscles don’t equal a lack of intelligence. To pursue his bodybuilding and acting career, he moved to the US in his early twenties. Despite his poor English and dyslexia, he started landing roles in increasingly bigger productions, eventually becoming an action legend.

In addition to being an actor, Schwarzenegger proved his competence in politics and served as the governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

#17. Emma Watson: 138

an image of Emma Watson

Emma Watson is best known for her breakthrough role in the Harry Potter franchise, where she played Hermione, an intelligent young witch who was always at the top of her class.

As it turns out, that role was a perfect fit for Emma Watson, who boasts an impressive IQ of 138 and has always prioritized her education and intellectual pursuits. In fact, Emma paused her acting career for a few years to complete her English degree at Brown University before she returned to the big screen.

Aside from acting, Emma advocates for women’s rights and works as a UN ambassador, promoting education for girls in developing countries.

#16. Kesha: 140

Kesha’s breakthrough single “Tik Tok” painted the American singer and songwriter as a party girl whose only hobby was getting blackout drunk on weekends. This image was further cemented by her following songs and albums, most of which were made in a similar vein.

But Kesha proves that musical preferences have little to do with intelligence. In fact, before starting her music career, Kesha obtained a nearly perfect score of 1500 on her SATs and enrolled at Barnard College, where she wanted to study psychology and comparative religion.

#15. Geena Davis: 140

American actor and producer Geena Davis starred in numerous movies and TV shows, including Beetlejuice, Thelma & Louise, and Grey’s Anatomy. Her long career is crowned with an Academy Award for a supporting role in The Accidental Tourist and a Golden Globe Award for the series Commander in Chief.

Aside from acting, Geena Davis plays the flute, piano, and organ and speaks Swedish fluently, exhibiting high musical and linguistic intelligence.

In addition, she launched the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which aims to improve female representation on screen and fight gender inequality in Hollywood.

#14. Natalie Portman: 140

Natalie Portman started her acting career when she was only twelve and has starred in over 40 films since. Some of them, like Black Swan, won her multiple accolades, while others, like the Star Wars franchise, made her a household name worldwide.

However, what her fans may not be aware of is that Natalie Portman has a near-genius IQ of 140. Aside from English, the actress speaks five languages, including French, Hebrew, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

On top of that, she has a Harvard degree in psychology and frequently engages in charity and activism.

#13. Shakira: 140

Shakira as a high IQ celebrity

Like Natalie Portman, Colombian singer and songwriter Shakira was twelve when she started her singing career. At 24, she gained international fame thanks to her first English album and hit single “Whenever, Wherever,” which still occasionally reaches number one on various charts.

In addition to her impressive vocal and dancing abilities, Shakira speaks six languages, has a perfect pitch, and promotes education, social equality, and human rights worldwide and in her native Colombia.

#12. Madonna: 140

It’s impossible to speak about female celebrities with high IQs without mentioning Madonna, the so-called Queen of Pop. In her long career, the singer has become the best-selling female music artist of all time, selling 300 million albums and dominating various music charts.

Madonna’s musical talent was apparent from an early age, when she took classical piano and ballet lessons. Encouraged by her ballet teacher, she pursued a degree in dancing at the University of Michigan but dropped out to move to New York and become a musician.

Madonna inspired generations of artists that came after her, such as Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Rihanna. Even musicians outside of pop, like Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, pursued music thanks to her influence.

#11. Steve Martin: 142

Steve Martin, an American comedian, actor, and musician, is proof that intelligence comes with a sense of humor. He starred in over a dozen comedies, won five Grammy Awards, and was recognized as one of the best actors to never receive an Academy Award.

Although he’s best known for his goofy roles and funny persona, Steve Martin has a deep and serious side to him as well. He majored in philosophy at California State University and considered becoming a professor for a while.

However, his love for acting won, causing him to transfer to UCLA, where he pursued a degree in theater.

#10. Kim Namjoon: 148

Kim Namjoon, better known as RM from the globally successful boyband BTS, is a rapper, producer, and songwriter, often credited with bringing K-pop into the international spotlight.

However, the South Korean musician is also a certified genius, having scored 148 on an IQ test and ranked in the top 1% on Korean university entrance exams.

In addition to his musical pursuits, Kim Namjoon is a collector and patron of art, a philanthropist, and one of the youngest holders of the Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit. He also picked up English entirely by himself, watching the popular sitcom Friends as a child.

#9. Lisa Kudrow: 154

Speaking of Friends, the next entry on the list of high IQ celebrities, Lisa Kudrow, rose to fame precisely thanks to this show. For ten years, she played the lovable and slightly naive Phoebe Buffay, winning the hearts of audiences around the world.

Unlike Phoebe, Lisa Kudrow is far from ditzy and whimsical. The actress has a degree in biology from Vassar College, and she worked with her father on a study regarding cluster headaches for eight years before starting a career in the entertainment industry.

#8. Matt Damon: 160

an image of Matt Damon

Matt Damon made a name for himself when he wrote and starred in the 1997 psychological drama Good Will Hunting, which won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe. In the film, he played a self-taught genius who was secretly solving complex math problems at MIT.

Although Matt Damon is not self-taught, his IQ of 160 certainly ranks him among geniuses, along with Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Unlike his character, Will Hunting, he does have a formal education, including a few semesters at Harvard, where he pursued a degree in English.

#7. Dolph Lundgren: 160

Dolph Lundgren, a Swedish actor and martial artist, is another action film hero with a surprisingly impressive IQ. Most of the 80 action films he starred in may not be particularly intellectually stimulating, but the man behind them can boast of both brain and brawn.

Aside from acting, Dolph Lundgren graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm with a degree in chemical engineering. He was also awarded a scholarship to MIT, but he quit his studies because he found acting far more rewarding.

#6. Ashton Kutcher: 160

American actor Ashton Kutcher is remembered chiefly for his roles in That ‘70s Show and numerous romantic comedies where he was typecast as a well-meaning but slightly airheaded love interest.

However, real-life Ashton Kutcher is a highly intelligent venture capitalist who regularly invests in tech startups like Skype, Airbnb, Duolingo, and ResearchGate. He also had an ambition to become a biochemical engineer in his youth but was kicked out of the University of Iowa for his wild behavior.

#5. Quentin Tarantino: 160

American director Quentin Tarantino is known for his unique and highly stylized films with a cult following, which earned him the status of the most influential director of this generation. Some of his works include Pulp Fiction, the Kill Bill franchise, Django Unchained, and, most recently, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Unlike many other entries on the high-IQ celebrities list, Quentin Tarantino never attended university. In fact, he dropped out of school at 15, determined to pursue his passion for filmmaking.

#4. Lady Gaga: 166

Lady Gaga took the world by storm with her original performances and controversial fashion choices, establishing herself as an artist who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries.

Subsequently, she proved her singing, songwriting, and acting talent and won numerous Grammys, Golden Globes, and one Academy Award.

However, it may come as a surprise that Lady Gaga’s IQ is estimated to be as high as 166. In fact, she might have one of the highest IQs among female celebrities, cementing herself as an unquestionable genius.

#3. Rowan Atkinson: 178

British comedian Rowan Atkinson is best known for his role as the bumbling Mr. Bean, which he played between 1990 and 1995 and reprised twice in film adaptations. Aside from that, he starred in Blackadder and the Johnny English film series.

Yet Rowan Atkinson’s off-screen personality is nowhere near as childlike and confused as his on-screen portrayal of Mr. Bean. Actually, he has a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering as well as a master’s degree from The Queen’s College in Oxford.

On top of that, his estimated IQ score is 178—a shockingly high number.

#2. Brian May: 180

High IQ celebrities - Brian May

Brian May is living proof that rockstars aren’t necessarily uneducated high school and university dropouts. Queen’s lead guitarist is simultaneously an astrophysicist who received his PhD from Imperial College London in 2007.

Despite his potential to make it big as a scientist, Brian May prioritized his music career, rejecting huge opportunities for advancement in favor of his first university band, Smile, and later Queen.

#1. James Woods: 184

James Woods’ IQ of 184 places him at the very top of the list of high-IQ celebrities and ranks him among the most intelligent people in the world. Before becoming an actor, he pursued a political science degree at MIT, which he enrolled in with an impressive score of 1579 on the SATs.

However, he never completed his degree—acting was simply too tempting to resist. Instead, he earned his spot on the big screen, starring in The Onion Field, Salvador, Ghosts of Mississippi, Virgin Suicides, Casino, and more.

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Final Thoughts

Although an above-average IQ isn’t a requirement for actors and musicians, it can certainly help them achieve greater heights. After all, people with high IQs are typically ambitious, unafraid of taking risks, and willing to follow unconventional paths.

And while all the high-IQ celebrities we’ve listed above have great success and financial stability, their road was not for the faint of heart or the feeble of mind. Ultimately, while talent and hard work played the biggest role in their success, intelligence shouldn’t be dismissed either.