10 Famous Celebrities You Didn't Know Have Harvard Degrees

Getting into Harvard University and getting a degree from the Ivy League school are achievements to be immensely proud of because it's one of the top educational institutions in the world.

Its alumni list includes distinguished public leaders, presidents and renowned personalities, as well as celebrities.

Here are 10 famous celebrities with a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

1. Natalie Portman

On top of the muti-awarded actress' acting achievements, Portman holds a psychology degree from Harvard. She graduated from the Ivy League university in 2003.

A few years later, she took graduate courses at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she was credited with two papers published in scientific journals.

2. Ashley Judd

After completing a major in French at the University of Kentucky in 2007, the "Double Jeopardy" actress attended Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and earned her master's degree in public administration (M.P.A.) in 2010.

3. Conan O'Brien

The popular late-night talk show host graduated with a degree in history and literature from Harvard in 1985. He even graduated magna cum laude.

O'Brien is featured on Harvard University's website, as well as his thesis, titled "Literary Progeria in the Works of William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor."

4. Mark Zuckerberg

The Meta CEO may have dropped out from Harvard University in 2004 to devote himself to Facebook, but he was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree during the university's 366th graduation ceremony in 2017.

Aside from accepting his honorary degree, Zuckerberg delivered a graduation speech at the time.

5. Rashida Jones

The "Parks and Recreation" and "The Office" actress graduated from Harvard with a degree in religion and philosophy in 1997.

In 2016, Jones went back to her university as the Harvard Class Day speaker and addressed the graduating class.

6. Barack Obama

The 44th U.S. president belongs to Harvard's class of 1991 graduates. Before obtaining a law degree and graduating magna cum laude from the Ivy League school, Obama was elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review.

7. Tommy Lee Jones

The "Men in Black" star isn't only an excellent actor, he was also a smart Harvard student. In 1969, Jones graduated cum laude from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English.

In April 2012, the Oscar-winning actor was awarded by then-Harvard President Drew Faust the 2012 Harvard Arts Medal for achieving excellence in the arts.

8. B.J. Novak

The "The Book With No Pictures" author and "The Office" star graduated from Harvard with a degree in English and Spanish literature in 2001.

However, Novak talked about his Harvard degree in a 2022 interview, saying, "It's the worst thing to have on a comedy resume, the worst."

9. Mindy Kaling

The multi-Emmy nominated actress-writer-producer graduated from Dartmouth College in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in playwriting. She was also awarded an honorary legal degree at Harvard Law School's commencement ceremony in 2014.

10. Darren Aronofsky

Before getting his Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in directing from AFI Conservatory, the Jewish-American filmmaker entered Harvard University in 1987 to study anthropology, live-action film and animation.

Even before his prominent works such as "Black Swan" and "The Wrestler," Aronofsky has always excelled in the arts, even as a student. His senior thesis film, "Supermarket Sweep," became a finalist in the 1991 Student Academy Awards.