Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and More Who Didn’t Let Lacking a High School Diploma Derail Their Success

These celebrities achieved great success despite not having a high school diploma.

Jeremy Allen White’s Unexpected Graduation

Jeremy Allen White, star of The Bear, recently shared a touching moment with an old teacher. She joined him at the NYC premiere of his new film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and surprised him with a gift.

“I wasn’t a good student because I didn’t go to school enough,” he said on the October 23 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, explaining he never graduated from the city’s Professional Performing Arts School.

After the film, his teacher gave him a high school diploma. “And I was like, ‘Ah, you don’t have to do this, this is crazy, what are you giving me a gift for?’ And I open it up, and it is my high school diploma. So… at 34 years old, I graduated high school!”

Nicole Kidman’s School Regrets

Though she has won two Oscars, Nicole Kidman still regrets leaving school early. At 51, she admitted on 60 Minutes that she is a high school dropout.

“I’m a high school dropout, which I’m not proud to say,” Kidman shared. “I had some teachers that I still think of fondly and were amazing to me.”

By age 15, she was determined to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles.

Summary

Several famous actors overcame the obstacle of not graduating high school and built remarkable careers, showing that traditional education is not the only path to success.

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Star Magazine — 2025-11-06