High school has been a turning point for celebrities across Hollywood.
Many stars have chosen to forgo their high school education to pursue their careers. Some of them have even gone on to get their GED after making it big.
Seth Rogendropped out of high school after landing a part inFreaks and Geeks, but the comedian said it came as a "very expected conclusion" to the "long downward spiral" that was his education.
"It was not surprising to anyone, I don't think. And nor did anyone, even my parents — no one really tried to convince me to stay or even get a GED," he toldGeorgia Public Broadcastingin May 2021. "No one in my life was like, 'This is going to ruin your life if you drop out of high school.' "
Rogen added, "It was very clear by then that I was highly motivated to do other things, just not, you know, academic things."
Here are 21 celebrities who dropped out of high school.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carreydropped out of high school on his 16th birthday to enter the workforce and help his family,The Hollywood Reporterreported.
Mary J. Blidge
Mary J. BligetoldThe Big Issuethat her "rebelliousness really messed up my education," causing her to drop out of high school in 11th grade.
"I definitely regret it," she said. "I really wish that I had finished getting my education. Then again, I look at it and ask myself if I would be this person if I had finished school. Would I be this Mary J Blige today?"
Johnny Depp
According toFox News,Johnny Deppdropped out of high school in 1979 to move to Los Angeles and join a band called The Kids.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr.attended Santa Monica High School for two years. He dropped out at the age of 16 in 1982 to pursue a full-time acting career.
While he was a student there, his classmates includedRob Lowe,Charlie Sheen,Emilio EstevezandSean Penn.
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempseydropped out of high school at 17 years old.
"I wish I’d stayed in school," he told theIndianapolis Monthlyin 2012. "I was 17 when I dropped out, and I never finished high school."
Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank, a high school dropout, toldTodayin 2007 that it's something she's "not proud" of.
“I’m not proud that that’s something that happened, but it happened," she said. "I think school is really, really important and we have an education problem in this country and it’s a shame. It’s a shame for any kid to feel hopeless about their future.”
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgandropped out of high school to pursue his acting career.
"I’m glad I dropped out of high school, man," he told theHuffington Postin 2010. "I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I would have had a net."
He continued, "I’m glad I didn’t have anything to fall back on, man, because that made me go for my dreams that much harder."
Kate Winslet
Kate Winsletshared during a 2017 appearance onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbertthat, like many of her peers, she left high school to pursue acting.
"I had finished my school exams, and you see, contrary to what people think about me — people often think I must have all these diplomas and things and rubber stamps next to my name and crests and training and all this kind of pedigree," she said.
Winslet continued, "I left school at 16 and I went to work in a delicatessen to save money to get the train to London to go on auditions."
John Travolta
John Travoltaleft high school to pursue his career.
"Not too many of my friends identified with what I was doing," he toldThe Phoenixin 1978. "I participated in football and basketball, and did what they were doing, but not many kids understood my going to acting studios at night."
Seth Rogen
The comedian "dropped out of high school and went and worked on a TV show."
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"We were writing a script all throughout high school," he toldCNNin 2013. "I probably worked harder than most people who were just doing high school stuff, honestly."
He continued, "I did stand-up comedy all throughout high school. I think, honestly, if you have a career in mind that isn't academically oriented, then high school is probably not going to lead you to what you want to be."
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reevestold theDaily Mailin 2008 that his high school was "difficult" and he was ultimately expelled at the age of 16.
"The principal and I didn't see eye to eye. I was one of those 'Why?' kids – I asked too many questions about everything. I couldn't stop even if it got me into trouble," he said.
Mark Wahlberg
Despite dropping out of high school in ninth grade,Mark Wahlbergwas able to complete his high school education in 2013.
"For almost a year, I've been taking classes and studying any chance I could get — on the set, traveling for work and at home," he wrote in an essay for theHuffington Post.
Wahlberg continued, "It has been both humbling and challenging, but I'm happy to report that I am officially a high school graduate, having received my diploma this summer."
Quentin Tarantino
DirectorQuentin Tarantinorevealed in a 2012 episode ofThe Howard Stern Showthat he left school in the ninth grade.
"It would've been great to have a college experience ... The whole social and learning aspect of it," he said.
Robert De Niro
Robert De Nirodropped out of high school to pursue acting, perNDTV. He later received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Bates College.
"In many ways, leaving school when I did it was an advantage," he said at the time. "I saved nearly $6,000 by not having to pay tuition and expenses for four years of education."
Al Pacino
According toCBS News,Al Pacinodropped out of high school at 16 to pursue work in the New York theater scene.
At the time, he took on jobs like messenger, janitor, switchboard operator and usher (which he was fired from twice!).
Drake
After dropping out of high school,Drakewent on to complete his education and graduate in 2012.
Sharing the news at the time on X, Drake wrote, "97% on my final exam. 88% in the course. One of the greatest feelings in my entire life. As of tonight I have graduated high school!"
Katy Perry
Katy Perryleft high school at 15 to pursue music but later earned her GED,ABC Newsreported.
Gisele Bündchen
According toThe Independent,Gisele Bündchenleft high school to pursue a modeling career.
Jessica Chastain
Jessica Chastainrevealed in a 2015 interview that she dropped out of high school and "was not a hard worker."
"I was a terrible student," she toldEntertainment Weekly, perET Online. "Eventually I got my adult diploma, but I did not graduate. And it wasn't that I just dropped out and never went back — at the end of the year I had too many absences to graduate."
Chris Rock
Chris Rockdropped out of high school in the 10th grade and went on to earn his GED, perOprah.com.
Before he made it big as a comedian, Rock was a busboy at Red Lobster and a hospital orderly while attending community college.
Jeremy Allen White
Jeremy Allen Whiterevealed in a 2025 episode ofLive with Kelly and Markthat he never completed high school.
"I wasn’t a good student because I didn’t go to school enough. And so I didn’t get all my credits and so I never graduated from high school," White said. "I never got my diploma, 'cause I didn’t have enough credits."
His former drama teacher would go on to attend the New York Film Festival premiere ofSpringsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhereand present him with a high school diploma.
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