Not all stars rose to fame without hitting the books first.
It turns out that quite a few celebrities spent time studying right here in Ontario. Some of your favorite actors, actresses, and other prominent figures once walked the halls of campuses across the province before making it big.
Who knows, maybe one of these celebs actually studied at your school.
Simu Liu
Simu Liu attended Western University's Ivey School of Business in London and worked as an accountant after graduating. It wasn't long before he pivoted to acting, where he's had huge success in roles on Kim's Convenience, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Barbie.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk
According to Queen's University's Gazette, Tesla CEO Elon Musk spent his freshman and sophomore years at Queen's University in Kingston from 1989 to 1991. While he didn't graduate from the university, he did meet his first wife there.
Nina Dobrev
The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev studied sociology at Toronto Metropolitan University, before pursuing acting, according to the university blog.
Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams
The famous actress, who has appeared in The Notebook, Mean Girls and more, studied theatre at Toronto's York University, according to Society19.
Shay Mitchell
Known for her roles in Pretty Little Liars and You, Mitchell spent her early life at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she studied acting, according to the school blog.
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood
The famous author, widely known for her novel The Handmaid's Tale, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto's Victoria College, as listed on her bio.
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
According to Canada's Walk Of Fame, the actor, writer, and producer studied at McMaster University in Hamilton.
Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
The actor, known for his appearances in The Hunger Games and Pride and Prejudice, went to school at the University of Toronto's Victoria College, according to the school's website.
Annie Murphy
The Schitt's Creek star spent a year studying theatre at Queen's University in Kingston before transferring to Concordia, according to Fashion Magazine.
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels holding an Emmy
The SNL creator and Emmy winner is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where he was a performer, writer, and director with the university's student theatre troupe. Michaels definitely encourages SNL performers to pay homage to his Canadian roots, as jokes about Canada are common on the weekly comedy show.
Vanessa Morgan
The Riverdale star studied philosophy at Queen's University in Kingston before pursuing her acting career.
This article has been updated since it was originally published on February 2, 2021.
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