Several well-established routes exist for achieving celebrity status. There are musicians, dancers, and actors, and then there are triple threats who can do all three. The majority of the public's attention is focused on these people, plus models, athletes, and social media stars. Talents in dance, acting, and singing are certainly not to be sneezed at, but occasionally these more conventional skills are overlooked in favor of the more unique and unusual ones that some superstars may possess.
Some of our greatest actors, athletes, and musicians apparently learned how to knit, attempted a perfect game of bowling, earned PhDs, and even piloted commercial jets before they became famous. It would appear that the rich and famous not only have more time and resources than the rest of us, but also more talent to dedicate to becoming experts in fields that are not their primary source of income.
1. Conan O’Brien (Tap Dancing)
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Conan O'Brien is one of America's most popular late-night talk show hosts and has been funny for than 30 years. As a child, he dreamed of being a professional tap dancer. After taking classes, O'Brien kept tap-dancing and even performed at the 2012 Oscars.
2. Geena Davis (Archery)
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Geena Davis is more than meets the eye. The actress was also a well-known archer and almost made the Olympic archery team. Oscar-winning actresses competed in the 1999 Olympics semifinals against 300 female archers. Davis placed 24th despite not qualifying.
3. Justin Bieber (Rubik’s Cube)
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Justin Bieber is a singer and multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, trumpet, piano, and drums. The vocalist solves a Rubik's cube in two minutes. It's not the world record of 5.25 seconds, but it's an outstanding talent for a young performer like Bieber.
4. Neil Patrick Harris (Magician)
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Neil Patrick Harris, who plays magician Barney Stinson on
How I Met Your Mother, earned the Tannen's Magic Louis Award in 2006. Even more so, he earned an Emmy for his magical performance on Glee. The actor is presently the president of the Magic Castle in Hollywood's Board of Directors.
5. Christopher Walken (Lion Taming)
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Christopher Walken's movies have grossed over $1 billion in the US, and he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. As a teenager, Walken was a circus lion tamer. Despite demonstrating no fear, Walken understood it wasn't a long-term career and became an actor.
6. Ken Jeong (Medical Practice)
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Since he is best known for his crazy appearances in The Hangover Trilogy, he is the last person anyone would guess to be included on such a list. Strange as it may seem, Ken Jeong really got his medical degree at UNC-Chapel Hill. Jeong, a doctor certified to practice in California, says, "Medicine is a hard-won skill." The actor's playing career quickly overtook his desire to become a doctor.
7. Shaquille O’Neal (Rapping)
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Shaquille O'Neal was a basketball powerhouse during his 19-year career. O'Neal was also a successful rapper. Many African-Americans can rap, but O'Neal's first album Shaq Diesel was a platinum success.
8. Vin Diesel (Video Game Development)
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Vin Diesel developed video games after creating Tigon Studios. Three of the games are based on Diesel's most renowned role, Riddick. Diesel helped develop The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, which gained praise.
9. Matthew Perry (Tennis)
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Matthew Perry, better known as Chandler Bing on Friends, preferred sports to the theater when he was younger. Perry played tennis competitively as a youth and eventually reached the top of the junior rankings. Perry still occasionally makes time for his beloved sport, despite his successful career as an actor.
10. Pierce Brosnan (Fire Eating)
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Before playing James Bond, Pierce Brosnan played with fire. Brosnan took a fire-eating workshop in London as a teen. He studied fire eating after seeing the act and joined a circus. Brosnan never had to work in a circus again after enrolling in acting school, though he has shown off his fire-eating skills.
11. Angelina Jolie (Knife Throwing)
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The stunning Angelina Jolie has several talents, including acting, charity work, modeling, and filmmaking. The Hollywood star is known for many things, but knife throwing is one of her specialties. Jolie started doing this while she was a high school student and had a live-in boyfriend. There have been rumors that her intriguing talent makes Brad Pitt nervous.