It is common knowledge that actors have a knack for various tongues and may use this to produce stories that resonate with audiences everywhere. While many of today's top performers made their names in English-language films, several are also bilingual. For instance, it could be a shock to find that Bradley Cooper is fluent in French. Who else among the A-list speaks more than one language?
Actors like Natalie Portman, who is fluent in five languages, prove that limiting yourself to just one is not necessary. Some actors and actresses who are fluent in more than one language work in films with subtitles in those languages. In contrast, others have no trouble with dubbing in those languages. Check out these fantastic videos of famous people speaking Spanish, French, and other languages. Who has the most impressive vocabulary? Vote down below for the
celebrities you think have the best language skills.
1. Sandra Bullock
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While Sandra Bullock was reared in the United States, she is proficient in German. Bullock's mother was an opera singer from Germany, and she and her American soldier father met in Nuremberg. She accepted the Bambi Award (the German Oscar) in her language back in 2000.
2. Colin Firth
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Although he earned an Academy Award for his portrayal of a king who has problems communicating, Colin Firth is not, in fact, a mute. This Italian-speaking actor was born in the United Kingdom. During the 2010 Venice Film Festival, he gave an interview in Italian to showcase his abilities.
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
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Leonardo DiCaprio's mother is German (she lived through a bombing strike in Germany during World War II), and he can speak the language fluently. Leo DiCaprio's middle name is Wilhelm.
4. Natalie Portman
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Natalie Portman speaks five languages, including Hebrew, Spanish, German, Japanese, and (very) basic French. Portman (born Natalie Hershlag in Jerusalem) is a linguistic prodigy, to be sure. According to some sources, she is also fluent in Arabic.
5. Charlize Theron
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It's easy to forget that Charlize Theron grew raised in South Africa, where her first language was Afrikaans, because her English is so flawless. During this interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, Theron slipped into her native language of Afrikaans.
6. Ben Affleck
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Ben and Casey Affleck both spent time as children in Mexico, where they picked up the language. When promoting his film The Town in Spanish, Ben referred to co-stars Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner as "guapo" (handsome) and "loco" (weird) but "likeable."
7. Will Smith
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Actor Will Smith is renowned for doing interviews in Spanish. Some viewers of Seven Pounds were taken aback by Smith's portrayal of a character who was proficient in Spanish. In 2000, Will conducted his first interview in Spanish and still does it today.
8. Bradley Cooper
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Bradley Cooper shocked the world when he promoted The Hangover Part II with an interview in French back in May of 2011. Cooper claims he picked up French on a collegiate exchange program in France.
9. Jodie Foster
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When it comes to intelligence, Jodie Foster is among the highest. Is it a big deal that she can converse in French so easily? Foster attended the illustrious French preparatory school Lycee Francais de Los Angeles (and yes, she was valedictorian) and is fluent in French; she also dubs films originally produced in French.
10. Mila Kunis
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Mila Kunis is a native Russian speaker, which is not unexpected considering her Ukrainian heritage. The native Russian speaker lived there until she was 7 years old. At a press event for her movie Friends With Benefits in July 2011, Kunis spoke Russian, leaving co-star
Justin Timberlake utterly bewildered as he tried to follow up through translation feed.