Top 10 Actors Who Never Learned to Act

While Brad Pitt did some musicals in high school and always loved movies, when he went to University he chose to study journalism and advertising. However, his love for film never dissipated and two weeks before graduating, he dropped out and headed off to L.A. to become an actor. Now, when he got to California, he did take a few odd jobs and some acting lessons from acting coach Roy London. The classes came after he’d already taken an enormous leap, however. Typically, an aspiring actor will sign up for at least one class before betting it all on a dream. Most actors aren’t Brad Pitt, however.

She was the rom-com queen of the 80s and 90s, but the actress labeled “America’s Sweetheart” at the end of the 20th Century never went to acting school. She actually studied journalism at university. However, after doing a few commercials and landing a popular arc on “As the World Turns,” Meg Ryan left school a semester before graduation to pursue the actress thing. Based on her success and how beloved she is amongst audiences of all ages, we’d say she made the right decision. When it comes to her acting career, we’d happily have what she’s having.

Unlike many folks on this list who dropped out of high school to pursue their acting dreams, Johnny Depp had no such desires when he dropped out at 16 years old. Depp had been playing music from a young age and his only focus at that time was to become a rock musician. The acting thing just kind of happened. At the age of 20, his then-wife introduced Depp to Nic Cage. It was Cage who told him to go for it with acting, and even got him an audition for “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Depp still wasn’t set on acting, but he kept getting cast and so, he became an actor.

Alright, alright, alright! Next on our list is David Wooderson himself. The man who made creepy older kids who still hang out with high schoolers famous. Matthew McConaughey got his break when he approached the “Dazed and Confused” casting director in a bar. Then, due to other on-set circumstances - and his obvious charisma - McConaughey’s role in the film grew from what was initially intended. McConaughey was a student at the University of Texas in Austin at the time and ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film. As for the acting - that he learned by doing - and has been doing it well for decades.

Cameron Diaz burst onto the scene in 1994’s “The Mask” opposite Jim Carrey. She walked into that bank wearing that red dress and you couldn’t help but stare. Although, given that she’d been modeling since she was 16, having people look at her probably wasn’t an issue for Diaz. However, acting - now that was new to her. She was 21 years old when she auditioned for the role, an opportunity that arose when she was recommended to the producers by an agent at her modeling agency. Well, they liked what they saw and they cast the acting newbie in the role. It wasn’t till after she got the part that Diaz went and took some acting classes.

What were you doing when you were 10 years old? Well, if you were Christian Bale, you were contemplating whether or not to become an actor. After doing a few commercials when he was eight, Bale had a few people around him who thought he should become an actor. So, without a reason not to do it, Bale decided that would be his path - and it didn’t take long for that path to open up with real opportunities. He never had any formal acting training or schooling, but by the age of 13, he was being cast by Steven Spielberg to star in his 1987 film, “Empire of the Sun.”

Jennifer Lawrence’s career has been her priority since she was a kid. The talented actress even dropped out of school when she was 14 years old to pursue her dream - and has called herself, “self-educated.” This can also be said about her acting talents as well since this Oscar-winning actress never went to acting school. Instead, she got herself cast in small roles in 2006 and by 2011, she was earning her first Best Actress nomination for her work in the critically acclaimed drama, “Winter’s Bone.” From there, it was just four years before she was the world’s highest-paid actress - an honor she would replicate in 2016 as well.

Joaquin Phoenix has had a lot of different experiences, but acting school wasn’t one of them. For the first three years of his life, his parents were members of the Children of God religious cult. When he was a teenager, his older brother River died from an overdose outside a club in Los Angeles. However, 11 years earlier, in 1982, Phoenix made his acting debut in an episode of the “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” television series. Well, he loved it. It was “instantaneous joy” and a feeling he’s “been chasing ever since.” A chase he’s run without any help from acting school.

While Jim Carrey never went to acting school, he went to the school of hard knocks to get his degree in comedy. By the age of 8, he was working on material in front of the bathroom mirror and at 15, he was making his stand-up debut in front of a live club audience. To say he bombed would be an understatement. But he didn’t give up and at 17, his act was already much improved and he soon was getting regular paid gigs. It would still be years before Carrey would break through with “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.” In 1996, he starred in “The Cable Guy” and became the first actor to ever get paid a $20 million salary for a movie.

Where did Tom Cruise learn to slide across the floor in his underwear or flip glasses and bottles of alcohol? Well, it wasn’t at acting school because Cruise never had any formal acting training. At 18, he packed up and moved to New York to become an actor. From there, he went to Los Angeles and ended up signing with a talent agency. He made his film debut in 1981 with a small part in the movie “Endless Love,” and he’s worked endlessly ever since with a career worldwide box office totaling over $12 billion.

Which of these “untrained” actors has impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments.