Top 10 Celebrities You Didn't Know Speak French

Growing up, Serena Williams wasn’t just thinking about winning Grand Slam tennis championships - she also had ideas about what she wanted to do after she won. In the case of the French Open, this involved giving her post-match talks in French. She also had a second reason to learn the language. As she told The Fader magazine back in 2016, it was “because [in] most African countries, the main language outside of their local language is French or English. So I figured: I know English, maybe I can learn French.” Indeed, she did. As we’ve seen in some very cute videos, she’s teaching her daughter the language as well.

When Gwyneth Paltrow was about 15 years old, she spent a year studying abroad in…. Spain. You thought we were going to say France didn’t you? Nope, Paltrow studied in Spain and can speak Spanish rather well. But what about French you ask? Well, while she didn’t study there, she and her family did reportedly spend a good amount of time in the south of France when she was young. As such, Paltrow picked up the language and has remained conversationally adept ever since. Look no further than this interview she did during her promotional tour for “Iron Man 3” to see what we mean.

Love is said to be a powerful force, and can inspire people to do amazing things. It’s been said that it even led to Jane Fonda learning French. In 1965, she tied the knot with late French filmmaker Roger Vadim, who was also the director behind her 1968 film “Barbarella.” The duo were married for roughly 8 years, and their child Vanessa was even born in Paris. More specific details regarding Fonda’s language-learning journey are relatively scarce. But there’s no denying she can now handle herself like the true professional she’s always been in French.

Given that she’s the star of the hit Netflix show “Emily in Paris,” it may not come as a complete shock that Lily Collins speaks French. We mean, she literally speaks it on the show. Sort of. As fans will know, Emily is largely clueless when she first arrives in Paris - so much so that the purchase of a chocolatine is anything but straightforward. So you might be surprised to know that Collins’ comprehension of the French language is at a much more advanced level, as she started speaking it as a kid. She doesn’t always answer interview questions in French, perhaps due to not being super confident in her skill level. But while she may not be a fluent speaker, she’s no slouch, either!

Just because someone has an accent over a letter of their first name and a French-sounding last name doesn’t always mean they can speak French. However, in the case of Timothée Chalamet, it kind of does. Although he was born and raised in New York City, he has a strong familial connection to France. His father, Marc Chalamet, is from the southern part of the country and also worked as the New York correspondent for daily French newspaper, Le Parisien. Not only is Timothée multilingual, but he also has dual American and French citizenship.

While one of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s big breaks came playing an alien on “3rd Rock from the Sun”, we don’t need to tell you that he actually isn’t from outer space. But while calling him an extra-terrestrial would be wrong, you can definitely call him a Francophile. His affinity began decades ago and manifested in his studying French subjects at Columbia University, his love for French New Wave cinema, and his fluency in speaking the French language. Oh, and in singing it as well, as he has demonstrated at several events for his HitRecord collaboration platform.

While Jodie Foster didn’t study in France, she did study at a bilingual French/English prep school in California, the Lycée Français de Los Angeles. Not only did she master French there, she also gave the French valedictorian speech the year she graduated. To say her ability to speak the language is good would be an understatement. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also appeared in French motion picture productions. And if you’re watching a French dub of one of her English movies, you’ll also usually be hearing her. Oh, and she also speaks Italian - although, as she reportedly says in one interview, she does so with a “horrible French accent”.

Yes, it’s true: Hugh Grant can be ridiculously charming in multiple languages. Many kids learn French in school, but at least some of Grant’s access to the language seemingly came through the home. You see, his mother, Fynvola Susan MacLean, was an educator, and you guessed it, one of the subjects she taught was indeed French. Grant also lived in France as part of an exchange program when he was 14. His French might not be as technically good as some others on this list, but it’s still praiseworthy. Plus, there’s no denying how endearing he can be in whatever language he’s speaking.

As British as she is, did you know that Emma Watson wasn’t actually born in the UK? In fact, although both her parents are English, she didn’t move to England until she was about five years old. So, where did Watson spend the first 5 years of her life? Well, given the subject of this list, you might’ve guessed that the answer is France. Born in Paris, Watson was obviously immersed in the local language in her early years. While she will admit her speaking skills aren’t perfect, we’d say the “Harry Potter” star can still rock an interview in the language of love.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Sigourney Weaver
She Can Beat up Aliens and Speak French (Maybe Not at the Same Time Though)

Marlon Brando
Brando Learned the Language After Falling for French Actress Tarita Teriipaia

Audrey Hepburn
French Was Just One of Several Languages Hepburn Could Converse In

Diane Kruger
When She Relocated to France as a Teen, She Added the Language to Her Repertoire

Shakira
She Doesn’t Just Speak French – She Sings in French Too

Bradley Cooper’s deep dive into the French language dates back to his time at Georgetown University. While his major during his studies there was English, the future movie star also did a minor in French. Thus, Cooper mastered the language while at the prestigious institution, and even completed an exchange in the south of France. He has also seemingly maintained his fluency in the language over the years. Indeed, he’s done numerous interviews in French, and has shown off his skills a few times in film roles as well. Color us impressed.

Which of these multilingual celebs surprised you the most? Voulez-vous leave us a comment!