15 Celebrities With Surprising Skills You Might Not Expect

Being famous can make it easy to forget that celebrities had entire lives before the public knew their names. Some spent years developing skills that have almost nothing to do with acting, music, sports, or whatever eventually made them famous. Others picked up unusual talents simply because they became obsessed with something in their spare time. The result is a collection of surprisingly impressive abilities that rarely come up when people talk about these stars. Some can play unusual instruments, others have unexpected athletic talents, and a few have skills that seem completely disconnected from their public image. Here are fifteen celebrities with talents that might genuinely make you do a double take.

Angelina Jolie Can Fly a Plane

Angelina Jolie earned her private pilot license and has spoken about how much she enjoys flying, even owning a small aircraft and encouraging her son Maddox to learn about aviation.

Steve Martin Plays the Banjo

Steve Martin is an accomplished banjo player who has performed professionally for decades, released bluegrass albums, and even won Grammy Awards for his music.

Tom Hanks Collects Typewriters

Tom Hanks has an enormous collection of vintage typewriters and is so knowledgeable about them that he wrote a book about his hobby, Uncommon Typewriters

Keanu Reeves Is a Skilled Hockey Player

Keanu Reeves was a talented goalkeeper in hockey during his youth and reportedly considered pursuing the sport seriously before acting became his career.

Johnny Depp Plays Guitar

Johnny Depp is an experienced guitarist who has performed alongside major musicians and became a member of the rock supergroup Hollywood Vampires with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.

Geena Davis Is an Olympic Level Archer

Geena Davis became seriously interested in archery later in life and trained at an elite level, eventually competing in Olympic trials for the United States.

Jason Statham Was a Competitive Diver

Before becoming an action star, Jason Statham competed as a diver for Britain’s national team and represented his country at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

Christopher Walken Was a Lion Tamer

Christopher Walken worked briefly as a lion tamer in a circus when he was young, assisting with a lion named Sheba before becoming an actor.

Patrick Dempsey Is a Juggler

Patrick Dempsey developed impressive juggling skills when he was younger and even competed in juggling competitions before becoming famous as an actor.

Harrison Ford Is an Experienced Carpenter

Before Star Wars made him famous, Harrison Ford worked as a carpenter, and his skills were good enough that he reportedly performed work for several Hollywood clients.

Neil Patrick Harris Is a Magician

Neil Patrick Harris has been fascinated by magic for years and became an accomplished magician, eventually serving as president of the Academy of Magical Arts.

Taylor Swift Can Make Homemade Jams

Taylor Swift has shown an unexpected talent for cooking and preserving food, including making homemade jams and other gifts for friends, revealing a surprisingly domestic hobby behind the pop star image.

Henry Cavill Is a Skilled Computer Builder

Henry Cavill has developed a serious interest in gaming and PC building, even assembling his own gaming computer and discussing the hobby enthusiastically outside his acting career.

Bob Odenkirk Was a Talented Writer Before Acting

Bob Odenkirk’s comedy writing career began long before his biggest acting roles, with credits for Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and other major comedy shows.

Terry Crews Is an Accomplished Artist

Terry Crews studied art and worked as a courtroom sketch artist before becoming an actor, and he has continued painting and drawing throughout his career.