15 People Share Their Most Famous Schoolmate, and How That Went

Most people can remember at least one classmate who seemed destined to become someone, but very few can say they actually went to school with a future superstar. For some people, the famous kid was already getting attention before graduation, while others had no idea that the quiet person sitting nearby would eventually become a household name. Reddit users recently shared stories about the most famous people they went to school with, revealing everything from classmates who were surprisingly normal to students whose talents were impossible to miss. These stories offer a fun glimpse at celebrities before the fame, when they were simply another person in the classroom.

Rue McClanahan

Both the poster’s parents went to school with Rue McClanahan, who later became famous as Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls. They remembered her as kind and talented, and said she would return to Ardmore, Oklahoma, to visit her parents.

Noel Gallagher

One Reddit user knew someone who punched Noel Gallagher after the future Oasis star threw a chair at his friend. Another commenter added that the man they knew was actually extremely sweet and gentle, making the story even more unexpected.

Kirsten Dunst

One person attended school with Kirsten Dunst and occasionally met with her at the headmistress’s office to discuss their outside activities, with Dunst talking about acting. Years later, they ran into each other on a street in Los Angeles and Dunst remembered their school days.

Bill Gates

One Reddit user simply answered Bill Gates, while another comment on the same response indicated they had gone to college with Gates and his younger brother Steve. Not exactly the kind of classmate you expect to become one of the world’s most famous technology figures.

Chelsea Clinton

A Reddit user who went to school with Chelsea Clinton said they never actually spoke to her, but remembered that she had an excellent reputation among the students.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos was another name that appeared in the thread, although the original commenter did not provide much detail about what it was like going to school with the future Amazon founder. Still, having him on a school roster is quite a claim.

Paul Kariya

One Reddit user sat next to Paul Kariya in Grade 12 math class. Kariya went on to become an NHL star, win two Olympic medals, and enter the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Katie Holmes

One person remembered Katie Holmes as their “mother” in an elementary school family group made up of students from fifth through eighth grade. It was an unusually wholesome connection to someone who would later become a major Hollywood actress.

Eliza Dushku

Eliza Dushku was another celebrity named by a Reddit user as their schoolmate. The comment offered no elaborate story, which almost makes the idea of casually having the future Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse actress sitting around school even more amusing.

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps came up several times in the thread. One person remembered that his mother was their assistant principal, while another described a former swimmer receiving an early morning text complaining that Phelps was already at practice.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak

One Reddit user attended Homestead High School in Cupertino with both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Knowing that two future technology legends were walking the same school halls is an extraordinary piece of personal history.

Lou Ferrigno

One commenter listed Lou Ferrigno, the bodybuilder and actor famous for playing the Hulk on television. Even before becoming a pop culture icon, Ferrigno was apparently memorable enough for a former schoolmate to still bring him up decades later.

Tom Brady

Tom Brady was another name submitted by a Reddit user who went to school with the future NFL legend. The comment offered no additional story, but the name alone makes for an impressive former schoolmate.

Kim Fields

One Reddit user said Kim Fields was their schoolmate. Fields became famous as Tootie Ramsey on The Facts of Life and later appeared as Regine Hunter on Living Single.

Jaleel White

A Reddit user’s wife went to school with Jaleel White, who was already famous from playing Steve Urkel on Family Matters. According to the story, teachers treated him badly for supposedly acting like a big star, while he was actually just trying to get through school like everyone else.