A-listers with really brainy kids

In high school, the youngest of the Obama family was not only intelligent and driven but also multitalented. She excelled on the swim and basketball teams and was a gifted ballerina. With parents like hers, it’s no surprise that Sasha is a brainiac, especially considering both received their law degrees from Harvard.

Sasha opted not to attend an Ivy League school like her parents and her sister, Malia. Instead, she enrolled in the University of Michigan in 2019, living on campus with her fellow students.

Due to the pandemic, she had to return home and complete online schooling for the next two years. The 23-year-old then transferred to the University of Southern California in her senior year and graduated in May 2023 with a degree in sociology from the prestigious school. 

Ever the proud mum, Michelle revealed on The Jennifer Hudson Show that her youngest had returned to university to continue studying. While it is not known what she has chosen for her second turn at school, she is living with her older sister in Los Angeles as Malia pursues a career in entertainment.

“They are amazing,” Michelle shared on the show. “Sasha is in school, Malia has a budding career in film. They are smart, they’re funny, they’re wise in their own ways, and I love spending time with them.”

If you ever wondered which of the six Jolie-Pitt kids were geniuses, look no further than Maddox, a budding scientist and linguistics expert.

His doting mother, Angelina, explained to People that he was fluent in French, proficient in German, and was actively learning Korean ahead of his international move. Angelina’s eldest child moved to South Korea for further study in 2019, enrolling in a biochemistry degree at Yonsei University in Seoul.

 Angelina revealed just how heartbreaking it was to drop him off at his chosen college, where she cried as she waved goodbye. “Oh, my God, [I did] an ’embarrass your children ugly cry!'” she told Entertainment Tonight.

“I also, at some point, [put] big [sun]glasses on and the amount of times I turned and waved…I think I turned around six times…and he sweetly stayed and kept waving, knowing that I was going to keep turning around. You could feel he knew he couldn’t leave.”

Maddox also started learning Russian and Korean while at Yonsei until, sadly, the pandemic forced him to return home to Los Angeles in 2020. “He had to stay back from Korea. He’s going online, and so I think he starts at 6 pm at night,” Angelina told Extra about his online classes during the lockdown.

The mother of six confirmed that he would not transfer schools and instead would return to the university when the pandemic eased up.

While Reese Witherspoon’s daughter could be her twin when it comes to her appearance, the 25-year-old initially opted not to follow her mother into the entertainment industry when she left for college in 2019.

Instead, Ava, who Reese shares with actor Ryan Phillippe, studied social welfare at UC Berkeley, where she completed her degree and graduated in 2022.

“Loved this major and got to take so many fascinating classes on various social/political movements, systemic inequities, psychology & the practice of social work,” she shared in an Instagram Q&A in 2023.

While she decided against pursuing social work after university, Ava explained how much she appreciated the opportunity to attend college.

“Even though I didn’t end up becoming a social worker, I still think what I learned in this major informs a lot of how I move through the world and my perspective on some major issues,” she continued.

Since then, Ava has found success in the modelling sphere, landing jobs with Rodarte, Pat McGrath and Ivy Park, Beyoncé’s fashion label. She also starred in an advert for Reese’s fashion brand, Draper James.

She credits her parents for supporting her in whatever path she wants to take. “My parents have always encouraged me to choose the path that’s right for me and, you know, guide me along the way to make better choices than I might make,” she shared with E! News in 2021.

“I’m so grateful for that. That is such a privilege to have parents that support you in that way and want you to be who you truly are meant to be.”

Willow is another incredibly talented person on this list who also happens to be incredibly smart, too. The singer-songwriter, fashionista and author explained in an interview with Vulture that she had developed an intense interest in science and physics.

“I know that at one point in my life, I’m going to go to college for both music and physics,” she told the publication. “I have a physics class where I invite all of my friends, and we ask questions about the universe.”

The Grammy-nominated daughter of Will and Jada Smith even visited the prestigious University of Cambridge to follow her scientific passion. “It was nice to be able to talk to female students and professors about science and logic because that’s just such a man’s world,” she told Teen Vogue.  

Despite not pursuing a degree in physics, Willow’s interest in science showcases her love of learning and stretching her mind. “The more I study science, the more I’m in awe of its complexity – it’s pure magic,” she told The Creative Independent.

“Many great scientists feel the same, just like great artists. It all blends together. That’s why mad scientists often look like artists – just look at pictures of Einstein or others like him.”

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s eldest daughter is a bright spark who is using her intelligence for good. Violet began her freshman year at Yale in September 2024, and while it is unclear what her major is, we have a hunch that it may lean towards science, medicine and public health.

The 18-year-old made an impassioned speech in a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting in July 2024, imploring those in power to argue against mask bans amid the pandemic.

She revealed how she had contracted a post-COVID illness and spotlighted the need to fix the failing health system. “I’m OK now, but I saw firsthand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses,” she said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown that into sharper relief.”

Violet also shared that long COVID disproportionately affects “communities of colour, disabled people, elderly people, trans people, women, and anyone in a public-facing job,” as well as the homeless and marginalised.

The teen is a fierce advocate for public health, and with the brains to back it up, we can’t wait to see how high she flies!

Instead of following his famous parents into the entertainment world, Dylan Douglas signed up for campus life at Brown University, where he got his degree in political science, graduating in 2022.

“Graduation congratulations to my boy, my pride, my joy, Dylan. I am inexplicably proud of you, and I love you beyond words,” mum Catherine Zeta-Jones wrote on Instagram after his ceremony. “One proud Dad! Congratulations Dylan! Well done!” Michael Douglas said in his own tribute post. 

Since gaining his degree, Dylan has moved into the radio space and hosted a limited series for SiriusXM called Young American with Dylan Douglas in the latter half of 2024. This career move came after years of working in the political space on campaigns and with grassroots organisations.

“[Dylan is] now stepping in front of the microphone because he feels strongly that his generation needs to play a more active and integral role in shaping the future of the country,” the synopsis read. “His show will focus on issues of importance to Gen Z, including reproductive rights, climate change, and gun control.”

“It’s been a wild ride the last couple of years. From the start of forever wars, the first Black president, culture wars, and now a second chance at a first female president, my generation has lived through some of the most transformative and tumultuous times in our history; and it’s only going to get crazier,” said the 24-year-old in a statement ahead of the radio show’s release.

“I wanna take you through it. On my show, I won’t just talk you through the news of the day — I’ll underscore the larger issues spinning our country out of control.”

Legendary rapper Ludacris not only boasts a daughter with a degree in Documentary Filmmaking from Spelman College, but a daughter who was summa cum laude of her college class.

The proud dad gushed about Karma on her graduation day, posting a sweet photo with his daughter holding her degree; he captioned the post, “Make Sure You Add ‘SUMMA CUM LAUDE’ When You Speak About MINES @karma.christine HONORS #prouddaddy.”

He told People that he couldn’t be happier for his high-achieving girl, who was already working hard, post-graduation. “I am super proud of her,” he said. “She is a multi–talented, beautiful young woman. Her passion for her craft is infectious… And I wish her unbounded success and happiness.”

In a statement, Karma laid out exactly how she planned to use her degree. “I want to make movie and film content that helps shape and change the social and political landscape! Tell stories that are meaningful and thought-provoking,” she said.

“I’ve always been drawn to storytelling due to its ability to heal, inspire, educate, create empathy, and ultimately catalyse positive change in the world. As a young Black woman, there’s an indescribable joy when I encounter films or TV shows that authentically and comprehensively represent individuals like me.”

It’s no surprise that the offspring of one of the original tech giants of Silicon Valley made this list;  but interestingly, Reed Jobs, the only son of Apple founder Steve Jobs, chose not to pursue a career in technology like his father.

Instead, the 33-year-old studied history and international security at Stanford, graduating with honours in 2014. He also completed a master’s degree in history at the Ivy League school.

His passion lay away from Silicon Valley; after university, he became the managing director at the Emerson Collective, which aims to invest in ideas that focus on reforming US policies to create a more just world.

“While most other players in this space focus on philanthropy or investment, we’re able to do both,” he wrote on the website, adding that their “core goal” is to develop “new therapeutic options for cancer patients,” after Steve passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2011.

It’s only fitting that Bill Gates’ eldest child could rival him for intelligence, with Jennifer having completed a Bachelor’s degree in human biology at Stanford, a Master’s in public health at Columbia, and to cap it off, she is completing her doctor’s residency at Mount Sinai with the intent to become a paediatrician.

The 28-year-old shared her journey as she completed each milestone, posting to her Instagram in May 2023 after her graduation ceremony at Columbia.

“(Accelerated) Master of Public Health. Thank you @columbiapublichealth for this incredible educational opportunity and the village around me who made this possible. Grateful,” she wrote in the caption. She also received the Excellence in General Public Health award from her college.

Bill couldn’t have been happier for his daughter, and he posted a photo of the two after she graduated from medical school in May 2024. “From pre-K to MD. I’m so proud to officially call you Dr. Gates,” he gushed.

As if these achievements weren’t enough, Jennifer also gave birth to her first child, Leila, in April 2023, a month before her graduation. She has since welcomed another daughter, Mia, in October 2024 – talk about a supermum!

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s youngest child with his ex-wife Maria Shriver shied away from his family’s world of entertainment and politics, opting instead to study psychology at the University of Michigan.

The 27-year-old sadly missed out on a graduation ceremony due to the pandemic, so his father hilariously photoshopped him graduating to cheer his son up.

“Christopher, you are a champion, and I love you,” the proud dad wrote. “I know your graduation from Michigan wasn’t the big celebration you dreamed about for years, but walking across a stage isn’t what makes me so proud of you: it’s your compassion, your hard work, your vision, your critical thinking, and your selflessness that make me burst with pride.”

“I can’t wait to watch you keep climbing and succeeding,” he finished. After gaining his degree, Chris landed a role as the Director of Development at a media company; before that, he worked for a sports psychologist and worked on acclaimed sports podcasts.

As if that weren’t enough, he also joined the Special Olympics Founders Council in 2024.