The Smartest Celebrities

The smartest celebrities are those who have documented high IQs, multiple degrees from distinguished universities, and a history of long hours spent studying complicated subjects. Some of these celebs, like Matt Damon, even star in the best movies about geniuses. A number of famous actors are members of the "high IQ society" Mensa - or, at least, a number of online sources say they are. Those people are included here, as are businessmen, musicians, and even wrestlers with impressive academic résumés and degrees, and Bond girls like Jill St. John. For example, Swedish-born action star Dolph Lundgren, aka Ivan Drago, has a master's degree in chemical engineering and was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to M.I.T. Likewise, Oscar winner Natalie Portman has a Harvard degree, has lectured at Columbia University, and can speak five languages. And Bill Gates founded Microsoft. Which of these most brilliant celebrities surprises you most?

For brevity, this list does not include career politicians or widely recognized geniuses in academia.