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Tom Holland - Before becoming Spider-Man, Tom Holland trained extensively as a ballet dancer during his youth. He started dancing hip hop at age 9 and later trained in ballet and tap for two years while preparing for his role in 'Billy Elliot' on the West End. Holland’s dance background helped him develop the agility and skills that have served him well in his action-packed movie roles.
© Getty Images
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Natalie Portman
- Portman studied ballet since she was 13 years old, but still found herself completely unprepared for her role as a ballerina in 'Black Swan' in 2010.
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Mila Kunis - Kunis trained four hours a day seven days a week for seven months to co-star with Portman in 'Black Swan.'
© Getty Images
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Audrey Hepburn
- The 'Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) star took up ballet during WWII while living with her family in the Netherlands. She was the star pupil in her class and ended up studying under famed Dutch ballerina Sonia Gaskell. She would eventually be denied roles due to her height and physic.
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Sarah Jessica Parker
- The 'SATC' star learned to dance ballet as a youngster.
© Getty Images
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Charlize Theron
- Charlize Theron attended the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC. She was eventually forced to put her ballet career plans aside due to a knee injury.
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Christian Bale
- Bale took ballet classes as a young child.
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Patrick Swayze
- It's not that hard to believe that the 'Dirty Dancing' (1987) star practiced ballet. His mother was a dance teacher.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Naomi Campbell
- The British model and actress learned ballet from a young age and attended the Italia Conti Academy of the Theatre Arts in London.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Catherine Zeta-Jones
- Zeta-Jones trained in tap dancing and ballet in her youth.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Amy Adams
- The actress learned to dance ballet as a child and still expresses her love for the art.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Michelle Yeoh
- The 'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018) actress started ballet at four, and when she was 15 she attended the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance in London.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
Neve Campbell
- Before the actress found herself in dance films like 'The Company' in 2007, she trained with the National Ballet School of Canada, even performing in 'Nutcracker' and 'Sleeping Beauty.'
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Jennifer Garner
- Garner practiced ballet while growing up in Virginia.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Zoe Saldana
- Saldana wasn't just a ballet dancer before starring in films like 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014) and 'Avatar' (2009): she was a ballet teacher.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
Diane Kruger
- The actress attended the Royal Ballet School in London, also ending her dance career with a knee injury.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Jamie Bell
- Bell first started ballet when he accompanied his sister to some classes as a child. He was later chosen out of 2,000 boys to play Billy Elliot.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Mia Wasikowska
- Before playing Alice in 'Alice in Wonderland' in 2010, Mia Wasikowska was on her way to becoming a ballet professional until she had an ankle injury at age 14.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Elisabeth Moss
- 'The Handmaid's Tail' star took ballet extremely seriously during her youth. She studied at the School of American Ballet in New York City and later with Suzanne Farrell at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Nina Dobrev
- 'The Vampire Diaries' star took ballet and jazz lessons.
© Getty Images
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Megan Mullally
- The 'Will & Grace' actress started ballet when she was six years old in Oklahoma City and attended the School of American Ballet in the summers.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Summer Glau
- Well known for her role in the TV series 'Firefly,' Summer Glau was homeschool to facilitate her dance classes in school. She did ballet, flamenco, and tango.
© Getty Images
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Jenna Elfman
- The 'Dharma & Greg' sitcom actress started ballet at age five and danced in music videos for Depeche Mode and ZZ Top.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Jessica Brown Findlay
- The 'Downtown Abbey' actress started ballet when she was just two years old and had hopes of becoming a professional dancer. At 17, she had a life-changing ankle injury and had to make other plans.
© Getty Images
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Sutton Foster
- The star of the underrated show 'Bunheads' started ballet when she was three and was involved in every dancing event possible during her schooling years.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Kelly Bishop
- The 'Gilmore Girls' actress also learned ballet as a child and trained at San Jose Ballet School.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Sarah Hay
- Before Hay was cast as the lead in the mini-series 'Flesh and Bone' in 2015, she danced with Semperoper in Dresden, Germany.
© Getty Images
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Emily Tyra
- Hay's 'Flesh and Bone' co-star Emily Tyra is also trained in ballet.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Sasha Radetsky
- The former American Ballet Theatre soloist also appeared in 'Flesh and Bone' and got his first taste of acting in 2000 in 'Center Stage.' Sources: (Dance Informa) (Women's Health)
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Tom Holland - Before becoming Spider-Man, Tom Holland trained extensively as a ballet dancer during his youth. He started dancing hip hop at age 9 and later trained in ballet and tap for two years while preparing for his role in 'Billy Elliot' on the West End. Holland’s dance background helped him develop the agility and skills that have served him well in his action-packed movie roles.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Natalie Portman
- Portman studied ballet since she was 13 years old, but still found herself completely unprepared for her role as a ballerina in 'Black Swan' in 2010.
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
Mila Kunis - Kunis trained four hours a day seven days a week for seven months to co-star with Portman in 'Black Swan.'
© Getty Images
3 / 30 Fotos
Audrey Hepburn
- The 'Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) star took up ballet during WWII while living with her family in the Netherlands. She was the star pupil in her class and ended up studying under famed Dutch ballerina Sonia Gaskell. She would eventually be denied roles due to her height and physic.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Sarah Jessica Parker
- The 'SATC' star learned to dance ballet as a youngster.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Charlize Theron
- Charlize Theron attended the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC. She was eventually forced to put her ballet career plans aside due to a knee injury.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Christian Bale
- Bale took ballet classes as a young child.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Patrick Swayze
- It's not that hard to believe that the 'Dirty Dancing' (1987) star practiced ballet. His mother was a dance teacher.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Naomi Campbell
- The British model and actress learned ballet from a young age and attended the Italia Conti Academy of the Theatre Arts in London.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Catherine Zeta-Jones
- Zeta-Jones trained in tap dancing and ballet in her youth.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Amy Adams
- The actress learned to dance ballet as a child and still expresses her love for the art.
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Michelle Yeoh
- The 'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018) actress started ballet at four, and when she was 15 she attended the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance in London.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
Neve Campbell
- Before the actress found herself in dance films like 'The Company' in 2007, she trained with the National Ballet School of Canada, even performing in 'Nutcracker' and 'Sleeping Beauty.'
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Jennifer Garner
- Garner practiced ballet while growing up in Virginia.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Zoe Saldana
- Saldana wasn't just a ballet dancer before starring in films like 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (2014) and 'Avatar' (2009): she was a ballet teacher.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
Diane Kruger
- The actress attended the Royal Ballet School in London, also ending her dance career with a knee injury.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Jamie Bell
- Bell first started ballet when he accompanied his sister to some classes as a child. He was later chosen out of 2,000 boys to play Billy Elliot.
© Getty Images
17 / 30 Fotos
Mia Wasikowska
- Before playing Alice in 'Alice in Wonderland' in 2010, Mia Wasikowska was on her way to becoming a ballet professional until she had an ankle injury at age 14.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Elisabeth Moss
- 'The Handmaid's Tail' star took ballet extremely seriously during her youth. She studied at the School of American Ballet in New York City and later with Suzanne Farrell at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Nina Dobrev
- 'The Vampire Diaries' star took ballet and jazz lessons.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
Megan Mullally
- The 'Will & Grace' actress started ballet when she was six years old in Oklahoma City and attended the School of American Ballet in the summers.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Summer Glau
- Well known for her role in the TV series 'Firefly,' Summer Glau was homeschool to facilitate her dance classes in school. She did ballet, flamenco, and tango.
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
Jenna Elfman
- The 'Dharma & Greg' sitcom actress started ballet at age five and danced in music videos for Depeche Mode and ZZ Top.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Jessica Brown Findlay
- The 'Downtown Abbey' actress started ballet when she was just two years old and had hopes of becoming a professional dancer. At 17, she had a life-changing ankle injury and had to make other plans.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Sutton Foster
- The star of the underrated show 'Bunheads' started ballet when she was three and was involved in every dancing event possible during her schooling years.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Kelly Bishop
- The 'Gilmore Girls' actress also learned ballet as a child and trained at San Jose Ballet School.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Sarah Hay
- Before Hay was cast as the lead in the mini-series 'Flesh and Bone' in 2015, she danced with Semperoper in Dresden, Germany.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Emily Tyra
- Hay's 'Flesh and Bone' co-star Emily Tyra is also trained in ballet.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Sasha Radetsky
- The former American Ballet Theatre soloist also appeared in 'Flesh and Bone' and got his first taste of acting in 2000 in 'Center Stage.' Sources: (Dance Informa) (Women's Health)
© Getty Images
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Talented stars who danced ballet
Some of these virtuosos will surprise you!
© Getty Images
Originating during the Italian Renaissance and developing into a concert dance form in France and Russia, ballet has become one of the more highly technical and culturally iconic forms of dance in the world today. It takes incredible discipline to perform ballet at a high level, a level of discipline that these celebrities have proven themselves to have. Many began at a very young age, and others studied the dance form intensely for months to prepare for film roles. Some were en route to be world-renowned in the field, but retired early due to serious injuries.
To learn more about celebrities who danced ballet, click through this gallery.
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