Surprising Celebrity Geeks

We're in auspicious company

Everyone just assumes that if you are associated with Hollywood that you must be a dumb bimbo. But please do not assume anything; it makes an ass-(of)-u-(and)-me. There are many in Hollywood there on intellectual merit too, they are so brilliant that they can do just about anything they want.

This article centres upon seven celebrities that, without sugar-coating it too much, are Geeks and damn proud of it too.

Kate Beckinsale

First up is our very own Kate Beckinsale. Ladies might know her best for her performances in Emma and Pearl Harbour… guys, you’ll remember her more dressed in tight latex in Underworld. But don’t underestimate our mate Kate; she is more then just a pretty face.

Not only did she write several short stories and poems that were published but she went and won awards for them too! Oh yes, Katie is well in at the literary circle meetings.

One so elegant and sophisticated turning into a bloody vampire set to kill hundreds of werewolves? There’s only one way to get into that: going to Oxford and mastering French, German and Russian! Oh and just to top all that off she was also a librarian which, looking at her, you’d never have guessed eh?

Shame there aren’t any awards for being a sexy librarian; she could have put the trophy next to her Gran Angular and her ALFS Award.

Kevin Grevioux

Next up is Kevin Grevioux who played Raze in Underworld. He was one of the Lycans. This links nicely in with old Kate we just talked about and he is just as impressive academically.

Kev started out as an assistant for the National Institute of Health and he has a degree in Microbiology, oh and a masters in Genetic Engineering. When I found this out I had a little giggle thinking about the set of Underworld – Kate sitting writing literary gems and good old Kev is sorting out tuberculosis.

Now here is a little fact that really has the wow factor for Kevin – he moved to LA because he was interested in film and was cast for a role in Underworld. You’d imagine that was a favour they couldn’t turn down because he wrote the whole trilogy! Oh yes, I bet you didn’t know that one. He is a big guy but his old cranium holds freakin genial matter.

Bryan “Dexter” Holland

So getting away from Underworld lets have a look at a little tyrant you’d never imagine was on my list. His name is Bryan “Dexter” Holland and he is the lead singer and guitarist for a little California band called The Offspring…heard of them?

Thought so. Let me draw you a picture; there’s a boy, he looks like a cross between a punk and a surfer and he wants to go to a gig that’s sold out. Now, what would a normal person do? Go onto eBay and ignore getting shafted for 10x what the tickets are worth because this gig is da bomb? Go to the gig anyway and see if you can buy fake tickets outside for 20x face value only to be arrested? Or try and sneak in just to see a famous singer’s ankles and then be chucked out by a guy that is 30x bigger than you?

Why not form your own? Not only does Dexter get to see all the bands but he hobnobs with the stars back stage. He graduated form high school as Valedictorian and he was a pre-med student and got a masters degree in molecular biology. He was on his way to getting a PhD when he dropped out to be a rock star. Oh and did I mention that he is a licensed airline pilot? There is just no end to this guy!

Natalie Portman

Natalie is also known for her Geeks status. For example she missed the premier for her very first film to study, which was probably a good move because she then got a place in Harvard. Natalie became a researcher in a psychology lab before working with Harvard’s youngest lecturer as his assistant. That lecturer just happened to be Alan Dershowitz, a member of O.J. Simpson’s legal team. Impressive stuff.

Vin Diesel

When researching for this article I was surprised to come across my next celebrity. I had no idea that someone so fit could be so entrepreneurial. I am of course talking about Vin Diesel.

Now Vinnie was sitting one day depressed because he was making all of these “fantastic” movies, (sorry, I think he’s really fit but his movies suck, what was The Pacifier all about?) only for their subsequent video games to chronically blow.

So he thought why not would rectify the problem by establishing his own gaming development house called Tigon Studios. He brought out a game called Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay that was renowned for being better then the film. In fact fans scored it an average of 9/10 on top gaming sites.

Dr. Brian May

Now as far as Rock Gods go you don’t get much bigger then my next Geek. It’s Brian May, lead guitarist for the legendary band Queen. This one doesn’t come as much as a surprise to me because you have to be clever to produce the work that Dr. May did. Oh and don’t worry the Dr. is no typing error, I will get to that in a sec, but first I must tell you that back in the 1970’s Brian obtained a Science degree with honours (of course) and was on his way to writing his Doctorate entitled “How light reflects off dust floating in space and the movement of said dust in the solar system”…or something like that anyway.

But then he got bored and just wanted to play his guitar. Thirty years on he got his doctorate in Autumn 2007 (hence the Dr. part) Then he was appointed Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University. Now forgive me for being a little pessimistic but doesn’t being a chancellor and a doctor subtract some of the cool that comes with Rock God? I don’t think his PR people thought this through properly.

Dolph Lundgren

Back to Hollywood and my last Geek is a huge star, in a multitude of ways. This guy was a European addition to the books and has a funny accent. He has a huge build and a killer catchphrase…no it’s not Arnold Schwarzenegger but Mr. Dolph “if he dies he dies” Lundgren. If you’re thinking…who is this guy? It’s He-Man! Don’t you remember!

He-Man has an amazing list of achievements, his IQ is 160, he has a masters degree in chemical engineering, speaks five languages, is a pentathlon team leader and a former ranger. Oh and he has a third degree black belt. I heard that he had to tone down for He-Man and Rocky!

So if you’re ever looking for someone to create a new poison, market it to loads of countries who speak his many languages and test it on a pentathlon team then Dolph is your man.

What kind of name is Dolph?

So there you have it, the seven celebrities you didn’t know were Geeks. Every day is a school day!