Top drama schools and the stars they produced

 

When one fills their head with celebrity biographies as obsessively as yours truly, one quickly notices certain trends. Patterns emerge regarding the actors’ birthplace, upbringing, and even their education. In fact, we have pointed out the unexpectedly long list of Hollywood’s hidden brainiacs who graduated from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. An even easier trend to spot, however, is the drama schools that certain actors have attended.

Now, there are countless drama schools in the world, but a select number of them pop up so frequently in actors’ biographies that they are impossible to miss. In fact, some of these schools helped to mould the most celebrated names in cinema and television. No wonder aspiring theatre students salivate at the thought of gaining admission to one of these incredibly selective schools.

It might also surprise (or make perfect sense to) you when you find out which actors honed their craft at the same school. For instance, Hollywood legends Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve were classmates at Juilliard. Williams also provided the scholarship that sponsored Jessica Chastain‘s training at Juilliard, where she was classmates with Michael Urie. Across the Atlantic pond, both Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) are unsurprisingly products of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Likewise in the Southern Hemisphere, Aussie icons Cate Blanchett and Mel Gibson both trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art.

And there’s more where that came from. Listed below are some notable alumni from each of the world’s 15 most prestigious drama schools (presented in no particular order).

Following that, we also highlight how these 15 schools have produced:

• 37 actors who have portrayed Marvel or DC comic book characters
• 23 Game of Thrones cast members
• 19 Harry Potter cast members
• 13 The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit cast members.

It should also be noted that in the past 25 years alone at the Academy Awards, these 15 schools have produced (in the four acting categories):

• 55 individual nominees and winners
• a total of 112 nominations and 20 wins
• at least two nominees every year

Note: Some of these overachievers are also graduates of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Juilliard School - Drama Division
New York City, New York, USA

If you thought the 5% acceptance rate at Harvard was intimidating, try the Juilliard School’s reported <2% acceptance rate for its esteemed Drama Division. The school accepts a mere 18 students into each “Group” every year and trains them for either a BFA or MFA degree. Unsurprisingly, Juilliard has produced some of the most legendary names in Hollywood.

Notable former students:

• Morena Baccarin
• Wes Bentley
• Jessica Chastain
• Lynn Collins
• Viola Davis
• Adam Driver
• William Hurt
• Oscar Isaac
• Val Kilmer
• Kevin Kline
• Laura Linney
• Anthony Mackie
• Lee Pace
• Christopher Reeve
• Kevin Spacey
• Jeanne Tripplehorn
• Alan Tudyk
• Michael Urie
• Robin Williams

Yale School of Drama
New Haven, Connecticut, USA

The Yale School of Drama is known for a lot more than its most famous alumnus, Meryl Streep. The school offers a 3-year MFA acting programme for approximately 15 students per year.

Notable former students:

• Angela Bassett
• Brett Dalton
• Frances McDormand
• Paul Giamatti
• Paul Newman
• Chris Noth
• Luupita Nyong’o
• Liev Schreiber
• Meryl Streep
• John Tuturro
• Sigourney Weaver

Tisch School of the Arts, New York University (NYU)
New York City, New York, USA

The famous Graduate Acting Programme selects just 16 MFA students each year.

Notable former students:

• Jeffrey Donovan
• Michael C. Hall
• Marcia Gay Harden
• John C. McGinley
• Debra Messing
• Daniel Dae Kim
• Josh Radnor
• Taylor Schilling
• Rainn Wilson

The undergraduate drama department is one of the largest in the world, with 300+ students each year divided into various studios. Unlike most drama schools, Tisch also has high academic expectations for its students; admission is reportedly based on 50% grades and 50% auditions.

Notable former students:

• Skylar Astin
• Alec Baldwin
• Kristen Bell
• Alexis Bledel
• Billy Crystal
• Philip Seymour Hoffman
• Felicity Huffman
• Idina Menzel
• Elizabeth Olsen
• Haley Joel Osment
• Adam Sandler
• Miles Teller

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
London, England, UK

Countless legendary British actors (and a sizeable portion of the Harry Potter cast) trained at the appropriately named Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Accepting 26 students per year into its BA in Acting course, RADA continues to produce up-and-coming actors for the UK.

Notable former students:

• Gemma Arterton
• Richard Attenborough
• Kenneth Branagh
• Timothy Dalton
• Taron Egerton
• Ralph Fiennes
• Ioan Gruffudd
• Tom Hiddleston
• Anthony Hopkins
• John Hurt
• Viven Leigh
• Andrew Lincoln
• Roger Moore
• Peter O’Toole
• Clive Owen
• Alan Rickman
• Michael Sheen
• Timothy Spall
• Ben Whishaw

Central School of Speech and Drama
London, England, UK

Notable former students:

• Judi Dench
• Christopher Eccleston
• Martin Freeman
• Andrew Garfield
• Kit Harington
• Jason Isaacs
• Graham Norton
• Laurence Olivier
• Vanessa Redgrave
• Rufus Sewell

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA)
London, England, UK

Notable former students:

• Richard Armitage
• Jim Broadbent
• Sam Claflin
• Dominic Cooper
• Benedict Cumberbatch
• James D’Arcy
• Chiwetel Ejiofor
• Rose Leslie
• David Oyelowo

Guildhall School of Music and Drama
London, England, UK

Notable former students:

• Hayley Atwell
• Orlando Bloom
• Daniel Craig
• Joseph Fiennes
• Rhys Ifans
• Max Irons
• Lily James
• Damian Lewis
• Ewan McGregor

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD)
Glasgow, Scotland, UK

This is the drama school of Scotland; many of the country’s biggest names honed their craft at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, which was renamed the “Royal Conservatoire of Scotland” in 2011.

Notable former students:

• Billy Boyd
• Robert Carlyle
• Alan Cumming
• John Hannah
• Sam Heughan
• Richard Madden
• James McAvoy
• Ian McDiarmid
• Colin Morgan
• David Tennant

National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

More than a fair share of Australian actors who have made their name in Hollywood have “NIDA” on their resume. It is no wonder that countless young Australians compete to be the 4% admitted yearly into the prestigious acting programme from down under.

Notable former students:

• Cate Blanchett
• Toni Collette
• Mel Gibson
• Alex O’Laughlin
• Miranda Otto
• Anna Torv
• Hugo Weaving
• Sam Worthington

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Bristol, England, UK

Arguably the most successful English drama school located outside of London, Bristol Old Vic has produced many of the UK’s most iconic actors as well.

Notable former students:

• Charlie Cox
• Daniel Day-Lewis
• Stephen Dillane
• Naomie Harris
• Jeremy Irons
• Theo James
• Miranda Richardson
• Patrick Stewart
• Mark Strong

Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama (CMU)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Notable former students:

• Matt Bomer
• Christian Borle
• Sutton Foster
• Ian Harding
• Megan Hilty
• Holly Hunter
• Joe Manganiello
• Ming-Na Wen
• Zachary Quinto

Drama Centre London
London, England, UK

Notable former students:

• Paul Bettany
• Russell Brand
• Pierce Brosnan
• Emilia Clarke
• Michael Fassbender
• Colin Firth
• Tom Hardy

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Another renowned drama school from down under, WAAPA lays claim to many internationally known Aussie actors as well. That includes Hugh Jackman.

Notable former students:

• Viva Bianca
• Dustin Clare
• Jai Courtney
• Hugh Jackman
• Dominic Purcell

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNSCSA)
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

Notable former students:

• Anna Camp
• Dane DeHaan
• Billy Magnussen
• Jada Pinkett-Smith
• Missi Pyle

American Conservatory Theater (ACT)
San Francisco, California, USA

Like the Yale School of Drama, ACT’s acting training is mainly an MFA programme for graduate students. Its esteemed alumni affirm that ACT is one of the top names on the US West Coast.

Notable former students:

• Elizabeth Banks
• Annette Bening
• Denzel Washington

 

Marvel/DC comic book characters

Actor	Character	Drama school
Hayley Atwell	Peggy Carter (Marvel)	Guildhall School of Music and Drama ‘05
Morena Baccarin	Vanessa/Copycat (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘00
Elizabeth Banks	Betty Brant (Marvel)	American Conservatory Theater ‘98
Angela Bassett	Amanda Waller (DC)	Yale School of Drama
Lynn Collins	Silver Fox (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘99
Dominic Cooper	Howard Stark (Marvel)	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art ‘00
Jai Courtney	Boomerang (DC)	Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Benedict Cumberbatch	Doctor Strange (Marvel)	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Viola Davis	Amanda Waller (DC)	Juilliard School ‘93
Dane DeHaan	Harry Osborn/Green Goblin (Marvel)	University of North Carolina School of the Arts ‘08
Christopher Eccleston	Malekith (Marvel)	Central School of Speech and Drama
Michael Fassbender	Magneto (Marvel)	Drama Centre London
Andrew Garfield	Spider-Man (Marvel)	Central School of Speech and Drama ‘04
Paul Giamatti	Rhino (Marvel)	Yale School of Drama
Kelsey Grammar	Beast (Marvel)	Juilliard School
Ioan Gruffudd	Mr. Fantastic (Marvel)	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘95
Tom Hardy	Bane (DC)	Drama Centre London
Tom Hiddleston	Loki (Marvel)	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘05
Anthony Hopkins	Odin (Marvel)	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘63
William Hurt	Thunderbolt Ross (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘76
Oscar Isaac	Apocalypse (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘05
Hugh Jackman	Wolverine (Marvel)	Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts ‘94
Val Kilmer	Batman (DC)	Juilliard School ‘81
Anthony Mackie	Falcon (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘01
Joe Manganiello	Flash Thompson (Marvel)	Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama ‘00
James McAvoy	Professor X (Marvel)	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ‘00
Tim Blake Nelson	Harvey Elder/Mole Man (Marvel) Samuel Sterns/Leader (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘90
Elizabeth Olsen	Scarlet Witch (Marvel)	NYU Tisch School of the Arts ‘13
Lee Pace	Ronan the Accuser (Marvel)	Juilliard School ‘01
Christopher Reeve	Superman (DC)	Juilliard School
Liev Schreiber	Sabretooth (Marvel)	Yale School of Drama ‘92
Kevin Spacey	Lex Luthor (DC)	Juilliard School
Ray Stevenson	Volstagg (Marvel)	Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Patrick Stewart	Professor X (Marvel)	Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Corey Stoll	Darren Cross/Yellow Jacket (Marvel)	NYU Tisch School of the Arts (MFA) ‘03
Mark Strong	Sinestro (DC)	Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Miles Teller	Mr. Fantastic (Marvel)	NYU Tisch School of the Arts ‘09

Game of Thrones cast

Actor	Character	Drama school
Mark Addy	Robert Baratheon	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘84
Gethin Anthony	Renly Baratheon	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Sean Bean	Eddard Stark	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘83
David Bradley	Walder Frey	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘68
Oona Chaplin	Talisa Stark	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘07
Gwendoline Christie	Brienne of Tarth	Drama Centre London ‘05
Emilia Clarke	Daenerys Targaryen	Drama Centre London ‘09
Kate Dickie	Lysa Arryn	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Stephen Dillane	Stannis Baratheon	Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Tara Fitzgerald	Selyse Baratheon	Drama Centre London ‘90
Jerome Flynn	Bronn	Central School of Speech and Drama
Iain Glen	Jorah Mormont	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘85
Kit Harington	Jon Snow	Central School of Speech and Drama ‘08
Ciaran Hinds	Mance Rayder	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘75
Rose Leslie	Ygritte	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art ‘08
Kerr Logan	Matthos Seaworth	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘10
Richard Madden	Robb Stark	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ‘07
Tobias Menzies	Edmure Tully	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘98
Pedro Pascal	Oberyn Martell	NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Jonathan Pryce	The High Sparrow	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘71
Iwan Rheon	Ramsay Snow/Bolton	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art ‘07
Mark Stanley	Grenn	Guildhall School of Music and Drama ‘10
Indira Varma	Ellaria Sand	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘95

Harry Potter cast

Actor	Character	Drama school
David Bradley	Argus Filch	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘68
Kenneth Branagh	Gilderoy Lockhart	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘81
Jim Broadbent	Horace Slughorn	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art ‘72
Fraces de la Tour	Olympe Maxime	Drama Centre London
Ralph Fiennes	Voldemort/Tom Riddle	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘85
Richard Harris	Albus Dumbledore	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Rhys Ifans	Xenophilius Lovegood	Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Jason Isaacs	Lucius Malfoy	Central School of Speech and Drama ‘88
Gemma Jones	Poppy Pomfrey	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘62
Helen McCrory	Narcissa Malfoy	Drama Centre London
Miranda Richardson	Rita Skeeter	Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Alan Rickman	Severus Snape	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘74
Fiona Shaw	Petunia Dursley	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘82
Geraldine Somerville	Lilly Potter	Guildhall School of Music and Drama ‘89
Timothy Spall	Peter Pettigrew	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘78
Imelda Staunton	Dolores Umbridge	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘76
David Tennant	Barty Crouch, Jr.	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ‘91
David Thewlis	Remus Lupin	Guildhall School of Music and Drama ‘84

The Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit cast

Actor	Character	Drama school
Richard Armitage	Thorin Oakenshield	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art ‘96
Sean Bean	Boromir	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘83
Cate Blanchett	Galadriel	National Institute of Dramatic Art ‘92
Orlando Bloom	Legolas	Guildhall School of Music and Drama ‘99
Billy Boyd	Peregrin “Pippin” Took	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Benedict Cumberbatch	Smaug/Sauron	London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Martin Freeman	Bilbo Baggins	Central School of Speech and Drama
Ian Holm	Bilbo Baggins	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ‘53
James Nesbitt	Bofur	Central School of Speech and Drama ‘87
Miranda Otto	Eowyn	National Institute of Dramatic Art ‘90
Lee Pace	Thranduil	Juilliard School ‘01
John Rhys-Davies	Gimli	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Hugo Weaving	Elrond	National Institute of Dramatic Art ‘81