Pop quiz! What do Zooey Deschanel, Ryan Gosling and Julia Roberts have in common? They've all played teachers.
In honor of World Teachers' Day Oct. 5, we're celebrating the stars who gave extra credit-worthy performances for their roles as educators.
In case you need a refresher for the exam: Zooey was quirky middle school instructor, Jess, in New Girl. Similarly, Ryan stunned with his 2007 portrayal of a troubled history teacher in Half Nelson. As for Julia, she deserved an apple on her desk for playing a devoted Wellesley professor in Mona Lisa Smile.
These stars have certainly taught us a thing or two about good acting. Movies can serve as a form of education, but singer-songwriter John Legend agrees that there's nothing that can replace the real deal.
"My English teacher, Mrs. Bodey, was instrumental in the educational journey that carried me through school and into my career," the EGOT winner wrote for Huffpost in 2017. "Mrs. Bodey, along with a few other teachers, helped me gain confidence in my skills and pushed me to challenge myself...They pushed me to earn a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, to hone my writing as an English Major and, ultimately, toward a successful career as a songwriter."
Whether you're taking in lessons from fictional teachers or real ones, keep scrolling to study up on more A+ Hollywood performances. We'll need a three-page analysis on our desk by Monday morning.
With his soothing voice, we'd want him as our teacher too. Morgan stunned as former teacher and current principal Joe Clark. Based on a true story, it's up to Principal Clark to institute some serious changes to ensure that the majority of the students can pass basic skills testing.
Professor by day, Indiana Jones by night. Harrison Ford plays the ever daring, ever afraid of snakes adventurer in all four Indiana Jones films.
Stepping away from his usual role as a heartthrob, Ryan stars as a high school teacher (and secret drug addict) in the 2006 drama Half Nelson.
Though his time in the role was short, Richard's stint as Professor Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films reminded us that there is good in everyone, and that Gryffindor deserves all the house cups.
Teaching music and inspiring students isn't all fun and games, as J.K. shows us in the 2014 Oscar-winning film Whiplash.
Playing a classical composer turned high school music teacher, Dreyfuss stars as Mr. Holland in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus.
The late star played the ever creepy defense against the dark arts professor, Severus Snape, in all eight Harry Potter films.
Viola Davis played ruthless educator, mentor and defense attorney Annalise Keating in ABC's hit show How to Get Away With Murder.
Cameron plays a gold-digging, foulmouthed and just all around beyond bad educator in the 2011 comedy Bad Teacher.
You can't have the TV series Glee without someone in charge of the singing group. Will Schuester is not only the director of the Glee club, but he's also McKinley High's Spanish teacher.
The actress plays Julia Fitzpatrick, an elementary school teacher in the 2010 romantic comedy Valentine's Day.
Just about everybody was hot for Ezra Fitz, the supersexy (former) teacher on Pretty Little Liars.
The rom-com queen is an enthusiastic art history professor in the 2003 drama Mona Lisa Smile, and she also played a professor in the 2011 film Larry Crowne.
In the 2003 film School of Rock, Jack plays a hopeful rocker who poses as a substitute teacher for some cash and ends up turning his classroom into a rock band .
A Glee favorite. Gwyneth is Holly Holliday the interesting substitute teacher who takes over for the Spanish teacher and Glee club director while he's sick. Holly delivers an unforgettable version of Cee Lo's "Forget You" tune.
Watch out for FBI Academy teacher and FBI profiler Will Graham who is on a nonstop mission to solve serial killer crimes in the TV series Hannibal.
We adore Zooey and her role as the bubbly and quirky teacher in the TV series New Girl.
The former California governor played a tough badass police officer gone undercover in the 1990 flick Kindergarten Cop.
Jane stars as Sue Sylvester in Glee. She is the head coach of the Cheerios cheerleading squad at William McKinley High School, and of course, Sue isn't particularly fond of the Glee club.
Of course we can't forget to mention Friends fave Ross, a NYU paleontology professor.
We all remember Lily Aldrin. The kindergarten teacher and problem-solving pal out of the How I Met Your Mother's bunch in the laughter-filled TV series.
Justin plays the new, attractive (of course) and secretly rich junior high school teacher that all of his women colleagues are fighting over in the 2011 comedy Bad Teacher.
Stunner Kate guest stars as the fiery, not-so-nice dance instructor Cassandra July on Glee.
Russell Crowe is brilliant in the film A Beautiful Mind as genius mathematician John Nash.
The actor joins Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake in the hilarious 2011 flick Bad Teacher as a junior high school gym teacher.
Tough ex-marine gal Louanne Johnson is hired as an inner-city high school teacher in the 1995 film Dangerous Minds.
The 57-year-old actor plays a high school teacher who secretly turns to producing crystal meth in order to provide for his family on the hit TV series Breaking Bad.
Ken plays Señor Ben Chang, a Spanish teacher at a local community college in the hilarious TV series Community.
Dot Jones is Shannon Beiste, aka one tough cookie. Beiste is McKinley High's football coach on the TV series Glee.
Robin is inspirational English teacher John Keating who teaches his students poetry and the mantra "Seize the Day" in the 1989 classic Dead Poets Society.
This story was originally published on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 4 a.m. PT.