25 celebrities you didn't know spoke multiple languages

Melissa WellsAug 22, 2023, 04:07 IST

Lupita Nyong'o and Tom Hiddleston both speak multiple languages.Sean Zanni/Getty Images; Joseph Okpako/Getty Images

Speaking more than one language is impressive, but some celebrities have learned up to five.
Jack Black and Sandra Oh are among the stars who've mastered multiple languages.

Whether it's Mila Kunis telling off a reporter in Russian or Ben Affleck bantering in Spanish, some celebrities are known for their linguistic talents, while others keep their knowledge of multiple languages relatively under wraps.

Some celebrities have picked up languages because of their cultural background while others have perfected them out of mere fascination.

Here are 25 stars you may not have known are fluent in multiple languages.

Natalie Portman can speak an impressive six languages.

Natalie Portman in July 2023.Marc Piasecki/Getty Images

Gwyneth Paltrow, who can speak French and Spanish, once said she speaks Spanish to her children at home.

Gwyneth Paltrow in April 2023.Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Spanish is Shakira's first language, but she now speaks many others.

Shakira in June 2023.Eric Alonso/Getty Images

Sandra Bullock credits her German background for her fluency in the language.

Sandra Bullock in March 2022.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Tom Hiddleston has an affinity for European languages.

Tom Hiddleston in March 2022.Joseph Okpako/Getty Images

Jodie Foster is fluent in French, German, Spanish, and Italian.

Jodie Foster in April 2023.MICHAEL TRAN/Getty Images

Mila Kunis was born in what was then the Soviet Union, where she grew up speaking Russian.

Mila Kunis in September 2022.Taylor Hill/Getty Images

Bradley Cooper is a confident French speaker.

Bradley Cooper in April 2023.ROBYN BECK/Getty Images

Diane Kruger has picked up languages throughout her life, from English to French and German.

Diane Kruger in June 2023.Noam Galai/Getty Images

Ben Affleck is fluent in Spanish.

Ben Affleck in March 2023.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Penélope Cruz is a native Spanish speaker but has since learned English, Italian, and French.

Penélope Cruz in June 2023.JB Lacroix /Getty Images

Charlize Theron grew up speaking Afrikaans in South Africa, only learning English at 19.

Charlize Theron in May 2023.Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

Johnny Depp is bilingual in French and English.

Johnny Depp in July 2023.Roberto Ricciuti/Getty Images

Colin Firth decided to learn Italian after meeting ex-wife Livia Giuggioli on the set of the British-Italian drama "Nostromo."

Colin Firth in December 2022.Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Leonardo DiCaprio is a native English speaker but also conversational in Italian and German.

Leonardo DiCaprio in May 2023.Laurent KOFFEL/Getty Images

Sandra Oh grew up speaking English and Korean, then fell in love with Spanish.

Sandra Oh in May 2023.Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images

Lupita Nyong'o is fluent in English, Spanish, Swahili, and Luo.

Lupita Nyong'o in June 2023.Sean Zanni/Getty Images

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an enthusiastic Francophile.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in February 2023.MICHAEL TRAN/Getty Images

Renée Zellweger has mastered Norwegian, German, and English.

Renee Zellweger in May 2022.Variety/Getty Images

Zayn Malik learned Urdu from his Pakistani father growing up and has since taken up Arabic.

Zayn Malik attends the 2018 Pre-GRAMMY Gala.ANDREW KELLY/Reuters

Céline Dion has performed her record-breaking songs in up to nine languages.

Céline Dion in March 2020.Gotham/Getty Images

Rita Ora, a proud Albanian, grew up speaking the mother tongue of her native country.

Rita Ora in April 2023.John Lamparski/Getty Images

Jack Black is a self-taught polyglot, having mastered English, French, and Spanish.

Jack Black in November 2022.Mario Tama/Getty Images

Anya Taylor-Joy is a bilingual Argentinian.

Anya Taylor-Joy in April 2023.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Timothée Chalamet is a proud French-American.

Timothee Chalamet in April 2023.Greg Doherty/Getty Images

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