Well-known American actress Julia Stiles is as much known for her acting
prowess as she is for her non-acting endeavors. One of the Julia Stiles trivia
facts floating around the most is that she has an English degree. While many
people regard this to be just another rumor about a well known actress, it is in
fact, true—Julia Stiles does have a (college diploma) after all. In this case,
the rumors really are true.
Julia Stiles attended and graduated from Columbia University with an English
degree in 2005. Her acting success says a great deal about her talent, as she
never had any formal training in acting. The extent of her acting training was
an informal class at her local YMCA. She secured her first acting gig by writing
to the director of a play.
This is where her writing skill comes into play: the director was so
impressed by the letter that he received from Stiles that he agreed to allow her
to audition for his play. She ended up receiving a three-line part, a big deal
for a beginning actress with no formal training.
From there, Stiles went on to appear in small parts for television. She
appeared on Promised Land, Chicago Hope, and Ghostwriter. She was cast in “I
Love You, I Love You Not” in 1996, with Claire Danes, and in “The Devil’s Own”
the following year. “Wide Awake” with Dennis Leary and Rosie O’Donnell quickly
followed in 1998. Stiles’ writing skills helped her career again in 1998 when
she secured an audition for Wicked by writing to the director. She won the
audition, and subsequently a role in the film.
One of Stiles’ most notable accomplishments was in “Save the Last Dance” in
2001, where she played an aspiring professional ballet dancer. She also played
in “Mona Lisa Smile,” “The Prince and Me”, and the “Bourne Identity.”
It was shortly after her role in the last film that she obtained her college
degree in English from renowned Columbia University. This was a huge
accomplishment, as not many actors or actresses are known to pursue higher
education, since the acting business tends to pay rather well most of the time.
In either case, nothing lasts forever, and having a backup plan is always a
good idea. It is possible that Stiles was warned of this, as she followed in the
footsteps of Claire Danes and took some time off from a successful acting career
to pursue a degree at a university.
A person can do anything they set their mind to, and Julia Stiles is a
representation of that. She was able to secure herself a role on more than one
occasion with her writing prowess. She put it to formal work by obtaining her
degree, and her future will likely be better for it. It is always advisable to
obtain a (high school diploma) and a (college diploma) or degree. The economy is
tough, and post secondary education is the thing to set anybody apart.