25 Famous People Who Speak Spanish as a Second Language
If you’re learning Spanish as a second language, you’re in the company of celebrities! think of your favorite actor or singer. now imagine them leaning over a Spanish textbook pronouncing the word cat. It’s hard to imagine, but many famous people are by your side in this language learning journey.
why do so many people want to learn spanish?
More than 21 million people study Spanish as a foreign language around the world! it is one of the best second languages to learn. But what drives so many people to study this famous language?
For starters, Spanish is incredibly useful when traveling. Spanish is the official language of more than 20 countries. however, Spanish can also be useful at home. For example, 13% of the us. uu. the population speaks Spanish. Have you ever wondered how many people speak Spanish in the world? (*hint* that’s a lot!)
Language learning is not limited to students or children. Many actors, musicians, and even athletes take time out of their busy schedules to practice Spanish. this is because they know the real value of being able to speak Spanish as a second language.
1. blacksmith
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Will Smith is a famous American actor and musician. But what most people don’t know about Will Smith is that he also speaks Spanish.
the role of will smith in the film seven pounds encouraged him to pick up the language to help him with his scenes in spanish. Since then, he has demonstrated his ability to carry on a conversation in Spanish through numerous interviews. Smith used his Spanish speaking skills in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness.
Smith’s Spanish also came in handy when he was promoting another film in Argentina. he impressed the Latino population with his ability to speak Spanish and it certainly earned him a new respect and admiration. Will Smith even has a Spanish teacher who travels with him to help him during interviews!
2. George W. bush
yes, you read that right, former president of the us. uu. President George W. Bush spoke Spanish! he gained his knowledge of the language by living in texas for several years.
He wasn’t completely fluent, but that didn’t stop Bush from sprinkling Spanish into some of his speeches. George W. Bush also occasionally fielded questions from reporters in Spanish during his time in office. his brother, the former governor of florida. jeb bush speaks spanish too!
3. jimmy carter
This former American president learned Spanish as a second language when he attended the United States Naval Academy. Carter’s Spaniard continued to assist him on Christian mission trips later in his life, and also as president when he gave speeches in Spanish on various country visits. He also used it on trips to Spain, his favorite vacation spot to visit with his family.
4. will ferrell
will ferrel first immersed himself in spanish during high school. he continued his Spanish education with two semesters of university. this linguistic background came in handy when she starred in a comedy in Spanish. The role challenged Ferrell and really motivated him to brush up on his language skills.
5. chris hemsworth
Did you know that Thor, son of Odin, can speak Spanish? Chris Hemsworth, who plays this role and many others, is learning Spanish as a second language. his inspiration comes from his wife, elsa pataky, who is a spanish actress. Hemsworth also wants his daughter to grow up bilingual, giving her another push to practice her second language.
6. tom hiddleston
the star of the avengers, tom hiddleston, not only speaks spanish, but also french and greek. hiddleston has spent over 15 years perfecting his spanish. you can see him speak and even sing in Spanish during interviews!
Being able to speak Spanish as a second language was an advantage for Hiddleston when he traveled to Mexico City to meet and speak with fans for a press tour. He keeps talking about his love for Mexico and his love for filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.
7. matthew mcconaughey
Mcconaughey lived in Uvalde, Texas, just 80 miles from the Mexican border. he learned Spanish to speak and connect with his friends there. he has also practiced his spanish in spain and even speaks it quite frequently in california.
mcconaughey’s favorite part about mexican culture is meeting up with his close friends to eat and talk the night away. she also loves to joke around and read in Spanish. Some of her favorite Spanish authors include Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
To stay creative with his Spanish, McConaughey challenges himself to speak in a more descriptive or poetic way. he chooses his words carefully and likes to explain in depth what he means. he also has a deep respect for the language and considers his Spanish an invaluable asset.
8. david soul
actor, singer and polyglot, david soul is a man of many talents. He learned Spanish while attending college in Mexico City, but is also fluent in German. These linguistic talents helped increase his popularity in the past as he toured the world.
the year of soul at the university of the americas in mexico city changed his career. while in mexico, soul was inspired by the students who taught him to play the guitar. this motivated him to change course and follow his passion for music.
9. michael buble
jazz singer michael bublé is learning to speak spanish as a second language so he can better communicate with his wife, luisana lopilato, an argentinian actress.
When the couple met, neither knew how to speak the other’s language. to communicate, they relied on friends and family to interpret, and yes, even google translate!
since then, bublé’s spanish and lopilato’s english have improved tremendously and they even have 3 children together. clearly their determination to learn another language and communicate with each other paid off.
Bublé’s Spanish has also been useful in other ways. This singer made an appearance as a guest judge on America’s Got Talent. he found an artist incredibly moving and felt the need to use her mother tongue. Colombian singer Baniella Mass gave a powerful performance on the show, and Bublé used her Spanish to express how impressed he was with her.
10. dakota fan
Young actress Dakota Fanning learned Spanish for her role in a 2004 film. These language skills also came in handy when filming in Spain. You can find videos of her practicing her Spanish in an interview when she was a child!
11. ben affleck
ben affleck is an american actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, philanthropist and spanish speaker. Affleck and his younger brother Casey learned Spanish while living in Mexico as teenagers. You may also see Affleck speaking his second language on red carpets or to the Spanish-speaking media.
12. maya angelou
American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou traveled extensively during her adult life. Ella Angelou was a voracious reader and student and she took advantage of her travels to practice other languages. This dedication of hers allowed her to master French, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and Fanti!
13. dusty baker
Former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Houston Astros, Dusty Baker is fluent in Spanish. Like many teenagers, Baker says he learned Spanish in high school because his mother forced him to.
His mother ended up being right to push Baker into the language game early on, as his skills turned into an advantage on the field. Spanish allowed him to better communicate with Latin American players and even become an inspiration for other players to learn Spanish as well.
14. tom daley
Tom Daley, an Olympic bronze medalist, excels both on the trampoline and in the classroom. Daley worked hard to win not only an Olympic bronze medal, but also an A for her Spanish A-level (a UK subject-based grade for students). Daley has even done interviews in Spanish and continues to practice whenever possible.
15. gwyneth paltrow
after studying abroad in spain as a teenager, paltrow fell in love with the country, the culture, and the language. She continues to visit Spain once a year to keep up with her host family and friends.
This actress/entrepreneur has since launched a Spanish version of her lifestyle blog and speaks Spanish with her two children.
16. matt damon
American actor Matt Damon studied Spanish through immersion in Mexico as a teenager. he later lived the dream of many a teen and 20-something while backpacking through mexico and guatemala.
Damon’s Spanish background came in handy when he met Luciana Barroso, an Argentinian woman, who later became his wife!
17. Cristiano Ronaldo
Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo learned to speak Spanish as a second language after spending nine years living in Spain while playing for Real Madrid. Ronaldo gained fluency and maintains this ability as he continues to play.
18. sandra-oh
Canadian actress Sandra Oh is also a polyglot. she speaks English, French, Spanish and Korean fluently. If there’s ever a character she wants to speak any of those languages, she won’t even need a language trainer, she’s all set!
19. nelly furtado
Canadian Nelly Furtado has been speaking Spanish as a second language since she was 14 years old. This singer even mixed Spanish lyrics into her songs and created an album entirely in Spanish!
Furtado’s Spanish helps her express a more flamboyant and dramatic side to her singing. allows you to show a variety of emotions, add a little more fire, and feel more liberated.
20. black cat
American actor Jack Black not only learned to speak Spanish as a second language, but also French! The Negro loves to practice Spanish because he teaches him new ways to pronounce. Two of his favorite Spanish words to say are Wednesday and then.
21. audrey hepburn
Audrey Hepburn’s acting talent is famous. however, her command of languages is less well known. This actress was fluent in six languages, English, Dutch, French, Spanish, German and Italian!
She was encouraged to learn and stay current with these languages as her career took her around the world. From shooting movies in France, Spain, and Mexico to living in Rome, this traveler used her experiences to practice her favorite languages. these speaking skills came in handy as she traveled extensively during her time working as an ambassador for the charity unicef.
22. natalie portman
Most people see Natlie Portman as an actress, but she is much more than that. An ambassador, multilingual, and lifelong learner, Portman is famous for turning down roles to further her studies!
portman speaks Hebrew, German, Japanese, French and of course Spanish. She can converse and even make speeches in her second language!
23. serena williams
tennis champion serena williams is also a language enthusiast. she speaks Spanish, Italian and French. In fact, she is known for giving directions to her tournaments in the native language of the country where she competes.
She is passionate about teaching her young daughter several languages because she knows they will be very useful to her in the future.
24. j.r.r. tolkien
The author who wrote the Lord of the Rings is something of a language lord. Tolkien began his language learning journey early when his mother introduced him to Latin, French, and German while he was growing up. but tolkien did not stop there. He then learned other languages like Finnish, Welsh, Spanish and even Middle English! this scholar loved languages so much that he even created new ones to use in his novels.
25. mr christopher lee
English actor sir christopher lee is often cast as the villain. His voice and manner of speaking brought these dynamic characters to life. Lee was fluent in Italian, Spanish, French, and German and had a moderate command of the Greek, Russian, and Swedish languages. his linguistic versatility helped him switch characters seamlessly and give each one a unique personality.
Join the ranks of celebrities who decided to learn Spanish!
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