Bilingual Celebrities—Who Knew?

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Did you know that Will Smith fluently speaks a second language? How about Kobe Bryant? Find out what languages they speak and which other celebrities have traveled the bilingual journey!

Bilingual Celebrities—Who Knew?

A foreign actor, diplomat, writer, or athlete speaking fluent English is not much of a surprise to American or British audiences. Perhaps a little arrogantly, we expect Penélope Cruz, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Roger Federer, or Charlize Theron to drop their native languages (Spanish, German, Swiss German, and Afrikaans, respectively) and chat in flawless English.

But you may be surprised by the number and the names of the native English-speaking celebrities who speak another language.

Hearing William Shatner, for instance, speak fluent French would probably be about as shocking as a phaser blast. Or watching Kobe Bryant hold an interview in Italian as smooth as his jump shot —perhaps a bit surprising. Watching David Lee Roth do anything is going to be a little startling, but seeing him speak in Spanish? Go ahead and jump! (Read more)