Everyone knows who Kendall Jenner is, right? While she may not carry the Kardashian name, there’s no doubt about the fact that the Kardashian family has helped to create an impressive career for her. Alongside her own impeccable beauty, of course. Now, as one of the most famous supermodels in the world, high school is probably a distant memory for this Jenner – but it wasn’t actually too long ago.
Celebrity Kendall Jenner
The 24-year-old only graduated from high school a few years ago, and during this time, Kendall cheered for her famous schools’ cheerleading squad. As she ditched her Sierra Canyon School uniform for her cheer uniform, she put a huge amount of enthusiasm and sass into each performance. Perhaps this helped her prepare for the bright lights and the catwalks of the modeling world.
Celebrity Miley Cyrus
If you’re familiar with the life and times of Miley Cyrus, you’ll probably know that she made her mark from a young age. Thanks to her father’s role in the music industry, Miley was able to grow up with various musical influences, and it wasn’t long before she was taking on the persona of Hannah Montana and working her way up to her impressive solo career.
However, it seems as though Miley was heading for stardom even before she donned her Hannah Montana wig. When Miley was just seven years old, she decided that she wanted to put her energy and her talent to good use. She joined her local cheerleading squad and spent her free time cheering for the local sports team. It was clear to everyone around her that she was going to make it big.
Celebrity Madonna
When you think of Madonna, you probably think of the Queen of Pop who wears outfits decked out with cones, eye patches over her eyes, and dance moves that have shaped generations upon generations. So, did you know that she was also a cheerleader? It’s hard to imagine Madge as someone who wasn’t completely taking the world by storm.
But there was a time when she was just another high school student trying to make her way through the realm of education and growing up to reach her full potential. While studying at Rochester Adams High School, Madonna showed off her ability to stand out from the crowd when she joined the cheerleading squad. Here, she realized that she loved to be in the limelight and that she wanted to be a star.
Celebrity Olivia Munn
Whether you know her for her former career as a journalist or for her epic place in the world of Hollywood, Olivia Munn has certainly racked up a huge number of fans over the years. In recent years she has worked on movies such as Ocean’s 8, X-Men: Apocalypse, and The Lego Ninjago Movie, and it seems as though she has her life pretty much made. However, things weren’t always easy for this actress.
Up until her teenage years, Olivia’s mother was married to a man in the United States Air Force, and her family spent much of this time living across the world, including Japan. When her mother divorced her stepfather, they moved to Oklahoma, where Munn studied at Putnam City North High School. During this time, she joined the high school cheerleading squad.
Celebrity Jayma Mays
Over the course of her career, Jayma Mays has often taken on roles that showcase a softer, more timid side to her. After all, no matter where she goes in her acting career, we will never be able to forget her appearance as Emma Pillsbury in Glee. What’s so amazing about this actress is the fact that she is nothing like these characters in real life, but actually loves to be in the spotlight and loves to show off her talent.
She did just that when she was studying at high school, as she was a prominent member of her high school cheerleading squad. Making these friends and performing in front of those audiences helped Jayma’s confidence to grow and made her realize that she really did want a career in the limelight.
Celebrity Kelly Ripa
After making a name for herself as an actress, Kelly Ripa has since made her way into the realm of talk shows – and who can forget her impressive and long-running marriage to Mark Conseuelos? She’s now one of the most recognizable women in the world, and there’s no doubt about the fact that most people know who she is.
From a young age, Kelly knew that she loved being in the limelight and loved performing for people, and it wasn’t long before she was putting that talent to the test. She would often perform for her school as part of the drama club, and she was even a member of her high school cheerleading team. All of these extracurriculars gave her the chance to really see what it was like at the top, and she absolutely loved it.
Celebrity Halle Berry
There’s a high chance that you have seen Halle Berry in action before because this leading lady has been in front of the spotlight for decades. As the only African-American woman to ever win the Academy Award for Best Actress, Halle Berry has been able to showcase her talent in countless movies. However, as you might know, Halle’s first rise to fame wasn’t for her acting talent.
She was an established model before she made her mark on the movie world, and she participated in numerous pageants – including the Miss World 1986 competition, where she came sixth. Even before she became a model and pageant queen, Halle was turning heads within the Bedford High School cheerleading squad. Her fellow students and cheerleaders knew that she was going to be a star, and she certainly proved them right.
Celebrity Blake Lively
Over the course of her career, Blake Lively has proved that you can have brains, beauty, and comedic talent all at once – and she’s certainly done pretty well for herself. Of course, fans of this actress probably can’t imagine Blake attending a normal high school when we’re used to seeing her rock a fashionable blazer on the Upper East Side as Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl.
Yet, there was a time when she was just a normal teenager who was attending a normal high school. Before she made her mark on one of the most famous teen dramas in the world, Blake made her mark at Burbank High School, and she even joined the cheerleading squad in the process. You probably don’t need us to tell you that she was one of the popular kids.
Celebrity Jennifer Lawrence
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ll know that Jennifer Lawrence is kind of a big deal. After making her mark as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games movie franchise, she has since been able to transform herself into a popular figure within the world of Hollywood. While many would believe that Jennifer Lawrence was perfect in every way, she often struggled as a youngster.
She battled with anxiety and hyperactivity on a daily basis, and the only way to keep this under control was to put her talents to good use. She would perform for her peers, and she would take part in various clubs that would keep her busy. One particular club was the cheerleading squad, where she was able to have fun without letting her anxiety get the better of her.
Celebrity Paula Abdul
Is there anything Paula Abdul can’t do? This leading lady has rocked the world of show business over the years, and she has been able to make her mark as a songwriter, singer, actress, choreographer, talent show judge, and television personality. While studying at Van Nuys High School, Paula proved to her classmates that she was more than capable of perfecting the coolest routines, and this soon helped her score a job after graduation.
After donning her cap and gown, Paula was snapped up by the Laker Girls cheerleading squad, and she soon made her way up the ladder to become a head choreographer. It was in this job that she was spotted by Janet Jackson, and it wasn’t long before she was choreographing The Jacksons’ music videos. From here, she expanded her brand to become the sensation she is today.
Celebrity Kirsten Dunst
Anyone who is a fan of cheerleading will know that Bring It On is arguably the most famous cheerleading movie out there. Taking on the lead role was Kirsten Dunst, who blew fans away with her acting talent – and her cheerleading talent. Of course, learning all of the moves for such a big movie would have been a hard task for anyone, which is why Kirsten’s own personal experience with cheerleading helped her out immensely.
While studying at both Laurel Hall School and the Notre Dame High School, Kirsten showed off her talent within the cheerleading squads. She spent years shaking her pom-poms and practicing her cheers, and it was this talent that ultimately gave her the chance to take on a role most fans still know her for today. What a bonus, right?
Celebrity Brooklyn Decker
There’s a high chance that you’re familiar with Brooklyn Decker because this leading lady has certainly made her mark on the world of entertainment. Making her mark as a model, to begin with, it wasn’t long before Brooklyn was sitting on the front cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and even walking down the runway as Victoria’s Secret model.
With oodles of fans under her belt, she was also given a chance to enter into the world of acting, and she has since blown us all away with her appearances in movies such as Just Go With It, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and Battleship. With so much talent and beauty to contend with, you probably don’t need us to tell you that Brooklyn was a cheerleader in high school. She was even the senior class president!
Celebrity Gabrielle Union
Over the course of her career, Gabrielle Union has taken on countless roles as a singer and actress. She is probably most recognizable as a movie actress, and there’s no doubt about the fact that one particular movie made her stand out from the crowd. In 2000, Gabrielle was offered the chance to take on a major role in the cheerleading movie Bring It On, and she even got the chance to star alongside Kirsten Dunst.
What’s so amazing about this movie is that she didn’t even have to act too hard. After being brought up in a family who loved to stay active and play sports, it was only a matter of time before teenage Gabrielle joined her own high school cheerleading squad. It was this cheerleading prowess that helped her score this role.
Celebrity Diane Sawyer
While Diane Sawyer may now be a huge name in the game, there was once a time where she was a shy young child and someone who felt as though she was living in her sisters’ shadow. Times have certainly changed since, but it’s fair to say that this television journalist grew in confidence as she made her way through high school.
While attending Seneca High School, she not only made sure that she was achieving the best grades possible, but she also forced herself to take part in extracurricular activities. One of those was the cheerleading squad, and it seemed as though this role was a turning point in her life. She grew from a shy young woman into one who was confident, and this soon spurred her on to become the news anchor we know and love her as today.
Celebrity Dakota Fanning
While most of the actresses on this list lived a normal high school life before making their way into the world of fame and fortune, the same can’t be said for Dakota Fanning. That’s because this leading lady was just five years old when she made her professional debut, and she has been in the limelight ever since. Although she has worked on countless movies and worked alongside some of the biggest names in the business, Dakota knew that her childhood and her education were important.
So, she made sure that she attended high school in between all of her filming commitments, to ensure that she could get a taste of normal life. While studying at Campbell Hall School in California, she was not only voted homecoming queen, but she was also a prominent member of the cheerleading squad.
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is a huge name in the world of Hollywood, and she has worked on countless movies and television shows over the course of her career. Since making her mark in the acting world, she has starred in famous shows such as House, The O.C, Vinyl, and more. She has proved to the world that she is more than capable of taking on some of the biggest names in the business, but did you know that Olivia was once just a normal teenager trying to make her way through high school?
Although she wasn’t technically called a cheerleader while studying at Phillips Academy, she was a member of the famous step team, which incorporates some of the same moves and music. While she hasn’t been able to showcase these moves in any of her roles to date, there’s definitely still time.
Eva Longoria
When you think of Eva Longoria, you probably immediately think of Gabrielle Solis. After all, this actress brought the Desperate Housewives character to life and gave the show the chance to become one of the most popular dramas of all time. Since leaving Gabrielle behind, Eva has continued to dominate the acting industry, and she has even tried her hand at producing.
Being in front of the camera is a natural instinct for Eva, and it seems as though this confidence may have come from her days as a cheerleader. Eva first dipped her toe into the world of cheer while studying at Roy Miller High, and it wasn’t long before she was continuing her cheering career at Texas A&M-Kingsville College. She certainly has the spirit to continue her reign at the top of the pyramid.
Kylie Jenner
It seems as though a love for cheerleading runs in the Jenner family, as Kendall’s younger sister also liked to shake her pom-poms when she was in high school. While she has since ditched high school life for a life as one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the world, Kylie Jenner has often spoken about her experiences at high school.
She both loved it and hated it at the same time, but it seems as though she loved joining her high school cheerleading team at the same time as her sister. She was just 13 years old when this photo was taken, and it seems as though she was in her element. Of course, with a billion-dollar cosmetics industry to look after now, she probably doesn’t have time to keep this hobby going.
Cameron Diaz
As one of the most famous actresses in the world, it could be easy to assume that Cameron Diaz has been in the limelight her whole life. So, it might surprise you to know that she actually made her movie debut when she was 21 years old! This means that she had 21 years of growing up in normality, heading to kindergarten, making her way through middle school, and then moving on up to the big, wide world of high school.
Thankfully, Cameron Diaz had no problems fitting in with the cool kids at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, as she had already bloomed into the blonde beauty she is today. As if that wasn’t enough, she was also a hugely popular name on the cheerleading squad, and it seems as though she loved wearing her uniform with pride.
Celebrity Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan’s career has played out in the public eye, and this has served her for the better and the worse. While her child star talent thrust her into the limelight, it seems as though that same limelight pushed her down a path that led to countless struggles with narcotics and the law.
Sure, she may no longer have the money or the fame that she used to have, but there’s no doubt about the fact that everyone will remember her from movies such as The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and Mean Girls. With such a busy work schedule as a child, Lindsay was homeschooled for much of her high school education, but she did also get the chance to don her cheerleading uniform as part of a cheerleading squad.
