Celebrities Head Back to School: Memorable 2016 Commencement Addresses
Matt Damon
Where: The Oscar winner spoke at MIT in Cambridge, Mass., where his Good Will Hunting character mopped floors and sneakily solved difficult math equations. When: June 3. Words of wisdom: In addition to making fun of his own educational record (he walked with his graduating class at Harvard but never officially graduated) and Donald Trump, the Water.org co-founder, 45, shared with the grads a lesson he learned from Bill Clinton, which is to “turn toward the problems you see” — not away from them. “This world has some problems that we need you to drop everything and solve,” including poverty, the refugee crisis, pandemic, climate change, institutional racism, and “fear-driven brains working overtime.” He added: “There’s a lot of trouble out there, MIT. But there’s a lot of beauty too, and I hope you see both.” Watch it. (Photo: Getty Images)
Hank Azaria
Where: The actor and comedian returned to his alma mater Tufts University in Medford, Mass. When: May 22. Words of wisdom: “When in doubt, always pull out The Simpsons voices,” Azaria said before channeling Moe Szyslak. While his speech drew a lot of laughs, he also got serious. “At the end of the day, what is right for somebody else, even if that somebody else is most of society, may not be right for you,” said the Ray Donovan star, 52. “I’m not suggesting you ignore the rules of society, or laws of common sense, or the actual law, or your teachers, or your advisers, or the Internet, or all the other sources that are happy to tell you the right and wrong way to go about doing almost everything. Just please be honest with yourself about what you think and how you feel about all of that. Those feelings are called your instincts, and you ignore them at your own peril.” Watch it. (Photo: Elise Sinagra/Getty Images)
James Franco
Where: The actor spoke at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., where he was accepted as a high schooler though never attended. When: May 28. Words of wisdom: The 38-year-old actor, who has pursued higher education even after becoming a star, told the students about the time “my parents said that they would no longer support me if I wasn’t in college, so I got a job at the only place that would hire me — McDonald’s.” Even there he pursued his passion, explaining, “Often when I was at the drive-through window, I was practicing different accents. And it wouldn’t be a Franco speech without something mildly inappropriate. “You are the elite of the nation — you’re Ivy League … not everyone gets to have such an education,” Franco said. “So when you have the chance, when you’re that amazing biochemist or out in Wall Street snorting cocaine on hookers with Leonardo DiCaprio, take a little time to give back.” Watch it. (Photo: Instagram)
Harry Connick Jr.
Where: The singer and recovering reality-TV judge returned home to the Big Easy for the Loyola University New Orleans commencement. When: May 13. Words of wisdom: The 48-year-old crooner, who attended a semester at Loyola University before heading to New York to pursue his music career, said, “If you focus on the minutiae of every single step of your life, one day you will look back over your shoulder to see the great distance you have traveled. You have created a broad, strong base and a meaningful life. … Keep your eye on the prize, but keep your heart in the game.” Watch it. (Photo: YouTube)
Steven Spielberg
Where: The iconic director spoke at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. When: May 26. Words of wisdom: The sneakered star, 69, talked about the sad state of the world, urging the grads to change it. “There’s no difference between anyone who is discriminated against … it is all big one ‘hate,’” he said. “To me, the only answer to more hate is more humanity. We have to replace fear with curiosity. ‘Us’ and ‘them’ — we’ll find the ‘we’ by connecting with each other. And by believing that we’re members of the same tribe. And by feeling empathy for every soul — even Yalies.” Watch it. (Photo: Paul Marotta/Getty Images)
Sarah Jessica Parker
Where: The Sex and the City alum headed north to Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass. When: May 25. Words of wisdom: During their Class Day ceremony, the 51-year-old actress and shoe designer, said, “The thoughts I offer today are the same I offer to my own children … I want to be there to assure you that you will recover from heartbreak, to convince you on your most blue day that you will not always feel so alone, to remind you not to sacrifice your integrity even when it might feel a much more swift avenue toward your goal, to whisper in your ear that other people’s opinion of you doesn’t have to be the opinion you keep of yourself, to encourage you to think twice before saying nothing.” She ended with, “I know you are ready. The people rest.” Watch it. (Photo: Harvard Law School)
Jeannie and Jim Gaffigan
Where: The comedian and his collaborative partner and wife stood at the podium at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. When: May 14. Words of wisdom: “Remember happiness is not found in accomplishments, income, or the number of Twitter followers you have. True happiness is found in family. Living for each other, sacrificing together, and enjoy the blessing of fresh guacamole delivered promptly to your door,” said the Jim Gaffigan Show star, 49, who can’t resist a good food joke. Jeannie, 46, added, “Love what you do, love who you are, and love those around you.” Watch it. (Photo: YouTube)
Ryan Seacrest
Where: The one-time American Idol host returned home to speak at the University of Georgia in Athens. When: May 13. Words of wisdom: The 41-year-old radio host and producer, who attended the school for his freshman year before moving to Hollywood, started by goofing around with the school mascot, Hairy Dawg, and using a selfie stick. He told the students to make it count because life is fleeting. “Make sure you happen to the day instead of it happening to you, but no matter the circumstances, you still only get one shot to make a day that matters,” he said. Watch it. (Photo: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
Patti Smith
Where: The singer delivered a short and sweet speech at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. When: May 22. Words of wisdom: “When you go out into the world and you have a tough time, you know that you have the power to surmount it,” the 69-year-old artist told the crowd. She also delivered a poem she wrote for the occasion. “The people have the power/to redeem the work of fools,” she said. Upon the meek the graces shower/It’s decreed the people rule.” She ended by telling them, “I believe that everything we dream/can come to pass/Through our union we can turn the world around/ We can turn the earth’s revolution.” Watch it.
Spike Lee
Where: The New Yorker headed down to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. When: May 18. Words of wisdom: After starting with a little Prince (“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life”), the 59-year-old director, who attended Morehouse, urged the class of 2016 to “wake up,” two words that have appeared in nearly all his films. “Wake up from sleep, wake up from being comatose, wake up from the slumber that keeps your eyes shut to all of the inequalities and injustices, to this often more than not evil, crazy, and insane world we live in.” He said, “Now’s the time to seize the day, take advantage of this unique moment in history, and build bridges amongst us. … Let us build bridges of love, not walls of hate.” Watch it. (Photo: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images)
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Where: The mastermind behind Hamilton gave the keynote address at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. When: May 16. Words of wisdom: “Your stories are essential,” said the 36-year-old talent, who is about to embark on new ventures. “Don’t believe me? In a year when politicians traffic in anti-immigrant rhetoric, there is also a Broadway musical reminding us that a broke, orphan immigrant from the West Indies built our financial system. A story that reminds us that since the beginning of the great unfinished symphony that is our American experiment, time and time again, immigrants get the job done.” Watch it (starting at the 2:30:50 mark). (Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage)
Who better to impart wisdom on young, impressionable minds than … celebrities?! Each year, the finest institutions across America enlist — and sometimes pay — the rich and famous to share words of wisdom with their students as they head out into the real world. This year, Matt Damon, Hank Azaria, James Franco, Harry Connick Jr., and Ryan Seacrest were among those to don the tassels.