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Learning a second language boom in 2021

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Learning a second language boom in 2021

Over two-fifths, 43%, of the world’s population can speak a second language, with one in seven, 13%, being able to speak three.

Language learning is booming, with online language learning company Preply,  reporting a 400% increase in students signing up to online language lessons in the UK throughout 2020.

Many language learners are influenced by celebrities who can also speak a second language. Some stars have added bilingualism to their impressive set of skills, which has helped them secure major roles. In fact, entertainment-industry site Backstage has a whole range of job listings aimed at bilingual speakers, which can set you aside if you’re looking to get into the Arts.

With that being said, the team at Preply have found 10 celebrities who have a talent for languages:

Anya Taylor-Joy – Spanish

Star of hit Netflix show, The Queen’s Gambit, Anya Taylor-Joy already boasts a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award at only 25. Not only that, but she is fluent in Spanish and English!

Born in America, and raised in Argentina and the UK, Anya grew up speaking Spanish and only learned English when she moved to London at the age of six.

Colin Firth – Italian

English actor Colin Firth has a number of box office hits under his belt, including Mamma Mia!, The King’s Speech, Bridget Jones and Shakespeare in Love. As well as being an award-winning actor, Firth also has a talent for languages, speaking Italian.

After marrying Italian producer, Livia Giuggioli, in 1997, Firth learned Italian as a sign of devotion to his new wife. He is said to be fluent in the language, and prior to his divorce in 2019, divided his time between London and Italy.

Mark Zuckerberg – Mandarin Chinese

Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg is known for founding Facebook, creating the site out of his college dorm room at Harvard University. Along with creating the world’s biggest social media site, the 37-year-old can also speak Mandarin Chinese.

Married to Priscilla Chan, daughter of Chinese immigrants, Zuckerberg began studying the language back in 2010 and is now said to be fluent. A video of him speaking the language went viral in 2014, with over 7 million views.

Serena Williams – French

American tennis player, Serena Williams, holds more grand slam titles than any other tennis player to date, with 23 victories. Most known for being a tennis legend, Serena also speaks French, learning as a teenager.

The Wimbledon winner, 39, has also taught her 2-year-old daughter the language, as she is regularly seen speaking French with her daughter on social media.

Sandra Bullock – German

Another actress with language skills, Sandra Bullock was born in America to German opera singer Helga Mathilde Meyer. As a result, Bullock learned German from her mother and grew up speaking the language.

Spending her childhood between America, Germany and Austria meant Bullock was able to become fluent in English, as well as German.

Gwyneth Paltrow – Spanish

American actress and Academy Award winner, Gwyneth Paltrow, is most known for starring in hit films such as Emma and Shakespeare in Love. The actress is also fluent in Spanish, after visiting Spain as a teenager and falling in love with the language.

She regularly travels back to Spain to practice her skills, and even speaks to her children in the language.

Rami Malek – Arabic

Most widely known for portraying music legend Freddie Mercury in the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek is an American actor who speaks both English and Arabic. Born to Egyptian immigrants from Cairo, Malek was raised speaking Arabic with his family.

He can be seen speaking Arabic after his 2019 Oscar win for “Best Actor” during a press conference.

Sandra Oh – Korean

Canadian actress, Sandra Oh, is best known for starring in the hit shows Grey’s Anatomy and more recently, Eve Polastri in Killing Eve. Born to Korean immigrants, Sandra Oh can speak both English and Korean, having been raised speaking Korean with her family.

During her 2019 Golden Globes speech, Oh spoke Korean whilst thanking her parents.

Dua Lipa – Albanian

Born in London to Kosovo-Albanian parents, Dua Lipa is a Grammy award-winning artist with smash hits across the globe. Whilst breaking world records, Lipa also has some serious language skills, speaking both English and Albanian fluently.

Growing up in both London and Pristina, Kosovo, Lipa would speak Albanian with her family, making her another bilingual.

Mila Kunis – Russian

American actress Mila Kunis was born in Ukraine, living there until the age of seven before moving to the US with her family. Kunis’ mother language is Russian, only learning English after she immigrated.

Back in 2011, a video of her speaking Russian went viral, after she defended Justin Timberlake whilst promoting rom-com Friends with Benefits.

Pictured: LWT series Mind Your Language an ITV aired sitcom that showed people of different countries with different social backgrounds, religions, and languages existing in the same classroom, learning English as a foreign language. The series that ran from 1977 and last aired in 1986 is set in a London-based adult education college focusing on the class in English as a Foreign Language with the late Barry Evans (Crossroads) as teacher Jeremy Brown.

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