Jeremy Allen White has the last laugh as acting school hands him high school diploma at age 34… despite his chronic truancy

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Okay, so everyone thinks Jeremy Allen White is this huge star now, and honestly, he deserves it! But get this – he was a total rebel in high school! Seriously, he wasn’t focused on studying or anything. He’d skip class all the time just to chill with his friends in Central Park. It’s amazing to me, because he totally turned things around, and now look at him! It’s like, all those days skipping class were worth it because he’s proven everyone wrong, and it’s SO satisfying to watch!

The actor, now 34, went to the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen from 2005 to 2009, but he didn’t complete enough coursework to earn his diploma.

I’ll never forget September 28th. That’s the day Jeremy did something truly special – he invited his old drama teacher, Greg Parente, to the premiere of his new film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, at the New York Film Festival. It meant so much to everyone who knows them both, and it was a beautiful moment.

‘At the end of the night, he gave me a gift,’ White recalled on Live with Kelly and Mark Thursday.

Honestly, I was so surprised when someone handed me a gift! I kept saying, ‘You really shouldn’t have!’ and wondering why they were being so generous. When I finally opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes – it was my actual high school diploma! It was such a sweet and unexpected gesture.

I finally graduated high school on September 28th, at the age of 34. I even have my diploma with me in my hotel room, and it feels great!

Jeremy Allen White also met his now-estranged wife, Addison Timlin, while they were both students at PPAS. They married after dating for several years, but she filed for divorce in 2023 after three years as a married couple.

Jeremy and actress Hal Harper are still working together to raise their two daughters, seven-year-old Ezer and four-year-old Dolores.

PPAS has been home to many successful performers and actors, including Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Claire Danes, Jesse Eisenberg, Sarah Hyland, Taylor Momsen, Josh Peck, and Morena Baccarin, among others.

Actor White has been actively promoting his portrayal of Bruce Springsteen in the new biopic, directed by Scott Cooper. The film, which cost $55 million to make, will be released in the US and UK this Friday.

The singer from Brooklyn captured the sound of the 76-year-old rock icon by performing all the songs himself, accurately mimicking the legend’s distinctive, gravelly voice.

Jeremy remembered being thrilled when Scott asked him about the film, as he’s a big fan of Bruce and thought the story was wonderful. However, he immediately pointed out, “Wouldn’t you want someone who can actually sing and play guitar? I can’t do either!”

He told me I’d figure it out, and I did. I had six months to learn guitar and then worked with an amazing vocal coach, Eric Vetro – he’s fantastic. He’s worked with actors like Timothée Chalamet, helping him portray Bob Dylan, and Austin Butler with his role as Elvis, and he was a huge help to me in preparing for this part.

The new 20th Century Studios movie, based on Warren Zanes’ 2023 biography, has received a 65% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 101 reviews.

Along with Bruce Springsteen, the film Deliver Me From Nowhere stars Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffmann, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz.

In addition to his current projects, White has several films on the horizon, including a 2026 spin-off of The Mandalorian with Grogu for Disney, the A24 hitman movie Enemies, a sequel to The Social Reckoning for Sony, and the stop-motion animated film The Painted Bride with WME.

The Louis Vuitton ambassador will return to his popular role as Carmy Berzatto, the chef from the FX on Hulu show The Bear, for the fifth season created by Christopher Storer.

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2025-10-24 00:48