20 celebrity-taught courses you can take online, from writing with Shonda Rhimes to singing with Christina Aguilera

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• There’s only one Samuel L. Jackson or Serena Williams, and most people can’t take lessons from them.
• E-learning platforms provide access to celebs and career experts through affordable online courses.
• Find free or cheap online courses taught by celebrities below, through platforms like MasterClass.

If I could learn a backhand serve from anyone in the world, I’d like it to be from Serena Williams. 

But one of the obstacles, aside from cost and access, is that there’s one Serena Williams and about 7.9 billion people who are not Serena Williams. 

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Luckily, online platforms with deeper pockets and scale than the average person, such as YouTube and MasterClass, are creating an otherwise unlikely bridge between the amateur tennis player and an expert like Serena Williams in online classes. And they’re doing it for a fraction of the price of an expensive in-person lesson.

Sign up for Amanda Gorman’s class through The New Yorker on March 29

On March 29, New Yorker subscribers will be able to watch a live conversation with poet Amanda Gorman, who became an overnight sensation after her recitation at President Biden’s Inauguration. 

While technically not a class, these live events look a lot like short, edu-tainment takes on online education — like a very short MasterClass or Vogue Visionaries episode, with the benefit of getting your own questions answered in real-time.

Modern Middle Eastern Cooking with Yotam Ottolenghi

Sign up for Modern Middle Eastern Cooking with Yotam Ottolenghi on MasterClass

The James Beard Award-winning chef and bestselling cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi teaches Middle Eastern platter recipes — from Muhammara salad to hummus to labneh and Palestinian chili paste — and shares practical tips on how to enjoy the process of hosting.

Writing for Social Change with Roxane Gay

Sign up for Writing for Social Change with Roxane Gay on MasterClass

Bestselling author, professor, and New York Times columnist Roxane Gay teaches you about the nuts and bolts of writing — research, revising, getting published, and acquiring an agent. She also talks about how to write about things like trauma, or write in order to challenge ideas and change minds. Gay also teaches a personal essay class through Skillshare.

Creative Writing with Margaret Atwood

Sign up for Creative Writing with Margaret Atwood on MasterClass

Once called the “prophet of dystopia,” Margaret Atwood uses her MasterClass to talk about the fundamentals of creative writing, such as story, plot, characters, dialogue, and genre, as well as how to overcome writers’ block and conduct helpful research. As a bonus, she also shares anecdotes from her personal life and gives broader writing advice. You can read a full review of her MasterClass here.

Business with Scott Galloway

Sign up for the waitlist for Scott Galloway’s Strategy Sprint

The investor, entrepreneur, and NYU professor Scott Galloway has a business strategy course that anyone can sign up for — and it brings you MBA-like insights for $750. The class is often at capacity, but you can add your name to the waitlist. 

Writing for Television with Shonda Rhimes

Sign up for Writing for Television with Shona Rhimes on MasterClass

Shonda Rhimes, the author of “Year of Yes” and mastermind behind some of her generation’s most popular television, teaches you how to write a hit television show. Rhimes walks students through finding an idea and developing a concept all the way through editing, using case studies of pilot episodes along the way.

Tennis with Serena Williams

Sign up for Tennis with Serena Williams on MasterClass

Serena Williams, the winner of the most Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era, teaches tennis techniques and drills, as well as mental resilience.

Creative leadership with Anna Wintour

Sign up for Creative Leadership with Anna Wintour on MasterClass

Anna Wintour, the iconic Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Magazine, shares her approach to leading a creative environment without apology. Wintour details practical tips on management, evolving a brand, and spotting talent as well as delving into making the kind of editorial decisions that helped Vogue remain relevant for decades and turned the Met Gala into the cultural phenomenon it is today. 

Modern Japanese Cooking with Niki Nakayama

Sign up for Modern Japanese Cooking with Niki Nakayama on MasterClass

Niki Nakayama, the chef responsible for the two-Michelin-starred n/naka teaches you about her philosophy and techniques for Japanese home cooking — from pantry essentials and tools to multiple courses and how they fit into a well-balanced meal.

Photography with Annie Leibovitz

Sign up for Photography with Annie Leibovitz on MasterClass

Annie Leibovitz is the first-ever female chief photographer at “Rolling Stone” and is the master eye behind some of photography’s most recognizable dramatic portraits. Here, she sheds light on her photography philosophy and shows how a great photo comes to life. 

Gardening with Ron Finley

Sign up for Gardening with Ron Finley on MasterClass

Ron Finley has launched a movement around an unusual form of protest: gardening. In 2011, Finley was issued an arrest warrant for planting fruits and vegetables on the curbside strip outside his home in South Central LA — a food desert. Two years later, his story helped change LA laws and, a decade later, he’s helped plant dozens of community gardens. In his MasterClass, Finley teaches you how to grow your own food, avoid killing your plants, and uncover the beauty and community you can find in healthy food.

Fashion with Alexa Chung

Watch Alexa Chung’s class on YouTube

British Vogue recently launched “Vogue Visionaries” with short, MasterClass-like episodes on Youtube. In Episode 2, Alexa Chung discusses fashion— specifically, setting up a company, common obstacles, advice to her younger self, and more.

Singing with Christina Aguilera

Sign up for Singing with Christina Aguilera on Masterclass

The Grammy-award-winning artist gives you practical tips on how to fine-tune your voice, perform different styles, and use equipment like live or studio microphones. Aguilera also shares stories about her career trajectory and advice on how to overcome performance anxiety and mistakes.

Music Curation and DJing with Questlove

Sign up for Music Curation and DJing with Questlove on MasterClass

Questlove — iconic DJ, Grammy winner, and The Roots drummer — teaches collecting and mixing music. You’ll learn how to transition from genre to genre to curate the perfect playlist.

Baking with Apollonia Poilâne

Sign up for Baking with Apollonia Poilâne on MasterClass

Apollonia Poilâne, the third-generation baker and CEO of Parisian bakery Poilâne, teaches you how to use all of your senses when baking an ideal loaf from scratch. Poilâne outlines best practices for a variety of French breads — rustic wheat, rye, brioche, and Poilâne’s beloved sourdough loaves — and demonstrates proper form and helps troubleshoot common mistakes.

Screenwriting with David Lynch

Sign up for David Lynch’s MFA program through Maharishi International University

David Lynch’s MFA program combines Transcendental Meditation technique with instruction on how to become a professional screenwriter. The program is “low-residency” but does start with a ten-day residency on campus in Fairfield, Iowa. Lynch also teaches a MasterClass on creativity and film.

Acting with Samuel L. Jackson

Sign up for Acting with Samuel L. Jackson on MasterClass

Actor, director, and film producer Samuel L. Jackson has made his name in iconic roles that range from “Pulp Fiction” to “Jackie Brown.” In his MasterClass, he discusses his characterization process and philosophy as well as how to break down a script, collaborate on set, and more. 

Scientific Thinking and Communication with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Sign up for Scientific Thinking and Communication with Neil deGrasse Tyson on MasterClass

In this course, the renowned astrophysicist will help you see into the mind of a scientist, strengthening the way you think and communicate along the way. 

Art and Creativity with Jeff Koons

Sign up for Art and Creativity with Jeff Koons on MasterClass

Celebrated artist Jeff Koons teaches you how to express yourself through color, scale, and form. Among other things, Koons discusses how to develop and use your own personal iconography, so that you could innovate and have a dialogue with art history in your work. 

Architecture with Frank Gehry

Sign up for Architecture with Frank Gehry on MasterClass

Frank Gehry, one of few architects that’s a household name, teaches design and architecture. Gehry touches on design philosophy, obstacles, ideas, and creating in tandem with a client. You’ll hear lessons from some of his most famous creations — from the Walt Disney Concert Hall to 8 Spruce Street — and advice on neighborhood and context, residential projects, and materials. 

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