There are a lot of people you may not know didn’t speak English as children. While it may not be that interesting to find out that your neighbor grew up speaking Spanish, it is interesting to know that there are plenty of celebrities who grew up speaking a Spanish.
Some of them continue to carry an accent, but all of them now speak fluent English. So, while there are plenty of benefits to learning Spanish for kids, it doesn’t necessarily mean that if you don’t learn Spanish as a kid, you’ll never be able to pick up the language later in life.
Marc Anthony
In a recent interview with El Gordo y La Flaca, Marc Anthony revealed that he spoke only Spanish until the age of five.
He also revealed that he knew how to understand English before being able to speak it. His parents started teaching him the language when he was still a baby so he wouldn't feel so left out.
In any case, it didn’t hold him back. Anthony has gone on to be one of the most successful singers of all-time, with three Grammys and over 12 million albums sold worldwide.
Penelope Cruz
You might not know this, but Penelope Cruz speaks fluent Spanish and French! She learned both languages from her flamenco dancer father. She recently decided to take a break from acting to concentrate on learning Italian, a language she finds very beautiful! Her mother tongue is Catalan which she also speaks fluently.
So, while you may know her from her movie roles, she is also a very successful linguist. On top of being fluent in Spanish and French, she also speak fluent English and now, is learning Italian.
Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek's first language is Spanish, and she claims her first full sentence was "Hola, me llamo Salma."
After making her name in Mexican television, she made the transition to Hollywood in the early 90s, after learning to speak fluent English. It was a great skill to learn too, as it led her to a long career in film, including memorable roles in both Hollywood blockbusters and indie films.
David Bisbal
David Bisbal said in an interview with Voces Magazine that he never knew how to speak English until kindergarten because he grew up speaking Spanish at home and attending a school where classes were taught exclusively in Spanish.
That didn’t stop him from becoming a highly successful recording artist in both Europe and America. He has sold more than 6 million records and is even influencing other artists to tackle bilingual music. In 2020, he teamed up with Carrie Underwood for the single “Tears of Gold”, in which both artists sing in English and Spanish.
Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas went to the United States for the first time when he was 13 years old and spoke no English…he learned by watching TV! Later, Antonio learned Italian after working on The Last Action Hero; Spanish after working on Evita, and French after working on Marylin.
Who knew he was a collector of both acting awards and languages?
In conclusion, these celebrities all grew up speaking Spanish as their first language despite being born to immigrant families or living abroad. Their stories definitely show how important it is for children to keep their cultural roots alive through languages! In fact, learning a second language can have many benefits.