When you see your favorite famous people on TV and in magazines, it's hard to believe they were ever people like us - working on getting by. But even the brightest stars had to start with their simple first jobs before making it big!
Whether you're a waitress, a cashier, even a janitor, or have a weird job like lion taming chances are that at least one of the famous actors and actresses you admire once worked a day job as crappy as yours. Some were also in the process of training to enter long-term careers, such as law and teaching, when their big career change came, while others were fresh out of jail after getting caught up in crime.
The moral of the story? You might be stuck doing shifts at a burger joint right now or working your ass off with manual labor, but you never know what opportunities lie ahead, so stay focused on your Hollywood dreams. Find out what stars were doing with their lives before they hit the screen below, and let us know which ones surprised you the most!
This post may include affiliate links.
Steve Buscemi Was A Firefighter. During The 9/11 Attacks He Returned To His Former Job As A New York Firefighter To Help Out
Upvoted you and then scrolled down and saw Christopher Walken...now I don't know who;se cooler.
Load More Replies...All my ideals are shattered. Young Steve Buscemi was actually kind of handsome. I'll never recover.
Of course, love is what matters, blah-blah,but the creepiest thing is, you never know what your husband might turn into one day...
Load More Replies...A great actor and from what I have read, an awesome person. I read that he was working with his former fire department unit during 9/11 and got kind of uncomfortable when reporters started noticing him in one of the trucks.
Christopher Walken Was A Lion Tamer, He Was 16 At The Time And Would Perform With A Lioness Named Sheba
Are we actually surprised that Christopher Walken used to be a lion tamer, though? I feel like I'd be surprised to hear that he was an accountant or a business executive. While lion tamer wasn't my first guess I'm not surprised. lol
I'd f**k young Christopher Walken, which I wasn't expecting to think.
I'd f*ck young, middle-aged and old Christopher Walken anytime. Alas, I don't think he'd f*ck me. Life's so cruel.
Load More Replies...That explains calm look in his eyes. You can't work with animals and have frantic personality.
He was good looking always, but his best quality is by far his acting.
Danny DeVito Was A Hairdresser For Corpses, He Would Style Women's Hair To Make Them Look Beautiful Before They Went Six Feet Under
Just laughed out loud. No wonder he turned to the funny...thanks Mr DeVito!
Right Grace, I guess he had seen all there is to life :)
Load More Replies...Oh I thought he played the Penguin in Batman ;)
Load More Replies...Well i guess i need a lot of positivity for that job.. he was great at making people laugh!
I remember him on a talk show, maybe Carson. He was speaking about being a hairdresser (Mr. Dan), and how he used so much spray on his clients that their hairdos would stand up to a 40 MPH gale force wind.
Apparently he was good at it. None of his clients ever once complained.
AN IMPORTANT FOR FOR THE FAMILY WHO HAS LOST SOMEONE, WAY TO GO DANNY!
Harrison Ford Was A Carpenter
lol Jesus who? He (Jesus) didnt look like the whitewashed version that is shown everywhere.
Load More Replies...He never stopped either...still gets his hands around the wood!!!
Christopher Lee Worked For The Intelligence Service
This man is actually one of the most awesome people ever seriously look up his bio
Metal singer, spy, assassin, Dracula, Saruman... ONE of those things would have been bad enough and he's been them all... And apparently, according to people who met him, a very nice person.
*bad a*s enough. Damn this "no edit possible" thingy...
Load More Replies...Johnny Depp Worked As A Telemarketer And Hated It, He Only Made One Sale - And Promptly Talked The Customer Out Of The Purchase
Try to be a telemarketer now, Johnny. And let's see how the sales will be :P
So was not a telemarketer. I guess it is hard to hold a phone when you have Scissors for hands.
Rihanna Was An Army Cadet
Army cadet is not a job, a profession, or career. It is a student status... way to botch that.
Yeah, I've heard of even 13 or 14 when Jay-Z discovered her. This looks quite fake
Load More Replies...Pierce Brosnan Was A Professional Fire Eater In His Teens And Performed Under The Big Top For Three Years
Jim Carrey Quit School To Support His Family And Started Working As A Janitor
Probably should've stayed in school in order to not be gullible enough for your wife to convince you that vaccines cause autism!
Theres a lot of material with him on youtube, but his what is love dance is forever stuck in my head.
Did anyone notice his nose looks like it's saggig or is it just me?
Brad Pitt Used To Dress Up As A Chicken For An El Pollo Loco Restaurant In Hollywood
I agree Hope Floats, but you obviously didn't meet my daughter. i am a single parent - she is 17 and never, ever worked a day. and is planing to live on my account another 10 years or so. i had a very poor life and never, ever even tried to blame my mother for it. my child does. very, very sad.
A JOB IS A JOB UNTIL YOU GET THE WANTED PHONE CALL. GREAT SUIT, WAS THE CHICKEN ANY GOOD?
Barack Obama Was An Ice Cream Scooper At Baskin Robbins
Or what? This is America, we are free to "bad-mouth" anyone.
Load More Replies...Hugh Jackman Used To Be A Gym Teacher
"Who should we get to play Wolverine?" "Idk probably a huge, jacked man."
wasn't there an interview where he recognized a former pupil of his? Found the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07ccbFlgO4I
Bet that convinced the young ladies to like gym class! Sure would have gotten me there faster than Miss Manly!
Bob Ross Was A Sergeant In The Air Force
more than that, i believe he was a drill sergeant. he actually hated it SO MUCH about yelling at people that when he quit he decided he was going to do something the complete opposite for the rest of his life. and so he went on to painting little trees and rivers in the most calming voice.
"And we're just going to put that happy little jet fighter down riiiiight there. That's right, just drop it in like so."
That enemy jet fighter looks a little lonely over there... we'll just add some missiles to his surroundings... there we go... no one should ever feel alone. Jk thanks for the info
George Clooney Sold Women's Shoes, Was A Door-To-Door Insurance Salesman, Stocked Shelves, Was A Construction Worker, Cut Tobacco
Do they really? I never really thought about it...
Load More Replies...And remains unimpressive till this day. Nice to look at. Not a good actor .
With hair and looks like that i bet he could sell womens shoes to men too xD
In this whole region it was common for the teenage young men to go from farm to farm cutting tobacco. It was a good deal of money but it was hot nasty work!
Bill Murray Used To Sell Chestnuts Outside Of A Chicago Grocery Store
billy murray......is a very odd man....but thats why we love him.
OMG I could you NOT mention he used to work at a golf course?? Hellooo, Caddyshack, anyone?
Gal Gadot Served In The Israeli Defense Forces
In Israel, conscription was mandatory for men and women. It's not like it was her choice.
David Bowie Worked As A Butcher's Delivery Boy
He drew up plans for his first band in grade 7 (or earlier!)--lights, outfits, hair--the whole thing!
Katheryn Winnick Is An Accomplished Martial Artist Who Holds A Third-Degree Black Belt In Taekwondo And A Second-Degree Black Belt In Karate. By 21 She Had Founded And Owned 3 Martial Arts Schools
what a woman! hell yeah! who cares who she is, as long as she can fight, she is worth attention. i can't even kill a fly. it is not that i want to kill a fly, but i know i wouldn't be able to do it ;-)))
Jason Lee Was A Professional Skateboarder
Chris Pratt Worked As A Stripper While Struggling To Make A Living In Hawaii
It shouldn't. Hawaii is well known for being one of the most expensive states for goods and housing.
Load More Replies...Most people struggle to make a living in Hawaii. It's stupidly expensive.
The average income for a person receiving government assistance in Hawaii is $60,000 a year. Yeah. It's that freaking expensive to live there.
Shame, he lost the flab and thinks he is now a bit of a ladies man. Sad for his wife and son.
Why do we need to justify it with "struggling"? It's a job. He needed one. Voila.
I know! I'm sick of people refering to strippers as being somehow less human.
Load More Replies...He looks exactly like my brother (who is adopted, btw). It's so close, it's eerie.
Helen Mirren Worked As A Promoter For An Amusement Park In Southend On Sea
She was such a lovely fint young girl! Love the fresh looks she had! And she's a beautiful woman now! That's aging with class.
lovely FINE* was meaning to write. BP should add edit option :(
Load More Replies...She's more beautiful now than when she was younger. What a classy lady!
Tom Hanks Was A Popcorn And Peanuts Vendor
I love this man, this actor, this humanitarian. What a kind gentle soul he has.
I was going to say.. he looks like he's wearing makeup in both pictures
Kate Winslet Was A Sandwich Maker In A Delicatessen
Renaissance? I'm not sure that's the right word.
Load More Replies...Liam Neeson Trained To Be A Teacher
Whoopi Goldberg Was A Morgue Beautician
She should have teamed up with Danny deVito. Their tag line could've been Looks To Die (or dye) For.
Sandra Bullock Worked As A Bartender And Waitress At A Restaurant In Manhattan
Tim Allen Was A Drug Dealer
There once was a dealer from MIchigan, who went to fame then the ditch again, After he hooted Kazoos In ol' Kalamazoo, They gave him a show, BAM he's rich again!
I don't understand why someone downvoted this.....it was pretty freaking brilliant IMO.
Load More Replies...Channing Tatum Used To Be A Stripper
I believe part of the movie is based on his life as a stripper.
Load More Replies...Nicole Kidman Studied Massage So She Could Help Her Mother, Who Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, With Physical Therapy
Never understood it. She's one of the worst actors.
Load More Replies...Where is the job she had before she got famous? (and I don't mean the nose job...)
Gerard Butler Was A Trainee Lawyer But Got Fired Due To His Partying And Frequently Missing Work
Charlize Theron Studied At The Joffrey Ballet School In New York, But Had To Cut Her Dancing Career Short Due To A Knee Injury At The Age Of 19
how tall is she? i felt like a mutant in my teenage days being 1.78 tall :(
her life changed anyway when her mother shoot her abusive father. she is my number one actress.
Jon Hamm Was A Set-Dresser For Porn Films
If the rumors about him are true then he was equipped enough he could have starred in a few
Just watch a few shows he's been in, and in mad men, he went commando a lot, and I'm pretty sure the stories aren't stories but fact!
Victoria Beckham Played A Sperm On Roller Skates For A BBC Sex Education Show Called ‘Body Matters’
That's honestly weird.... a sperm skating around. It'll find it's egg one daym
Well well well, I thought all these famous ppl tried to destroy all their photos before face surgery LOL
Michelle Pfeiffer Was A Cashier At A Supermarket
I adore her looks. Ever since I was a kid I found her one of the prettiest women there were :D
Both her hair and her neckline lowered. A definite improvement.
Load More Replies...Jake Gyllenhaal Was A Lifeguard
He has really grown into his face though eh? What a lovely looking man.
Sheryl Crow Was A Music Teacher In An Elementary School
I opened the door for her at Starbucks. She seemed to be a very nice person.
Evangeline Lilly Worked As A Flight Attendant
She was also in one of those late night chat line commercials. It was even airing during Lost!
I haven't seen her in such a long time. Not the fresh faced kid anymore but still attractive!
Adrien Brody Performed Magic Shows At Children's Birthday Parties As "The Amazing Adrien"
He's just damned sexy! I have a thing for men with noses that are classic and big.... like his! It gives them such sexy character!
Rachel Mcadams Worked At McDonalds
Lucy Liu Was A Secretary, Aerobics Instructor And A Hostess
How? Lol - She certainly looks different, but so does everyone else with age and fashion trends overtime. She hasn't lost any of her natural features.
Load More Replies...Jon Bon Jovi Worked As A Christmas Decoration Maker
At first I didn't read the 'maker, so I thought he work as a Christmas decoration XD
Matthew Mcconaughey Cleaned Chicken Coops And Washed Dishes
Julia Roberts Worked As A Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Scooper
As we say in German: "She could eat a banana sideways".
Load More Replies...Bradley Cooper Worked As A Doorman At The Morgans Hotel
Mick Jagger Was A Bexley Mental Hospital Porter
Age..and offshore switzerland bank accounts and much more I guess?
Load More Replies...Jennifer Aniston Was A Telemarketer
She's obviously a vampire. (Meant in the nicest way.)
Load More Replies...Jennifer Lopez Worked In A Law Office
Walt Disney Was A Paper Boy
Halle Berry Used To Work At Daily Express
Ashton Kutcher Swept Cereal Dust At A General Mills Factory, Sold His Blood For Extra Cash
If you give blood in the UK you get a wee certificate and tea & biscuits.
lol!so english... very classy. In France we all see a doctor just before the donation, respond to 200 questions, and after we got a "jambon-beurre" (baguette with ham and butter), so french! We can choose biscuits and tea too, but i always took a "jambon-beurre" ^^
Load More Replies...I and a few friends, used to sell plasma in college. It was a fast 20.00 bucks, you got the blood back minus the plasma, and it didn't hurt!
It did not hurt when you are healthy, and if you don't do it too often. The thing which is shocking me is the fact that they don't see doctors, there is no control at all. And finally very fragile people, economically and with health problem could donate too. And this is very harmfull for them, but they have no choice, because it is money, and they are starving. I can't figure how this coud happen in a "developped" country. It is taking from the poors for giving to the rich, because poor people are not people, they don't deserve to be healthy and have money, they made bad choices????????????????? think that all of these is behind that. In France, blood donation came to High school, and everybody is happy, the youngs are healthy, and glad to miss one hour or two because donating blood.corrupt your youngs, don't punish your poors loool
Load More Replies...Queen Latifah Worked At McDonalds
Kate Bosworth Was A Competitive Horse Rider
Michael Fassbender Was An Altar Boy At Weddings And Baptisms, Conducted Market Research For Britain's Royal Mail And Had Numerous Bartending Positions
In Ireland the altar staff gets money for funerals and weddings, you can get a bit of money during the summer for the weddings!
Load More Replies...Vince Vaughn Was A Lifeguard At The YMCA
Patrick Dempsey Was A Juggler
Jake Johnson Used To Sell Burritos Out Of A Van
Ozzy Osbourne Used To Work At A Slaughterhouse
If I had worked at a slaughterhouse, I would probably have used drugs and alcohol to hide my pain.
I hope you’re vegan or your comment is completely hypocritical.
Load More Replies...I really dislike him anyway. He's a disgusting, horrible horrific man and should be imprisoned for animal abuse and murduering.
Madonna Worked At Dunkin Donuts Until She Got Fired
I know when my mom worked at a doughnut place she was fired for working too slow when she burned her hands.
Load More Replies...Never liked her or her music. For the life of me, i don't understand why people fawn over her. She's not all that, IMHO of course.
Demi Moore Was A Debt Collector
Rumours say that she was really successful debt collector because everybody always paid her Moore :)
Elon Musk Shoveled Dirt In A Boiler Room For $18/hour
Where was this boiler that he got $18 an hour for shoveling in? Not too shabby
The average wage for a trash collector in the US is $16 an hour, though this is 2017..
Wow especially back when he was that age. $18 wonder what that place pays now. 😂
James Franco Worked At McDonalds
Megan Fox Was A Waitress, She Quit Because Customers Couldn't Keep Their Hands Off Her Body
And she was way prettier then. She should not have undergone all those plastic surgeries. Her lips are awful now and she looks like an artificial doll. She used to be gorgeous.
WTF?! I don't care how pretty she was.No one has the right to sexually harras someone.
She has really messed her face up. She looked perfectly normal. And I think she was a freaking child when she was in a Mary Kate and Ashley movie so where was this restaurant and who were its patrons because I'm fairly sure they're all pedophiles! Ew!
Gwen Stefani Worked At Dairy Queen
Eva Mendes Worked In A Pizza Place And A Hot Dog Stand In Local Mall
Courtney Cox Worked For A New York Concert Booking Agency
Pink Worked At McDonalds
Amy Adams Was A Hooters Waitress
Seems the most obvious way to rebel when you think about it.
Load More Replies...Once she was 18, maybe she didn't want to continue in the Mormon church... and got a job at bootees and I'm sure made huge tips!
Nelly Furtado Used To Work As A Chambermaid
Will Ferrell Was A Hotel Valet
Lady Gaga Was A Waitress
Tina Fey Was A Snack Bar Server At A Swim Club
She's one of the brightest, funniest people alive. She's beautiful to boot.
Marisa Tomei Worked At A Tony Roma's Steakhouse
Met her in Greenwich Village about 10 years ago. She is a class act!
Eminem Was A Short-Order Cook
Blake Shelton Used To Paint Houses
Julianne Moore Was A Waitress
And now she's been noted as one of the highest paid actresses for several years.
Ewan Mcgregor Was A Stagehand At Perth Repertory Theatre
Mariah Carey Studied Cosmetology And Had Several Jobs In Salons Before She Gave Up On That Dream
"studied" ? one can actually "study" cosmetology? ehmmm, i am too much european i guess?
Didn't realize how dumb she is until she was on American Idol. She couldn't put 2 words together or form an intelligent sentence.
Harry Styles Worked At The W. Mandeville Bakery In Holmes Chapel
Rooney Mara Was A Summer Camp Counselor
I find this hard to believe. Rooney comes from a well-known wealthy family (New York Giants founders, politicians, etc) 🤔
Camp counselor is actually a pretty common job up north for young people just like waitressing and fast food. Her family had money not her. Maybe she didn't want to live off them and if was a fun and rewarding job.
Load More Replies...She looks way happier in the first pic, not to mention prettier. Women shouldn't starve themselves to be beautiful. Everyone's perfect the way they are.
Or at least, in that picture with that particular facial expression.
Load More Replies...Clearly just for the hell of it, as her family is retardedly rich.
Jennifer Garner Was A Restaurant Hostess
Andrew Garfield Worked At Starbucks
Beyoncé Used To Sweep Up Hair In Mama Tina Knowles' Hair Salon
Please I'm sure she worked her a*s off. Ever been in a hair salon?? And FYI I worked for my father for many years and I worked hard. I earned every penny I made and was expected to excel or it was my a*s. Just bc a parent gives you a job doesn't mean you don't work. I had to work harder than everyone else and got paid the same. And let's be real I'm sure she did way more than just sweep floors.
Her original nose, was much better. Current nose is way too small for her face!
America Ferrera Worked As A Waitress While Attending The University Of Southern California
Sarah Silverman Waited Tables At A Mexican Restaurant Called La Cantina
Lana Del Rey Was A Waitress
Jennifer Hudson Worked At Burger King
@ sondre, you are a jerk and there are special places in hell for people like you
Nobody called your petition, bummer asshole. Just mind your own business and oil your own damn machine.
Load More Replies...You really should just not comment instead of judging someone.
Load More Replies...Tom Cruise Attended Seminary With An Aspiration Of Becoming A Priest
It's different flavors of brainwashing. All gods are imaginary.
Load More Replies...Makes you wonder, get him, Gary busey, nick nolte, and Christopher walken in a room together that would be some entertaining TV right there. ROFL
Then he decided he'd just tell everyone he thought he was from outspace, and would one day return there... just another of those Scientology claims!
Gotta love those personality types that always need something to be extremist about.
Elizabeth Banks Was A Waitress
Chace Crawford Worked At Abercrombie & Fitch
Simon Cowell Was A Post Boy At Emi Record Label
Now he works at being a supreme c******d. And is PROFOUNDLY successful at it!
Sarah Jessica Parker Trained In Singing And Ballet
Ashley Judd Was A Hostess At The Ivy Restaurant
Ellen Pompeo Was A Bartender
She still plays that role. Grey's Anatomy is about to kick off it's 14th season and is one of the most popular, well-written, most award-winning, and longest running medical dramas in American Television. I mean, I can believe someone in this country has never seen an episode, but to have never heard of it? I don't believe that for a second. I think those people are just trying to sound cool, being all "who? what? never heard of it". Kind of like I do with One Direction.
Matthew Morrison Worked At Gap
Gwyneth Paltrow Was A Waitress
I'm betting it was for 10 minutes at her parents country club.
Load More Replies...she wanted live like common people, wanted do what common people do
Would she like not let them name the restaurant, because it was not avant-garde enough?
Kanye West Was A Sales Assistant At Gap
Oh, I thought that constant "please punch me in the d**k" scowl was a newly cultivated look. Nope, he's apparently always looked like he was just this side of a ginormous a*s-whuppin.
Even young, he looks pissed at the world, like it owes him something...
Kelly Clarkson Worked As A Cocktail Waitress At Multiple Comedy Clubs In Texas
50 Cent Used To Be A Dealer
Do you see the boat behind him? That should tell you what kind of dealer
Don't forget weapons charges. Unfortunately some people look up to him.
Naya Rivera Worked As A Waitress At Hooters
Chelsea Handler Was A Waitress At A Morton's Steakhouse
Jay-Z Was A Drug Dealer
So the comments on Tim Allen are "prefer him as a dealer" but for Jay Z it's "not surprised" ... some readers need to take a long hard look at themselves
Oh I don't know, could it possibly have to do with him making song about drug dealing, glorifying that lifestyle? But typical of people like you to resort to calling racism on everything, maybe take a good look at yourself.
Load More Replies...Nicki Minaj Was A Waitress
Holy Madison Worked As A Waitress At Hooters
OMG, I actually wrote "wan" instead of one?!
Load More Replies...Many of those are not surprising at all. I mean, actors and actresses working as waiters? Hardly a surprise.
Agreed! People need to stop praising her for that. The praise should go to those who actually volunteer for that type of work.
Load More Replies...Just because you're rich and famous doesn't make you a better person than a regular Joe.
Also, just because you're poor and obscure it doesn't make you a saint.
Load More Replies...The work and diligence melt the ice! - "arbeit und fleiss - bricht man eis!" - as the Germans say!
it is not a surprise that channing tatum used to be a stripper just watch magic mike and magic mike xxxl
Many of those are not surprising at all. I mean, actors and actresses working as waiters? Hardly a surprise.
Agreed! People need to stop praising her for that. The praise should go to those who actually volunteer for that type of work.
Load More Replies...Just because you're rich and famous doesn't make you a better person than a regular Joe.
Also, just because you're poor and obscure it doesn't make you a saint.
Load More Replies...The work and diligence melt the ice! - "arbeit und fleiss - bricht man eis!" - as the Germans say!
it is not a surprise that channing tatum used to be a stripper just watch magic mike and magic mike xxxl
