ADVERTISEMENT

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!

#1

Steve Buscemi Was A Firefighter. During The 9/11 Attacks He Returned To His Former Job As A New York Firefighter To Help Out

Steve Buscemi Was A Firefighter. During The 9/11 Attacks He Returned To His Former Job As A New York Firefighter To Help Out

Joseph Marzullo Report

#2

Christopher Walken Was A Lion Tamer, He Was 16 At The Time And Would Perform With A Lioness Named Sheba

Christopher Walken Was A Lion Tamer, He Was 16 At The Time And Would Perform With A Lioness Named Sheba

Laurence Agron Report

#3

Danny DeVito Was A Hairdresser For Corpses, He Would Style Women's Hair To Make Them Look Beautiful Before They Went Six Feet Under

Danny DeVito Was A Hairdresser For Corpses, He Would Style Women's Hair To Make Them Look Beautiful Before They Went Six Feet Under

Matt Sayles Report

#4

Harrison Ford Was A Carpenter

Harrison Ford Was A Carpenter

Sergio Mendes , Alexandra Wyman Report

#5

Christopher Lee Worked For The Intelligence Service

Christopher Lee Worked For The Intelligence Service

Pascal Le Segretain Report

Add photo comments
POST
annasheridan avatar
Anna Sheridan
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This man is actually one of the most awesome people ever seriously look up his bio

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

Johnny Depp Worked As A Telemarketer And Hated It, He Only Made One Sale - And Promptly Talked The Customer Out Of The Purchase

Johnny Depp Worked As A Telemarketer And Hated It, He Only Made One Sale - And Promptly Talked The Customer Out Of The Purchase

Dior Report

#8

Pierce Brosnan Was A Professional Fire Eater In His Teens And Performed Under The Big Top For Three Years

Pierce Brosnan Was A Professional Fire Eater In His Teens And Performed Under The Big Top For Three Years

Frazer Harrison Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Jim Carrey Quit School To Support His Family And Started Working As A Janitor

Jim Carrey Quit School To Support His Family And Started Working As A Janitor

Evan Agostini Report

Add photo comments
POST
mastermarkus avatar
Master Markus
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably should've stayed in school in order to not be gullible enough for your wife to convince you that vaccines cause autism!

g_devolver avatar
Nataliia Gurzhiy
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You know he had no choice. But perhaps, insulting him and getting 23 likes for that is the biggest achivement in your life.

Load More Replies...
junepixeld avatar
June Pixeld
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Theres a lot of material with him on youtube, but his what is love dance is forever stuck in my head.

anetteaas avatar
Anette De Leon
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did anyone notice his nose looks like it's saggig or is it just me?

nbmay avatar
Ztata
Community Member
6 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Omg, how old he is? Is he get older someday? He have a very good aryan dna.... forever young!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#10

Brad Pitt Used To Dress Up As A Chicken For An El Pollo Loco Restaurant In Hollywood

Brad Pitt Used To Dress Up As A Chicken For An El Pollo Loco Restaurant In Hollywood

EMPPL PA Wire Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#11

Barack Obama Was An Ice Cream Scooper At Baskin Robbins

Barack Obama Was An Ice Cream Scooper At Baskin Robbins

Obama White House Report

#13

Bob Ross Was A Sergeant In The Air Force

Bob Ross Was A Sergeant In The Air Force

Bob Ross Inc Report

Add photo comments
POST
diresilverwolf avatar
BREAK YOUr perceptions
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

George Clooney Sold Women's Shoes, Was A Door-To-Door Insurance Salesman, Stocked Shelves, Was A Construction Worker, Cut Tobacco

George Clooney Sold Women's Shoes, Was A Door-To-Door Insurance Salesman, Stocked Shelves, Was A Construction Worker, Cut Tobacco

Kevin Wilkes , David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock Report

#15

Bill Murray Used To Sell Chestnuts Outside Of A Chicago Grocery Store

Bill Murray Used To Sell Chestnuts Outside Of A Chicago Grocery Store

Dominique Charriau Report

#16

Gal Gadot Served In The Israeli Defense Forces

Gal Gadot Served In The Israeli Defense Forces

gal_gadot Report

Add photo comments
POST
aahzmanduspervect avatar
Aahzmandus Pervect
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Israel, conscription was mandatory for men and women. It's not like it was her choice.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

David Bowie Worked As A Butcher's Delivery Boy

David Bowie Worked As A Butcher's Delivery Boy

Steve Schapiro Report

Add photo comments
POST
leannemariedantoni avatar
Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He drew up plans for his first band in grade 7 (or earlier!)--lights, outfits, hair--the whole thing!

View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

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

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

FayesVision / WENN Report

#19

Jason Lee Was A Professional Skateboarder

Jason Lee Was A Professional Skateboarder

Kevin Winter Report

#20

Chris Pratt Worked As A Stripper While Struggling To Make A Living In Hawaii

Chris Pratt Worked As A Stripper While Struggling To Make A Living In Hawaii

Gregg DeGuire , prattprattpratt Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#21

Helen Mirren Worked As A Promoter For An Amusement Park In Southend On Sea

Helen Mirren Worked As A Promoter For An Amusement Park In Southend On Sea

Bentley Archive/Popperfoto , Jeff Vespa Report

Add photo comments
POST
alusairalustriel avatar
Alusair Alustriel
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

Tom Hanks Was A Popcorn And Peanuts Vendor

Tom Hanks Was A Popcorn And Peanuts Vendor

Dennis Plehn , Paul Treadway Report

#23

Kate Winslet Was A Sandwich Maker In A Delicatessen

Kate Winslet Was A Sandwich Maker In A Delicatessen

Ian Gavan Report

#24

Liam Neeson Trained To Be A Teacher

Liam Neeson Trained To Be A Teacher

Report

#25

Whoopi Goldberg Was A Morgue Beautician

Whoopi Goldberg Was A Morgue Beautician

Jason Kempin Report

#26

Sandra Bullock Worked As A Bartender And Waitress At A Restaurant In Manhattan

Sandra Bullock Worked As A Bartender And Waitress At A Restaurant In Manhattan

Alessio Botticelli Report

#27

Tim Allen Was A Drug Dealer

Tim Allen Was A Drug Dealer

Report

#29

Nicole Kidman Studied Massage So She Could Help Her Mother, Who Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, With Physical Therapy

Nicole Kidman Studied Massage So She Could Help Her Mother, Who Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, With Physical Therapy

Patrick Riviere , Georges Biard Report

#30

Gerard Butler Was A Trainee Lawyer But Got Fired Due To His Partying And Frequently Missing Work

Gerard Butler Was A Trainee Lawyer But Got Fired Due To His Partying And Frequently Missing Work

Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#31

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

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

Report

#32

Jon Hamm Was A Set-Dresser For Porn Films

Jon Hamm Was A Set-Dresser For Porn Films

Pascal Le Segretain Report

Add photo comments
POST
lethaldose9 avatar
Brandon Collinsworth
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If the rumors about him are true then he was equipped enough he could have starred in a few

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

Victoria Beckham Played A Sperm On Roller Skates For A BBC Sex Education Show Called ‘Body Matters’

Victoria Beckham Played A Sperm On Roller Skates For A BBC Sex Education Show Called ‘Body Matters’

Neilson Barnard Report

#34

Michelle Pfeiffer Was A Cashier At A Supermarket

Michelle Pfeiffer Was A Cashier At A Supermarket

Gary Gershoff Report

Add photo comments
POST
alusairalustriel avatar
Alusair Alustriel
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I adore her looks. Ever since I was a kid I found her one of the prettiest women there were :D

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

Jake Gyllenhaal Was A Lifeguard

Jake Gyllenhaal Was A Lifeguard

Araya Diaz Report

#36

Sheryl Crow Was A Music Teacher In An Elementary School

Sheryl Crow Was A Music Teacher In An Elementary School

Jason Merritt Report

#38

Adrien Brody Performed Magic Shows At Children's Birthday Parties As "The Amazing Adrien"

Adrien Brody Performed Magic Shows At Children's Birthday Parties As "The Amazing Adrien"

Jim Smeal , Daniel Zuchnik Report

#40

Lucy Liu Was A Secretary, Aerobics Instructor And A Hostess

Lucy Liu Was A Secretary, Aerobics Instructor And A Hostess

celebmafia Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#41

Jon Bon Jovi Worked As A Christmas Decoration Maker

Jon Bon Jovi Worked As A Christmas Decoration Maker

Report

Add photo comments
POST
santoynigovenice avatar
CookieChep
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At first I didn't read the 'maker, so I thought he work as a Christmas decoration XD

View more commentsArrow down menu
#42

Matthew Mcconaughey Cleaned Chicken Coops And Washed Dishes

Matthew Mcconaughey Cleaned Chicken Coops And Washed Dishes

Peter Kramer Report

#43

Julia Roberts Worked As A Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Scooper

Julia Roberts Worked As A Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Scooper

Dan MacMedan Report

#44

Bradley Cooper Worked As A Doorman At The Morgans Hotel

Bradley Cooper Worked As A Doorman At The Morgans Hotel

abaca Report

#45

Mick Jagger Was A Bexley Mental Hospital Porter

Mick Jagger Was A Bexley Mental Hospital Porter

ANGELA WEISS Report

#47

Jennifer Lopez Worked In A Law Office

Jennifer Lopez Worked In A Law Office

Jon Kopaloff Report

#50

Ashton Kutcher Swept Cereal Dust At A General Mills Factory, Sold His Blood For Extra Cash

Ashton Kutcher Swept Cereal Dust At A General Mills Factory, Sold His Blood For Extra Cash

NBC Report

Note: this post originally had 103 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda