14 Regular Jobs That Celebrities Used to Do Before They Got into Show Business

It might seem quite difficult to comprehend sometimes, but celebrities are just like everyone else and they especially used to be before they got famous. Yes, their lives are filled with photoshoots, interviews and fans asking for a photo, but besides that, they are humans just like us. And before they got their big break, most of them were working-class people who would do any job they could in order to make ends meet.

1. Kate Winslet — a sales assistant at the grocery store

Before becoming a movie star, Kate Winslet worked at a delicatessen. Once, she was making a turkey sandwich for one of the customers and suddenly got a call where she was informed that she landed a role on Heavenly Creatures. The future Titanic star was so stunned that she immediately left her workplace without finishing the sandwich.

2. Jim Carrey — janitor

Jim Carrey first debuted as a stand-up comedian when he was just 15 years old. However, at that time, he couldn’t make a living off of it. And because Carrey and his family lived in a van back then, in order to financially support them, the day he turned 16, he started working as a janitor in a factory.

Carrey dropped out of high school and worked at the factory for 2 years until, one day, he managed to make a living working as a professional comedian.

3. Eva Mendes — selling hot dogs

Long before she had her acting career breakthrough, Eva Mendes worked in the food industry. At first, she worked in a pizzeria, then she sold hot dogs in a shopping mall.

4. Hugh Jackman — a party clown

Before Hugh Jackman took up an acting career, he used to entertain kids at parties. But Jackman admitted that he was really bad at magic, and in an interview, he revealed: “I was Coco the Clown, and I had no magic tricks, and I remember a 6-year-old standing up at a party saying, ’Mommy, this clown is terrible, he doesn’t know any tricks,’ and he was right.”

5. Jennifer Aniston — a telemarketer

Before Jennifer Aniston got her pivotal role on the Friends TV show, she worked different part-time jobs. One of her jobs was a telemarketer. She was selling time-shares (the right to use a property under a time-sharing scheme) in the Poconos. According to Aniston, she was terrible at it and couldn’t make even one sale.

6. Whoopi Goldberg — a mortuary cosmetologist

Before becoming an actress, Whoopi Goldberg worked a few odd jobs, including a mortuary cosmetologist. She applied for the job because she attended beauty school and is a licensed beautician.

7. Brad Pitt — chicken mascot

Dressed up as a chicken, Brad Pitt used to wave a banner to attract customers to the local El Pollo Loco restaurant. In an interview, Pitt revealed that he had no shame wearing the costume, saying, “Man’s gotta eat.”

8. Gwen Stefani — selling ice cream

Long before Gwen Stefani became a popular singer, she was selling ice cream at a fast-food restaurant. She also worked as a makeup artist in a department store.

9. Jake Gyllenhaal — lifeguard

Before becoming a successful actor, Jake Gyllenhaal used to watch over swimmers at the beach. While he was on duty, there were no major incidents. However, Gyllenhaal still happened to come in handy for one person. A swimmer was stung by a jellyfish and Gyllenhaal helped to relieve his pain.

10. Mick Jagger — a porter at a mental hospital

Before Mick Jagger became the frontman of the iconic rock band, The Rolling Stones, he temporarily worked as a porter at Bexley Hospital. This took place back in 1961 when he entered the London School of Economics to study finance and accounting.

11. Miley Cyrus — a cleaner

Before the Disney TV series Hannah Montana made her famous, Miley Cyrus worked as a cleaner for a cleaning company. She joined the company when she was 11. She had to clean houses and even toilets. But it’s worth mentioning that she liked her job very much.

12. Tom Selleck — farmer

Best known for appearing in modern TV classics like Magnum P.I., Tom Selleck has been nominated for an Emmy several times. His performance as Thomas Magnum landed him a Golden Globe and an Emmy for Best Actor. He then decided to leave Hollywood for a while to become an avocado farmer in a 60-acre ranch in California where he lives with his family.

13. Jennifer Lopez — a secretary

Jennifer Lopez is one of the most popular artists of today. She’s proven to the world that she’s a talented dancer, actress, and singer. But Lopez used to work as a secretary at a law firm. Her responsibilities included filing tax returns for policemen and firefighters. She even became a licensed notary later on.

14. Cole Sprouse — archeologist and photographer

Despite his early success in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, which he acted in along with his brother Dylan, Cole Sprouse didn’t stop there. After working in other movies and TV shows, he chose to focus on his studies instead of acting. In 2015, he graduated from NYU and became an archeologist. He even participated in some excavations. He also has a passion for photography and often works as a fashion photographer for important magazines such as Vogue.

Before you managed to get the job you wanted, what random occupations did you have to do in order to make ends meet?