Top 10 Celebrities Who Had Normal Jobs Before They Were Famous
#10: Melissa McCarthy
When this comedic actress first moved to LA, she was sharing a studio apartment, didn’t own a car, and had less than 200 dollars in her pocket. One of Melissa Macarthys’ first jobs in the city was as a barista at a Santa Monica Starbucks. And while the comedienne is now a beloved celebrity herself, she’s shared just how nervous she’d get with famous clientele. She once even started crying when her personal idol Chris Farley stopped in for a coffee. Now, McCarthy’s gone from being starstruck at starbucks to becoming one of Hollywood’s highest paid actresses.
#9: Tiffany Haddish
While she was working for Alaska Airlines on the side, Haddish didn’t reserve getting laughs for her weekend stand up shows. Even with an audience of irritated travelers and grumpy passengers, she was determined to keep things lively. But her antics didn’t always fly with management. Haddish’s jokes ended up getting her moved down to the baggage department. Facing her toughest audience yet, the charming entertainer was determined to make sure everyone left happier than they came in. The story proves that, celebrity status or not, Haddish was always destined to be a comedienne.
#8: Tom Cruise
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Born Thomas Mapother, this A-list action star didn’t grow up with a ton of money. As a result, he was no stranger to odd jobs. From a young age, he was picking up paper routes or helping out with yardwork to make some extra cash. Every penny Cruise could spare went to buying movie tickets. When he first moved to New York to pursue acting, he became a bus boy before starting to land film roles and beginning his ascent to movie stardom. Cruise’s experience in the service industry may have helped him get into character for the bartending movie “Cocktail”.
#7: Dwayne Johnson
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He’s been a collegiate football player, a professional WWF wrestler, and now he’s a global acting superstar. But before all of those titles, The Rock was working as a dishwasher. When he was just thirteen years old, Johnson would spend most of his afternoons washing dishes at his local pizza shop. Not only did the job teach him the value of hard work, but it also left a lifelong impression. According to the millionaire actor, even after all these years, he still prefers to wash his dishes by hand! It’s great to see that a superstar as famous as the Rock is still down-to-earth when it comes to chores around the house.
#6: Meghan Markle
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Before her own royal wedding was making international headlines, Meghan Markle was addressing the invitations for musician Robin Thicke’s nuptials. After excelling in handwriting classes at her all-girls Catholic school, she would later turn her gift into a profitable side hustle. When Markle was getting her start in the industry, she worked as a freelance calligraphist while auditioning and working toward her big break. She also taught others about aspects of her career and bookbinding along the way. Although Markle doesn’t need to rely on penmanship to pay the bills anymore, she’s still passionate about keeping the art of a handwritten letter alive.
#5: Steve Buscemi
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Steve Buscemi began working as a New York firefighter when he was just 18 years old. After serving in Little Italy, Manhattan for four years, he later went on to become a Hollywood success. But. the actor’s formative years in the FDNY didn’t stay in the past. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Buscemi heroically returned to his fire fighting roots. He worked long days at the site of the World Trade Center to help where he could. In a true example of art imitating life, Buscemi’s career allowed him to embody his old career onscreen. He even played a New York firefighter in Pete Davidson’s biopic “King of Staten Island.”
#4: Margot Robbie
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When listing what Harley Quinn and Margot Robbie share in common, a passion for well-made sandwiches might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But a look at the resume of this talented actress tells a different story. Before becoming a Hollywood mainstay, Robbie worked at a Subway. After spending time working as a sandwich artist at the deli chain, the aussie has shared she doesn’t often return to her former place of work. Apparently, she can’t stand when the employees have a lack of passion for their food creations and make them terribly. Robbie’s dedication to excellence has clearly carried her into an impressive acting career.
#3: Hugh Jackman
Before he was Wolverine, this actor was “Coco the Clown.” And while his performance in “The Prestige” might convince you otherwise, Jackman has shared he’s never been great with magic. The proof? According to the actor, neither he nor his young audiences were thrilled with his lack of magical prowess when he was performing as a party clown. Thankfully, Jackman eventually found his stride as an actor. But this wasn’t his only pre-fame job working with kids. The Australian also briefly worked as a PE teacher. In fact, Jackman even recognized a former student of his on the red carpet.
#2: Madonna
The pop star once joked that in another life, she might have become a Dunkin Donuts CEO. And while it’s hard imagining the pop star behind a counter instead of on a stage, it was her reality. An incident with the jelly squirting machine led to her parting ways with Dunkin. Outside of that store, she picked up odd jobs in between auditions for dance companies in New York. Madonna was once fired from her hat check gig for wearing fishnets. Yet, rather than change her ways, Madonna turned her rebellious spirit into one of the most successful pop careers of all time.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Paul Rudd
The Hollywood Hunk Was a Ham Glazer for Six Months
Wanda Sykes
The Actress Was Formerly an Employee at the National Security Administration
Chris Rock
The Comedian Worked at a Red Lobster He Couldn’t Even Afford
Rachel Mcadams
The Actress Is The First To Admit She Wasn’t the Best McDonalds Employee
Amy Poehler
The Star Worked a Not-So-Romantic Summer Job as an Ice Cream Scooper
#1: Brad Pitt
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Many movie stars have credited mentors, friends, or good old fashioned luck for getting them into the industry. But Brad Pitt has a slightly different story. The Hollywood star says adult dancers are responsible for his career. How exactly? Well, you might have heard about the actor’s stint in a chicken costume while working at an El Pollo Loco. But this wasn’t his only unconventional gig. When Pitt started working as a driver for exotic dancers, one of the girls he drove was enrolled in an acting class. One day, Pitt decided to tag along, and the rest is history.
