13 Celebrities Who Used to Do Ordinary Jobs Before Becoming Famous

Rising to fame of many celebrities was long and difficult — years of study, endless auditions, and participation in different contests. So, celebrities had to do odd jobs for a living before they became famous.

At CHEERY, we became curious what our favorite celebrities used to do for a living before rising to fame.

Madonna

In 1978, Madonna dropped out of college and moved to New York to become famous. At first, she worked as a dancer and sales assistant at a donut shop. A year later, she got a job as a cloakroom attendant in a restaurant and started her music career at the same time.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt came to conquer Hollywood in 1986. He had to work hard to earn his living and pay for his acting classes. So, Pitt used to work as a limousine chauffeur, a furniture mover, as well as a costumed mascot for a restaurant chain where the future actor had to dress up as a giant chicken.

Harry Styles

Before Harry Styles rose to fame by appearing on the X Factor talent show, he worked at a bakery in his home village of Holmes Chapel. By the way, the singer’s former colleagues were very supportive when he decided to participate in the show. They even decorated the windows of the bakery with posters urging people to vote for Harry.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams worked at McDonald’s for 3 years along with her brother and sister. According to the actress, she wasn’t a great employee. She even broke the orange juice machine once.

Stephen King

Stephen King began writing while he was still at school. He sold his short stories to his friends and acquaintances. One day, his teachers found out about his little business and forced him to return all the money he had earned. Later King wrote for a local fanzine.

However, when he finished school, he had to find a more profitable job. To pay for his studies at the university, Stephen worked in a laundry, at a gas station, and he also worked as janitor for some time.

Kate Middleton

Before becoming royalty, Kate Middleton worked as a buyer for luxury fashion store, Jigsaw. According to her, she got this job after calling the brand’s founder. Besides, Duchess of Cambridge organized photography exhibitions and charity events, and developed catalogue design for the company run by her parents.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford’s acting career didn’t start off immediately. In the beginning, he rarely received offers for roles, and those offered to him, he didn’t like. So, he decided to change his profession and become a carpenter.

Among his clients were the writers Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne who later became friends. Their house was often visited by people from the movie industry, including Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. So one day, when casting director Fred Roos noticed young Harrison, he scheduled for him an audition with George Lucas.

Gwen Stefani

Before becoming a famous singer, 20-year-old Gwen worked as a makeup artist in a department store. And before that she sold ice cream at a Dairy Queen.

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria wanted to get a job as soon as possible to support her family. So, as a teenager, she got a job at a fast food restaurant where she made burgers. It’s worth mentioning that the actress still remembers how to make a tasty hamburger.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson’s looks suggest that he works out a lot. So, it’s no wonder that he used to be a professional athlete and played American football for the Miami Hurricanes football team. Later, Dwayne began his wrestling career being a professional wrestler for many years. He continued to wrestle in the ring until 2019 when he already acted in movies. He also worked as a dishwasher for a while.

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie is hard to please with a sandwich because she knows exactly what a perfect sandwich should be like. Before rising to fame, the actress worked in a fast food restaurant. And according to Margot, she used to be a real sandwich artist.

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj grew up in a rather poor family, and therefore she was accustomed to work from childhood. She made odd jobs after school, including being a customer service representative. Later she got a job as a waitress.

One day, some guests left the restaurant she worked in with her pen. Nicki didn’t like this and followed the guests to demand the stolen pen back. There was an argument, and she was fired. But she never regretted what she did because it was a matter of principle to her.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s mother used to own a hair salon, and because of that the future singer spent a lot of time there as a child. She would sing to clients and sweep hair off the floor for tips. According to Beyoncé, this money was enough to pay for her season pass to an entertainment park.

What was your first job? Tell us in the comments below.