Entertainment
When you're trying to establish your career, regardless of your field, you likely had to take a job or two that weren't quite as glamorous as you'd have liked. And even if you were one of the lucky ones who could land a great job in your field right away, while you were still considered entry-level, you probably had to do some things that didn't necessarily directly translate to what you were hoping to do later on (and maybe that you didn't like). The freakiest jobs these celebrities had before they were famous indicate that you weren't alone and that, in terms of odd jobs, at least, they might be a little bit more like you than you thought — they didn't make it big in their chosen field immediately either.
That's not to say that you too once drove strippers to their gigs or picked up underwear tossed at famous people, but you might have done something similarly unique; something that's a bit out of the ordinary when it comes to early-in-your-working-life jobs. These kinds of jobs also serve as a good reminder that not everyone becomes a success right away and that sometimes you have to find a way to make things work, whether that means changing your dream or making sacrifices in order to go after it, in the hopes that one day you will, in fact, be in a position to have the job that you truly want.
1
Jon Hamm
Though Jon Hamm is now, of course, a very successful actor (most famous for his role on Mad Men), he previously worked as a set dresser in a different genre of film. In an interview with The Guardian, Hamm said that he was working as a set dresser for porn films when former girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt (who at the time wasn't yet someone he knew well) asked him to be in a play in New York.
2
Ozzy Osbourne
It may or may not be surprising to hear that Ozzy Osbourne had a few strange jobs in the past. NPR reported that, in his autobiography I Am Ozzy (co-written with Chris Ayres), Osbourne wrote about his time working in a slaughterhouse. That's certainly not everyone's typical job.
3
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg has been successful for awhile, but before she achieved what she has in her career, she worked in a very different field. HuffPost reported that Goldberg told Oprah's Masterclass that she previously did hair and makeup at a funeral home.
4
Brad Pitt
Like many actors — and everyday people — Brad Pitt has had several strange jobs. On Inside the Actors Studio, Pitt said that one of his previous jobs was driving strippers to their gigs. If you didn't even know that that was a job, you're not alone.
5
Geena Davis
Geena Davis started out working as a model and a sales clerk, but Shape reported that her big break came after an agent spotted her working on a Saturday as a mannequin in a window at Ann Taylor. I wonder how many people walking by would've thought that they would see her starring in movies later on.
6
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus became known for her starring role on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, where she played a regular girl living a double life as a famous pop star, prior to moving towards singing (and other acting jobs) herself. But Cyrus's father (who also appeared on the show) is Billy Ray Cyrus, who was a big-time star in his own right when Miley was growing up. Miley told Rolling Stone that her dad would pay her $10 to pick up the bras and underwear fans would toss at him during his shows when she was a kid. An unorthodox first job, to say the least.
7
Christopher Walken
Actor Christopher Walken has had quite a bit of success over the course of his career, but before he was famous, he had a more unusual job. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Walken said that when he was a kid, he worked for a circus as a mini lion tamer.
Celebrities weren't necessarily always famous for the job that they do now. Your favorite star might have worked freakier, more unusual jobs than you would have thought they did before finding fame. And though in certain ways celebrities are just like anyone else, in other ways, their lives are, well, a bit different — maybe even different than you would've expected.
