Celebrities' First Jobs: What Actors and Musicians Did Before They Were Famous

Humble Beginnings

It wasn't always champagne and caviar for the celebs we see traveling to Cannes by private jet. While it's impossible to say all celebrities are just like the rest of us (we're looking at you, Gwyneth Paltrow), at least some have paid their dues (if not their taxes) — with quite a few of them holding down extremely ordinary jobs before hitting the big time.

Sean Connery

Before becoming James Bond on the silver screen, Connery worked as a milkman, bricklayer, lifeguard, and coffin polisher.

Jennifer Garner

Long before her breakout role on the television show "Alias," Garner had a string of ordinary jobs to pay the bills. Some of her lesser-known gigs included working as a babysitter and a hostess at a New York restaurant.

Tom Cruise

There are few celebrities on the planet as recognizable as Cruise, who starred in "Risky Business" and "Top Gun" and continues to thrill audiences in "Mission: Impossible" films. But before he was a star, Cruise was a hotel bellhop.

Whoopi Goldberg

Before becoming famous in film, stand-up, and most recently as a co-host on "The View," Goldberg was employed in a number of unglamorous jobs. Her pre-showbiz employment included working as a morgue beautician and bricklayer.

Johnny Depp

Depp made millions as Capt. Jack Sparrow in "The Pirates of the Caribbean" films, but he was not so great at telemarketing. Depp sold pens over the telephone, but has said he particularly disliked having to call strangers to convince them to buy something.

Amy Adams

Though she's now an Oscar winner, Adams once worked as a hostess and server at the food chain Hooters, calling it just a way to earn money for college.

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Jerry Seinfeld

Early in his comedy career, in between stand-up appearances, the future star of "Seinfeld" sold light bulbs over the phone and peddled knockoff jewelry on the streets of New York City. These days, thanks to his later successes, he has one of the most enviable celebrity car collections.

Jennifer Hudson

Oscar-winner Hudson, who famously appeared on "American Idol" before skyrocketing to fame, began her career in a fast-food restaurant. At 16 she worked at a Burger King on East 87th and State Street in Chicago. According to TMZ, Burger King offered her a gold card for a lifetime supply of free food.

Jim Carrey

When it comes to humble beginnings, it doesn't get more blue collar than working in a factory cleaning floors. That's how Carrey earned cash before starring in such blockbusters as "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" and "Dumb and Dumber."

Helen Mirren

The regal Mirren is famous for movies such as "Elizabeth I" and "The Queen," but she hasn't always lived like royalty. One of her first roles was serving as a promoter for an amusement park in Southend on Sea in the United Kingdom.

Hugh Jackman

Long before becoming famous as Wolverine in the "X-Men" franchise, Jackman worked as a physical education teacher at Uppingham School in England.

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Jennifer Aniston

While we all know Aniston as the waitress-turned-fashion executive Rachel Green on the sitcom "Friends," the star also had a rocky start. Before her career took off, she worked in telemarketing. (And here we thought she was a server at Chotchkie's.)

Kanye West

While it's hard to imagine West serving others humbly at any point, he was a sales assistant at The Gap before becoming a musician, designer, and (now ex-) husband to Kim Kardashian.

Ellen Degeneres

Degeneres didn't always have her own cushy talk show gig. She went through a range of jobs early in life, including stints at JCPenney and TGI Fridays.

Tina Fey

Fey is famous for creating the TV show "30 Rock" and appearing on "Saturday Night Live," But before fame and fortune, she worked at a YMCA in Chicago.

Ashton Kutcher

Before following in Charlie Sheen's footsteps in "Two and a Half Men," Kutcher helped his dad with construction projects, worked at a grocery store, and swept floors at a PepsiCo/Quaker Oats factory.

Demi Moore

Before Demi was part of the Brat Pack in movies such as "St. Elmo's Fire," she worked as a debt collector.

Christopher Walken

Given his reputation for playing quirky characters, Walken's early work as a lion tamer at a circus seems fitting. Luckily, he gave up that gig and went on to star in films such as "Wedding Crashers" and "The Deer Hunter."

Rachel McAdams

Before her role in "Mean Girls" catapulted her to fame, this daughter of a nurse and a truck driver spent three years selling burgers at McDonald's.

Jon Bon Jovi

Before Bon Jovi was rich and famous as a rock star, he worked as a Christmas decoration maker. He later went on to work as a janitor.

Matt LeBlanc

Though his "Friends" character wasn't someone to be trusted with tools, LeBlanc was thankfully far removed from Joey. Before he was raking in millions per episode on the long-running sitcom, he worked as a carpenter.

Gwen Stefani

Pop star Gwen Stefani started her working life at a Dairy Queen in Orange County. She worked at the ice cream and food shop during her senior year in high school before agreeing to sing in a band her brother had formed called ... you guessed it: No Doubt.

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Vince Vaughn

Long before breaking out in "Swingers," Vaughn worked as a lifeguard at a YMCA. Apparently saving lives wasn't his true calling — he was fired from the job.

Matthew Morrison

Morrison knew he wanted to be an entertainer from a young age. But before making his way to the cast of several high-profile Broadway shows and "Glee," he too sold clothes at The Gap.