Ever wondered what celebrities did before they became famous? Not everyone who walks the red carpet were lucky enough to be stars from childhood. Before people found acting or singing or whatever career brought them success, celebrities had to make a living somehow. You may not know about some of the jobs that famous people did on the way to landing their big break. They may even surprise you a little bit. So, let’s take a step back from the glitz and glam of Hollywood life and see what jobs a few of our much-loved celebrities started off with.
Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe will probably always be associated with Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, but the New Zealand actor was working long before the 2000 epic. From 1980 onwards, Crowe was employed in several jobs on the road to becoming an actor. From waiter to performer under the name ‘Russ Le Roq’, he certainly tried his hand at a lot. His time as a bingo caller in the New Zealand city of Rotorua is one to be remembered too. Rumour has it this job did not last long because Crowe had a habit of using foul language and was fired shortly after being given the role. Nevertheless, his time in the bingo halls developed a love of the game that remains to this day. In 2017, bingo is more popular than ever, thanks to new, social and varied ways to play bingo online as well as due to the game hitting the clubs and bars and appealing to a wider demographic. Russell would no doubt be welcomed back with open arms to do a guest appearance or two in the places of his youth or trendy bingo club nights.
Beyoncé
Believe it or not, Queen B, like a lot of celebrities, had to work to get to her worldwide, best-selling artist superstar status. Her role as one one-third of Destiny’s Child may have started early, before her twentieth birthday in fact, but that does not mean that she wasn’t in need of some extra cash in the beginning of her career. Beyoncé revealed in a candid documentary about her life in 2013 that she actually spent her youth working in her mother’s salon, sweeping up hair to earn some money. Unlike Russell Crowe though, it would probably be unlikely for Beyoncé to return to clearing out people’s hair anytime soon.
Madonna
Madonna is another star whose pre-fame jobs might surprise you. Despite receiving a scholarship to study dance, Madonna had bigger ambitions. The ‘Queen of Pop’ did not have much money during her quest for the limelight and took on a number of positions to fund herself. She found work as an occasional model, but mainly as a waitress. Her stint at Dunkin’ Donuts has garnered much attention over the years. Usually looking up and seeing Madonna serving you would be a starstruck moment nowadays, but she was apparently fired after only a day because she squirted jam over a customer! Perhaps it was good that she was a coat-check clerk when she worked at the Russian Tea Room in New York, as opposed to someone carrying trays of tea and cake then!
Brad Pitt
Last, but certainly not least, Brad Pitt’s previous work deserves a mention. Before establishing himself as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Pitt was an aspiring actor, fresh out of college and needing a job to pay for acting classes. Brad found employment at El Pollo Loco, a Mexican restaurant and spent his days dressed up as a giant chicken, promoting the fast food chain. This was in addition to him moving fridges and driving a limo full of strippers. What a crazy sight that would be today!
There we have it. Our much loved stars had to start from somewhere, whether that is in the bingo industry or as a Mexican chicken mascot. You never know what surprising things celebrities did before finding fame – and these ones are just the tip of the iceberg.