We think of celebrities when we hear the words glitz and glam. The whole nine yards: sprawling mansions with designer suits and gowns, red carpet premiers, etc. It’s no secret that many stars had humble beginnings and went through a lot before they became successful. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey is one of the most notable examples. She overcame poverty, sexual abuse, and even working as a waitress.
A number of celebrities were cleaners. Others worked as janitors in factories or schools, while some cleaned unusual or even creepy places. This star-studded list includes a former James Bond as well as an action legend and one of America’s sweethearts.
Here’s a list of celebrities who were once sweeping, mopping, and scrubbing before they became famous.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston’s most well-known role is that of Rachel Green, who was one of six characters in the Friends TV series. The show lasted ten seasons and aired between September 1994 and May 2004. It catapulted Aniston into worldwide stardom. Aniston was a telemarketer before she became an international TV and movie star. As a child, she also cleaned toilets to earn her allowance. Aniston revealed that, surprisingly, she was better at selling timeshares than cleaning toilets.
Sean Connery
Sean Connery worked many odd jobs before he became James Bond. He was a milkman and lifeguard in Edinburgh. His mother, Euphemia, was also a cleaner. Connery was a cleaner, but his job was much more creepy. In an interview, it was revealed that the Knight Bachelor cleaned coffins.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey, who is best known for his roles as Ace Ventura, The Truman Show, and Bruce Almighty in Ace Ventura, The Truman Show, and Bruce Almighty, struggled with money early in his life. Both he and his brother John worked as janitors in the evenings after school. The brothers also worked as security guards in the tire factory, where their father was employed. Carrey also cleaned the floors at the same plant. He had to leave school when he was 16 because his father lost his job. Then, he began to perform a little bit of comedy while working as a janitor and security guard.
Stephen King
Stephen King’s works have been adapted for movies, television series, and comic books. Stephen King is known as the “King of Horror” due to his many horror novels, including Carrie, The Shining, and It, which were all made into movies. King was a high school janitor before he became a writer. This job is responsible for many horror favorites. According to King, he came up with story ideas during his time as a high school janitor.
Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey, the comedian, TV host, and radio host, had a number of jobs prior to his success in showbusiness. Harvey, who grew up in Cleveland and worked as a grocery clerk, a paperboy, and at a Ford Factory, was a young man. When he was 26, he also ran a modest carpet cleaning business. After he stopped selling insurance and won an amateur comedy night at a club at the age of 28, he finally got his break.
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher, an actor, producer, and entrepreneur, is a multi-talented individual. As of 2017, he is also a venture capitalist, having invested in five startups. Prior to becoming all of these, however, he was a cleaner at a PepsiCo/Quaker Oats plant. He worked night shifts sweeping Cheerios and other debris from the production floor. Kutcher said that he worked this job to pay for college.
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi’s music career began at a young age. He was the lead guitarist and pianist for his teenage band and performed in local clubs and concerts as an opening act. The rock star was a cleaner at his cousin’s recording studio before he got discovered.
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone didn’t start his career as an action star immediately after moving to New York City. He began doing odd jobs. He was a cleaner at the Central Park Zoo, where he cleaned the lion enclosures. The humble beginning of the action legend is certainly what made him tough.
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey, the award-winning actor, spent time as an exchange student in Australia. He earned money washing dishes and cleaning chicken coops. This is not surprising considering the actor’s down-to-earth personality.
Did the names on this list surprise you at all? This list shows that you can achieve your dreams with hard work, determination, and a bit of luck.