The public is used to seeing actors earn millions per year and live the most glamorous life. It is hard to think of stars like Amy Adams and Tom Cruise living on a minimum wage, but they did at some point. Some celebrities even had worse struggles and earned a few dollars per week.
Although celebrities often have a lifestyle most people can't relate to now, most of them had normal jobs before fame. Washing dishes, serving tables, or even being a brave firefighter are jobs some of our favorite stars had in the past.
10 Meghan Markle Was A Calligrapher
Meghan Markle became famous for her role in Suits, but most people are not aware that she has other talents besides acting. She is a talented calligrapher, and that was how she paid her bills before got her first relevant roles on television. "When I was auditioning, at the onset, instead of waiting tables, I did calligraphy," she once said.
Markle got her training classes when she went to a catholic school, and itis still a hobby for her. She is still hand-writing beautiful letters and even decorating Christmas cookies with her calligraphy.
9 Tom Cruise Was A Bellhop
Tom Cruise is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood since the '90s, but his life before fame was not glamorous. Before becoming an actor, Cruise worked as a bellhop in a hotel and helped guests with their luggage.
It isn't easy to imagine the actor working in a hotel, but the Mission Impossible star didn't dream about being an actor. When he was younger, he wanted to become a priest. As we know, his life has completely changed since then.
8 Evangeline Lilly Worked As A Flight Attendant
Evangeline Lilly became famous thanks to Lost, where she played the survivor of an airplane crash. Most people don't know that the actress made a living as a flight attendant before fame, but she hated the job.
Lilly defined working as a flight attendant as the worst job ever, and she explained why. "That job has no redeeming qualities. I didn't like the people. I didn't like the destinations. I didn't like the recycled air, the crappy food, or the fact that they tell you, before you start your job, to buy your shoes two sizes too big because your feet swell." she said.
7 Dwayne Johnson Was A Dish Washer
Dwayne Johnson often tops the Forbes list of highest-paid actors, but he is also in use to have a job with a modest income in the past. When The Rock was 13-year-old, his first job was washing dishes in a restaurant, something he did for some years.
"When I was first starting out, my first job was washing dishes from 3 pm to 11 pm, and I did that three nights a week and was paid $3 and 45c an hour," he said. "I had to split that with my grandparents because my grandmother at that time was my parents." Before becoming a famous wrestler, he also worked collecting shopping carts in a supermarket.
6 Melissa McCarthy Was A Starbucks Barista
Melissa McCarthy is another star who often tops the Forbes list. She makes millions every year, but before fame, she used to work as a barista at Starbucks in Santa Monica. One day, Chris Farley, one of her idols, entered the place, and she was very nervous. "At one point, I got so overwhelmed because he was right there, that I started crying," she said.
The Bridesmaids star also said that she stares at the actor the whole time. At least, she might know how people feel when they met her and have a similar reaction.
5 Steve Buscemi Was A Firefighter
Before becoming an actor, Steve Buscemi worked as a firefighter from 1980 until 1984, and he is really proud of it. After fame, he returned as a volunteer to help during 9/11 and worked 12 hours per day for several days. The actor is aware of the risks those professionals face every day.
"Any time you go into a burning building, there's the potential for disaster. I never had any real close calls, though there's no such thing as a routine fire," he said. The actor was also at A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY, a documentary about firefighters.
4 Nicole Kidman Was A Massagist
Nicole Kidman has been a household name since the 80s, and she is one of the best actresses alive. But before becoming an award-winning actress, Kidman became a certified massage therapist to help her mother, who had cancer.
She quit her acting classes and worked as a professional massage therapist for a while. After her mother recovered, Kidman returned to her acting classes, and we know the rest of the history.
3 Hugh Jackman Was A Gym Teacher
Hugh Jackman is a man of many talents: he can act, sing, dance, and it isn't easy to imagine him doing something that is not related to show business. But before he became an A-list star, Jackman was a gym teacher at England's Uppingham School.
Fans found out about when Hugh Jackman recognize a reporter that used to be one of his pupils back in the 80s. "Rollo, I'm sorry mate," Jackman said when he made a question, "but we go way back, I used to teach you at a high school in P.E., and I want to know how your physical education is progressing. It's very important to me."
2 Amy Adams Was A Hooters Waitress
Amy Adams worked as a waitress at Hooters, and she loved it. The actress got the job when she finished high school and helped her to buy her first car. "It was a great job out of high school. I was a hostess at first, and then I waited tables for a while, and it was a great way to earn money for a car," she explained.
But the actress also said that she learned that "short shorts and beer don't mix" and commented on how the clients' behavior changed after some beers.
1 Jim Carrey Was A Janitor
Jim Carrey has a successful career, but things could have been very different. When he was 15-year-old, Carrey quit school and started working as a janitor to help his family. He worked on night shifts cleaning the Ontario warehouse.
His family's financial situation was not good, and the actor had to live in a car with his parents when he was 12 years old. The actor was very resilient, and that was crucial until he got his first relevant role.