The Surprising Careers Your Fave Celebs Had Before They Got Famous

Debt collector? Morgue beautician? LION TAMER?

By Samantha Leal

Jul 3, 2015

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Debt collector? Morgue beautician? LION TAMER? Some stars had some seriously different career plans before heading to Hollywood.

Before she got her big break, the<em> Empire </em>actress went to Howard University and girl knew how to hustle—not only did she work as a secretary at The Pentagon during the day and a singing-dancing waitress on a dinner cruise ship at night, but she also worked as a hairstylist on the side—charging $20 a pop.

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Taraji P. Henson

Before she got her big break, the Empire actress went to Howard University and girl knew how to hustle—not only did she work as a secretary at The Pentagon during the day and a singing-dancing waitress on a dinner cruise ship at night, but she also worked as a hairstylist on the side—charging $20 a pop.

Aniston worked a lot of odd jobs before her acting career took off—including working as a bike messenger and a telemarketer.

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Jennifer Aniston

Aniston worked a lot of odd jobs before her acting career took off—including working as a bike messenger and a telemarketer.

The actress had her heart set on being a ballerina—and attended the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, until a knee injury took her out of the running and she decided to focus on acting instead.

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Charlize Theron

The actress had her heart set on being a ballerina—and attended the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, until a knee injury took her out of the running and she decided to focus on acting instead.

The actor almost wasn't one—he graduated law school and took a job at a firm before deciding acting was his calling.

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Gerard Butler

The actor almost wasn't one—he graduated law school and took a job at a firm before deciding acting was his calling.

The actor got his start in the circus as a lion tamer. Yes, you read that correctly.

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Christopher Walken

The actor got his start in the circus as a lion tamer. Yes, you read that correctly.

Before starring in <em>Ghost</em>, the actress later admitted she had experience with some of her own working in a funeral home—as a morgue beautician. Yep, she painted the faces of the deceased.

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Whoopi Goldberg

Before starring in Ghost, the actress later admitted she had experience with some of her own working in a funeral home—as a morgue beautician. Yep, she painted the faces of the deceased.

The actor took on plenty of roles before moving to Los Angeles. At the age of 16, he tried out for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. After that didn't work out, he pursued broadcast journalism in college, then dropped out and worked as a shoe salesman and tobacco farmhand before finally pursuing acting.

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George Clooney

The actor took on plenty of roles before moving to Los Angeles. At the age of 16, he tried out for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. After that didn't work out, he pursued broadcast journalism in college, then dropped out and worked as a shoe salesman and tobacco farmhand before finally pursuing acting.