7 strange part-time jobs of Hollywood millionaires (15 photos)

Before they earned Walk of Fame stars and multi-million dollar paydays, they changed insurance policies that caused clients to die the next day, put aside dental work for auditions, and wiped away sweat inside giant chicken suits.





We're used to seeing them on the red carpet, but the path to the top was paved with the most ridiculous, difficult, and sometimes desperate part-time jobs. Here are 7 stories about how idols of millions toiled at difficult and strange jobs to one day shine on screen.

1. George Clooney: A Failed Salesman



Before charming audiences in Ocean's Eleven, George Clooney charmed strangers... on their doorsteps. After college, he sold insurance.

"I had a bunch of crappy jobs. I sold insurance door-to-door, but that didn't end well. I sold a policy on the first day, and the guy died," he later admitted.





He also tried his luck selling women's shoes and discovered that not every offer was met with open arms.

As it turned out, only in Hollywood did his charm not require a warranty card or right of return.

2. Sofia Vergara: The Failed Dentist



Drilling teeth is, to put it mildly, not a glamorous occupation. But Sofia Vergara had already been studying dentistry for two years at the National University when a photographer spotted her on the beach.

Initially, she dreamed of going to medical school, but chose dentistry as the closest field to medicine. However, Hollywood turned out to be closer than oral hygiene.



As soon as the job offers started pouring in, she traded her drill for television gold, proving that sometimes the best career move is realizing early on that it's time to quit college.

3. Brad Pitt: The Guy in the Chicken Suit



Just off the bus in Los Angeles, Brad Pitt hadn't yet starred in Fight Club or charmed in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. He was sweating inside a huge yellow chicken suit from a restaurant.

Watching at the intersection, he flapped his wings, danced, and beckoned to passersby.



"A man's gotta eat," he later shrugged. It wasn't glamorous, but it showed his character: a willingness to work anywhere and anyhow.

Even then, he knew how to command attention. This skill certainly helped him become a megastar.

4. Lucy Liu: The Workaholic Hostess



Long before she was slaughtering enemies in Kill Bill, Lucy Liu had a varied schedule: five days a week as a secretary, weekends as an aerobics instructor, and nights as a hostess at a Soho restaurant.

"I worked seven days a week. I knew I needed money if I was going to pursue acting, because I wasn't likely to earn much right away," she said.



This obsession—a willingness to burn herself out for a dream—foreshadowed the fire she would later ignite on screen.

5. Nicole Kidman: Celebrity Massage Therapist



As a teenager, Nicole Kidman dropped out of school when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. To help support her family financially and provide for her mother's therapy, Nicole took massage therapy classes.

The future Oscar winner worked as a masseuse, supporting her mother and others while her acting dreams were put on hold:

We had no money. So I learned to massage.



She eventually returned to her career, proving that life's most significant detours lead to its greatest heights.

6. Hugh Jackman: The Physical Education Clown



Before unleashing his Wolverine claws, Hugh Jackman taught physical education in England during the day and worked as a children's party entertainer in the evenings as Coco the Clown.

He later admitted that he was never particularly funny, but both jobs kept him on his toes.



Like many stars, Jackman worked a ton of jobs before landing his big break. His secret weapon is charisma. It worked at everything from children's birthday parties to filming a superhero action movie.

7. Taylor Swift: Insect Collector



Taylor Swift spent her childhood on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania. Instead of a fairy tale, she found pine needles and a ton of seasonal work.

"I spent all day walking among the Christmas trees, collecting praying mantis eggs, so people wouldn't find uninvited guests in their homes," she said in an interview.



Years later, she turned this experience into her Christmas carol, "Christmas Tree Farm." Truly, only Taylor can turn pest control into pop perfection.