20 celebrities who had odd jobs before they found fame

Before she was an EGOT winner, Whoopi Goldberg had a gig that was truly to die for. She worked as a licensed beautician in a morgue, applying makeup to the deceased. 

It seems Whoopi wasn't the only one with a history in the funeral business. A young Danny DeVito once worked as a hairstylist for a mortuary, a skill he learned at his sister's salon. 

Well before he was the dapper Don Draper, Jon Hamm had a job that was a little less glamorous. He worked as a set dresser for soft-core adult films, a gig he took to make ends meet after losing his catering job.

Posh Spice's pre-fame resume includes a truly one-of-a-kind role. For a BBC sex education show, Body Matters, she donned a costume and roller-skated as a sperm — literally. 

At the age of 16, this iconic actor had a summer job that was anything but ordinary. “I didn’t run away, I just got a job as a trainee lion tamer. Who’s going to turn that down?” Christopher Walken recalled during a previous interview. 

This one's a bit messy. During a student exchange program in Australia, Matthew McConaughey shoveled chicken manure to earn some cash. Talk about really earning your money!

Prior to starring in Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams was a member of the McDonald's team for a few summers. "I was not a great employee; I broke the orange juice machine one day," she once revealed. 

Long before his own fashion empire, Kanye West was folding clothes at the Gap. The rapper and designer even referenced his time at the popular retailer in his music.

Gwen Stefani, who we all know and love for her single "Hollaback Girl," spent time serving up Blizzards and soft-serve ice cream cones at Dairy Queen before becoming a household name. 

This talented actress once sported a colorful uniform and served up lemonade and corn dogs at Hot Dog on a Stick in a mall, a job from which she was eventually fired.

Before he was a Hollywood heartthrob, Brad Pitt had to pay the bills by dressing up as a giant chicken. To lure customers into an El Pollo Loco, he donned the feathered costume and waved at cars. "Mans gotta eat," he said. 

Megan Fox also had a fruity gig, dressing up as a giant banana to promote a smoothie shop. It seems like mascoting is a common theme for future stars.

Before finding fame as a rapper and fashion queen, Cardi B was stacking and counting cash behind the checkout counter at a grocery store. However, the musician was fired for giving customers too many discounts. 

Johnny Depp once had a job that required him to use his voice in a very different way. Yep, this legendary actor sold pens over the phone, a job he admits he was terrible at.

Another iconic star who joined in on the telemarketing fun is Jennifer Aniston. She also spent time making cold calls before her big break on Friends; however, she admitted she was "terrible" at the job. 

Long before she adopted a royal title, Meghan Markle was skilled in the art of beautiful handwriting. To make ends meet between acting gigs, she worked as a freelance calligrapher and even taught classes on the craft. She was so good that she was hired to create the wedding invitations for celebrities, including Robin Thicke and Paula Patton. 

I guess life does imitate art. Channing Tatum's past as an exotic dancer inspired his blockbuster movie Magic Mike. He has spoken openly about his past in previous interviews and even revealed he'll tell his daughter about his odd job when she's old enough. 

This multi-talented actor and former NFL player has another surprising skill in his arsenal. Terry Crews worked as a courtroom sketch artist in Flint, Michigan, a job that showcased his artistic talents.

Prior to becoming a hip-hop mogul and billionaire, a young Shawn Carter had a less glamorous job. He worked at a local fried chicken spot in his Brooklyn neighborhood. Years later, he returned to the spot for a magazine photoshoot. Talk about paying homage!

Madonna once had a very brief and memorable run working at a Dunkin' Donuts in Times Square. Her time serving coffee and pastries didn't last long, though, as she was reportedly fired for squirting jelly filling on a customer. Iconic.