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Before these celebrities became famous in Hollywood movies, TV shows, sports, business, or government, they had regular jobs just like you and me. Click the links below to see what your favorite stars did before they were famous.

Christopher Walken
When Christopher Walken was 15, he worked that summer as a circus performer and at one point, was allowed to tame a lion.
Kurt Warner
Early in his football career, MVP quarterback Kurt Warner was actually cut from the NFL and had to take a job in a grocery store to make ends meet.
Denzel Washington
During his college days at Fordham University, Denzel Washington studied pre-medicine before switching to journalism. He also worked odd jobs during this time, including trash collector, post office worker, after-school baby-sitter, and counselor at a summer camp called Camp Sloane YMCA.
John Wayne
Before his acting career, John Wayne studied pre-law at USC where he also played football for coach Howard Jones. Wayne had a summer job as a handyman at a movie studio where he met John Ford and got led to walk-on parts in some silent films.
Tom Welling
Before making his big break as the Man Of Steel in the hit show Smallville, Tom Welling worked as a construction worker.
Kanye West
Kanye West at one time worked for the Gap. It was the inspiration for his song Spaceship.
Forest Whitaker
Before his acting career took off, Forest Whitaker studied opera (he sings tenor) at the Music Conservatory at the University of Southern California. He also played college football at California State Polytechnic University.
Robin Williams
Robin Williams worked as a street mime in the '70s.
Robin Williams worked in an icecream shop before hitting it big.
Bruce Willis
After graduating high school, Bruce Willis worked at a DuPont factory. Then in 1984, Bruce Willis played a gun-runner named "Tony" in Miami Vice. He also starred in a 1986 commercial for Levi's jeans.
Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson was expelled from his Texas High school in 10th grade for stealing his math teacher's textbook. He finished High School in New Mexico at a military school.
Oprah Winfrey
Before persuing a career in radio and television, Oprah Winfrey competed in beauty pageants. She won the Nashville Miss Fire Prevention in high school and Miss Black Tennessee in 1971.
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet used to work in a deli in North London.
Reese Witherspoon
At age 7, Reese appeared in a commercial for a local Nashville Florist.
Reese used to model kids clothes for newspaper ads.
Reese Witherspoon was a gymnast for seven years.
Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood got his start in a Paula Abdul video "Forever Your Girl" followed by a part in Back to the Future II. (he's the boy in the red shirt watching Marty play the "Wild Gunman" machine).


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