The Surprising Jobs Worked by the Sexiest Men Alive Before They Were Famous

Patrick Dempsey Juggled and Rode Unicycles

In Maine's Sun Journal newspaper, those who knew Patrick Dempsey as a kid growing up in Buckfield, Maine remembered him being a class clown who showed an early skill for the circus arts.

Local performer Randy Judkins mentored him in exchange for chores around the house; he recalled, “His dad would bring him down for a few hours. He’d rake my leaves, and then we’d juggle or ride unicycles."

He took him to compete in Cleveland at the 34th International Juggler’s Convention, and Dempsey took second place in the juniors' competition, where he "lit the place on fire," as Judkins recalled.

Soon Dempsey turned his talent into a moneymaking endeavor, printing up business cards to get work. Per the paper, the cards read, “Pat Dempsey JUGGLER," along with ventriloquist, puppets, unicycling, and clown.

Paul Rudd Was a Ham Glazer

Long before Rudd was mesmerizing us with his dazzling green eyes and impeccable skin, the Ant-Man actor carried a lot of odd jobs. While most were conventional, it was his stint as a ham glazer at The Holiday Ham Company in Kansas City that most amused fans when he revealed it on Live! with Kelly and Michael back in 2015.

"I glazed hams for about six months," he told IMDb. "It was a weird job and I appreciated how strange it was — and the fact that I smelled like ham, all the time ... I can still glaze with the best of them. I haven't held a propane torch in a long time, but it's like riding a bike."

Chris Hemsworth Cleaned Breast Pumps

Chris Hemsworth's bout as a breast pump cleaner might be up there for the oddest job held by an Avenger.

As a 14-year-old, not only did the Thor actor have to clean the breast pumps, he was in charge of repairing them as well.

"I literally worked for a pharmacy that would rent them out," he told Jimmy Fallom and Kumail Nanjiani during a game of "True Confessions" on the former's late night show. "The machines would come back and I would have a toothbrush, little spray and wipe," he said, mimicking a scrubbing gesture.

Matthew McConaughey Hunted Armadillos

Before his breakout role in Dazed and Confused, Matthew McConaughey roughed it as a sand raker at Oak Forest Country Club in Longview, Texas. "There were 77 tan tracks. First group tees off at like 6:45 in the morning … I had to have those traps raked by 7:30 so work started at 3:30," McConaughey told GQ.

And the job came with an unexpected caveat. In addition to raking the traps, the greenskeeper at the country club also hired McConaughey to hunt the armadillos that were wreaking havoc on the greens of the golf course.

"[He said] 'As well as raking the tracks, I'd like to hire you for the next two weeks to come out from 10 p.m. to 3:30 a.m … I'm gonna give you a .22 and you just spotlight them on the green and pick them off.' "

For a young McConaughey, that was "the most fun part."

Idris Elba Sold Marijuana

Listen, breaking into the entertainment industry can be an uphill battle, but a determined actor will do what they have to do until they get their break. Such is the case for Idris Elba.

Along with being a nightclub bouncer, tire fitter and a DJ, the Britain native also sold marijuana at one point. "I did a lot of things … some things I'm not proud of," he admitted during an interview on Sirius XM. "I used to sell weed…I did that for a little bit just to help pay the way."

And apparently, Elba's repertoire featured some A-list clientele. "Dave Chappelle actually remembers me because he used to buy weed from me," he joked.

John Legend Was a Management Consultant

John Legend isn't just a genius on the keys: The 2019 Sexiest Man Alive skipped two grades in his early education, which meant he entered the University of Pennsylvania at only 16 and graduated magna cum laude at 20.

And since the road to EGOT wasn't already in his sights, Legend took a job at the prestigious Boston Consulting Group post-grad, while he pursued music on the side.

"I learned a lot. I met a lot of great people, I'm still friends with a lot of those folks, too," he told CNBC of his time there. "I think it just ups your level of expectation for the kind of business you want to work with. And how you work in teams, how you come to good decisions as a team, and I think all of those things helped me in my career, as a musician."

Hugh Jackman Was Known as Coco the Clown

It seems Hugh Jackman has always been quite the showman. Prior to becoming Wolverine, the Aussie-born actor took jobs as Coco the Clown, specializing in children's parties.

Though his main audience was always 2- to 3-year-olds, Jackman once took a risk and decided to perform for an 8-year-old's birthday party. It did not go well.

"I was five minutes into my act — which was very lean on skill I have to say — and this kid whose birthday it was goes, 'Mom, this clown is crap!' " Jackman recalled to Jimmy Fallon.

"So, I used to juggle eggs and I go, 'Kids, do you want to throw eggs at me?' and they go 'Yeeaah,' so they just pelted me with eggs. It was my very last time as a clown. I never did it again."

Denzel Washington Was a Garbage Man

Denzel Washington is renowned for his humility as much as his talent, and it seems the key to keeping things in perspective is remembering his humble beginnings.

Asked whether filming all that action in 2 Guns (co-starring Mark Wahlberg) back in 2013 was difficult, Washington stated, "When I was 20, I worked for the sanitation department and I was a garbage man. I worked the back of the truck, 22 blocks — that's hard. There is nothing that we do in movies that's hard."

Channing Tatum Was a Stripper

Channning Tatum is grateful that his original stripping career led him to superstardom thanks to his role in Magic Mike (which was in part based on his experiences), but he has no desire to revisit that early job.

"I don't miss anything about stripping," he once told PEOPLE. "I stripped in Tampa for like 25 girls, at best. It wasn't glamorous whatsoever, so there's nothing that I miss about stripping."

Brad Pitt Drove Limos for Strippers

While Channing Tatum was working as a stripper, Brad Pitt was chauffeuring them instead.

"My job was to drive them to bachelor parties and things like that," he said during Newsweek's 2007 Oscar's Roundtable. "I'd pick them up and sometimes they'd be crawling out the back window because their boyfriends didn't know they were doing this. You'd drive them to the gig, collect the money, catch their clothes … it was not a wholesome atmosphere."

Though he quit after only two months because "the novelty wore off very quickly and it got very depressing," Pitt credited that job for kicking off his career: When doing one last gig, he met a girl who convinced him to try her acting class.

"I had been through a few and I didn't trust them," he said. "But she had mentioned this acting class and because of that I went and checked it out. It really set me in the direction that put me into hits like Troy and Meet Joe Black."

Blake Shelton Was a Roofer

2017's Sexiest Man Alive Blake Shelton had a summer job that' was literally hot: He was once a roofer back in his hometown of Ada, Oklahoma.

"I did it for two summers," Shelton told PEOPLE, joking, "It made me want to be a country singer."

Dwayne Johnson Washed Dishes

You may think The Rock's first job was his run as a WWE pro, but in actuality, he started building those biceps in the back of the kitchen.

"My legit first job: I was 13 years old and I worked in a pizza shop and I washed dishes," the Black Adam actor revealed during a segment of WIRED's "The Web's Most Searched Questions."

"[It was during middle school], everyday and I worked from 8:30 to 11:30," he explained.

And it seems those dishwashing days have left a lasting mark on 2016's Sexiest Man Alive: "I [still] don't use a dishwasher," he told a stunned Emily Blunt in the video. "I hand wash everything."

Adam Levine Worked at Johnny Rockets

Even though Adam Levine (along with his band, Kara's Flowers) was signed to Reprise Records at a young age, he was quickly dropped after their first record flopped.

Next up? A job at Johnny Rockets.

"Technically my first job was a musician because I got signed to a record label at a young age, so I did get paid for that," Levine told PEOPLE. "But then I got a job at Johnny Rockets when that record deal didn't work out."

George Clooney Sold Women's Shoes

George Clooney and shoe shopping? Sign us up! But according to the two-time Sexiest Man Alive, his time as a women's shoe salesman was anything but a dream.

"It's a terrible job! It was in a department store, so it wasn't like I was selling to young, hot, attractive [women]," he told Newsweek's 2012 Oscar Roundtable.

The kinds of shoes Clooney was selling were designed for people with foot issues, some of them self-inflicted.

"First of all women lie about the size of their feet, which I did not understand," he said. "Then there was a whole generation of 75-year-old women in my area in Cincinnati … who had cut off their [second to last toe] so they could fit into the tight pumps. Anytime I'd see those women I come in I'd go, 'You take that lady, I'm not going near that.' "

Bradley Cooper Was a Very Busy Doorman

Bradley Cooper was determined to be an actor, but while he was on his way up, the A Star Is Born director doubled as a doorman at the now-closed Morgans Hotel.

And the gig wasn't as easy as just opening the door for guests. "There were three candles in the lobby and they said, 'Always keep them lit,' " Bradley recalled on Late Night with David Letterman. "But the door would open and they would go out so I spent most of my time trying to relight those candles."

Ryan Reynolds Drove a Forklift

From funny commercials to serious films, Ryan Reynolds definitely has some range And it seems diversifying his skill set didn't just start in his acting career: He took on a string of varying odd jobs long before we loved him as Deadpool.

He told Yahoo! Entertainment, "Before I was in show business I drove a forklift, I worked in restaurants, I was a busboy, I was a waiter and I was a cashier."

And those early experiences had a lasting effect on the Aviation Gin co-owner. "I got a pretty close-up experience of what it feels like to sometimes feel a little invisible in your job, in particular."

Michael B. Jordan Helped Out with Catering

Due to his start as a child actor and model, Michael B. Jordan didn't have a ton of free time to work odd jobs, but when he wasn't booked on a set, Jordan spent his downtime working for his parents.

"My mom and my dad had a home catering business when I was growing up, so as soon as I was old enough to see over the counter, they had me working just prepping and helping and stuff like that," he said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Future girlfriends can thank his parents for that training, because in addition to being a talented actor, he is also quite the chef.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Did Construction

These childhood BFFs are bonded by way more than Good Will Hunting — they have quite literally been in the trenches together.

During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Ben Affleck revealed that he and Matt Damon used to work construction during the summer throughout high school and for a bit afterwards.

"Matt and I worked at this construction site and we did demo and we were kind of the low men on the totem pole," the Fargo director revealed. "I remember one time [I was complaining to Matt] like, 'Oh man, this is brutal. I'm tired.' And this guy walks by and goes, 'That's why you shoulda gone to college!' "

Of course things turned out just fine for them, but that moment obviously stood out. "That guy probably now has a house renovation show," Affleck joked.

Pierce Brosnan Was a Fire Eater on the Street

Before we knew him as 007 and Sam Carmichael from Mamma Mia!, Pierce Brosnan took his act to the streets.

Brosnan recalled his origins as a fire-eater to The Guardian: "There was a workshop and one night I came in to rehearse and I looked in and some guy was teaching people to fire-eat … so I went into the workshop and I learnt how to fire-eat." He then performed the trick with his theater troupe in public, he told IMDB.

If you're a non-believer, here is old footage of Brosnan in action.

Harrison Ford Was a Carpenter

Early in his career, Harrison Ford stepped back from unfulfilling roles in Hollywood and started working with his hands instead.

"I'd done the same thing over and over on episodic television. They hired me three times for an FBI [agent] and didn't even realize I was on two times that season. The parts that I was playing were not good parts," he said in a 1988 interview. "I thought if I didn't have another way of making a living, I'd have to take these jobs. I had my young family and I needed to put food on the table."

He continued, "Carpentry gave me an opportunity to pick and choose from what few roles were being offered to me at that time — and I just held out for five to six years."

But prior to deciding to pursue carpentry, he had no experience in the trade; instead, he learned on the job.

"I learned from books and the people I was working with. The first job I had professionally was building a $100,000 recording studio for Sérgio Mendes in his backyard in Encino," he said. "I was up on the roof with a book from the Encino Public Library, I hired a couple of good carpenters and they helped me on the job and I learned a lot from them."

Tom Cruise Had a Paper Route

Tom Cruise had a need for speed at a young age, and he fulfilled it by earning cash with his first job.

"Ever since I can remember, the sensation of moving vehicles has excited me," the Mission Impossible star told Sports Illustrated in 1990. "When I was 13, I had a paper route and paid $50 for my first go-kart, $75 for my first motorcycle."

Having grown up in an underprivileged family, Cruise also took on other assorted projects to support himself and his family at a young age. He told PEOPLE, "I used to cut grass and had all kinds of odd jobs to give money to my family, but also to save money so I could go to the movies. You didn't have YouTube and we didn't have film school. That was my film school."

Sean Connery Polished Coffins

Born to a cleaning woman and factory worker, Sean Connery's upbringing was marred with financial hardships, among other things. So, to help make ends meet, the future movie star took on several odd jobs.

Reuters reports, "Connery was raised in near poverty in the slums of Edinburgh and worked as a coffin polisher, milkman and lifeguard before his bodybuilding hobby helped launch an acting career that made him one of the world's biggest stars."

He died in 2020 at age 90.

Mark Harmon Sold Sneakers

Like Clooney, Mark Harmon made a pit stop in the shoe department before he made it to the big leagues (though he certainly enjoyed it more than Clooney did).

"I had a bunch of different starts," he stated while on The Rich Eisen Show. "I sold shoes … I worked for Adidas for about eight months and before that I was doing merchandising and radio here in Los Angeles."

Also on his roster of false starts was a brief stint with carpentry, which unfortunately didn't go far.

"I tried to do that, but I just couldn't get hired. I enjoyed getting up and doing that in the morning; I enjoyed the drive to work," he told Men's Journal. "For me it was about materials and doing right. If you did it right, [the project] outlasted you. I still enjoy [carpentry], but I think that's probably what I would have been trying to do had I not been [acting]."

Johnny Depp Was a Telemarketer

When Johnny Depp moved to L.A. in 1983, he intended to be a rock star — but his band still needed to pay the bills.

"The entire band had a job at this telemarketing place," he told Jimmy Kimmel. "We sold ink pens with [people's] business name and everything and we also had the added pleasure of offering a trip to Greece, or grandfather clock or half a TV set or something."

And it became evident to him pretty quickly his future was not in telemarketing, he said: "I did make one sale … We're making the deal and I finally said, 'Sir, don't buy these pens. You're not going to Greece, I can guarantee you that …' [He thanked me] in a very confused way."