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Famous Celebrities Who Now Work Normal Jobs

Darren April 27, 2023

Peter Ostrum

It’s easy to forget Ostrum exists but he was in one of the most iconic movies ever. He starred alongside Gene Wilder in the 1971 classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Everybody expected the child star to have a long Hollywood career but that’s not what happened. Instead, he turned his attention to normal jobs because he decided that fame wasn’t for him.

Ostrum made one of the most left-field choices on this list because he opted to become a veterinarian. Furthermore, he specialized in large animals because that was his passion. He deserves credit because it was brave to follow his dream. He potentially walked away from millions of dollars because he cares about animals (via The Times).

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Arnold Schwarzenegger

These days, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the biggest action star on the planet. But ‘Arnie’ dominated the box office in the eighties with massive franchises like Terminator and Predator. The former Mr. Olympia made a massive career change in 2003 when he became the Governor of California.

He represented the Republican party but was relatively moderate during his time in office. Most analysts have mixed opinions of his tenure because he typically took a middle-of-the-road view. However, he did a reasonable job of balancing both sides of the aisle, so he deserves respect for that (via The Cold Wire).

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Mara Wilson

There are many child stars on this list because they realized that they didn’t want to be actors after all. Often, their parents pushed them and they didn’t think about it. But the advantage of acting in a major movie is that they have the money to do normal jobs. Wilson is one of these because she became a writer.

Maybe some people will think that being a writer is an unusual profession. But it’s less dramatic than starring in Matilda or Mrs. Doubtfire. These days the NYU graduate focuses on web series and has no interest in acting. It’s wild because she could have potentially been a superstar but now nobody remembers what she looks like now (via ABC News).

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Josh Saviano

Saviano was another child actor who decided that celebrity life wasn’t for him. We think that it’s the ideal life but the reality is that there is a lot of stress and pressure. Saviano played Paul Pfeiffer in The Wonder Years. The nerdy, awkward character was a popular figure in the show but the grown-up Saviano is very different.

After he quit acting, Saviano went to Yale and earned a degree in political science. Then he found his way into the legal world and became a partner in a high-end New York legal firm. He dipped his feet back into the entertainment industry when he used his legal experience to play an attorney on Law & Order for a couple of seasons (via Spotlight Advisory Group).

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Vanilla Ice

It’s impossible to imagine certain celebrities doing normal jobs, but that’s exactly what Vanilla Ice does now. He was one of the most polarizing stars of the ’90s with his hit single ‘Ice Ice Baby.’ This hip-hop song went to number one on all of the charts. But David Bowie and Queen also sued him for ripping off their music.

Later, he gave up music and became a rally driver but that’s not why he’s on this list. After enduring a bunch of legal problems, Ice decided to search for normal jobs. He began fitting lights as he stabilized his life and became an ordinary person. It was a huge fall from grace for the former megastar (via Euro News). But he still has his own line of custom lights that are shockingly called, ‘Vanilla Ice lights’.

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Stipe Miocic

Miocic is arguably the greatest UFC heavyweight fighter ever, but that wasn’t his main passion. The former champion also has one of the most important normal jobs because he wants to serve society. He works as a firefighter in his native Cleveland, Ohio. It’s no surprise that locals consider him to be a hero.

This is amazing because many people try to use their athletic success into increased fame. But Miocic doesn’t want to star in movies or become a reality star. He is happy going to the firehouse every day and knowing that he makes a difference. It’s a noble attitude and he deserves a lot of respect (via ESPN).

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Sarah Michelle Gellar

Gellar was one of the hottest stars of the ’90s. She became an icon as she starred as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also appeared in movies. But then she stopped acting and decided to focus on her family. Becoming a mother was the first of two normal jobs that she opted to pursue (via Life & Style).

Meanwhile, Gellar also became an entrepreneur as she started a new company. She co-founded FoodStirs, a brand that promotes healthy ingredients. Nobody heard from Gellar for over a decade but she finally reemerged in 2023. Now she stars in another hit TV teen horror show, Wolf Pack.

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Ali McGraw

McGraw was one of the most celebrated actresses of her era. She won a Golden Globe and was also an Oscar nominee in a glittering career. Meanwhile, the actress was a huge sex symbol and was regularly described as one of the most beautiful women in the world. But then she quit Hollywood and pursued normal jobs instead.

She developed an interest in yoga and it became one of the burning passions of her life. Furthermore, she became increasingly invested in animal rights charities and created a non-profit. McGraw decided that it was more important than pretending to be somebody else. It also helped her to learn more about herself and to deal with different traumas (via People).

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Donald Trump

We admit that most people wouldn’t include the former President of the United States on a list of normal jobs. But it is a political role and the winner represents the majority of the American people. Trump followed in Ronald Reagan’s footsteps by turning his celebrity into an election bid. He won his first election and served for four years but didn’t win a second term.

Trump was the star of The Apprentice for 11 years and was a regular at red-carpet events. Yes, he’s technically a businessman but the truth is that he was a reality TV star with a massive inheritance. Other celebrities like Oprah and Matthew McConaughey also considered running for political offices (via The Guardian).

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Charlie Korsmo

Korsmo is another celebrity who decided to quit acting in favor of normal jobs. He famously starred with Robin Williams in Hook before he became a teen sensation in Can’t Hardly Wait. Everybody expected him to be competing for acting awards for the rest of his life. But Korsmo didn’t want to stay in Hollywood and changed direction.

He studied law at Yale and eventually became a professor in Cleveland. Korsmo achieved a different kind of greatness because he’s one of the most respected legal minds in Ohio. It’s amazing that he switched paths so easily and had amazing success. But Korsmo knew what he wanted to do and worked hard to achieve it (via Page Six).

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Jeremy Clarkson

We associate Clarkson with fast cars and laddish antics on Top Gear and The Grand Tour. The polarizing TV presenter has driven some of the most amazing vehicles in the world and traveled to far-flung locations. But he also has one of the most important normal jobs ever closer to home.

Clarkson owns a massive farm in Oxfordshire, UK. He actively manages the estate’s general affairs and has a keen interest in his animals. Amazon turned his experiences on the farm into a hit TV show. But there’s nothing make-believe about the real work that goes on behind the scenes (via Country Living).

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Jeff Cohen

Everybody loves The Goonies because it’s one of the greatest kids’ movies ever. Cohen became a breakout star because he starred as Chunk in the classic adventure-comedy. ‘The Truffle Shuffle’ was one of the dances of the decade and it looked like Cohen would go on to do big things. In the end, that proved to be the case, but it wasn’t in acting (via Bon Appetit).

As Cohen grew up he realized that he wasn’t interested in a long Hollywood career. Instead, he used his earnings to fund his law degree. He graduated from UCLA and opened a firm in L.A. But Cohen maintains a lifelong friendship with former co-star Ke Huy Quan. He even negotiated Cohen’s contract for his Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

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