20 Famous Celebrities Who Went Back to “Normal” Jobs

Not everyone in the spotlight wants to stay there. Some famous faces have hit pause on red carpets and flashing cameras to chase something quieter—but no less meaningful. It's refreshing, surprising, and honestly kind of inspiring to see what happens when stars decide that ordinary is exactly what they need.

Dylan Sprouse

At the height of his Disney fame, Dylan Sprouse made headlines—not for a flashy comeback, but for seating diners as a host in a New York City restaurant. While studying at NYU in 2013, he took the gig not for money but for perspective. It turns out that trading scripts for shift schedules was just his way of growing off-camera.

David Lee Roth

In 2004, the legendary Van Halen frontman became a certified EMT in New York City at age 50 by diving headfirst into the chaos of urban emergency response. David handled over 200 ambulance calls and once saved a man mid-heart attack with a defibrillator. Inspired by his surgeon dad, he embraced the city's pulse instead of the spotlight.

Danielle Fishel

Back in 2009, while juggling college life, Danielle Fishel found herself gift-wrapping at Bloomingdale's in Newport Beach. It started with her offering to wrap a wedding present when the store was closing, and her skills landed her a job on the spot. She embraced the role, focused on service, and brushed off the occasional "Hey, aren't you—?" moments.

Kate Gosselin

In 2021, Kate Gosselin moved to Troutman, North Carolina, renewed her multi-state nursing license, and quietly returned to the healthcare field she knew before the cameras rolled. Before becoming famous, she delivered babies as a labor and delivery nurse. With her license extended through 2027, Kate's comeback is in real life.

Jeremy Renner

Long before he was saving the world on screen, Jeremy Renner was redesigning it off-screen. With partner Kristoffer Winters, he's flipped around 20 homes since 2002 and earned serious profits while preserving each house's original soul. Jeremy's not slapping on quick fixes—he dives deep into each restoration and preserves architectural character while adding sleek, modern upgrades.

Jennifer Stone

Following her type 1 diabetes diagnosis at 20, Jennifer Stone channeled her energy into nursing by earning degrees from Glendale Community College and Azusa Pacific. By December 2019, she was clocking in as an ER nurse—just in time for a global health crisis. Jennifer still acts, but her focus is helping others face real-life battles.

MC Hammer

After dominating the charts, MC Hammer traded stage lights for spiritual ones. In the late '90s, he became an ordained minister and launched MC Hammer and Friends, a faith-based program on TBN. He even stepped in as officiant for celebrity weddings, including Corey Feldman's and Vince Neil's.

Terry Crews

Before Terry Crews became the guy who could make you laugh, cry, and fear for your life—all in one scene—he was quietly hustling with a pencil and a paintbrush. He started out sketching courtroom scenes in Flint, scored an art scholarship, then pivoted to the NFL, where he moonlighted as a portrait artist for teammates.

Kevin Jonas

In 2013, Kevin Jonas shifted from guitar strings to foundation beams by launching JonasWerner Homes to craft sleek custom mansions in New Jersey. He also built The Blu Market to guide social influencers, rolled out the Yood app for hungry decision-makers, and created Amazing Baby Days with his wife, Danielle—helping new parents turn everyday moments into lifelong memories.

Tony Danza

When he stepped into a real high school classroom, Tony Danza swapped sitcom scripts for lesson plans. In 2009, the TV icon spent a full school year co-teaching 10th-grade English at Northeast High School in Philly, an experience captured in the A&E series Teach: Tony Danza.

Devon Werkheiser

Soon after wrapping Ned's Declassified, Devon Werkheiser dove headfirst into a creative remix of adulthood. He's voiced characters, explored entrepreneurship, and built a solid music catalog with EPs like I Am, Here and Now, and Chapter One. In 2023, he shifted into electronic vibes with Good/Vlly and the EP Brief Romance.

Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey took a detour from red carpets and movie sets to the lecture halls of UT Austin—because why not swap Oscars for office hours? Since 2015, Matthew has been shaping young storytellers as a co-instructor of "Script to Screen," a deep-dive filmmaking course that unpacks every step from idea to final cut.

Anneliese van der Pol

Once That's So Raven wrapped, Anneliese van der Pol stepped into a glass slipper as Belle in Beauty and the Beast and became the final actress to play the role on Broadway. Offstage, she faced the all-too-relatable grind—working in restaurants and navigating Hollywood without an agent, despite her résumé.

Steve Buscemi

Steve Buscemi was fighting real fires in Little Italy with Engine 55 before he was famous. He joined the FDNY in 1980 and spent four years battling blazes while quietly building an acting career. After hitting it big, he returned to Ground Zero post-9/11 to work side by side with his old crew.

Drew Barrymore

At 14, Drew Barrymore pressed pause on acting and gave waitressing a whirl by clocking in at a Santa Monica coffee shop. Spoiler alert: she was hilariously bad at it. Her boss nudged her back toward stardom with a blunt "go chase your dreams" send-off. That's also where she crossed paths with a young Cameron Diaz, then a junior model.

Angelina Pivarnick

Who would've guessed that one of Jersey Shore's most outspoken cast members would swap late-night drama for sirens and stretchers? In 2016, Angelina Pivarnick became a certified EMT with the FDNY. She took real pride in helping others and pushing through grueling shifts.

Pamela Anderson

While starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago, Pamela Anderson found herself missing her pups back in Canada. So, she took matters—and a leash—into her own hands by walking Dash, a lively Irish Setter owned by a New York attorney. For three weeks straight, she carved out an hour each weekday—no pay, no fanfare—just pure love for dogs.

Kay Panabaker

Kay Panabaker went all-in on her love for animals. She earned a zoology degree from UCLA and found her dream job at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, where she cares for everything from elephants to opossums. Her duties range from educational talks to managing the park's hands-on petting zone.

Willa Ford

Willa Ford stepped away from the mic and into interiors by founding WFord Interiors in 2012 to channel her creative energy into residential design. Her talent for transforming spaces caught the eye of Scott Disick, and earned her a spot on Flip It Like Disick, where she styled multimillion-dollar properties with ease.

Bridgit Mendler

From Disney darling to satellite CEO, Bridgit Mendler's career arc is practically written in the stars—literally. Bridgit co-founded Northwood Space in 2023. It started as a quarantine project building DIY antennas and turned into a company now powered by $6.3 million in investor support. With degrees from USC, MIT, and Harvard Law, she's the real deal!