When Christopher Walken was 15, he worked that summer as a circus performer and at one point, was allowed to tame a lion.

Denzel Washington was pursuing a degree in journalism at Fordham University before making the switch to acting.

John Wayne played football at USC and got a summer job as a handyman at a movie studio. He met John Ford there and got got walk on parts in some silent films.

Before making his big break as the Man Of Steel in the hit show Smallville, Tom Welling worked as a construction worker.

Kanye West at one time worked for the Gap. It was the inspiration for his song Spaceship.

Before his acting career took off, Forest Whitaker studied opera at USC. He also played college football at California State Polytechnic University.

Robin Williams worked as a street mime in the '70s.

Robin Williams worked in an icecream shop before hitting it big.

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.

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 used to work in a deli in North London.

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 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).