20 Celebrities And Their Surprising Side Jobs

Jimmy Henton

Sometimes people who need a side job tend to be motivated by earning extra money. To explain, many people said that they are earning enough in their day job. It ain’t something new today. We can have 2 -3 different jobs within a day and the side gigs can bring more money than the full-time job.
Still, there’re a bunch of celebrities who have unexpected side jobs. Firstly, we all know that celebrities are known for their wealth. Why do they need side jobs? Maybe more money, more pleasure, who knows? Secondly, these celebrities rose to their stardom with their acting talent. So how can they deal with totally different fields and achieve their success? Surely there is a secret to making their side jobs successful. After all, it's interesting to see them perform well in such unusual roles.
Indeed, these celebs have proven that their talents are tied not only to their acting careers but also to business. Today, we have compiled a list of 20 A-list celebrities that got richer and richer from their side hustles.

#1 Lady Gaga: Makeup Entrepreneur

Source: People


  • Occupation: Singer, songwriter, and actress
  • Breakout role: The Fame
  • Side job: CEO of Haus Laboratories
Lady Gaga is also well-known in the Business of Fashion for the role self-expression plays in her cruelty-free makeup line. “I have a platform in the world,” she revealed. “God gave me this voice for a reason, I don’t know why, I ask myself that question all the time, but I’m sure as hell not going to put out a beauty brand that is going to drive insecurity and fear into people. This is about liberation.”

#2 Drew Barrymore: Beauty Entrepreneur

Source: The Skincare Edit


  • Occupation: Actress, producer, director, talk show host, and entrepreneur
  • Breakout role: Gertie in the 80s classic film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
  • Side job: Founder of Flower Beauty
Drew Barrymore told Harper’s Bazaar that consuming so much in the Hollywood make-up artist’s chair motivated her to start Flower Beauty. “I knew that space so well, I’d been in it my entire life,” the actress shared. “I’d just come off of my contract with CoverGirl where I was co-creative director of my own campaign, so I’d had this intense six-year education that I was aching to apply to something.”

#3 Jessica Alba: CEO Of Baby Product Company

Source: Hollywood Reporter


  • Occupation: Actress
  • Breakout role: Lead actress in the series Dark Angel
  • Side job: CEO of The Honest Company
Jessica Alba revealed that she started her eco-friendly business because she wanted to use non-toxic baby products for her family. “I wanted Honest to be a brand that put human health and safety first and worked,” she said. 

#4 Beyoncé: Fashion Designer

Source: Dazed


  • Occupation: Singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer
  • Breakout solo album: Dangerously in Love
  • Side job: Owner of the athleisure brand Ivy Park
Beyoncé once shared about her fashion line, Ivy Park, saying, “I love experimenting with fashion, mixing high and low, sportswear with couture, even masculine and feminine,” she revealed. “This new line is fun and lends itself to creativity, the ultimate power.”

#5 Tom Selleck: Farmer

side jobs 366978785676Source: Pinterest


  • Occupation: Actor and producer
  • Breakout role: Private investigator in the series Magnum P.I.
  • Side Job: Avocado Farmer
Tom Selleck settles down in a California ranch that houses over 1,500 native trees. The actor opened up to Architectural Digest about the role he portrayed on his avocado farm, “I do grunt work and I make the rounds. I like watching things grow. It’s a retreat.”

#6 Rihanna: Makeup Mogul

side jobs 34523536456Source: Fenty Beauty


  • Occupation: Singer and actress
  • Breakout album: A Girl Like Me
  • Side job: CEO of Fenty Beauty
Rihanna talked about what inspired her to start her makeup line, Fenty Beauty. “You have all these ideas of things you want for yourself, and for me, beauty was a natural fit because makeup is such a huge part of my career and image,” she revealed. “I wanted to do a line for years, but it needed to be credible, something that industry pros and girls around the world would respect”

#7 Mark Wahlberg: Car Dealership Owner

 side jobs 5756867Source: Pinterest


  • Occupation: Actor, producer, and former rapper
  • Breakout role: Paul Thomas in the movie Boogie Nights
  • Side job: Owner of Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet
Mark Wahlberg attended the grand opening of his car dealership in Columbus, Ohio, saying: “I’ve always been a huge car guy,” he told. “This is a dream come true for me, so we’re looking forward to being part of the community here. I think the city picked us and we’re excited to be here. So much great history here. The people are fantastic. It reminds me a lot of where I grew up in Boston.”

#8 Sarah Michelle Gellar: Organic Baker

side jobs 124425Source: Pinterest


  • Occupation: Actress and producer
  • Breakout role: Played Buffy Summers on the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • Side job: Founder of Foodstirs
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s kids inspired her to start her organic baking company. “My kid showed this great interest in baking and I went to the store to get a scratch mix. I live in Los Angeles, the healthiest place, supposedly, on earth. I always say if the vowel to consonant ratio is off, there’s a problem,” the actress said.

#9 Reese Witherspoon: Boutique Owner

side jobs 53456345Source: People


  • Occupation: Actress and producer
  • Breakout role: Elle Woods in the film Legally Blonde
  • Side job: CEO of Draper James
Witherspoon called her clothing line and boutique after her grandparents and has a concentrating mission. “We emphasize coordination of different pieces for a pulled-together look. Matching items, like matching your shoes to your handbag, is not a bad thing in the South. It’s a return to pretty clothes,” she added. “We also do a lot with bright colors and patterns. We don’t do black. Our black is navy.”

#10 Steve Carell: Store Owner

side jobs 45356456Source: Pinterest


  • Occupation: Actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director
  • Breakout role: Michael Scott in the series The Office
  • Side job: Owner of a general store
Steve Carell is running the Marshfield Hills General Store in Massachusetts. “This is much more of an emotional investment than a business one,” Carell said. “I saw an opportunity to help to preserve a little piece of history. I also felt that places like the Marshfield Hills General Store represent a gathering place and give people a sense of community.”

#11 Sarah Jessica Parker: Shoe Designer

Source: Daily Front Row


  • Occupation: Actress and producer
  • Breakout role: Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO series Sex and the City
  • Side job: Co-founder of SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is also known for starting a footwear, handbag, and beauty line in 2014. “We founded our footwear collection upon three main pillars: delivering quality products, using color and sparkle as a neutral, and giving the single sole a new heartbeat,” Jessica Parker shared.

#12 Venus Williams: Interior Designer

side jobs 3452542Source: Design Manager


  • Occupation: Professional tennis player
  • Breakout match: Won first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 1998
  • Side job: CEO of V Starr Interiors
Venus Williams sat down with Forbes and revealed her passion for interior design, which prompted her to open her own design company. "I went to school, and did my master’s in interior architecture,” Williams said. “I’m a nerd, and I love interior design. I love school. So, you know, it helps me to guide my team, and hopefully, give them input, and be able to add to the conversation.”

#13 Kate Hudson: Fashion Entrepreneur

Source: Nindyatour


  • Occupation: Actress and author
  • Breakout role: Penny Lane in the film Almost Famous
  • Side job: Co-founder of Fabletics
Kate Hudson said about what inspired her to launch her athleisure brand. “Sometimes, for an average woman or an everyday woman or a soccer mom or someone who doesn’t necessarily know how to get into the healthy lifestyle, it can be a little bit intimidating,” Hudson said. “So I kind of wanted to create something that was more about a lifestyle than an actual fitness brand. And it seemed to resonate.”

#14 Susan Sarandon: Business Owner

side jobs 4534435Source: New York Post


  • Occupation: Actress, activist, and producer
  • Breakout role: Janet Weiss in the cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show
  • Side job: Owner of Spin, an international chain of franchised table tennis clubs and bars
Susan Sarandon said to Time magazine she opened Spin to make ping pong more accessible. “I like ping pong because anyone at any age and body type can play. You can play with your grandmother. Everyone can have a good time. It’s good for physical activity and mental health” the actress said.

#15 Jay-Z: Club Owner

Source: Complex


  • Occupation: Rapper, songwriter, record executive, and record producer
  • Breakout album: Hard Knock Life
  • Side jobOwner of sports bar and lounge
Jay-Z once shared how he came up with the idea to open the Manhattan bar. “I love sports and wanted to create an environment that is conducive to match my lifestyle while watching the games at the same time,” said Jay-Z.

#16 Jessica Simpson: CEO Of Fashion Empire

Source: Forbes


  • Occupation: Singer, actress, and author
  • Breakout album: Sweet Kisses
  • Side job: CEO of The Jessica Simpson Collection
Jessica Simpson talked about the success of her fashion empire with CBS News, “People are shocked that they like my brand. Maybe ’cause it’s not that expensive? Or maybe because I was a cheesy pop star back in the day? I have no idea. But you’re gonna like my shoes, damn it!”

#17 Lenny Kravitz: Interior Designer

Source: Hollywood Life


  • Occupation: Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor
  • Breakthrough album: Are You Gonna Go My Way
  • Side job: Owner of Kravitz Design
Lenny Kravitz talked about his interest in interior design started at a young age. “When I recorded my first album I didn’t have any money, and so, to furnish my apartment, I would find and fix old furniture that others would throw away, creating my style,” he revealed. “I think everything started there. I never studied design in a real school, but instead, studying for me meant observing.”

#18 Matthew McConaughey: Professor

side jobs 34436456Source: The Times


  • Occupation: Actor and producer
  • Breakout role: Supporting role in the movie Dazed and Confused
  • Side job: Teaches a screenwriting class at the University of Texas
According to CNN, McConaughey revealed his teaching duties, “It’s the class I wish I would have had when I was in film school. Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them.”

#19 Nick Offerman: Woodworker

side jobs 35254Source: Popular Mechanics


  • Occupation: Actor, writer, comedian, and producer. 
  • Breakout role: Ron Swanson on the series Parks and Recreation
  • Side job: Owner of Offerman Woodshop
Nick Offerman told how he set up his woodworking shop at Sotheby’s. “I found a shop space pretty quickly and continued teaching myself for several years until I had learned a lot more and got pretty decent at it,” he shared. “It wasn’t until I got cast in Parks and Recreation that my acting work took enough of a bite out of my schedule that I decided to add collaborators at my shop.”

#20 Paul Rudd: Candy Shop Owner

side jobsSource: Architectural Digest


  • Occupation: Actor, screenwriter, and producer
  • Breakout role: Josh in the movie Clueless
  • Side job: Part owner of Samuel’s Sweet Shop in Rhinebeck, NY
Paul Rudd revealed to the Poughkeepsie Journal why he loves working at Samuel’s Sweet Shop. “I’m in lots of different locations meeting lots of different people,” Rudd said. “At times, you can feel you’re untethered a little bit. So to have this place, to come in and just serve coffee for a while and hang out at the store and hand out candies… to feel a part of the community makes us sane. It makes us feel part of something important.”