Shock celebrity side-gigs! From Whoopi Goldberg working as a funeral make-up artist to Dustin Hoffman as a janitor to Jon Hamm's VERY racy adult film background before TV fame

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They have shot to the Hollywood A-list in some of the most iconic films and TV series of all time - but these stars took on their fair share of odd-jobs on their way to the top.

Now-Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg, 68, worked as a funeral make-up artist in the 1970s as she attempted to break into acting - while two-time Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman worked as a janitor, waiter and toy salesman before fame.

Jon Hamm, who played Don Draper in iconic series Mad Men, had perhaps the most shocking job pre-fame - working as a set-dresser on softcore adult movies in the late 1990s.

While Hugh Jackman - now one of the most in-demand stars in the world thanks to his X-Men role as Wolverine - started his performing career as a children's birthday party clown.

As Charlize Theron reveals her surprise new career - DailyMail.com looks back at the most surprising jobs celebrities undertook before rising to fame...

WHOOPI GOLDBERG - MORTUARY COSMETOLOGIST

Years before Goldberg played psychic Oda-Mae Brown in 1990 film Ghost (pictured with Patrick Swayze, she did hair and make-up for the deceased at a funeral home in the 1970s

She told Oprah's Master Class in 2015: ' I did hair and makeup on dead people. There was an ad in the paper! And I'm a licensed beautician as well, because I went to beauty school - pictured in Ghost 

Years before Goldberg played psychic Oda-Mae Brown in 1990 film Ghost, she did hair and make-up for the deceased at a funeral home in the 1970s.

The future star - then living in San Diego, California - worked as a  bank teller, a and a bricklayer before taking a job at a funeral home.

She told Oprah's Master Class in 2015: 'I did hair and makeup on dead people. There was an ad in the paper! And I'm a licensed beautician as well, because I went to beauty school.

'It's a rough gig. You have to be a certain kind of person. And you have to love people in order to make them worthy of a great send-off.'

DUSTIN HOFFMAN - JANITOR

Rain Man star Hoffman, 86, who would shoot to worldwide fame in 1967's The Graduate - had a selection of jobs as he worked to establish a theater career in the 1960s (pictured with Anne Bancroft in the iconic film) 

After moving from Los Angeles to New York City, he worked as a janitor in a dance studio and also was employed as a coat checker, dishwasher, and sold toys at Macy's - pictured July 2024

Rain Man star Hoffman, 86, who would shoot to worldwide fame in 1967's The Graduate - had a selection of jobs as he worked to establish a theater career in the 1960s.

After moving from Los Angeles to New York City, he worked as a janitor in a dance studio and also was employed as a coat checker, dishwasher, and sold toys at Macy's. 

JON HAMM - SET DRESSER FOR PORN FILMS

Jon Hamm is best known for his role as Don Draper on Mad Men - but he was previously a set-dresser on softcore adult movies in the late 1990s

In a 2014 Vanity Fair profile, the actor described his previous job of working on soft porn movies as 'soul crushing' - pictured 2020

Discussing a recently resurfaced episode of The Big Date which he appeared on in 1996, he said: 'I was actually at that time working as a set dresser for Cinemax soft-core-porn movies. It was soul-crushing.'

The Mad Men actor was a set-dresser on softcore adult movies in the late 1990s and says it was one of the worst jobs he'd ever had.

In a 2014 Vanity Fair profile, the actor described his previous job of working on soft porn movies as 'soul crushing.' 

Discussing a recently resurfaced episode of The Big Date which he appeared on in 1996, he said: 'I was actually at that time working as a set dresser for Cinemax soft-core-porn movies. It was soul-crushing.'

Hamm's appearance on The Big Date back in 1996 saw him appear with unfashionably floppy hair parted in the middle. Perhaps, more humiliatingly - he ended up not being picked.

HUGH JACKMAN - BIRTHDAY PARTY CLOWN  

Hugh has spoken out about working as a birthday party clown in the past - years before he shot to worldwide fame as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise - pictured July 2024

The hunky star is shown in 2013 film The Wolverine

'I was Coco the Clown and I had no magic tricks and I remember a six-year-old standing up at a party saying 'Mummy this clown is terrible, he doesn't know any tricks' - and he was right.'

Hugh has spoken out about working as a birthday party clown in the past - years before he shot to worldwide fame as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise.

'I am really bad at magic. I in fact used to be a clown at kid's parties,' Jackman confessed to In The News, as reported by The Daily Beast.  

'I was Coco the Clown and I had no magic tricks and I remember a six-year-old standing up at a party saying 'Mummy this clown is terrible, he doesn't know any tricks' - and he was right.' 

The celebrated X-Men star was given a second chance at proving his magic trick skills when he took on the role of magician Robert Angier in the 2006 Christopher Nolan film, The Prestige.

SYLVESTER STALLONE - LION CAGE CLEANER 

Now one of Hollywood's most legendary action heroes - sparked by his 1976 classic Rocky (pictured), Stallone was just another aspiring actor in New York City in the late 1960s. 

He worked odd jobs including as an usher at a Walter Reade Cinema and cleaning the lion cages at the Central Park Zoo - the latter of which he was paid $1.12 an hour in 1970 - pictured in 1974's The Lords of Flatbush

After struggling to get acting roles, he became temporarily homeless before starring in 1970 softcore pornographic film, The Party at Kitty and Stud's (later renamed Italian Stallion in the wake of his Rocky success) - for which he was paid $200 for two days of work

Nowadays the star is worth an estimated $400million and known for his roles in the Rocky, Rambo and Expendables franchises - pictured February 2024

Now one of Hollywood's most legendary action heroes - sparked by his 1976 classic Rocky, Stallone was just another aspiring actor in New York City in the late 1960s.

After struggling to get acting roles, he became temporarily homeless before starring in 1970 softcore pornographic film, The Party at Kitty and Stud's (later renamed Italian Stallion in the wake of his Rocky success) - for which he was paid $200 for two days of work.

He worked odd jobs including as an usher at a Walter Reade Cinema and cleaning the lion cages at the Central Park Zoo - the latter of which he was paid $1.12 an hour in 1970.

He said he quit after a month due to lions 'whizzing' on him, saying: 'Not too many people ever have the thrill of seeing lions taking giant leaks. Let me tell you, they’re accurate up to 15 feet, and after a month of getting whizzed on, I quit.'

Nowadays the star is worth an estimated $400million and known for his roles in the Rocky, Rambo and Expendables franchises. 

MARIAH CAREY - HAT CHECKER 

Carey, now 54, may be one of the greatest singers of all time - but she worked a series of jobs to support herself while she plugged away at her music career - pictured February 2024

The star previously revealed that she 'got fired from all her jobs because of her attitude and was concentrating on becoming a [backup] singer and mixing demos' - pictured on the cover of her 1990 album, Mariah Carey

Carey, now 54, may be one of the greatest singers of all time - but she worked a series of jobs to support herself while she plugged away at her music career.

These jobs included  hat/coat-checker, hostess, hair sweeper in hairdressing salons, and as a waitress. 

The star previously revealed that she 'got fired from all her jobs because of her attitude and was concentrating on becoming a [backup] singer and mixing demos.'

BRAD PITT - CHICKEN MASCOT AND LIMO DRIVER FOR STRIPPERS

Now an Oscar-winner and certified Hollywood icon, Pitt, now 60, worked as a mascot for fast food chain, El Pollo Loco when he first moved to LA in the 1980s

In a 2019 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Pitt said he couldn't recall how much the job paid, but he 'got flipped off a lot' - pictured in 1992's A River Runs Through It 

Now an Oscar-winner and certified Hollywood icon, Pitt, now 60, worked as a mascot for fast food chain, El Pollo Loco when he first moved to LA in the 1980s.

He dressed up as a chicken in a yellow suit and waved a banner to welcome shoppers to the grand opening of the eatery on Sunset and La Brea.

In a 2019 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Pitt said he couldn't recall how much the job paid, but he 'got flipped off a lot.'

He also worked as furniture mover and was a limo driver for strippers for two months.

VERA WANG - ICE SKATER

Now the most revered bridal designer of all time at age 75 - Wang initially pursued a career in figure skating before transitioning to fashion - seen in March 2024

The star began skating as a child and even competed in the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships 

Now the most revered bridal designer of all time at age 75 - Wang initially pursued a career in figure skating before transitioning to fashion. 

She competed in the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and even featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd in the January 9, 1968 issue.

However when she failed to make the US Olympics team, she pursued a career in fashion instead. 

Today she is worth an estimated $650million.