8 Famous Stars Who Were Fired from Their Jobs Before They Carved a Niche for Themselves
8 Famous People Who Faced Failure Before Success.
Success doesn't come easy and for these famous people, it wasn't a smooth ride either. Renowned names like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr., and music legend Elvis Presley have all faced rejection in their works before making a big name for themselves. Whether born with a silver spoon or not, all of them have struggled their way to the success and name they now enjoy. Let's dive into how these people bounced back after being fired.
1. Elvis Presley
The 20th century's most significant cultural figure and a true music legend, Presley, initially worked in a theater before making it big in the industry. During his teenage years, he got his first job as an usher at a Loew's State movie theatre while he was in Tennessee. However, once he got into a physical altercation with a fellow usher and punched him in the face. Consequently, the theater's management fired him from the job but also re-hired later on.
2. Oprah Winfrey
She never shied away from her traumatic childhood and often publicly talks about it. However, apart from facing personal struggles, the talk show host was once fired from her first television gig. The now-media executive worked as a TV anchor for a Baltimore station where she was charged with reporting news. Unfortunately, the producers were unsatisfied with her performance and consequently fired her from the role. However, she persisted and resurrected her career with the renowned The Oprah Winfrey Show.
3. Hillary Clinton
Who doesn't know Clinton? She's been In the media glare most of her life, experiencing both highs and lows. Apart from being a former First Lady, ex-senator of New York, and the 67th Secretary of State, her political profile has envy-inducing accomplishments. For this reason, it's tough to believe she's ever been fired. After she graduated from Wellesley College, she did some odd jobs like scooping out the insides of a salmon. Predictably, she couldn't last long in the role.
4. Hugh Jackman
The Australian actor has earned many fans with his exceptional talent in films, mostly famous for his beloved Wolverine character. However, as a teenager, he began working odd jobs for his pocket money like delivering pamphlets and brochures to houses around his local community. In high school, he worked at a counter from 7-11. Although, his manager at the time said his customer handling skills were indeed exceptional, he was surprisingly booted for talking too much, as per Study International.
5. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, was obsessed with music since childhood. The 13-time Grammy award winner, 18 MTV music awards, and two Golden Globes, it is nearly impossible to believe she's ever been fired from any work. However, unfortunately, the singer was once dropped by her record label in 2005, three years before she gave her breakout hit Just Dance in 2008. She was barely 19 when Def Jam Records severed her contract for reasons that are still a mystery.
6. Robert Downey Jr.
Everyone's beloved Tony Stark has over a decade of successful Marvel movies in his acting portfolio. Despite being the son of successful Robert Downey Sr., the path to success wasn't a bed of roses for him. Instead, his journey resembles any other struggling actor who worked his way up the ladder. In the 2024 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Downer Jr. recalled, "I worked at a shoe store, but I had sticky fingers, and I got fired after two weeks."
7. Steve Jobs
Who could have dared to fire Steve Jobs, you may ask? But this is how his life story shaped his successful career. He co-founded Apple in 1976, but, unfortunately, was fired in 1985 as a result of clashes with the company board and CEO. Apparently, the company's board wasn't a huge fan of his confrontational management style and for this reason, they booted him out. Later, he founded NeXT which was sold to Apple and he got his job back.
8. Walter Elias Disney (Walt Disney)
Walter Elias Disney aka Walt Disney was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. The reason for which he was fired from his role is as surprising as it can be, i.e., "he lacked creativity." He was first employed as a newspaper artist but the management didn't find him creative enough for the role. Later, his second business, an animation studio called Laugh-O-Grams, also flopped. But his final venture, the Disney Brothers Studio, has made history in Hollywood.
