20 superstar celebrities whose careers began later in life

Ken Jeong is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood, but he hasn’t always been. Prior to his work in Hollywood, Jeong worked as a doctor. It wasn’t until his late 30s that he decided to make the switch to comedy. 

Ang Lee is one of the most celebrated directors of our time, but he didn’t have a long background in film before earning his Oscars. The famous filmmaker was a stay-at-home father for years and years before taking the plunge into the movie business. 

Julia Child barely knew how to cook until later in her life. After taking classes in France while her husband was there on business, Child discovered her passion for cooking. At 51, she started her TV series, The French Chef, and subsequently became a household name. 

It took John Mahoney a few tries before he figured out exactly what he wanted to do. Before pursuing acting in his late 30s, Mahoney worked as a teacher, a hospital orderly, and an editor of a medical journal. 

Kathryn Joosten had always dreamed of acting, but she opted for a career in nursing. When she was in her 40s, Joosten decided to pursue her dream, and she became known for her roles in projects like The West Wing and Desperate Housewives. 

Susan Boyle was just a regular citizen in Scotland until she appeared on an episode of Britain’s Got Talent. Boyle shocked the world with her talent, and she began a new career in music. 

Vera Wang had been working in fashion for her entire career, but later in life, she turned from editing to designing. Now, Wang is one of the most famous wedding dress designers on the planet. 

Unlike most television hosts, Joy Behar wasn’t working at local affiliates in hopes of working her way up to national syndication before snagging a spot on The View. Behar worked as a high school English teacher and receptionist before landing her life-changing gig. 

If you’re thinking about writing that book, do it. Toni Morrison worked as an editor for the better part of her career before diving into writing in her late 30s. She then went on to become one of the most celebrated writers in American history. 

Danny Glover had always had an interest in entertainment. He acted a little bit while he was in college. But after graduation, he took a job with the city of San Francisco. After years at that job, Glover picked up acting again and never looked back. 

Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones. He’s Han Solo. He’s Dr. Richard Kimble. But before he was any of those characters, Ford was a carpenter. He pursued his dream of acting a little later than most, and when he was in his mid-30s, he caught his big break. 

It took a while for Michael Emerson to find success as an actor. Although he tried and tried, Emerson couldn’t get hired as an actor, so he worked in retail and illustration for a while before finally getting the chance to act. 

Jon Hamm had a dream of acting as a career, but it never quite panned out. Instead, he did some odd jobs, and he taught acting to high school students. Hamm was ready to give up for good when he was cast in Mad Men and became an Emmy-winning star. 

It seems like Martha Stewart has been famous since she was in her 20s, but that’s just because she looks so good. In reality, the queen of hosting and entertaining didn’t publish her first book until she was 41. 

Ina Garten didn’t start her culinary career until later in life, either. The Barefoot Contessa actually held very important government jobs in Washington, D.C., before opening her store in the Hamptons and eventually turning it into a TV cooking show. 

Rodney Dangerfield certainly wasn’t a household name when he ended up on The Ed Sullivan Show. The actor was nearly 50 when he got the gig, and prior to that he had been working in sales. 

Brendan Gleeson is a movie star now, but he spent the first part of his career as a teacher. The actor pursued his passion on the side for a while before completely diving into the arts in his mid-30s. 

It’s not uncommon for athletes to start a new career a little later in life. No one can compete professionally forever. After his football career, rather than start a restaurant or open a car dealership, Terry Crews got into acting. 

Jason Statham did everything but act for the first part of his life. Notably, he was an athlete and a model, and modeling led him to acting. But he was in his 30s by the time acting hit his radar. 

Many athletes try to parlay their success into a career in entertainment, but most aren’t successful. Dwayne Johnson, however, was successful. After finding fame and fortune as a WWE wrestler, Johnson moved into acting, where he found even more fame and fortune.