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Changing Careers Happens To Celebrities, Too! 10 Stars Who Switched Jobs

10 Stars Who Quit Their Day Jobs
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NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 05: Harrison Ford attends the Jackie Robinson Foundation Awards Gala at The Waldorf=Astoria on March 5, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Jackie Robinson Foundation)

Stars... they're just like us -- and in more ways than one. A MetLife study found there are more than 9 million Americans between the ages of 44 and 70 are working on their encore careers -- a second act job that blends "personal meaning, continued income and social impact," according to Encore.org. There are a number of post 50s switching gears, moving from one career to the next to follow their true callings.

Changing careers later in life is something many celebrities do as well. Before we knew Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Indiana Jones and the President of the United States, he swung a hammer as a carpenter on the set of George Lucas' earlier films. And you'll never guess what Ina Garten (better known as the Barefoot Contessa) did before she became the kitchen whiz and Food Network personality we know today.

Take a look at our slideshow for a selection of celebrities who have made big career leaps in their pasts and presents. Let us know your favorite celebrity second act in the comments below.

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Before You Go

Post 50 Celebrities Who Switched Careers
Goldie Hawn(01 of10)
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Most know Hawn as a comedy natural, but the actress has been tackling a serious issue affecting the nation: education. Hawn started the Bright Light Foundation in 2003 after seeing the "alarming jump in stress, depression, and violence among today’s children and young people," according to the site. It has since become the Hawn Foundation, and is focused on improving the emotional and social learning of children through its MindUP program and curriculum. (credit:Alamy)
Al Gore(02 of10)
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After serving as our nation's Vice President from 1993 until 2001, and unsuccessfully running for President in 2000, Al Gore turned his attentions to the media world. Gore co-founded Current TV, a cable news network focused on, in 2005. The network had its fair share of fanfare and controversy, including firing Keith Olbermann in 2009 and having two of its reporters (Laura Ling and Euna Lee) detained by North Korea for illegal entry.Gore recently sold Current TV to Al Jazeera, netting a reported $70 million. (credit:Alamy)
Ina Garten(03 of10)
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Before Ina Garten was a cooking sensation, she worked in the White House Office of Management and Budget. After leaving that job, she got her start in the food world when she opened a speciality foods store in 1978. Since that time, Garten has published eight cookbooks and now has her own show on the Food Network. (credit:Getty Images)
Jane Fonda(04 of10)
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The actress became a fitness and aerobic expert in the 80s when she released her first work out video more than 30 years ago. Fonda has made more than 30 exercise videos and DVDs, and is now focusing on her Prime Time brand, which focuses on fitness for seniors and boomers. (credit:Alamy)
Al Franken(05 of10)
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Did you hear about the one about the comedian turned senator? There's no punchline to this one: Al Franken, a Saturday Night Live alum, is now Minnesota's senator. (credit:Alamy)
Alan Alda(06 of10)
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We remember Alda as Hawkeye from "M*A*S*H," but a few people may know him by another name: "Professor Alda." The actor turned teacher is a visiting professor at New York's Stony Brook University school of journalism and is a founder of the school's Center for Communicating Science.He recently made headlines for an international contest the Center is putting on, asking scientists to explain time in a way that sixth-graders would understand. (credit:Alamy)
Magic Johnson(07 of10)
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Magic Johnson retired from the Los Angeles Lakers 20 years ago upon discovering he had contracted HIV-AIDS, a decision he says he still regrets. But that doesn't mean Johnson's been on the bench all those years. He's since become a businessman and philanthropist through Magic Johnson Enterprises, which fosters development in African-American communities. (credit:Shutterstock)
Kathryn Joosten(08 of10)
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Long before we knew the actress as Mrs. Landingham on "West Wing" or Karen McCluskey on "Desperate Housewives," Kathryn Joosten was a head nurse turned stay at home mom. Her divorce in 1980 brought her to the stage: at 42 she landed a role in a local production of "Gypsy" and hasn't looked back since. (credit:Alamy)
Arnold Schwarzenegger(09 of10)
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We all know Arnold's switch from actor to California's two-term Governator in 2003, but remember: before audiences were repeating catchphrases like "Hasta la vista, baby," Schwarzenegger was a bodybuilding champ, winning titles like Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe. (credit:Shutterstock)
Harrison Ford(10 of10)
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Though it seems Ford was born for the big screen, he didn't get his start as an actor. His rise to fame was all about being at the right place at the right time. Ford worked as a carpenter for 15 years and found work building cabinets for a then small-time producer named George Lucas. Lucas gave Ford a small role in his now iconic "American Graffiti," and the rest, as they say, is history. (credit:WikiMedia:)
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