These Celebrity Side Hustles Could Technically be Fully-Fledged Careers

This article was originally published on Myhealthgazette.com

While most of our celebrities are people that we admire [to some degree or another], we tend to think of them only in terms of the very specific thing that they are famous for. It seems that the mechanism of celebrity is designed to eliminate complexity, creating a perfect two-dimensional character worthy of our adoration. Yet oftentimes, this very mechanism prevents us from seeing famous people as they really are: human beings just the same as any one of us. So sometimes, we miss out on the most interesting things about them – special skills, interests, habits, and achievements that don’t directly relate to their chosen field. We’re here to fill you in on the gaps…

#1: Brian May

There are a few celebrities who we do expect to be just a cut above the rest, even if our curiosities are limited to their on-stage performances. The members of Queen are definitely a part of that group who you wouldn’t be surprised to find has got a little more going on than meets the eye.

That being said, I don’t know if I could’ve predicted a non-honorary PhD in astrophysics. I don’t know how many people have read that dissertation, but either it’s absolutely codswallop, or else Brian May must be something close to a genius. And not just at brilliantly shredding that guitar.

#2: Viggo Mortensen

If you’re a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan like I am, then it’s no secret to you that Viggo Mortensen is a little different than the rest of his acting ilk. But you still probably don’t know half of the impressive feats and characteristics that set him apart.

Honestly, with a biography this impressive, it’s a wonder that Viggo Mortensen hasn’t taken over the whole world yet. Of course, it is possible that he’s just biding his time, slowly putting his steps in place while we all unwittingly participate in his plot for global domination. But wouldn’t we all be better off with him in charge?

#3: Hedy Lamarr

I’d like to think Hedy Lamarr belongs to a different generation of celebrities when the actors and actresses who populated our stages and screens weren’t trust-fund babies who got their first role at age five but hard-working folks who slaved away in order to make it to an audition.

That’s why it seems completely reasonable for an actress in the 1940s to also be a successful inventor. She was industrious from the very beginning, thinking up inventions in her spare time on set. The war merely provided a catalyst (as did her arms-dealing husband). Even wikipedia calls her an “actress and inventor”.

#4: Terry Crews

Here’s another actor who seems to be a bit of a Renaissance man. I personally wouldn’t have expected it. Maybe it’s because Terry Crews seems to have a bit of a penchant for playing dumb characters, and sometimes, we have a hard time separating the actors from the characters they play.

I don’t know if the more interesting part here is the artistic talent itself or that he put it to use as a courtroom sketch artist. How does one decide they want to be a courtroom sketch artist? I’ve never met one myself. And then how does a courtroom sketch artist decide he wants to be an actor?