14 Celebrities Who Were Employed By Other Stars Before They Were Famous

The circle of stars is smaller than you think

Chelsi

• Published in Film & TV
• April 10, 2022

Celebrities have got to come from somewhere. It might seem like they pop out of nowhere then you suddenly see them on red carpets but some of them have actually been around the spotlight for some time. 

While there are celebrities that rise to fame by starting at the bottom, there are others that also do that but with specific connections. It’s all about who knows whom and who’s done their background part for big shots. 

There are names today that you would see everywhere but they’ve actually been in an employer-employee relationship with celebrities like them. You’ve got Kim Kardashian, Ashley Olsen, and John Legend.

They’ve all been working with people who were trying to make a name for themselves like them when they were starting out. Whether they had the intention to be famous or not, it’s one of the best ways to learn the ropes in the industry.

The way they came to work for these stars might be a stroke of luck, hard work, connections, or all of the above but for sure they already had star quality to make it big. There are more celebrities that you might not know had been one of your faves’ right hand, check out this list for more. 

1. There’s more than one Kardashian who worked with a reality star.

Khloe Kardashian went to school with Nicole Richie, and when she was starting with her show Simple Life, Khloe was there to lend a helping hand.

2. Allison Williams had a handful of experiences in the industry and fortunately, they were all pleasant.

A memorable one was when she worked as Tina Fey’s second assistant while the 30 rock creator was shooting two shows. 

3. Katie Lowes was so competent that actress Connie Britton wanted her to stick in her life as a nanny and an assistant.

Lowes helped out Connie when her son was just a baby and she couldn’t forget how great her personality was. 

4. In some of Kanye’s songs, he referenced Jay-Z helping him out.

That’s because when Jay-Z was working on turning out tracks, he hired Kanye to create some for his label Roc-A-Fella.

5. When Kanye was on the right track to great success, he decided to take someone under his wing too since it worked out for him.

He got none other than John Legend who he found through his cousin. He believed in Legend so much he introduced him to be more than being good at producing. 

6. There are a number of celebrities that were once babysitters for kids of other celebrities.

One of them was Jennifer Garner who Stephen Colbert hired after meeting each other and coming to a seeming career end. But then things turned around and when Jennifer was off to chase her dreams, Stephen and his wife were nervous for her but supportive.

7. Although it was a while before D’Arcy Carden got her break, she was a nanny to the daughters of Bill Hader.

She was constantly with them and developed a close relationship while working.

8. Meghan Markle was a calligraphy pro and other than her classes, she was praised by Paula Patton when she was hired to make their invites for her wedding with Robin Thicke.

9. A string of connections.

You might know this Bethenny Frankel’s story already from the Housewives but if you’re not familiar with it, well she used to take care of Nicky and Paris Hilton when they were kids after Kathy Hilton hired her thanks to Kyle Richards.

10. Jenna Dewan is known for her amazing dance abilities.

Before her solo activities, she used to dance back-up to Justin Timberlake. She also admitted in one of the interviews that she did have a short dating stint with him but they remained good friends after.

11. Ashley Olsen might have her own star-studded connections, but she still went and knocked on Zac Posen’s door for an internship.

He talked about how he saw her drive and knew that she had something special since then.

12. Speaking of internships, Mindy Kaling was an intern on The Late Night With Conan O’Brien and she recalled only good things.

She also disclosed that although she didn’t do what she was supposed to like small tasks, she wanted to follow Conan to see how he does his job. 

13. Who knew Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet can not only make you laugh but also keep you safe.

Before he went on to win the awards that he has, the actor became security for Garth Brooks for one night during a 1995 concert campus. 

14. Kim Kardashian had a bit of an unconventional way of being Paris’ ‘assistant.

Rather than fetching things and keeping tasks in order, she sorted through designer wares.

Sometimes the right connections can get you places. And other times, those connections are just passing relationships and you’ll actually achieve your dream by sheer talent and hard work.

These celebrities’ short stints of working for other celebrities gave them not only ways to see how the industry really worked but also found lifetime friends. Who was the most shocking to see on this list?

Chelsi