Nowadays, the six stars of Friends are firmly set as celebrities in Hollywood and beyond, but before they joined the hit television series, they each worked different jobs to gain exposure, pay the bills, and even pursue other passions. From a bike messenger to a trained clinical researcher to a NutriSystem Spokesmodel on The Howard Stern Show (for real!) to the F.B.I. (no, not that one), you won’t believe what these celebrities once did to get by. Here are 10 jobs the Friends actors had before hitting stardom.
10. Jennifer Aniston Was a Waitress
Rachel on Friends may have worked as a waitress at Central Perk with no past experience whatsoever, but Jennifer Aniston who played the role had the real life qualifications to carry the tray and take orders. Before finding fame, Aniston paid the bills by working as a waitress at Jackson Hole Burgers on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. “I worked at a restaurant called Jackson Hole, on 85th and Columbus, burger joint. The best burgers by the way. I worked there for about two and half years, and they were so good to me.” The job suited the young actress while she was pursuing her acting career. “If I got a crappy little play down on 13th street or whatever awesome job I thought I had received, [her boss] would let me go for two or three months, and they would always let me come back. My job was always there…What I thought was my real job was being a waitress and then I would go and do theater on the side.”
Source: Warner Bros.