Since the 1890s, when British actress Lillie Langtry appeared on Pears Soap packaging, celebrities have cashed in on their fame with business ventures. Entertainment news is now filled with announcements of celebrity side projects, ranging from headphone brands to wellness empires. Jay-Z's streaming platform and Rihanna's successful makeup brand make sense, as does George Clooney's tequila company - he's the human equivalent of a luxury beverage, after all. But sometimes celebrities venture into unexpected territory, like shoe-making or ping pong. These famous figures have channeled their creativity into bizarre side projects. Some have thrived, like Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop, which may overshadow her Oscar-winning acting career. Others have failed, like 50 Cent's super-condoms. Regardless of the outcome, these projects are entertaining. Vote up the side gigs that blow your mind.
About this list
- 1

Susan Sarandon earned five Academy Award nominations throughout her film and television career. She won an award for her performance in [missing information].She won an Oscar for her role in Dead Man Walking.She starred in Thelma and Louise over the years.Susan Sarandon starred in Thelma and Louise.She also appeared in Bull Durham.Susan Sarandon appeared in Bull Durham.She also acted in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.Susan Sarandon appeared in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.The decorated actor is a savvy businesswoman.
In 2009, Sarandon and three partners started SPiN, a ping pong bar in Manhattan. This spot, mixing drinks, a dance floor, food, and the game, became a success. Eight more locations opened across North America, including one in Toronto after the New York branch opened.
Sarandon believes in ping pong. Through SPiN, she helped distribute ping pong tables to schools in New York and coached the students. A North Carolina teacher sent fan mail about a student's migraines; the actress suggested the student play the game. Soon after, Sarandon said, the headaches stopped.She helped distribute ping pong tables.Susan Sarandon helped underprivileged New York school districts and coached the students. A North Carolina teacher sent fan mail about a student's migraines. The actress advised the student to play the game. The headaches stopped soon after.This explains her passion for the sport.In 2009, she stated,
I love that it crosses all gender and age barriers. Little girls can beat muscular 35-year-old men. You can play until you die. We have members in their 80s and seven-year-olds who beat everyone. It is one of the few sports where girls, boys, men, and women share the same playing field.
77 - 2

Many consider Daniel Day-Lewis the greatest actor of his generation, perhaps the greatest of all time.Daniel Day-Lewis has won three record Academy Awards for Best Actor and received a knighthood. His success comes from careful preparation and close attention to detail. He learned to speak Czech.Daniel Day-Lewis won three record Academy Awards for Best Actor and got a knighthood. His success stems from detailed preparation and precise focus. He learned Czech.He learned how to speak Czech.He learned Czech for The Unbearable Lightness of Being.He learned Czech for The Unbearable Lightness of Being.He refused to leave his wheelchair for the entire production of My Left Foot.He refused to leave his wheelchair for My Left Foot.He trained in the ring for three years to get into character for The Boxer.He trained in the ring for three years for The Boxer.His commitment to honing new skills might have surpassed his commitment to acting in the late-1990s. After the 1997 release of The Boxer, he took a break from movies to become a woodworker. He then moved to Florence for ten months to apprentice with the famous Italian shoemaker Stefano Bemer.After the 1997 release of The Boxer, he became a woodworker and moved to Florence for ten months to apprentice with Stefano Bemer.Daniel Day-Lewis took a long break from acting. He became a woodworker. He later moved to Florence for ten months. There, he apprenticed under a famous Italian shoemaker.He apprenticed under Stefano Bemer.He apprenticed under Stefano Bemer.
Details about this time are few. Day-Lewis keeps a low profile, focusing on his art over celebrity. It took five years before Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio persuaded him back to acting. The resulting film, Gangs of New York, earned him another Oscar nomination. His interest in shoemaking remains.The resulting film, Gangs of New York, won him another Oscar nomination.Daniel Day-Lewis earned another Oscar nomination from that shoemaker. His interest in shoe-making continues. In 2017, he [missing information].Daniel Day-Lewis convinced his London cobbler.George Glasgow appears with Daniel Day-Lewis in Paul Thomas Anderson’s couture drama.Phantom ThreadDay-Lewis said this movie would be his last. Glasgow thinks the actor wanted him there to "make life a little lighthearted" as he mourned his acting career's end.
56 - 3

Before launching a beauty brand, Scarlett Johansson tried a surprising business: popcorn. The Hollywood star known for playing Black Widow did this. She starred in the MCU and movies likeLost in TranslationandMarriage StoryShe opened a Parisian popcorn shop named “Yummy Pop” in 2016. The actress said this was not random. It hadbeen a dream for her and her family for several years.Created with her then-husband Romain Dauriac, the shop mixed artisanal flavor into the American snack whileusing nostalgic American decor.Flavors included “Canadian maple” and “truffle parmesan.” Most accounts say they weredelicious.Johansson stated the business was a “
labor of love and epicurean enthusiasm” and she hoped it would become “a Parisian snacking staple and a symbol of friendship between Paris and New York.” Yummy Pop sold well based on lines journalists reported the year after opening, but it closed soon after. This might stem from Johansson and Dauriac’s divorce or the fact that the actress is a famous movie star with other commitments.Jeremy Renner announced the app would shut down in 2019. Trolls got the blame, but the end was expected from the start. Besides the interface problems, users complained thatShe hoped Yummy Pop became a Parisian snack staple and a symbol of friendship between Paris and New York. Yummy Pop closed soon after, perhaps because of Johansson and Dauriac’s divorce or the actress’s other work.
52 - 4

In March 2017, Jeremy Renner, known for playing Hawkeye in the MCU and receiving Oscar nominations for his roles inThe Hurt LockerandThe Town -Jeremy Renner launched an app called “Jeremy Renner.”A press releasedescribed the app as “groundbreaking” and an opportunity for the actor to “interact directly with his fans all over the world.” Escapex, a Singapore-based company, developed the Jeremy Renner app. The app looked almost like Instagram, but only showed Jeremy Renner content, and the interface failed 60% of the time.
It even linked to an unofficial fan site that denied any link to the actor.Reviewing the appKate Knibbs, writing for The Ringer, observed, “Jeremy Renner (the app) looks like it was designed in early 2011 by someone who hates Jeremy Renner (the person).” Trolls used the app’s glitches; users got push notifications when they replied to comments.looked as if Renner himself had written it. The word “p*rno” quickly appeared, and things got worse.
In 2019, the actor announced the app would shut down. Trolls got the blame for the end, but the problems showed early on. Users complained about the interface issues.Competitions were rigged.In-app purchases were also part of predatory cash grabs.These were predatory cash grabs.Shortly before the app left stores, he shifted to a new venture: selling camping gear on Amazon..
47 - 5

Famous musicians often struggle to break their creative molds and try new things without losing fans. By 1999, country music superstar Garth Brooks sold over 95 million albums.This made him one of the best-selling artists ever. But he wanted a change; he thought he could bypass obstacles by making Chris Gaines, a fake Australian rockstar.
A singer/songwriter taking on the persona of a famous singer/songwriter seems unoriginal, yet Chris Gaines looked and sounded nothing like Brooks. The country singer lost weight, and grew his hair out.He also made the choice to get a soul patch. Gaines’s music is a serious, ballad-heavy nod to '90s pop without Brooks’s Oklahoma twang. The album, Garth Brooks appeared in the Life of Chris Gaines.has a vague title but hit No. 2 on the Billboard.200 and earned a No. 5 spot on the Billboard.Top 40 with the single “Lost in You.” The album was meant to be the soundtrack for a mystery film called The Lamb., where Gaines would face sex addictionand get plastic surgery after a car crash, but critics reacted badly to the fictional character. Brooks dropped the project and avoided talking about his alter ego for decades.
Twenty years later, he admitted, “My ribs still hurtHe got kicked out of me for it. Gaines might have been an outcast in the '90s, but he has cult status now. In 2019, a "Gainesfest" took place in Nashville to mark 20 years since the album dropped. Childish Gambino played a cover of the hit single "Lost in You" on an Australian radio show.In 2021, Brooks announced he would soon be“in every format you can possibly imagine” along with new music.
41 - 6

If you liked Schitt’s Creek.but found the rich people buying a town idea weak, reconsider. Long before the Rose family bought small-town America as a joke, Kim Basinger bought Braselton, Georgia for a serious $20 million. That is much money now, but in 1989, it was a fortune. The Batman.and9 ½ Weeks.The actress wanted to make the town a tourist spot and a movie location, but she faced problems immediately. Locals in Braselton pointed out that little happened there. One local said, "If you lived in Braselton and anything happened, it would be exciting… anything."Chicago TribuneIn 1992, someone said, "Breadin’ chicken’s about the most exciting thing we do around here," while another mentioned waiting for the fire truck.
Three years after Basinger bought the town, one resident said it was “deader” than ever. The actress blamed the town’s poor sewage system for its lack of upward mobility. Four years into the venture, Basinger filed for bankruptcy and sold the town for just $1 million.Kim Basinger did this for just $1 million.Braselton's population grew from a few hundred.Basinger moved to Braselton.Around the time the actress sold it to over 14,000 in 2020, Basinger won an Oscar for her role in LA Confidential and made a career comeback.She appeared in LA Confidential.This happened a few years later.
34 - 7

In 2007, after releasing three novels, hip-hop icon and entrepreneur 50 Cent tried to grow his business with a condom line.50 Cent released Get Rich or Die Tryin’.The rapper already made money from his creative talents by investing in an energy drink company, launching a clothing line, securing a Pontiac endorsement, and starring in a movie based on his life. He sold over four million pairs of sneakers through a Reebok collaboration, earning a revenue of approximately $320 million.50 Cent made about $320 million.Given these ventures, it makes sense he wanted to enter the sexual health business.
Believing young people ignored safe sex campaigns, 50 Cent wanted to “You need to be more creative.” by distributing products instead of speeches. He also planned to donate some profits to HIV awareness.” you could just put it on and just go.” Modern science could not support this. He stopped the project quickly. “It just didn't work out,” he admitted in 2009. “I wanted things in it that wouldn't work.”
27 - 8

From Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker to tennis star Naomi Osaka, many celebrities have skincare lines. Academy Award-winner Brad Pitt announced his industry entry in 2022. He insisted this one would differ from others, stating that like other famous brand owners, this one would be different. Pitt's Le Domaine is a joint venture with the Perrin family, whom he also owns a French winery with.
To combine the two businesses, they brought in “Brad Pitt is one of the world’s leading wine and human health specialists.Pitt tests 13 grape varieties for highest antioxidant levels. The brand uses leftover barrel wood to make lids for moisturizers and serums. Pitt explained his skincare line focused on location. "It’s steeped in creativity and so fertile. We make olive oil, truffles, and honey here. Reinforced concrete began here."Reinforced concrete!That’s insane!
Despite the brand’sPitt loftily expressed goals.Le Domaine launched, imitating nature’s cycles and using a terroir-based model for skincare. People were puzzled by this move.Some struggled to believe the guy from Fight Club.Others found humor in a website typo announcing the brand wasBrad Pitt banned “conservatives” from its formulas.Pitt and his partners likely have the last laugh with a $385 price for one ounce of serum.
26 - 9

Clint Eastwood hasThis caused political controversy.Eastwood sparked political debate through movies, statements, and a 2012 Republican National Convention appearance. He succeeded as a politician.He thrived in roles likeA Fistful of Dollarsand Dirty HarryClint Eastwood built his tough, macho image in the '70s. He showed his artistic skill as an Oscar-winning director for films likeUnforgivenandMillion Dollar BabyDespite a long Hollywood career, Eastwood kept his political goals small.
In 1986, Eastwood became mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a town under 5,000 people on the Central Coast of California where he lived. Eastwood acted out of a desire for payback. The Carmel council blocked his plan to build office blocks on his land, making him decide a new leader was needed.
The actor won the election with a landslide—73% of votes went his way—and promised tobring fun back to Carmel.He kept his promise. One of his first mayoral actions was bringing back ice cream, banned since 1929. He also expanded the library, built more public toilets, and added stairs to the beach. He evenHe appointed one of his critics.to a City Planning Commission seat to show fairness. Residents liked him as mayor, but they were unprepared for the visitors his fame brought. When Eastwood said he would not run again, he used the usual excuse: Clint Eastwood wanted more family time..
23 - 10

Since his 1983 filmThe OutsidersRob Lowe keeps a steady career in movies and television.He appeared in "St. Elmo’s Fire".He also appeared in "About Last Night".Rob Lowe is in "About Last Night".Lowe played heartthrob roles and got acclaim in TV shows like "The West Wing".Lowe acted in "The West Wing".He also acted in "Parks and Recreation".Lowe was in "Parks and Recreation".Lowe moves between genres easily. In 2017, he shifted to reality TV.
The Lowe Files is a project about Lowe and his sons, Edward Matthew and John Owen, searching for ghosts in a Ford Raptor.Rob Lowe features his adult sons, Edward Matthew and John Owen, bombing across the country in a modified Ford Raptor seeking ghosts. Each episode opens with a voiceover where Lowe explains he has loved "spooky legends and scary mysteries" since childhood and bonded with his boys over campfire stories. "We swore that one day we would find out those answers together," he states. "That day has come."
The investigation includes Bigfoot, a haunted school in northern California, and UFO sightings. Footage shows green night vision. Lowe wore tribal face paint and drummed by a fire. Shaman Jon, Lowe’s shaman, suggested a hill might be a Native American burial site. Lowe called the venture "Anthony Bourdain in a blender with Scooby-Doo".The project was called "Anthony Bourdain in a blender with Scooby-Doo".A Hollywood Reporter review called the project an "inexplicable" vanity project.The project lasted one season on A&E.The project ran for one season on A&E.
21 - 11

Steven Seagal is a '90s action movie star, a deputy sheriff on the US/Mexico border, a supposed friend of Vladimir Putin, and faced harassment claims from "too many women to count."Steven Seagal was a deputy sheriff on the US/Mexico border.Seagal was a deputy sheriff on the US/Mexico border.Seagal was a supposed friend of Vladimir Putin.Seagal received harassment allegations from "too many women to count."The harassment allegations came from "too many women to count."Seagal is also a musician.
In 2004, the martial arts enthusiast released an album called "Songs from the Crystal Cave".The album is titled "Songs from the Crystal Cave".The album described the experience as "outsider country meets world music meets aikido."Seagal called the experience "outsider country meets world music meets aikido."The "world music" Seagal mentioned was a reggae track called "Strut" by dancehall reggae queen Lady Shaw. Stevie Wonder appeared on one track. The album was not released in the US for several years.The album was not released in the US for several years.In 2006, Seagal released a second album called "Mojo Priest", which focused on blues.Seagal released "Mojo Priest" in 2006, focusing on blues.One review called Seagal's musical skills "laughable".A review called Seagal's musical skills "laughable".Another review conceded the action star can play guitar.The action star can play guitar.Seagal can play guitar.
During a tour in the east of England, Seagal and his band played in Ipswich. A journalist wrote, "Never in all my 30 years of concert-going at The Regent have I witnessed such a lukewarm reception to the main show."A journalist stated, "Never in all my 30 years of concert-going at The Regent have I witnessed such a lukewarm reception to the main show."Seagal's music career did not go as planned. He found an audience at a Crimean biker’s festival shortly after Russia annexed the territory.Seagal found an audience at a Crimean biker’s festival after Russia annexed the territory.Steven Seagal acted shortly after Russia annexed the territory.
16 - 12

Jada Pinkett Smith became a Hollywood fixture after appearing in the Cosby Show.Cosby ShowSpinoff show.A Different World, in the early '90s. She appeared in the Matrix.Matrixseries; she acted as a voice actor in Madagascar movies.MadagascarShe created a successful talk show and became a musician.
In 2002, Jada Pinkett Smith formed the nü-metal band Wicked Wisdom and left acting for a few years to focus on the venture. The group released two studio albums.My StoryPinkett Smith appeared in 2004 and a self-titled show in 2006. Pinkett Smith loved metal from the start. She told an interviewer in 2006, "I always wanted an opportunity to"rock out." The band stopped making music by 2007, but they had a successful run, playing at Ozzy Osbourne’s Ozzfest in 2005 with headliners like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.
Pinkett Smith stated that being a nü-metal front-woman gave her something acting could not.
Onstage, I give them Jada, versus me giving them a character. Some people like Jada; others do not. That is part of it. It grounds you and empowers you when you get onstage and know you had a good show someplace no one has heard of you. On a crappy Hollywood movie, everyone says 'great job.' At Ozzfest, if you are crappy, they send you off stage, and you know where you stand.
13 - 13

Francis Ford Coppola creates a striking cinematic style in movies like Apocalypse Now.Apocalypse Now, The Godfather trilogy, andDracula. People widely consider him one of the best directors of all time.one of the best directors of all time alongside Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, and Alfred Hitchcock. Coppola’s visual flair extends beyond the screen. We are not talking about his wine business, either.his wine business, either.
In 2019, Coppola unveiled a penthouse apartment in Paris he designed entirely himself.Built in 1910, Hotel Lutetia is a luxury place in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter. Coppola and his family have a history with the area. When the hotel got renovated, Coppola got a chance to make the space his own. Although hehe runs several hotels across the world, including in Guatemala, Belize, and Italy, the filmmaker used the Paris penthouse as a home for his movie artifacts.kept it as home for his movie artifacts:
I live in a small, one-bedroom house on a mountain in the Napa Valley. I am like the fool on the hill: I am not surrounded by my awards and luxury. I am 80 years old; I have accumulated too much in my career. So some pieces here let me see them brought to life. Otherwise, they stay in storage, hidden away.
For a mere€7,000 per night, guests to the penthouse can besurrounded by film historyFrancis Ford Coppola is listed among the most bizarre celebrity side projects, including one of Coppola’s Eclair cameras and his annotated script for The Godfather.The GodfatherHe also has pictures of his family.
8 - 14

Ryan Reynolds diversifies his investment portfolio. He seems more involved than a typical financial advisor. The Hollywood A-lister invests in Aviation Gin, AFC Wrexham, and Mint Mobile.
Aviation and Wrexham gained profile since Reynolds joined. Mint Mobile might be his biggest investment success. In 2023, T-Mobile agreed to buy the phone service forExceeds $1.3 billion.This is not bad.
Everything seems to work out well for the Hollywood star known for Two Guys and a Girl.Two Guys and a Girl.andVan Wilder.He played Van Wilder for years. Playing two different superheroes in major blockbuster films changes life a lot.
5 - 15

Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow earned acclaim for roles in films likeShakespeare in Love., The Royal Tenenbaums., andEmma., stepped away from acting full-time in 2017 to focus on her wellness empire. Goop began in 2008 as an email newsletter with the slogan “Nourish the Inner Aspect.Since then, Goop grew into a multi-million dollar lifestyle brand. It sells things like a golf ball-sized jade egg meant to go into the vagina to boost sexual performance andPsychic Vampire Repellent., which uses ingredients like “sonically tuned water,” “moonlight,” and “reiki charged crystals.” The company also has a Netflix series calledThe Goop Lab.which features an episode where a chiropractorPerforms an exorcism on Julianne Hough.that supposedly helped the reality star release childhood trauma trapped in her foot.
The scientific and legal communities have had issues with Paltrow’s company. In 2018, Goop wasFined $145,000.for claiming the jade egg balances hormones and regulates menstrual cycles. The company faced investigation for claiming its essential oil blend, the “Inner Judge Flower Essence,” could treat depression. These issues came after a magazine venture with Condé Nast closed after two editions because the media companyInsisted on fact-checking.Its material.
Few celebrity side hustles turn a profit long enough to stay open. Goop is a notable, puzzling exception.
-1
More like this

Greatest Entertainers Of All Time
Meet the greatest entertainers of all time, ranked by fans, from Michael Jackson to Freddie Mercury. Vote for legendary performers who shaped entertainment history.

Actors Who Consistently Make Great Movies
Over 8,000 filmgoers voted on 110+ actors in 'Actors Who Consistently Make Great Movies', with Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, and Morgan Freeman currently topping the list.

The Most Overrated Actors Of All Time
Over 56,000 filmgoers voted on 280+ people for Most Overrated Actors Of All Time, with Jaden Smith, Beyoncé, and Miley Cyrus currently in the top 3.

Most Disliked Celebrities 2026
Over 122K fans voted on 150+ celebrities in Most Disliked Celebrities Of 2026, with Jake Paul, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Chris Brown currently topping the list.

Comments (0)
Join the conversation
Sign in to share your take and reply to others.
First take? Share what stood out to you.