Many celebrities served in our military before their big break in the industry. Check the list below to see if you knew that these celebrities were once soldiers.
Adam Driver
Adam Driver is known for his role as Kylo Ren in the latest Star Wars films and Charlie Barber in Marriage Story, earning him a 2020 Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Driver joined the Marine Corps after 9/11 when he was 18 years old. A few years later he was medically discharged and founded the Arts in the Armed Forces (AITAF) in 2008, which brings theatre to a military audience stationed in the Middle East.
You can watch Driver discuss his non-profit organization here:
Ice-T
Ice-T is a rapper and actor who became famous for his controversial political songs, such as "Cop Killer" (1992). Ice-T then began his acting career and is widely known for his role as Detective Odafin Tutuola in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Ice-T joined the U.S. Army and served for four years in the 25th Infantry, stationed in Hawaii. Ice-T's service in the Army gained him a little bit of money, which he used for musical equipment, jumpstarting his rap career.
Mr. T
It was a Blessing to rub elbows with the Champ! “I hated every minute of training, but I said, Don’t quit. Suffer n… https://t.co/rHHxaGadLO— Mr. T (@Mr. T) 1534353692
Mr. T is an actor and professional wrestler who is famous for his appearances in The A-Team and Mister T.
Mr. T joined became a military policeman after being expelled from Prairie View A&M University. In 1975, a drill sargeant gave him a letter of recommendation and the award of "Top Trainee of the Cycle," leading him to become a squad leader.
Morgan Freeman
In this Instagram video, Morgan Freeman describes his time in the Air Force and how it led him to his notorious career in Hollywood.
Freeman is known for many roles such as Somerset in Se7en and Nelson Mandela in Invictus. Freeman has won numerous awards from the Academy, SAG, NAACP, and more.
As the video describes, Freeman aborted his acting dreams in 11th grade to pursue a career in the military. However, once a part of the Forces in 1955, Freeman quickly learned that his love of the military came from his love of cinema and he decided to leave in 1959.
Bob Ross
Bob Ross
Bob Ross is a famous artist known from his television show The Joy of Painting. Audiences enjoy Ross's fast and easy painting lessons and he gained a huge audience of art enthusiasts.
Ross spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant. Ross says he retired after having to be the mean person for too long, leading into his peaceful life of being an instructive artist on national television.
Pat Sajak
Pat Sajak is famously known as the host of Wheel of Fortune, which been on air since 1975.
Sajak joined the U.S. Army in 1968, where he spent 18 months as a D.J. for the armed forces radio.
MC Hammer
MC Hammer is a rapper widely known for his album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), the biggest-selling rap album of all time.
MC Hammer joined the Navy after his baseball career didn't go off and served for three years as a Store Keeper.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Shwarzenegger was first a bodybuilder turned Hollywood star. Shwarzenegger starred in Terminator and Kindergarten Cop before becoming the California governor from 2003-2011.
Shwarzenegger served in the Austrian Army in 1965, left camp to compete in Junior Mr. Europe, won, and spent a couple of days in military prison.
Gal Gadot
Gal Gadot is widely known as Wonder Woman from Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984.
Gadot was a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and taught gymnastics and calisthenics as a combat teacher.
Advocate Channel would like to thank all of those who have served or who are serving for our country and we wish you all a Happy Veteran's Day!
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