Drew Barrymore

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Drew Barrymore’s performance in 1982’s E.T. brought her superstardom, but it also sent her on the path toward alcoholism and drug addiction before she was even a teenager. Happily, Barrymore not only got clean and revived her acting career, she also branched out into other areas, enjoying huge success as a producer, author, talk show host and businesswoman, her products including wine, cosmetics and kitchenware.

Ariana Grande

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When Ariana Grande first emerged in the late 2000s, she was one among a slew of upcoming teen actors on Nickelodeon’s youth-oriented sitcom Victorious, playing the goofy Cat. Who could have expected she would go on to become one of the most acclaimed and popular singers of her generation? She’s sold over 90 million records and won numerous awards including two Grammys.

Mark Wahlberg

Initially, Mark Wahlberg was primarily famous by association, as the brother of New Kids on the Block’s Donnie Wahlberg. After he forged a rap career as Marky Mark and became an underwear model, Wahlberg enjoyed fame, but seemed unlikely to ever be taken seriously. That all changed after he starred in Boogie Nights. Since then, he’s been a hugely successful actor and Oscar nominee.

Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift has long enjoyed success in the music industry, but many of her fans may not have realised she had a very different career to begin with. When Swift started in her teens, she performed country music, releasing three multi-platinum-selling albums in this field before switching to pop in 2012. To date, she’s sold 114 million albums and won a dozen Grammy Awards.

Bryan Cranston

Typecasting can be a major issue for actors, and after filming seven seasons as the ineffectual father on sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, Bryan Cranston seemed doomed to play similar comedy roles forever. When crime drama Breaking Bad began in 2008, the world saw Cranston in a new light. He became one of the most in-demand dramatic actors around and a four-time Emmy Award winner.

Dwayne Johnson

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Before Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, pro-wrestlers might have taken the odd acting role, but none became bona fide Hollywood leading men. The WWE veteran did just that, producing and starring in a slew of blockbusters from the 2000s onwards. Johnson’s also a successful entrepreneur, his business ventures including his own energy drink and tequila brands, plus ownership of the XFL football league.

Lady Gaga

Stefani Germanotta worked her way up to musical superstardom in the late 2000s as Lady Gaga. As well as enjoying huge sales and acclaim, she also became renowned for her knack for exploring different styles. Still, not everyone thought she’d enjoy similar success in acting. After a few small film and TV roles, 2018’s A Star is Born cemented Gaga as a major movie star.

Jordan Peele

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One half of TV comedy duo Key & Peele, Jordan Peele seemed bound for further funnyman success. However, Peele surprised everyone by not only moving behind the camera but also switching genres with 2017’s Get Out. Hailed one of the most inventive horror movies in decades, Get Out landed Peele the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and he’s written, directed and produced more horror hits since.

Jessica Alba

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When Jessica Alba first rose to film fame in the early 2000s, she tended to be cast primarily on her looks and wasn’t necessarily credited with much intelligence. As such, many were taken aback when Alba side-stepped from acting into business in 2011, co-founding consumer goods manufacturer The Honest Company. Based on the company’s huge success, Alba now has a reported net worth of $390 million.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Reinventing yourself once is remarkable enough, but few have managed as much success in as many different fields as Arnold Schwarzenegger. First finding fame as a champion bodybuilder, the Austrian Oak surprised everyone by becoming one of the world’s biggest movie stars in the 80s and 90s. Then he surprised everyone even more by serving two terms as Governor of California from 2003 to 2007.