Original career plans of 20 A-List celebrities

Celebrities

The twists and turns of fate led these stars to the limelight, but that wasn't necessarily the first path they chose.

Ashton Kutcher studied biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa.

George Clooney worked in tobacco fields as a kid . . . and also tried out for the Cincinnati Reds in 1977. Obviously, he didn't make the team.

Ashley Judd got her masters in public administration from Harvard.

Christopher Walken was a lion tamer in the circus when he was 15, although he says the lion was very old and, quote, "really more like a dog."

Neil Diamond dropped out of NYU's pre-med program to pursue music.

Hugh Grant was pursuing a degree in art history.

Richard Gere got a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts, where he studied philosophy. But he dropped out after two years.

Gerard Butler studied to be a lawyer at Glasgow University.

Rowan "Mr. Bean" Atkinson got a masters in electrical engineering from Oxford.

Angelina Jolie got certified as a funeral director . . . but never actually worked in the field.

Tom Cruise was going to be a Catholic priest. He even went to seminary school. But one of his classmates says that the two of them got kicked out for stealing liquor from the priests.

Will Ferrell studied sports information at USC, and worked as a sportscaster.

Queen Latifah was studying to be a broadcast journalist before she made it big as a rapper.

Jennifer Lawrence wanted to be a doctor.

Mayim Bialik got a PhD in neurobiology from UCLA before joining the cast of "The Big Bang Theory". Of course, she'd already starred on her own sitcom, "Blossom", by then.

Mariah Carey studied to be a makeup artist.

Steve Buscemi was a New York City firefighter before becoming an actor . . . and he went right out into the danger zone after 9/11.

Matthew McConaughey was thinking about a career in law.

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BEVERLY HILLS, CA - NOVEMBER 12: Actor Ashton Kutcher speaks at the Human Rights Watch Voices For Justice Dinner at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 12, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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