13 Famous Celebrities Who Taught School Before Stardom

Before they were walking red carpets, starring in blockbuster films, and collecting awards, some of the biggest names in Hollywood and music were busy grading papers and managing classrooms. Several celebrities worked as teachers before finding fame, helping students learn long before they became household names. Take a look at some surprising stars who taught lessons in the classroom before making it big in show business.

Jon Hamm

Long before he became the suave Don Draper on Mad Men, Jon Hamm spent his days in a much different role, as a high school teacher. The future Emmy winner taught acting at John Burroughs School in St. Louis, where one of his students was none other than actress Ellie Kemper, as reported by Today.

Gene Simmons

Before becoming a rock legend with KISS, Gene Simmons taught sixth-grade students in Spanish Harlem, per ABC News. Simmons used his teaching experience to connect with diverse audiences worldwide.

Greg Davies

British comedian Greg Davies, best known for hosting Taskmaster, was once a drama teacher who spent 13 years in the teaching profession before switching to comedy, according to Radio Times. Greg later drew on his classroom experience when portraying a hot-tempered headteacher character in E4’s hit comedy The Inbetweeners, per Entertainment Daily.

J. K. Rowling

Long before she imagined the world of Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling first taught English in northern Portugal, as reported by JKRowling.com. A few years later, she moved to Edinburgh, where she then taught in the city schools, per the outlet.

Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal worked as a substitute teacher at Long Beach Junior High School early in his career for some extra income before breaking out in Hollywood, he revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Brian May

Queen guitarist Brian May was a teacher before becoming a musical sensation, working as a part-time math and science teacher at Stockwell Manor in south London, according to Chalkboard Champions.

Mayim Bialik

Before landing her role on The Big Bang Theory, Mayim Bialik taught biology, chemistry, and neuroscience in between acting gigs, having earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sheryl Crow

Before hitting it big in the music world, Sheryl Crow was an elementary school music teacher in St. Louis, then moved to Los Angeles in 1986, per Biography. Throughout her career, she has won nine Grammy awards, according to the outlet.

Liam Neeson

Action star Liam Neeson once trained as a teacher and was placed at St. Mary’s Teaching College in Newcastle before pursuing his acting career, according to the Irish Post.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Before wowing Broadway audiences, Lin-Manuel Miranda taught English at his former high school, Hunter College High School in Manhattan, per Smithsonian magazine.

Sting

Music icon Sting worked as an English teacher before embarking on his music career, teaching at St. Paul’s First School in Cramlington for two years after qualifying as a teacher, according to Smooth Radio.

Jesse Williams

Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams was a high school teacher in Philadelphia. In a 2025 interview with the Today show, Williams said: “Teaching was the best job I’ve ever had.”

Stephen King

Legendary author Stephen King supported his early writing by teaching high school English at Hampden Academy in Maine beginning in the fall of 1971, according to StephenKing.com. In 1973, he would leave teaching after his novel Carrie was greenlit for publication, per the outlet.