15 Celebrities Who Are Having Amazing Second Acts In Their Professional Life

Some celebrities do not stay in one lane, and that is exactly what makes their careers so interesting. After finding fame in one field, they went on to build second acts that surprised fans and kept their names in the spotlight.

This list looks at stars who moved into new industries, from wrestling and acting to politics, business, writing, and more. The mix is part of the fun, because these career pivots show just how far a famous name can travel.

Here are the celebrities who were not afraid to try something new.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson, in addition to performing, is also a businessman (he owns an energy drink line and a production firm) and has even hinted at a career in politics.

Instagram

Jessica Simpson

For years, it seemed as if Jessica Simpson would always come in second to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in the pop princess battles of the early 2000s. In terms of second-act success, she's arguably ahead of Britney and Christina.

She's made a lot of money with her fashion line, in addition to receiving accolades for her memoir, Open Book.

Instagram

Tunde Oyeneyin

Tunde Oyeneyin is one of Peloton's most popular instructors. Tunde is a multitalented woman with Peloton as her second act, in addition to being the queen of wonderful arms.

Before becoming an instructor, she was a successful makeup artist, and now she's embarking on her third act as a writer and podcast host. Her Fitness Flipped podcast just started, and her memoir, Speak, will be released soon.

Instagram

John Cena

In the early 2000s, John Cena rose to prominence as a professional wrestler, swiftly becoming one of the most popular and successful WWE stars of all time. His second act has seen him break out as a surprisingly humorous performer in films such as Blockers and as the co-host of the reality show Wipeout.

Instagram

Mary Steenburgen

The story of actress Mary Steenburgen's second act is amazing! She had a strange side effect after a minor surgery that required general anesthesia: her brain "was simply music," and she couldn't stop hearing everything as tunes.

She resolved to make peace with her condition by embracing it, despite the fact that she had never been musical or played any instruments previously. She's now gone on to become a multi-award-winning songwriter with over 50 credits to her name.

Instagram

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Few people watching Austrian Arnold Schwarzenegger win the Mr. Universe bodybuilding title at the age of 20 thought to themselves, "Hmm, that man will definitely wind up as the governor of California eventually!" Arnold, on the other hand, went from bodybuilding to acting as an action star to—you guessed it—being a governor.

Maybe The Rock will someday follow in those footsteps?

Instagram

For more unfiltered celebrity chaos, check out these tell-alls where Hollywood gloss gets traded for total honesty.

Neil Young

Many people are familiar with Neil Young as a politically active musician and songwriter, but even fans may be unaware that he has a second job in the model train industry. Not only is he mentioned on seven model train patents, but sections of his train collection have been auctioned for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Instagram

Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen was a famous model, with appearances in multiple Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, but her second act as a cookbook author and builder of a brand empire that now encompasses kitchen equipment, robes, and more has perhaps been even more successful.

Instagram

Jeremy Renner

In his acting career, Jeremy Renner is living the Marvel movie life, but he also has a second act in something a little more grounded. He's a seasoned home flipper who has completed more than 20 flips in the last 15 years.

Instagram

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but his post-retirement second act has been far more financially successful. He's a successful businessman who owns over 120 Starbucks locations, is a part-owner of a Major League Soccer team, and has a net worth of about $1 billion.

Instagram

Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu is an American singer-songwriter who has recorded several albums and was a major figure in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She hasn't released a studio album since 2010, in part because she's been preoccupied with her second act: having babies!

She's a certified midwife and a doula.

Instagram

Al Franken

Al Franken, a former cast member of Saturday Night Live, is another celebrity whose second act was politics. Al was a popular senator from Minnesota from 2008 until 2018, despite being forced to leave due to sexual misconduct claims.

He's now in his third incarnation as a podcast host.

Instagram

Kevin Costner

Few celebrities have had as many unique second acts as Kevin Costner, whose second act includes music and running other enterprises. He's not only co-authored a book, tried to build a machine to clean the ocean, performed in a country band, and founded a bison-themed teaching center, but he's also operated a casino.

He's a busy bee...

Instagram

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar is well known for her roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Cruel Intentions as the queen bee, but she is also the owner of her own online bakery that focuses on healthier, kid-friendly products. She's also the co-author of a cookbook.

Instagram

Stacey Abrams

To be honest, Stacey Abrams might not seem like a natural option for this list. Was she first a lawyer, a nonfiction author, or a romance novelist?

Or a politician? All we know is that she's running for governor of Georgia in 2022, and her most recent novel was a bestseller, so her second act seems promising in any case.

Instagram

Just because we like a certain actor doesn't mean we'll be able to see them perform for the rest of our lives. They simply decide they would rather do something else.

And that's very disappointing. However, there is an upside.

Namely, many celebs from the non-acting world decide to try their hand at acting, and that puts things in balance. You know, people like The Rock and John Cena.

Well, maybe they were no strangers to acting before... Because we all know that wrestling is so real...

From The Sopranos to OnlyFans, see how Drea de Matteo says her kids helped her earn $75,000.