The celebrity universe is full of rising and falling stars. With scandal as pervasive as acts of charity and goodwill, we often look at celebrities, and their lives, as sources of entertainment instead of instruction. The truth is, every human life is a narrative from which we might learn something. The difference is, celebrities (some begrudgingly) live public lives; putting themselves into perhaps unfortunate situations, which, because of their status, are laid bare for the world to see, talk about, and toil over. And although celebrity gossip and news quickly floods and then leaves our memory (today Kate Gosselin, tomorrow Kate Middleton), there are some celebrity career stories of great success and hardship from which we might derive tips about how, for example, to save a career drawing dangerously close to the precipice, or how to re-launch your career after a few severe professional missteps.
Investopedia contributor Tara Struyk put together a list of four such celebrity career comeback stories, each of which is easily relatable to anyone whose career has been put through the ringer.
- Betty White—stay relevant. Although my favorite Golden Girl was Bea Arthur, Betty White’s fame has experienced somewhat of a resurgence lately, and her career is on a second upward swing. Struyk observes, “she has been working for more than 70 years, doing everything from cartoon voice-work to daytime soap operas. White always managed to keep her career fresh—and her fans guessing.” Like Betty White, job seekers, in light of structural changes in the labor market, should not be afraid to broaden their skill set, and seek additional training.
- Ellen DeGeneres—be yourself. While Ellen’s career floundered for some time, eventually, as Struyk rightly recognizes, in light of Ellen’s “humor and warm personality…It was only a matter of time before the spotlight was on her again.” Like Ellen, remain confident that, eventually, your persistent job searching will pay off and your personality and stellar work ethic will shine through. However, Struyk cautions, be aware of first impression slip-ups.
- Robert Downey Jr.—focus on your strengths. I doubt anyone would deny Robert Downey Jr. is a great character actor; however, after multiple missteps and confrontations with the law, Downey had to claw his way back up to his position as one of the best character actors in Hollywood. How did he do this? Eventually Downey, after years of battling substance abuse and other personal demons and being forced to virtually put his career on hold, “land[ed] some major roles, allowing him to…reinvent himself as a top-flight actor again.” Struyk acknowledges that “once he learned to overcome those issues, he was able to focus on—and appreciate—his strengths as an actor.” Reflecting on Downey’s struggles and successes, Struyk recommends, “in order to really shine at your job you need to get your personal life in order.”
- Teri Hatcher—know your worth. Terri Hatcher, after an appearance in a 007 film, hit hard times. In fact, at one point, she even referred to herself as a has-been. Nevertheless, eventually Hatcher landed a role on “Desperate Housewives,” earning, according to Struyk, a whopping $400,000 per episode. Despite signs to the contrary, Hatcher persevered because she knew her worth and kept at it. Struyk suggests, “even if you’re stuck working at a low-paying job you hate during the recession, don’t let it get to you—a better-paying job could be just around the corner, but it’s up to you to keep your game face on so you’re ready to go out and get it.”
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