Celebrity side hustles aren’t always what they seem. When a celebrity slaps their name on a perfume or clothing line, we usually roll our eyes—it often feels like a quick cash grab, a brand extension with little heart or effort. But then there are others—the stars whose side hustles are genuinely theirs. These aren’t just endorsement deals; they’re passion projects born from real love for baking, gardening, coding, or investing. They prove that even with fame and fortune, there’s nothing quite like the joy of building something with your own hands. Here are a few celebrity side hustles that are the real deal.
1. Jessica Alba: The Honest Company (Clean Consumer Goods)
When Jessica Alba became a mother, she struggled to find baby products that were effective, affordable, and made without harsh chemicals. This wasn’t just a market opportunity; it was a personal crusade. She spent years researching, developing, and building The Honest Company from the ground up, facing skepticism from investors who saw her as just an actress.
2. Ryan Reynolds: Aviation Gin & Mint Mobile (Marketing Maverick)
While other celebrities just collect a check, Ryan Reynolds buys the whole company and then becomes its hilarious, unofficial creative director. His involvement with Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile is legendary. He doesn’t just appear in ads; he writes them, stars in them, and uses his unique, self-deprecating humor to build a brand personality that feels authentic and wildly entertaining.
3. Kirsten Dunst: Her Vintage Treasure Trove (Vintage Curator)
Far from the glitz of Hollywood, Kirsten Dunst has a deep and well-documented love for vintage clothing. She’s not just a wearer; she’s a collector and curator. She has frequently talked about scouring vintage stores and flea markets for unique pieces, both for herself and for her roles. She even worked with the website The RealReal to curate a collection of her own personal vintage items for sale.
4. Ashton Kutcher: Venture Capitalist (Tech Investor)
Long before it was cool for celebrities to be tech investors, Ashton Kutcher was co-founding a venture capital firm, A-Grade Investments, in 2010. He leveraged his fame to get meetings, but he backed it up by doing the hard work—deep research, understanding market trends, and mentoring founders. His early bets on companies like Skype, Airbnb, and Uber weren’t just lucky guesses; they were calculated investments from someone genuinely fascinated by technology and innovation.
5. Reese Witherspoon: Hello Sunshine (Storyteller for Women)
Frustrated by the lack of complex roles for women in Hollywood, Reese Witherspoon didn’t just complain—she built a media empire to fix it. Hello Sunshine, her production company, is entirely dedicated to telling stories by and about women. From Big Little Lies to Where the Crawdads Sing, every project is a mission-driven effort to change the narrative.
If you’re interested in more inspiring entrepreneurial stories, check out our post about celebrity businesses that started small.
