8 stars who started out as exotic dancers, from Constance Wu, Lady Gaga and Real Housewives’ Nene Leakes to Chris Pratt, Cardi B and even Magic Mike himself, Channing Tatum
- Way before House of Gucci, Lady Gaga was a waitress by day and stripper by night, rocking out to Guns N’ Roses and Black Sabbath, while Constance Wu went undercover for her Hustlers role
- Marvel star Chris Pratt did a slew of odd jobs while the film Magic Mike is based off of Channing Tatum’s stripping experiences in Tampa, Florida
The road to fame can be a tough one, with many A-listers taking odd jobs to pay the bills before making their big breaks – some even showing off their moves at exotic dance clubs.
Meet eight Hollywood stars who have opened up about their strip-teasing pasts …
1. Real Housewives of Atlanta’s NeNe Leakes
In her 2009 memoir titled Never Make the Same Mistake Twice, Leakes explained what prompted her to start stripping. At the time, she was a single mother struggling to pay rent and support her son. So she took a job as a stripper under the name Silk and said that she felt “powerful” as a dancer.
“With every piece of clothing I took off, the more I got my life back,” she wrote. “I worked this body like a well-oiled machine, and every movement got me closer to my goal of financial independence for me and my child.”
2. Channing Tatum
Fans of Tatum are probably aware that the actor was an exotic dancer before starring in films like 21 Jump Street and Step Up. Pre-Hollywood, Tatum used to perform at a strip club in Tampa, Florida.
A video sold to US Weekly in 2009 showed Tatum – who went by the name Chan Crawford – dancing for guests who were clearly pleased with what they saw. Tatum has spoken openly about his past as well. In 2011, he told GQ that he’s “not ashamed”, nor does he “regret one thing”.
Though Tatum isn’t hesitant to discuss his time as a stripper, he has made it clear that he doesn’t miss it.