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Becoming famous is incredibly hard, especially when there are so many artists to compete with. While some of our favourite actors have worked two jobs to support themselves back in their auditioning stages, others settled for any acting role they could find. Now, decades after their acting careers have taken off, some of the actors who settled are regretting their choices, as they are now associated with the "other" industry.

It may be shocking to some to find out that their favorite actors were involved in adult films or sitcoms, especially when most of these actors do not seem like the type. However, back in the 80s and 90s, a lot of actors had to quiet their morals and jump at any acting opportunity that came their way— which is still very much the case today. It did not matter to them that they would be acting in a raunchy movie, what mattered was that they were going to be paid and credited for their work.

Most of the actors on this list had no way of knowing that their acting careers were about to take a turn in a better direction. In fact, most of them were oblivious to the fact that their dreams were about to come true, and that they would never have to act for the "other" industry again in their lifetime. However, there are some actors who thoroughly enjoyed being a part of that community, and are not ashamed, whatsoever, about their questionable pasts.

Sibel Kekilli

Sibel Kekilli is a German actress who has recently begun to pick up some steam thanks to her role on the hit TV series Game of Thrones. Cast as Shae on the series, the gorgeous actress managed to steal the hearts of her fans by showing off her commitment to her on-screen lover Tyrion Lannister. However, the actress' commitment soon wavered and she became a much-hated character on the ever-changing show, which ultimately got her killed off.

Although Kekilli lost her part on the successful HBO series, she is not in the least bit worried about what her next role is going to be. This is because she is a very sought-after actress in the adult industry. Although Kekilli might have started off acting in pornographic films, she certainly isn't limited to them and is avidly auditioning for other roles.

Eve

Many of us remember Eve as the rapper from the late 90s who had animal paws tattooed on her chest. While the talented singer-turned-rapper has made a name for herself in the music scene, she has also made herself known in the acting world. In fact, since the beginning of her career, Eve has worked on many different projects and reinvented herself as a celebrity many times over. As of today, Even is a classy and successful woman who is acting on sitcoms, starring in movies, and even working on an upcoming album.

Although Eve is the embodiment of success, she didn't always take the high-road to fame. In fact, before the starlet became who she is today, she was working for the "other" industry. Before Eve's career kick-started in 1999, she used to pay her bills by stripping.

Matt LeBlanc

Many of us know Matt LeBlanc as the one and only Joey Tribbiani; a fictional character from the much-loved TV series called Friends. This sitcom, which aired from 1994-2004, often lead us to believe that LeBlanc was a simple-minded man who loved his friends third, women second, and meatball subs first. However, this generalization of him would soon change once the public became aware of his previous shenanigans.

Since the show first aired in 1994, many of LeBlanc's fans believed it to be his first major role on a sitcom, however, they were wrong. In 1992, just a couple years before LeBlanc would receive his big break, he was cast as Jed Cody on the smutty TV show Red Shoe Diaries. Luckily for us, however, LeBlanc only lasted a full year on the show before getting cast as Joey Tribbiani on Friends.

Jaime Pressly

Jaime Pressly is one of the celebrities you can't help but love and admire. This is because she has an air of confidence that is very hard to master, as well as a hilarious personality and in-your-face good looks. Pressly is well-known for both her acting and modelling skills, as she has succeeded in both these domains. As a teenager and young adult, Pressly was a very successful model who appeared in magazines all over the world. Afterwards, the model chose to take on more difficult projects and expanded on her personality and acting skills.

Pressly is most known for her roles in My Name is Earl, I Love You Man, and Jack & Jill, as well as a long string of other movies and TV shows. However, before accomplishing all this, Pressly was cast in a soft core movie called Poison Ivy: The New Seduction, which is as seductive as it sounds.

Carmen Electra

It is no secret that Carmen Electra isn't shy with her body, especially since she has built her career off her curves and beautiful features. Most of Electra's fans think that her acting career started off in 1997 when she was cast in the popular TV series Baywatch, but they would be wrong to assume so. Electra has been a vital player is the modelling industry, and is no stranger to nude or nearly-nude photoshoots, which is why it isn't too surprising to learn that she has dabbled in the adult industry.

Before landing her career-boosting role in Baywatch, Electra actually played in a raunchy TV series called Erotic Confessions. This series, which aired in 1996, is often referred to as soft core, and helped Electra land her role in Baywatch. Then again, it can be argued that Electra didn't need any help landing her role, as her body tends to talk for itself.

Lady Gaga

Many of you might already know that Lady GaGa has had a very troubling past, as she hasn't been very secretive about it. Instead, the celebrity has made it known that she has struggled and overcome the many obstacles that came her way. While the singer-turned-actress might have had some difficulties in her youth, she definitely didn't let them stop her from making it big. Lady GaGa is a songwriter, actress, singer, performer, and fashion designer, who hasn't always appeared on stage for the right reasons.

Before becoming the celebrity she is today, Lady GaGa used to strip for money in order to pay for her drug addictions and lifestyle choices. Luckily, she chose to explore her singing talents instead of her stripping ones, thus becoming the star she is today. Although her past may be troublesome, the celebrity isn't ashamed of it in the slightest, and actually enjoyed her stripping days.

Sylvester Stallone

Not everyone is going to be faced with the possibility of ending up homeless and hungry. Should they be, however, most would agree that they would do almost anything to stop themselves from winding up on the streets. In some cases, this can mean committing petty thefts or working under the table to make enough money to make ends meet. In the case of renown actor Sylvester Stallone, however, he had the choice to act in The Party at Kitty and Stud's, or spend an unknown amount of time sleeping in a bus shelter.

Although Stallone wasn't happy to be cast in a soft core movie, he did what he had to do to have a roof over his head. This movie, which was later renamed The Italian Stallion, only landed Stallone a couple hundred bucks, but this was enough to offer him food and shelter for a few weeks. Luckily, Stallone did not have to return to the adult industry, as his acting career took off shortly after.

Helen Mirren

For those of you who truly know and love Helen Mirren, the following information may not come as a complete shock. But for those of you who only know her as a sweet and innocent older actress, you might want to try and catch your jaws before they hit the floor. Although Mirren is highly reputed for her classy and glamorous appearance, she was once even more well-known for her assets. In her youth, Mirren was known for her bodacious figure and was often the subject of many revealing photoshoots. While her pictures wouldn't be that big of a deal today, they surely were back in the day.

Before all that, however, Mirren took a role in a raunchy and promiscuous movie called Caligula. This film, which some would agree helped jumpstart her acting career, was only a one-time deal, as the actress moved on from it rather quickly. Although Mirren might have started out in the "other" industry, she sure didn't commit to it for long.

Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum is a very popular name in Hollywood, as well as around the world. This is because the actor has worked with a string of big-time actors while managing to deliver amazing performances year in and year out. Tatum's acting career took off in the early 2000s, after he landed the role of Jason Lyle in Coach Carter. Throughout the last decade, Tatum has picked up the reputation of being a hilarious actor who can also act serious from time to time. Presently, Tatum is married to the beautiful Jenna Dewan and is the father of their child. All in all, Tatum's life seems to be working out quite beautifully. However, this wasn't always how Tatum thought his life would turn out.

Before becoming the actor and celebrity he is today, Tatum was actually a stripper. Thankfully, Tatum did not have to remain a stripper forever, as his undeniable good looks and talents landed him a modelling career which eventually turned into an acting one.

Cameron Diaz

Since the beginning of her career, Cameron Diaz has been seen as a classy and gorgeous woman. Sure, she's pranced around in a bikini on screen, but she wasn't the type of actress who would agree to doing a full-frontal movie scene. She wasn't one to show insane amounts of cleavage while walking down the red carpet either. In fact, it is her genuine beauty, acting skills, and modest appearance that many of her fans fell in love with. Well, this may come as a shock but before Diaz became famous she didn't always uphold conservative values.

When Diaz was 19 years old, she was involved in an adult movie in which she showed off her strict side. In fact, when watching this movie one can see Diaz yanking a man on a chain, while clad in extremely provocative wear. But that's not all, in this movie, Diaz actually allegedly bears it all.

Simon Rex

Simon Rex is a low-key actor who has come a long way from acting in a handful of the Scary Movie films. When he first appeared in a string of Jack & Jill episodes back in 1999, his audience immediately fell in love with his fun and quirky personality. His humorous acting skills and obvious determination eventually allowed him to land bigger roles, but much like his previous ones, they all tittered around mock films and absurd movies. While there are some actors who would grow tired of these roles, Rex is not one of them. In fact, he thoroughly enjoys messing around while on camera — literally.

Before Rex's big break in 1999, the actor was already doing quite well for himself. The only difference was that he was winning his bread by acting in adult movies. As a matter of fact, Rex is well-known in the homosexual adult industry and has acted in many questionable parodies and remakes, some of which he still films today.

Kevin Costner

There are only a few celebrities who can say that they've been in the limelight for nearly 4 decades, and Kevin Costner is one of them. Throughout his acting career, Costner has managed to become a staple in the industry, which is why he is a ridiculously sought-after actor. Costner's acting career started off in the early 1980s, but not in the way that you might think. Before Costner landed roles in movies like The Bodyguard, Dances With Wolves, ad Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, he was actually cast in a movie called Malibu Hot Summer.

In 1981, Costner filmed his first movie ever, which just so happened to be a soft core movie. Malibu Hot Summer, which clearly lacked a proper plot line, was mostly created as a ploy to show off as many heated scenes as possible.

Jackie Chan

Throughout our lives, there are going to be a handful of celebrities and artists who truly inspire us or win us over. For many people, actor and stunt man Jackie Chan is one of those celebrities. Anyone who grew up in the 90s knows and loves Chan due to his endearing accent, amazing martial arts skills, and hilarious personality. Although most of Chan's fans believe him to be extremely innocent, due to his tendency of being cast in PG movies, Chan's past is actually quite dubious.

Before Chan made it big in North America, his acting skills were actually used in a few adult movies. For starters, Chan acted out a heated scene in 1995's All In The Family. Shortly afterwards, he also acted in another raunchy scene in the movie Shinjuku Incident.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a well-known actor, body builder, and Governor. Unlike most celebrities, he has managed to stay in the spotlight for over 4 decades. Schwarzenegger is a respectable and responsible man who has often shown off his great leadership skills and well, muscles. Before becoming an actor in the 70s, Schwarzenegger was infamous for is stellar physique, Olympian status, and thick Austrian accent. Back then, Schwarzenegger was such a heart-throb that he was often offered roles in the adult industry. While he refused most of them, there was one offer he simply couldn't say no to.

Back in 1977, Schwarzenegger agreed to posing nude in a series of photographs. He seemed to rather enjoy this career path as her repeatedly posed nude for the Bluebook Magazine.

David Duchovny

Some actors hate thinking about their pasts, especially if they were implicated in some pretty embarrassing stuff. However, nearly everyone has done something (or a few things) that makes them lower their heads in shame, so it's best not to be too hard on oneself. Well, David Duchovny isn't one of these people, as the actor is more than happy to talk about his past, especially since it has graced him with the career he has today.

Back in 1992, Duchovny played numerous roles on the soft core TV series The Red Shoe Diaries, but unlike his co-star Matt LeBlanc, Duchovny remained a prominent actor in the series for many years. Eventually, when the show failed, Duchovny moved on to bigger and better things like his new TV series Californication, which could also be viewed as a soft core series.

Sources: imdb.com