‘American Pie’ star, ‘Vixen’ rocker, ‘80s TV actor among celebrities working ‘normal’ jobs

For some stars, Hollywood isn’t the be-all end-all of the pursuit of their dreams.

Stars of the ’80s like Phoebe Cates from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and Erik Estrada from “CHiPs” both found fulfillment working away from the spotlight.

Vixen lead singer Janet Gardner has balanced a career in entertainment while working a “normal” job as a dental hygienist.

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Whatever they do, stars have the same dedication and drive whether working on or off-screen.

Here’s a look at celebrities who have spoken out about working a 9-to-5 outside the world of entertainment.

Seann William Scott

Seann William Scott is best known for his role as Stifler in the “American Pie” franchise of films, but it wasn’t an instant rocket to success.

Scott recently revealed he earned $8,000 for the first movie in 1999, and he took a job selling churros at the zoo after filming wrapped.

“I remember afterwards I bought a used Thunderbird for like $5,000 or maybe $6,000, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, baby,’” he said on Peacock’s “The Rich Eisen Show.” “I don’t know what happened to the other $2,000 because I ended up having to work at the L.A. Zoo as a churro guy, so maybe it was even less than $8,000.”

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He joked that he worked at the zoo for two days and “sold five churros.” 

Scott’s career quickly grew after “American Pie,” which earned $235 million at the box office, according to Deadline. He reportedly made $5 million for the movie series’ fourth installment, “American Reunion.”

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Janet Gardner

Janet Gardner was the lead vocalist of glam metal band Vixen in the ’80s and toured with Ozzy Osbourne.

But after the band’s heyday, Gardner decided to become a dental hygienist in Connecticut, something that runs in the family.

“My grandfather was a dentist,” the singer explained to Fox News Digital. “My uncles, a couple of them were dentists. Their kids are now dentists, a couple of hygienists – lots of dental people. And they all had really good lives. They were able to do their work and have the sort of work/life balance [that] was very good.”

The steady gig of dentistry appealed to Gardner, who still pursues music when she’s not working. In June, she and guitarist/producer husband Justin James released a new album, “No Strings.”

“I do it three days a week, and then I have four days a week for other things,” Gardner said. “And music is one of those things, and of course, my family. I don’t know when I’ll stop. I’ll do it as long as I can still do it.”

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Erik Estrada

Erik Estrada became a pop-culture staple with his role as California Highway Patrol Officer Frank “Ponch” Poncherello in the series “CHiPs” from 1977 to 1983.

Estrada made dozens of cameos over the years on shows like “The Nanny,” “My Name is Earl” and “Scrubs,” and he continued other acting work.

In 2009, after filming the reality series “Armed & Famous” in Muncie, Indiana, Estrada became an actual reserve police officer for the city, working nights to avoid attention.

“I wanted to be a cop first, and then I became an actor and then became a cop on TV. The TV thing allowed me to become a reserve officer in Indiana. I became a real cop,” he said. “How many people have that kind of blessing? I’ve been blessed that way. I’ve been lucky.”

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After working in Indiana, Estrada became an ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) investigator for eight years in Virginia.

In 2016, Estrada was sworn in as a reserve police officer in St. Anthony, Idaho, and, according to his website, helped establish an ICAC task force there.

His website notes that he “has been recognized by the Department of Justice and the [U.S. Marshals Service] for his dedication and service to protecting children from sexual predators on the internet.”

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Kevin Jonas 

The Jonas Brothers, Kevin, Nick and Joe, were everywhere in mid to late 2000s and early 2010s with hit songs and roles in Disney Channel movies like “Camp Rock.”

In 2012, the Jonas Brothers band broke up, and the brothers went their separate ways professionally.

Kevin pursued work as a contractor after a brief stint on reality TV with his wife, Danielle, on their series “Married to Jonas,” as well as a short run on “Celebrity Apprentice.”

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In 2014, Kevin appeared on an episode of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” revealing that he now worked as a contractor, co-owning a construction company in New Jersey.

He also dabbled in the tech industry, launching a now defunct app Yood, which searched for local restaurants by cuisine.

The band reunited in 2019, but Kevin has continued in the app world on the side. The star hasn’t spoken out publicly about those ventures, but it appears to be a passion of his as he joined the virtual playdate app Caribu as a strategic investor and adviser in 2020, according to Billboard.

This year, the band is touring together, which Kevin described as their “biggest tour ever” during a recent interview on “The View.”

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Phoebe Cates

Phoebe Cates became an ’80s icon with her role as Linda in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

She also starred in films like “Gremlins” and “Drop Dead Fred” before making one of her last movies, 1994’s “Princess Caraboo.” She later made an appearance in “Fast Times” co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh’s directorial debut “The Anniversary Party.”

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Cates married Oscar-winner Kevin Kline in 1989 and put her career on hold to focus on raising their two children, Owen and Greta.

In 2005, she opened a boutique in New York City, where the family lives, named Blue Tree, which sells unique home, gift and clothing items. According to the store’s website, it was her dream “to have it be like a general store but according to [Cates].”

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On NBC’s “The Big Idea” in 2008, Cates said the retail store was a longtime dream and that “acting wasn’t really an option for me. I wasn’t driven to do it again.”

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson and Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.