These Celebrities Were All Cheerleaders Before Making It Big

Kathie Lee Gifford

By the age of fourteen, Kathie Lee was a cheerleader at heart. Aside from cheerleading, she also competed in pageants and even won Maryland's Junior Miss Pageant in 1970. She graduated from the sport and went to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There, she studied drama and music.

The More You Know

A far cry from her upper-class role on Gossip Girl, Leighton Meester was born in prison; her mother was serving time for smuggling drugs.
Brad Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the road movie Thelma & Louise.
Soon after moving to New York City, Madonna worked at a Dunkin' Donuts. She was fired after one week for messing with the jelly machine.
Jon Bon Jovi's birth name is John Bongiovi Jr.

Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.