People in the trucking industry have diverse backgrounds. We see drivers switch to trucking from a variety of other professions. We’ve met drivers who are former lawyers, accountants, programmers, and from various other areas. Individual circumstances had drawn them towards trucking.

We also see professional truck drivers move from their driving careers to do other things. The trucking industry offers a lot of opportunities other than driving and many stay within the trucking industry. A few though, leave the industry for… Hollywood?

We found 6 people who you’ve probably heard of that once made a living behind the wheel of a big truck.

Elvis Presley was told “Stick to driving a truck, because you’ll never make it as a singer.”

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Elvis was shaking it up on the road, with Crown Electric for $40 per week, before he hit with All Shook Up. Early on Elvis auditioned for a young musician, Eddie Bond, who told Elvis, “Stick to driving a truck, because you’ll never make it as a singer.” OOOOPS!

Sean Connery was a Milkman & a Lorry Driver

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Sean Connery was raised by blue collar parents and had a number of jobs before any of his iconic roles on screen. One of those jobs was driving truck. In my mind, I know what his truck number was…

Viggo Mortensen drove a truck before Lord of the Rings

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Before he was Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings Viggo Mortensen drove a truck in Denmark. He’s in The Lord of the Rings, he drove truck, and his first name is Viggo – three reasons why he’s cool!

What’s not to love about Liam Neeson

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Yeah, Liam Neeson has a particular set of skills. Actually he has many. Before we knew him as one of the best things to come from Ireland (and there are many), Liam Neeson worked as a forklift operator for Guinness (of course), truck driver (yeah!), assistant architect and an amateur boxer.

That’s Liam. Bono, he wears shades inside. Ireland has a lot of range!

Chevy Chase

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Chevy Chase worked many jobs before becoming one of the biggest comedic actors of his generation. He drove truck, cab, and worked as a construction worker. Truck diving and Caddyshack is what we love about him.

James Cameron

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Iconic movie maker James Cameron (from Kapuskasing, Ontario) drove truck and wrote when he had the time. Since then he’s dabbled with a few movies you may have heard of – Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Titanic, and some other thing, oh yeah… Avatar.

This brings up two questions:

1 – What are you doing with your down time in the truck? :)

2 – I wonder if the reverse will ever be true. Justin Bieber in a truck… could you imagine?