- Jobs as broad as culinary services and as specialized as on-set tutors can net you celebrity clients.
- Some roles, such as wardrobe stylists and studio managers, exist primarily for celebrity clients.
- Most of the people we spoke to who work with celebrities say that the key is treating them exactly as you would anyone else.
- This article is for anyone interested in working with celebrities.
Being a celebrity can seem glamorous, but it's a lot of work, not to mention a whole different lifestyle. Actors often work days as long as 14 hours. Musicians might send a personal assistant to the supermarket in their place to avoid intense fan encounters. Though the average person doesn't have a route directly into stardom, just about anyone can work for a star. Below are 13 types of jobs that might gain you a celebrity clientele.
Publicist
If becoming famous is hard, staying famous is a herculean task. A good publicist who continually keeps their clients in the limelight is a must for stars. Talent only gets you so far. It's the people behind the curtain – e.g., publicists – who keep the names of A-listers in the minds of press, fans and consumers.
"I am responsible for managing the public image of my clients," said Kayla Rose, CEO of The PR Rose. "My job consists of securing interviews with local and national media, developing publicity and social media campaigns, and issuing press releases, media alerts, and event recaps on client happenings and events."
Rose, who has worked with Black-ish star Anthony Anderson and celebrity hairstylist Andre Walker, has done many things for her clients, including walking them down red carpets and landing coverage in major magazines. To succeed in PR, she said, you have to treat your celebrity clients "like the human beings they are. As a publicist, my job is not to fangirl over the celebrities I work with. My job is to assist with their public image."
Studio manager
It is possible to work around celebrities who aren't human at all, and that can be just as exciting. Ashley Priselac, studio manager for Madame Tussauds Orlando, spends her days creating experiences that bring fans closer to A-list actors, music stars and athletes than they might have thought possible.
Priselac and her team work daily to maintain Madame Tussauds' standards for larger-than-life celebrity wax figures, including Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, and they take pride in the joy they bring to guests daily.
She performs touch-ups on the hair, makeup and wardrobe of each celebrity wax figure in addition to staying up to date on celebrity news to ensure the museum portrays their lives as realistically as possible. When Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie separated, for example, Priselac and her team moved the wax figures apart from each other. After all, art imitates life.
Priselac also spends time with the occasional in-the-flesh star. "It's always a joy when the studio team is able to meet the celebrities in person for the reveal of their wax figures. The reactions from [them] are absolutely priceless!"
Social media coordinator
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and other social media platforms are great ways for celebrities to connect with their fans, which has led to a booming business for stars and the brands they work with.
Celebrities and influencers often post updates, ads for projects they're working on, and products they've partnered with.
Luis Sanchez, social media coordinator for e-tailer Ruggable, manages social media partnerships for his company, coordinating celebrities and Instagram influencers. He works with celebrities on social media campaigns that showcase his brand's products positively. Knowing what will resonate with consumers on social while staying true to the celebrity's brand is a must for a social media role.
"Communication is key throughout the process of working with influencers and celebrities," Sanchez said. "You also have to carefully choose the influencer or celebrity so you can trust their content. It's important to let them present the product in a way that makes sense to their followers and, most importantly, that looks authentic so it can have a bigger impact for both parties."
Sanchez recently did a social media segment with celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor Kristin McGee. During filming, McGee's kids woke up from their nap and "decided to steal some of the show by making cameos in the video." Social media coordinator jobs require people who are comfortable with their talent veering from the script when life happens.
"It actually worked out perfectly and showed great engagement," Sanchez said. "That non-scripted moment ended up being a true authentic connection to everyone watching along."
Chef
Stars love a good meal. If you enjoy baking or cooking and want to spend some quality time with A-listers, a career as a celebrity chef may be your dream job.
Chef Jayda Atkinson spends her days developing creative menus based on dietary restrictions, cooking interesting dishes, and catering celebrity parties and events. The job is not a cakewalk, though.
"This role comes with a lot of pressure, as people are just genuinely picky," Atkinson said. "You have to have a tough skin and can't break under pressure."
Being a chef is a demanding job, but there are opportunities to let off some steam with your celebrity clientele as well.
Atkinson – who has catered for Ne-Yo, Diana Ross and Nicki Minaj – recently joined other celebrities in a game after catering singer Faith Evans' birthday party. "They invited me and my staff to play Taboo with them," Atkinson said. "If you've played that game before, you know it was a hilarious time."
Wardrobe stylist
What celebrities wear is sometimes scrutinized more closely than how they perform on the screen or stage. Someone with a discerning eye who can help celebrities dress for the flashing lights on the red carpet or for snapshots with adoring fans is a requirement for any celebrity who wants to stay on the A-list.
Celebrity stylist Sam Russell has dressed some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Sophia Bush, Stevie Wonder, Chuck Lorre and Colin Farrell. He recommends that anyone who wants to join the celebrity styling ranks be confident about their passion for fashion without letting go of their humility.
"Too much ego can kill your talent," Russell said. "Keep grounded, laugh a lot, and be very confident in every piece of clothing and jewelry you brought on set."
He also warns that not every star will be a perfect client for you, and that's OK. "If you are ever approached by a difficult actor needing your services, decline. You can't get to the grateful clients that adore you when you are at the wrong mansion."
Marriage proposal planner
When A-listers decide to pop the question to their significant other, they sometimes need help determining the perfect way to do it. Luckily, they can turn to a marriage proposal planner who can take care of all the details for them.
Michele Velazquez, owner of The Heart Bandits, designs custom proposals for celebrities – and any client in love. It is critical "to make sure my clients' proposals go smoothly and that the vision is executed properly," she said. "Celebrities do not like to hear 'no,' as they are used to getting what they want. Instead of saying 'no,' always say, 'I will find out how to do it and make it happen.'"
Velazquez is tight-lipped about her current celebrity clients, which makes sense, since confidentiality is a requirement for this type of work. Playing an instrumental role in clients' memorable life moments is more than enjoyable for Velazquez. "I love making dreams come true. My clients want to make sure their girlfriends get the marriage proposals of their dreams, and I make that happen."
Beauty expert
Celebrity beauty expert Kerry Spindler provides hands-on treatments and skincare advice to television, music, and fashion icons like Daymond John, Snoop Dogg, and Bailey Chase.
Spindler provides esthetician, microblading, skincare and makeup services to her clients with the goal of helping them appreciate their personal beauty. "What I love most about my job is that everyone is different and perfectly imperfect," she said.
Being the go-to beauty guru for celebrities has led to some fun moments with clients. One of her most memorable was having "Snoop bust a move or two even when music wasn't playing. His lighthearted nature always lights up any room."
Dog trainer
Celebrities expect the best for everyone in their circle, and their pets are no exception. When they need to teach a puppy some new tricks or break an old dog of some bad habits, they call an expert.
Russell Hartstein is a sought-after dog behaviorist, nutritionist and trainer for the stars. He counts Naomi Campbell, Steve Guttenberg and Dwyane Wade as clients. Being a trainer of his caliber requires teaching dogs the basics, like how to sit and stay, as well as how to board and exit private jets and yachts.
Obviously, loving dogs is a prerequisite for being a celebrity pet trainer, but so is the ability to service clients at the drop of the hat. "Being flown around the world to private islands and estates to help with a dog's training, behavior or pet sitting" is all in a day's work for Hartstein. [Related: The Best Dog-Friendly Companies of 2022]
Comedian
Even the busiest celebrity likes to slow down and enjoy a good joke now and then. Comedian to the stars Dan Nainan has performed for former President Barack Obama, Michael Bloomberg, Hillary Clinton, Arianna Huffington and Ashley Judd. Nainan spends his days bringing luminaries and dignitaries to tears after fits of laughter, and he enjoys every minute of it.
Nainan believes it is best to treat celebrities "with the respect that they deserve, but at the same time, don't put them on a pedestal and treat them like they are gods. They are just regular people like us who have a talent, as well as a passion for hard work and discipline."
The funnyman is on the road as much as any A-lister and has performed in every state in the U.S., as well as 27 foreign countries. He's done voiceover work for the animated series Family Guy and appeared in one of Apple's "Get a Mac" commercials.
Makeup artist
Makeup artists are an integral part of a celebrity's entourage. They keep stars looking their best on and off screen.
Beauty boss Tiffany Herrmann is the one-stop glam squad for popular television and film stars, including Alysia Reiner, Mozhan Marnò, Amy Paffrath and Kimberly Magness. Herrmann took her skills one step further and created a cosmetics line, Sheree Cosmetics.
Herrmann offered this advice to budding makeup artists wanting to build a celebrity clientele: "Remember, [stars] are people, just like yourself. Share your story and get to know them." She stressed that becoming a go-to makeup artist takes time, and you must invest in the process. "I get to know [my clients] and build a relationship – whether it's in person [or] through messages on social media, email, or text message [or] phone."
The makeup maven also highlighted the importance of being available to help clients out of beauty jams day or night. "One celebrity didn't know how to take our liquid lipstick off and had to send me a message on social media in the middle of the night. Luckily, we got the problem resolved – it comes off with oil. She loved the product and still wears it to this day."
Personal assistant
Picture this: You're out grocery shopping when an A-list celebrity walks by. Sounds unrealistic, right? That's because it almost never happens. When A-list celebrities run everyday errands, they run the risk of fans hounding them. They often send personal assistants in their place – and you could be that person.
As a celebrity personal assistant, you might work in tandem with the celebrity's management team. That means you might play a role in setting the celebrity's schedule or escorting them between commitments. Either way, you'll become a regular presence in the celebrity's life.
On-set tutor
Not all celebrities are adults yet, and minors, even famous ones, are required to get an education. That's where on-set tutors come in.
Requirements vary by state, but assuming your not-yet-adult clients are filming in California, you'll need to provide 15 hours of on-set education. You'll also need to ensure that your clients' rights are being protected according to child labor laws. The productions on which your clients work will pay you, and you must obtain state certification to work in this field.
Security detail
Celebrities rarely show up to the red carpet alone. Chances are their security detail will escort them from their limousine to the venue they're entering. Typically, this work requires prior security, police or military experience, and it can come with a million-dollar salary. The best part is that you might not actually face any threats, as some celebrities seek security details solely for image purposes. Not all celebrity work has to be intense and difficult.
Max Freedman contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.