Celebrities Who Launched Unexpected Brands
Celebrities releasing their own goods isn’t particularly novel these days. We’ve all seen musicians slapping their names on headphones or actors selling perfumes.
However, occasionally a celebrity chooses to surprise everyone by launching something that no one anticipated. At first glance, some of these endeavors appear absurd, such as a rapper selling kits for growing mushrooms or a heavyweight boxer selling kitchen grills.
Others, like an actor making salad dressing to raise money for children’s charities, seem surprisingly real. These unexpected brands demonstrate that fame can lead to some genuinely strange business opportunities, whether they are motivated by passion, opportunism, or just plain weirdness.
These 16 famous people have dabbled in the most unexpected fields.
George Foreman’s Grill
Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman initially turned down the opportunity to endorse a countertop grilling machine in the 1990s, but changed his mind after testing the product himself. The grill was invented by Michael Boehm through InventHelp and manufactured by Salton Inc., with Foreman becoming the face of the product rather than its inventor.
The George Foreman Grill became one of the most successful celebrity-endorsed products in history, selling over 100 million units worldwide. Foreman earned approximately 40 percent of the profits from each grill sold, which at its peak brought him around $4.5 million per month.
In 1999, Salton Inc. paid him $138 million to acquire the rights to use his name, and his total earnings from the grill have exceeded $200 million—significantly more than he made during his entire boxing career.
Paul Newman’s Own
Actor Paul Newman started making homemade salad dressing in his barn in 1980, mixing ingredients with a canoe paddle and bottling it in old wine bottles to give as holiday gifts. When friends and neighbors kept asking for more, Newman and his friend A.E.
Hotchner decided to commercialize it with $40,000 in seed money, officially launching sales in 1982. The company generated over $300,000 in its first year, and Newman made the unprecedented decision to donate 100 percent of all after-tax profits to charity.
Since 1982, Newman’s Own has donated more than $600 million to causes supporting children facing adversity, food insecurity, and serious illnesses, making it one of the most successful charitable enterprises ever created by a celebrity.
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Ashton Kutcher’s Tech Investments
Actor Ashton Kutcher co-founded the venture capital firm A-Grade Investments in 2010 alongside Guy Oseary and Ron Burkle, becoming one of the first Hollywood stars to seriously dive into Silicon Valley. Kutcher made early investments in startups that seemed risky at the time but went on to become massive successes, including Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, and Skype.
His firm’s assets under management reportedly reached $145 million, and in 2015 he co-founded Sound Ventures to continue his tech investing. Kutcher continues to mentor young entrepreneurs and has proven that actors can be just as savvy as traditional venture capitalists, transforming himself from sitcom star into one of the entertainment industry’s most respected tech investors.
Ryan Reynolds’ Business Empire
Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds has become almost as famous for his business acumen as for his roles in Deadpool and other films. He acquired a significant stake in Aviation American Gin in 2018 and sold it to Diageo in 2020 for a deal reportedly worth up to $610 million.
Reynolds didn’t stop there—he also became a co-owner of Mint Mobile, a budget wireless carrier, which T-Mobile acquired in March 2023 in a deal valued up to $1.35 billion. His marketing genius lies in his ability to create viral social media content that feels authentic rather than like traditional advertising, making his brands feel accessible and fun rather than celebrity cash grabs.
Dwayne Johnson’s Triple Threat
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has built an impressive business portfolio spanning three different sectors. Teremana Tequila, co-owned with Jesse Cruz and Ken Austin, became the fastest premium spirits brand to sell 1 million cases in just 12 months back in 2023, an unprecedented achievement in the industry.
Johnson also launched Zoa Energy in 2021 and Papatui, a men’s self-care line, in 2023. The former wrestler turned actor has leveraged his massive social media following and genuine enthusiasm for his products to create brands that resonate with consumers, proving that his business instincts are just as sharp as his acting chops.
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Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty
Singer and actress Selena Gomez launched Rare Beauty in 2020 with a mission to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and promote mental health awareness. The brand’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush went viral on TikTok and became a cult favorite, with the hashtag generating millions of views.
By 2024, Rare Beauty reached $400 million in annual sales and helped Gomez approach a $1 billion net worth valuation according to Bloomberg estimates. The brand is valued at over $2 billion, and Gomez has become one of only a handful of celebrities to join Rihanna in building beauty empires worth billions, proving that authenticity and social consciousness can drive serious financial success.
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode
Model Hailey Bieber launched her skincare brand Rhode in 2022, and it immediately became one of the most talked-about beauty lines in the industry. The brand sold out within minutes of its launch, driven by Bieber’s influential social media presence and her promotion of the clean girl aesthetic.
In June 2024, Rhode was ranked as the top-performing U.S. skincare brand by earned media according to the Cosmetify and Launchmetrics Earned Media Value Report, generating $32.7 million in earned media for the month. Bieber’s Pocket Blush in the shade Sprinkle sold out online in under 20 minutes in August 2024, demonstrating her ability to create genuine hype and move products faster than most established beauty companies.
Wiz Khalifa’s Mushroom Kits
Rapper Wiz Khalifa surprised everyone when he launched MISTERCAP’S (Wiz Khalifa’s Mushroom Company), announced in late 2022 and expanding through 2024. The brand sells mushroom growing kits direct to consumers and came after more than a year of development, inspired by Khalifa’s genuine love for mushrooms, which he incorporated into his diet while trying to get healthier.
Created in partnership with Netherlands-based Red Light Holland, the brand produces and distributes functional mushrooms and home growing kits. While most celebrity ventures focus on typical categories like beauty or spirits, Khalifa’s mushroom business stands out as one of the most genuinely unexpected celebrity brands in recent memory.
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Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian co-founded SKIMS with Jens Grede and Emma Grede in 2019 as a shapewear and loungewear brand designed to be inclusive of all body types and skin tones. The company has grown into a billion-dollar empire, with valuations reaching $4 billion by 2023.
SKIMS has expanded beyond shapewear into swimwear, clothing, and even collaborations with major sports leagues. Kardashian’s deep understanding of social media marketing and her willingness to model the products herself has made SKIMS one of the most successful celebrity fashion brands, proving that her business savvy extends far beyond reality television and into legitimate entrepreneurship.
MrBeast’s Feastables
YouTube phenomenon MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) launched Feastables chocolate bars in January 2022, and the brand quickly conquered brick-and-mortar retail despite his primarily digital following. The products are now available in major retailers including Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Target as of 2023 and 2024.
CEO Jeffrey Housenbold credits the success to relentless exposure across every part of MrBeast’s business empire, noting that shoppers discover brands on TikTok and YouTube before they ever walk into a store. The brand demonstrates how the new generation of internet celebrities can successfully translate online influence into traditional retail success, bridging the gap between digital fame and physical products in ways previous generations of influencers never achieved.
Brad Pitt’s Miraval
Actor Brad Pitt’s Miraval rosé wine, co-owned with the Perrin family of Château Beaucastel winemakers, is known for its distinctively curvy bottles and has reached annual sales of around $60 million. The brand offers specialty products like Muse de Miraval, a long-aging rosé sold exclusively in magnums, and Fleur de Miraval champagne, which was served at the 2024 Oscars.
While the ongoing litigation between Pitt and his former wife Angelina Jolie over her sale of her share to the Stoli Group wine division has created drama, the brand itself continues to thrive. Pitt has also co-founded Beau Domaine skincare and the fashion brand God’s True Cashmere, which recently expanded into linen, showing his diverse business interests beyond acting.
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Jon Bon Jovi’s Hampton Water
Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse Bongiovi tapped French winemaker Gérard Bertrand to develop Hampton Water Rosé, a fresh wine from the Languedoc region built predominantly from Grenache grapes. Founded in 2018, the brand earned a 90-point rating from Wine Spectator and was named Best Rosé of 2020 by Wine Enthusiast, becoming the fastest-growing rosé according to the publication.
American drinkers quickly embraced the wine, validating the collaboration between rock star credibility and legitimate winemaking expertise. Hampton Water proves that celebrity wine brands can succeed when they partner with actual experts and focus on quality rather than just trading on a famous name.
Jennifer Aniston’s LolaVie
Actress Jennifer Aniston launched her hair care line LolaVie in 2021, focusing on vegan, cruelty-free formulas that are 95 percent naturally derived. By 2024 the brand had expanded to Australia, launched a half-dozen new products, and debuted its first national TV commercial.
Aniston has been open about her lifelong relationship with her hair and the products she’s relied on throughout her career. The brand has grown steadily without the explosive viral moments of some other celebrity beauty brands.
LolaVie represents a more traditional approach to celebrity beauty, where decades of industry credibility and genuine product knowledge matter more than social media gimmicks.
Beyoncé’s Cécred
Global superstar Beyoncé launched Cécred, her hair care brand co-founded with her mother Tina Knowles, in February 2024 after years of speculation from fans and media about when she would enter the beauty space. The brand focuses on hair health and draws from Beyoncé’s personal experiences and her family’s history with hair care.
Given her massive cultural influence and attention to detail in all her projects, industry watchers expect Cécred to become a major player in the hair care market. The launch represents another example of Beyoncé’s business acumen, as she’s already proven herself successful with her Ivy Park clothing line and other ventures beyond music.
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Blake Lively’s Betty Buzz and Betty Booze
Actress Blake Lively, known for her entrepreneurial spirit, launched Betty Buzz in 2021 as a line of sparkling non-alcoholic mixers crafted with clean ingredients and bold flavors. The brand was designed to elevate the mixer category beyond traditional sodas and tonics.
In 2023, Lively expanded into the alcoholic beverage space with Betty Booze, a line of sparkling cocktails. Both brands reflect Lively’s passion for entertaining and creating premium beverage options that work for different occasions.
The ventures showcase how celebrities can build authentic brands around their genuine interests and lifestyles rather than simply lending their names to existing products.
Snoop Dogg’s Various Ventures
Rapper Snoop Dogg has launched numerous unexpected brands over the years with mixed results. He launched Snoop Cereal in 2023 via Broadus Foods in partnership with Post Consumer Brands, though his dreams of making it a powerhouse retail brand fizzled and he settled a lawsuit in 2024 against Walmart and Post Consumer Brands over the venture.
Despite some failures, Snoop has found success with other products including 19 Crimes Cali Red wine, Indoggo Gin, and Dr. Bombay Ice Cream launched in 2023. His willingness to experiment with different categories—from food to cannabis-related products—demonstrates both the opportunities and risks that come with celebrity entrepreneurship, especially when the celebrity’s brand identity doesn’t always align perfectly with the products they’re trying to sell.
From Screen to Store Shelves
From kitchen appliances to mushroom farming kits, these 16 celebrities demonstrate how fame can lead to opportunities in nearly any industry. They all had one thing in common: they weren’t scared to try something totally out of their lane.
Some created billion-dollar empires, while others hardly made a dent. These unexpected brands serve as a reminder that sometimes the best business opportunities are the ones that no one anticipates, such as the actor who turned salad dressing into a $600 million charity machine or the boxer who made more money from grills than punches.
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