Hauling freight over the great open road is an epic adventure unto itself. But truckers, like so many people, have dreams and aspirations after they hang up their 18 wheels. These household-name celebrities prove truckers can do just about anything.
1: Jason Aldean
Back in 2019, this country music star showed fellow CDL holders some love with a Nashville parking lot concert during National Truckers Appreciation Week. Before earning notoriety as one of the country music best-known artists, Aldean worked as a Pepsi Cola delivery driver in Georgia. His gig as a trucker was a promotion from his days inside a Pepsi plant. And, to some extent holding a CDL was pivotal to becoming a country music star.
“I was the guy that rode around in a truck and delivered drinks to all the convenience stores, so this was kind of my backup plan. The truck didn’t have any air conditioning in it in the summertime,” Aldean reportedly said. “On Friday, we would throw the golf clubs in the truck, go deliver the drinks. Then we’d play nine holes real quick before we took the truck back. Then we were off for the weekend.”
Aldean earned his music chops playing gigs across Georgia and Florida after parking his rig. He has reportedly made contributions to Truckers Against Trafficking.
2: Viggo Mortensen
It would be premature to call him the “King” of celebrity truckers, even though he played Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. That’s largely due to reports Elvis was also a trucker. Mortensen spent his formative years traveling between Denmark and the U.S. He went to high school in America before returning to Denmark where he worked as a young trucker.
Perhaps the life of an OTR trucker was not in his DNA because he returned to the U.S., earned a degree in Spanish at St Lawrence University, and dove into acting. Given he earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in Eastern Promises (2007), Captain Fantastic (2016), and Green Book (2018), perhaps truckers can forgive his early leaving.
3: Charles Bronson
His tough-guy portrayals in films such as the Death Wish franchise, Mr. Majestyk, and The Mechanic may be more true to life than audiences realize. Bronson reportedly grew up poor in Lithuania, working in the mines at age 10 to help support his family after his father died. He served during World War II with distinction, flying 25 missions against Japanese positions and received a Purple Heart for wounds in battle. It was in the U.S. military that Bronson also drove truck before earning his way to leading roles in Hollywood.
4: Sean Connery
The Scottish actor is reportedly the son of a trucker and followed in his father’s footsteps. After joining the Royal Navy at 16 years old and being discharged at 19, Connery worked as a milkman in Edinburgh. He went on to win the bodybuilding titles and finished third in the 1950 Mr. Universe. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he made his fortune as a Hollywood action hero, starring in the James Bond franchise, Red October, and winning an Academy Award for his role in The Untouchables, among others.
5: Other Notable Truckers
Other icons who worked behind the wheel reportedly include Elvis Presley, Chris Tarrant, Robert Duval, Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor, Rock Hudson, Liam Neeson, and director James Cameron.
Sources: hotcars.com, altdriver.com, thejobnetwork.com, outsider.com, fcc-inc.com
Keith Urban was a truck driver down under.
None of those mentioned would be considered real truck drivers , as none drove for jb swift and werner
No they were smart truck drivers
“Local” driving don’t count.
Eddie Rabbit, Randy Owen of Alabama, I think Randy Travis drove for a stint but not sure on that.
Jim Croce was not mentioned.