While celebrities like Betty White, Morgan Freeman, Tom Selleck and more made a name for themselves in the entertainment industry, they also felt a higher calling to serve their country.
While Freeman was passionate about theater, he decided to turn down a drama scholarship at Jackson State University in order to pursue his air force dream.
“This is the kid who joined the Air Force ‘way back when.’ His love for flying was ignited by watching movies every week at his local theatre,” the Shawshank Redemption actor wrote via Facebook in November 2019 alongside his official military photo. “I salute all of our service members for their selfless sacrifice and their dedication to our peace and freedom.”
Selleck, for his part, was already on his way to becoming a bonafide star when he received a draft notice for the Vietnam War.
“I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army infantry, National Guard, Vietnam era. We’re all brothers and sisters in that sense,” Selleck recalled in a 2022 interview with Military.com.
Keep scrolling to see Freeman, Selleck and more stars — including Adam Driver and Drew Carey — who are military veterans:
