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Low Slope RoofingRoofing NewsSteep Slope Roofing

Roofing Week 2025

6 Famous Celebrities Who Worked in Roofing

From grit to glamor, these notable figures earned a living working on roofs before achieving stardom

By Chris Gray
GAF_Mackie_repairing_roof_in_NoLA.jpg

Actor Anthony Mackie and GAF help to repair the roof of U.S. Air Force veteran Joe Capers. GAF announced today that it has reached the goal of repairing or replacing 500 roofs on the homes of families in need throughout the Gulf Region impacted by severe weather. The effort was launched as part of GAF Community Matters, a social impact initiative focused on building more resilient communities.

June 3, 2025

Roofing may not be the most glamorous career, but it has ingrained inspiring work ethics, grit and perseverance in millions of people throughout time, including some who have become household names (perhaps in the very homes they roofed).

In honor of the National Roofing Contractors Association's National Roofing Week, below is a list of celebrities and notable figures who, at one point in their lives, worked on roofs before achieving fame.

Anthony Mackie

Anthony-Mackie-in-GAF-clothing-and-safety-gear

Anthony Mackie. Photo courtesy of GAF.

According to the Associated Press, Anthony Mackie's family owns Mackie One Construction, which he worked for before becoming an actor and starring in movies like “We Are Marshall” and “The Hurt Locker.”

Perhaps best known for playing the superhero The Falcon and now Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mackie hasn’t forgotten his roots. The star has partnered with GAF to help families impacted by severe weather in the Gulf Region by installing new roofs.

Blake Shelton

Blake-Shelton

Blake Shelton. Photo by DoD photo by EJ Hersom via Flickr.

Many know country superstar Blake Shelton as one of the original coaches on “The Voice” TV series. In 2018, he told People magazine that roofing houses was his first-ever job while living in his hometown of Ada, Okla.

As part of a special on CBS that aired in 2020, the country singer was asked by Gayle King what he would be doing if he weren’t still a musician. He responded, “Probably still roofin’ houses. That’s what I was doing before.” When asked if he knew how to roof houses, he admitted, “Not anymore. I blocked that out of my mind. I’d have to re-learn now.”

Barry Sanders

Named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1997, Barry Sanders is a former running back who played with the Detroit Lions for 10 seasons. He received multiple accolades and awards during his career, and held almost every rushing record for the Lions and numerous all-time NFL records when he retired.

Born and raised in Kansas, Sanders’ father was a roofer and carpenter. Sanders and his two brothers worked as roofers’ assistants for their father during the summers.

Glenn Ford

Glenn-Ford-with-smoking-pipe-collection

Glenn Ford (1916-2006). Photo courtesy of Tom McKinnon/Flickr.

A Canadian-American actor from Hollywood’s Golden Era, Glenn Ford had roles in some of the era’s biggest noir films, including “Gilda” and “The Big Heat.” He also played the adoptive father of Clark Kent/Superman in the 1978 “Superman” film, the first in the franchise.

As the story goes, Ford’s father, a railroad executive, didn’t dissuade his son from pursuing acting but told him he had to learn something else first, such as building a car or a house. He took that advice to heart, and while working as one of Hollywood’s most popular actors, he worked as a roofer and installer of plate-glass windows.

George Saunders

Alt tags are required for ADA campatibility. All photos should have them and they should be more than just the image file name

George Saunders. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress

George Saunders is a Syracuse University professor and New York Times best-selling author. His non-fiction works have appeared in publications like GQ, The New Yorker and New York Times Magazine, and he was named one of the world’s most influential people by Time magazine. He has written 12 books, including “Lincoln in the Bardo.”

Growing up in Illinois, he spent his early 20s working as a roofer as well as a doorman and a slaughterhouse “knuckle-puller.” He was awarded a master of arts in creative writing from Syracuse University in 1988.

Jefry Yan

Jefry-Yan-throwing-a-pitch

Jefry Yan. Image courtesy of Wikimedia

Described as a lankly Dominican left-hander, Jefry Yan, 28, is a pitcher for the Colorado Rockies, known for his animated celebrations when striking out a batter. He told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that his enthusiasm isn’t about making the batter look bad, it’s about enjoying a sport he’s passionate about.

Yan’s professional baseball career began in 2014 with the Los Angeles Angels organization. The following three-and-a-half years, he played in a Sunday amateur league in Arizona while doing odd jobs, including roofing. In 2021, he returned to professional baseball with the Miami Marlins, then pitched in Japan before signing with the Rockies.

KEYWORDS: family business GAF giving back NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association) roofing industry

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Chrisgray
Chris Gray is the editor of Roofing Contractor and Roofing Supply Pro. He has worked in the fields of journalism and copywriting for nearly 20 years, ranging from local print newspapers to the multi-media promotion of international artists.


Reach him at 248-244-6498 or grayc@bnpmedia.com.

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