When an actor’s out of work, he’ll do anything to earn money and keep his face “out there”. Later on, when he gets a little recognition, those old pieces tend to surface as his former employers cash in on HIS fame.

Production time on a major film can drag on for months, and a guy’s gotta eat (and keep up his face recognition), until a film gets released. And of course, even big names can burn through their money and be forced to make big compromises during a bare patch.

An actor’s celebrity plays a big role in the kind of contract he’s willing to sign–i.e., his power. And of course, even the biggest names can agree to prostituting themselves if the price is right. Big stars may refuse commercial work in the US, but they will go to Japan and appear in Japanese commercials for an enormous fee. Contracts are signed to ensure the film never appears in the US.

And sometimes, it can be an entirely selfless action. I was shocked when Neil Armstrong appeared in a car commercial, I felt it was a gross commercialization of an American hero. Later I learned he did it as a personal favor to his friend Lee Iacocca when Chrysler was in deep financial trouble. He did it in an effort to save the jobs and investments of Chrysler workers and stockholders. As far as I know, it was the only time Neil Armstrong used his celebrity for commercial purposes, but it was an honorable act.