A surprising number of A-listers have peddled products in commercials that were never meant to be seen stateside.
Brad Pitt
In Japan, Pitt passes for a run-of-the-mill office worker who performs exceptional feats after chugging Roots Iced Coffee.
George Clooney
Whether he’s selling Nespresso, Martini or Fiat, all of Clooney’s overseas commercials tend to feature his signature charm and at least one beautiful woman.
Snoop Dogg
The rapper emerges from a refrigerator dressed as a German folk star to (literally) sing the praises of Vybe Mobile, a German phone company.
Madonna
A pre-Kabbalah Material Girl sings while swinging swords in a 1995 ad for Takara Sake.
Salvador Dalí
Back in 1968, the famous surrealist’s even more famous mustache was the true star of a Lanvin Chocolate commercial, which featured the artist expressing his love for the treat.
Natalie Portman
After she became an A-lister but before she won an Academy Award, Portman showed off her sword-fighting skills and shiny hair in ads for Lux Shampoo.
Cameron Diaz
The blonde bombshell doesn’t speak a word of Japanese—or a word at all—in spots for SoftBank cell phones. (Some of our other favorites: here and here)
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Throughout the 1980s and ’90s, Schwarzenegger appeared in more than 30 Japanese commercials for everything from ramen to DIRECTV.
BONUS CLIPS: