57 Shocking Acting Roles Celebrities Had Before They Became Really, Really Famous
We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which actors they were surprised to learn were in ~that~ TV show or movie before they became famous. Here are the wild results.
1.Austin Butler got his start as an uncredited extra (later called "Zippy Brewster") in Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.
What you know him from: Elvis, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, The Carrie Diaries, Zoey 101, and Ruby & the Rockits
Here's what Austin Butler looks like now:
2.Glen Powell's first acting credit ever was as "long-fingered boy" in Spy Kids 3: Game Over.
What you know him from: Top Gun: Maverick, Hidden Figures, Set It Up, Everybody Wants Some!!, and Scream Queens
Here's what Glen Powell looks like now:
3.Tyler James Williams' first TV appearance ever was on Sesame Street.
What you know him from: Abbott Elementary, Everybody Hates Chris, and Dear White People
Here's what Tyler James Williams looks like now:
4.Elisabeth Moss made her big-screen debut — opposite Hulk Hogan — as a girl whose cat got stuck in a tree in Suburban Commando.
What you know her from: Mad Men, The Handmaid's Tale, The Square, and Shirley
Here's what Elisabeth Moss looks like now:
5.Jason Momoa's first acting gig ever was as Jason Loane in 44 episodes of Baywatch, starting in Season 10.
What you know him from: Aquaman, Dune, and the Justice League series
Here's what Jason Momoa looks like now:
6.Ashley Tisdale played a student in Donnie Darko when she was 16 years old.
What you know her from: The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, the High School Musical series, and Merry Happy Whatever
Here's what Ashley Tisdale looks like now:
Suggested by hopestyles
7.Rainn Wilson played Lahnk in Galaxy Quest, his first movie ever.
What you know him from: The Office, Juno, The Rocker, and The Meg
Here's what Rainn Wilson looks like now:
8.Scarlett Johansson played Molly, Alex's older sister, in Home Alone 3.
What you know her from: Jojo Rabbit, the Avengers series, Lost in Translation, and Marriage Story
Here's what Scarlett Johansson looks like now:
Suggested by Shubham Deo Pujan, Facebook
9.Cameron Monaghan played a blink-and-you'll-miss-it traffic cop elf in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.
What you know him from: Shameless, The Giver, and Gotham
Here's what Cameron Monaghan looks like now:
10.Molly Shannon's second TV gig ever was in a few episodes of In Living Color.
What you know her from: The Other Two, Other People, SNL, I Love That for You, and Never Been Kissed
Here's what Molly Shannon looks like now:
11.Octavia Spencer played Cynthia, one of Drew Barrymore's coworkers, in Never Been Kissed.
What you know her from: Hidden Figures, Fruitvale Station, The Help, and The Shape of Water
Here's what Octavia Spencer looks like now:
Suggested by siverth
12.Zac Efron was on the short-lived WB series called Summerland.
What you know him from: The Greatest Showman, the High School Musical series, Hairspray, Baywatch, and 17 Again
Here's what Zac Efron looks like now:
Suggested by jbmasta
13.Leonardo DiCaprio was an uncredited extra in Roseanne, playing one of Darlene's classmates for a single episode.
What you know him from: Titanic, The Revenant, The Great Gatsby, and Inception
Here's what Leo DiCaprio looks like now:
Suggested by jordans431
14.Jena Malone played Susan Sarandon's daughter in the iconic movie Stepmom.
What you know her from: The Hunger Games series, The Neon Demon, Pride & Prejudice, and Nocturnal Animals
Here's what Jena Malone looks like now:
15.Zachary Quinto played a TV commercial director in an episode of Lizzie McGuire.
What you know him from: Heroes, the Star Trek series, American Horror Story, and The Boys in the Band
Here's what Zachary Quinto looks like now:
Suggested by brieannad
16.Ryan Gosling's first two acting credits were in an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? (in 1995) and an episode of Goosebumps (in 1996).
What you know him from: La La Land, Half Nelson, The Notebook, Drive, First Man, and Blue Valentine
Here's what Ryan Gosling looks like now:
Suggested by wtfxalicia
17.Aubrey Plaza's TV debut was as an NBC Page with one line in 30 Rock.
What you know her from: Parks and Rec, The White Lotus, Happiest Season, Ingrid Goes West, and The To Do List
Here's what Aubrey Plaza looks like now:
Suggested by notetonotehourtohour
18.Alanna Ubach made her big-screen debut as Maria in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
What you know her from: Euphoria, Legally Blonde, Coco, and Bombshell
Here's what Alanna Ubach looks like now:
19.Kaley Cuoco played Elisa in the Disney Channel movie Alley Cats Strike.
What you know her from: 8 Simple Rules, The Flight Attendant, and The Big Bang Theory
Here's what Kaley Cuoco looks like now:
Suggested by spenceralthouse
20.Kevin McHale was a student at PCA in two episodes of Zoey 101.
What you know him from: Glee, The Office, and The X Factor: Celebrity
Here's what Kevin McHale looks like now:
Suggested by goodgurl
21.Emmy Rossum played Claire in the Disney Channel movie Genius.
What you know her from: Shameless, Angelyne, The Phantom of the Opera, Poseidon, and The Day After Tomorrow
Here's what Emmy Rossum looks like now:
Suggested by spenceralthouse
22.Ben Affleck played an uncredited basketball player in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie.
What you know him from: Gone Girl, Argo, Good Will Hunting, and The Town
Here's what Ben Affleck looks like now:
Suggested by sineadf4
23.Jennifer Lawrence's first acting role was as a school mascot in one episode of Monk.
What you know her from: Don't Look Up, Joy, the Hunger Games series, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle
Here's what Jennifer Lawrence looks like now:
Suggested by alixlund
24.James Marsden was in two episodes of The Nanny.
What you know him from: Enchanted, 30 Rock, the X-Men series, Westworld, and Hairspray
Here's what James Marsden looks like now:
Suggested by rachelc43
25.Jon Huertas played Brad, a witch hunter/Harvey Kinkle's best friend on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
What you know him from: This Is Us, Castle, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Here's what Jon Huertas looks like now:
Suggested by sarahwainschel
26.Adam Scott played Griff Hawkins, the new kid/bully, in a few episodes of Boy Meets World.
What you know him from: Severance, Parks and Rec, Big Little Lies, and Party Down
Here's what Adam Scott looks like now:
Suggested by fredzesty
27.Danielle Fishel played Jennifer P., one of Stephanie Tanner's classmates, in two episodes of Full House.
What you know her from: Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World, and Boiling Point
Here's what Danielle Fishel looks like now:
28.Dianna Agron played a girl who could fit her whole fist in her mouth on Drake & Josh.
What you know her from: Shiva Baby, Glee, I Am Number Four, and The Family
Here's what Diana Agron looks like now:
Suggested by dawnraenicolec
29.Amy Adams was on a single episode of Charmed in one of her very first acting credits.
What you know her from: Enchanted, Sharp Objects, Arrival, Junebug, and Doubt
Here's what Amy Adams looks like now:
Suggested by nerinarciso
30.John Cho played a parking valet in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
What you know him from: Searching, the Star Trek series, Harold and Kumar, and Selfie
Here's what John Cho looks like now:
Suggested by seansean3769
31.Rachel McAdams played Riley's sister in a very emotional episode of Disney Channel's The Famous Jett Jackson.
What you know her from: Game Night, Mean Girls, Red Eye, The Notebook, the Doctor Strange series, and Spotlight
Here's what Rachel McAdams looks like now:
Suggested by laurengarafano
32.Kevin Hart played a cameraman in Along Came Polly.
What you know him from: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Ride Along, Central Intelligence, and Get Hard
Here's what Kevin Hart looks like now:
Suggested by acole3077
33.Jessica Alba was a school bully in The Secret World of Alex Mack.
What you know her from: Never Been Kissed, the Fantastic Four series, and Sin City
Here's what Jessica Alba looks like now:
Suggested by dougfancy101
34.Sara Ramírez was the cashier in You've Got Mail.
What you know them from: And Just Like That..., Grey's Anatomy, Sofia the First, and Madam Secretary
Here's what Sara Ramírez looks like now:
Suggested by adityaaswaminathan
35.Elijah Wood is credited as "video game boy" in Back to the Future Part II.
What you know him from: Wilfred, the Lord of the Rings series, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Here's what Elijah Wood looks like now:
Suggested by cinnamonrolls
36.Simon Helberg played a nerdy student who had a crush on Hilary Duff's character in A Cinderella Story.
What you know him from: The Big Bang Theory, Florence Foster Jenkins, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Here's what Simon Helberg looks like now:
Suggested by amberb4c
37.Kat Dennings played Claire in the spooky Disney Channel movie The Scream Team.
What you know her from: The Thor series, Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist, 2 Broke Girls, and The House Bunny
Here's what Kat Dennings looks like now:
38.Don Cheadle was in a single episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
What you know him from: Hotel Rwanda, the Avengers series, House of Lies, and Crash
Here's what Don Cheadle looks like now:
Suggested by hasenaa
39.Maggie Wheeler was a camp counselor — aka Marva Jr. — in The Parent Trap.
What you know her from: Friends, Archer, and Everybody Loves Raymond
Here's what Maggie Wheeler looks like now:
Suggested by annee4b1c
40.Hugh Laurie was actually in Spice World.
What you know him from: House, Veep, and Stuart Little
Here's what Hugh Laurie looks like now:
Suggested by innaa4e7
41.Julie Bowen played Virginia in Happy Gilmore.
What you know her from: Modern Family, Horrible Bosses, Boston Legal, and Hubie Halloween
Here's what Julie Bowen looks like now:
Suggested by annf42805
42.Laurence Fishburne was 14 when he lied about his age to get the part of a soldier in Apocalypse Now.
What you know him from: Black-ish, the Matrix series, What's Love Got to Do With It, and 21
Here's what Laurence Fishburne looks like now:
Suggested by Kathy Balis, Facebook
43.Taran Killam was Frankie Muniz's bully in Big Fat Liar.
What you know him from: Saturday Night Live, 12 Years a Slave, and Stuck in the Suburbs
Here's what Taran Killam looks like now:
Suggested by chrisa443
44.Kristen Stewart was in an extra for .3 seconds in Disney Channel's The Thirteenth Year.
What you know her from: Spencer, Happiest Season, the Twilight series, Still Alice, and Into the Wild
Here's what Kristen Stewart looks like now:
Suggested by abbyv40
45.Michael Cera was in Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's iconic movie Switching Goals.
What you know him from: Molly's Game, Superbad, Juno, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Here's what Michael Cera looks like now:
Suggested by annakopsky
46.Eric Stonestreet played a hotel receptionist in 10 seconds of Almost Famous.
What you know him from: Modern Family, American Horror Story, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Here's what Eric Stonestreet looks like now:
Suggested by spenceralthouse
47.Steve Carell played a security guard in the super underrated movie Sleepover.
What you know him from: The Office, Foxcatcher, Little Miss Sunshine, and The Big Short
Here's what Steve Carell looks like now:
Suggested by emilyk4723
48.Abigail Breslin was the little girl at the parade in The Princess Diaries 2.
What you know her from: Little Miss Sunshine, Scream Queens, New Year's Eve, and My Sister's Keeper
Here's what Abigail Breslin looks like now:
Suggested by Kirsty L. Powell, Facebook
49.Noel Fisher played the bully in Max Keeble's Big Move.
What you know him from: Shameless, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
Here's what Noel Fisher looks like now:
Suggested by casbag
50.Joe Manganiello was Peter Parker's bully in the original Spider-Man.
What you know him from: True Blood, the Magic Mike series, One Tree Hill, and How I Met Your Mother
Here's what Joe Manganiello looks like now.
Suggested by amandat4
51.Angela Bassett was a flight attendant in about two seconds of Kindergarten Cop.
What you know her from: The Black Panther series, What's Love Got to Do With It, 9-1-1, and the Mission: Impossible series
Here's what Angela Bassett looks like now:
Suggested by Allyson Guy, Facebook
52.Mike O'Malley was the host of Nickelodeon's Global Guts.
What you know him from: Glee, The Good Place, and Yes, Dear
Here's what Mike O'Malley looks like now:
Suggested by spenceralthouse
53.Selena Gomez played a kid for two years on Barney & Friends.
What you know her from: Only Murders in the Building, Wizards of Waverly Place, The Fundamentals of Caring, Spring Breakers, and The Dead Don't Die
Here's what Selena Gomez looks like now:
Suggested by dkman
54.Kate Berlant had one line as "Student #2" in her first acting gig ever on Lizzie McGuire.
What you know her from: A League of Their Own, The Other Two, Would It Kill You To Laugh?, and Don't Worry Darling
Here's what Kate Berlant looks like now:
55.Ryan Reynolds was the love interest in the Sabrina the Teenage Witch TV movie.
What you know him from: Green Lantern, the Deadpool series, The Proposal, and Buried
Here's what Ryan Reynolds looks like now:
Suggested by j4aca54
56.Katherine Heigl was in Disney's TV movie Wish Upon a Star.
What you know her from: Grey's Anatomy, 27 Dresses, Knocked Up, and Life as We Know It
Here's what Katherine Heigl looks like now:
Suggested by sac9488
57.And Adam Sandler got his start as Smitty on The Cosby Show.
What you know him from: Hustler, Click, Saturday Night Live, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, and Uncut Gems
Here's what Adam Sandler looks like now:
Suggested by jessiep4a1