Everyone has to start somewhere, and actors know that better than most. Getting on camera is hard, y’all! But all that struggle has paid off for all of the actors on this list—they’re big stars now, and have massive careers to match.
If they can do it, you can do it. Even if you’re not an actor, their bit parts prove that hard work actually pays off.
Norman Reedus
Now this is how you kick off a career. Before he was a massive star on The Walking Dead, Norman Reedus appeared in Lady Gaga’s music video for “Judas,” playing Judas himself.
Jeff Goldblum
Fashion icon — and all around coolest guy in the world — Jeff Goldblum is famous for films like Jurassic Park and Independence Day, but it was in Annie Hall that he got his start.
He has one line in the film: “I forgot my mantra.”
Megan Fox
Megan Fox hit our screens in Transformers and Jennifer’s Body.
But she’d actually worked with Michael Bay once before, in Bad Boys 2. She played a stripper. Classic Michael Bay (eyeroll emoji).
Harrison Ford
Indiana Jones and Han Solo are two names synonymous with pop culture phenomenons.
However, before Harrison Ford became those heartthrobs, he appeared as a bellhop in Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round.
Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum skyrocketed to fame in Magic Mike. But first? He danced his butt off in Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” music video, which actually feels right for Channing Tatum’s first on-screen appearance.
Charlize Theron
Iconic Charlize Theron started out as an extra in a horror movie. Not just any horror movie, either.
She was an extra in Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest.
All I have to say is: Oh my god, those eyebrows.
Ashley Tisdale
High School Musical who?
Ashley Tisdale made her name as Sharpay Evans, but her first high school role was actually in Donnie Darko.
She played a nerdy girl asking a question during a school assembly.
RELATED STORIES
Renee Zellweger
Like Charlize Theron, Renee Zellweger got her start in a horror sequel, too.
For Renee, it was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, which I had no idea existed until right now.
Find her trying to escape from Matthew McConaughey and his murderous rages.
Julianne Hough
Guys, believe it or not, the blonde cheering next to Dean Thomas and Ron Weasley is non other than Julianne Hough.
She’s since gone on to become a big celeb on Dancing With the Stars, but we’ll all remember her first as the excited Gryffindor girl yelling in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Lady Gaga
Remember Stefani Germanotta?
Me either—because these days, we know her as the incomparable Lady Gaga. Before Gaga was Gaga, she appeared as an extra in The Sopranos. You know how the rest of her incredible career went.
Evangeline Lilly
Before she was kicking butt in Ant-Man and the Wasp or surviving a plane crash in LOST, Evangeline Lilly was an extra in The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
She can be spotted trying to haul Gordo away from Isabella and wearing some massive earrings.
Melissa McCarthy
Way before Sookie on Gilmore Girls or starring in blockbusters like The Heat and Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy had a bit part in Charlie’s Angels.
She plays the lone woman working at Red Star, who takes quite a while to warm up to Lucy Liu’s character.
You can also spot her in the background of Charlie’s Angels 2: Full Throttle.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Before it ended, was resurrected, and then canceled again, Roseanne was home to a number of rising stars.
Among them was Leonardo DiCaprio, who randomly appeared as an extra in a school scene.
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart blew into our lives with films with Twilight and Snow White and the Huntsman.
Long before those, though, she was just another extra in a fountain line in the Disney Channel original movie, The Thirteenth Year.
George Clooney
I mean, we all know who George Clooney is. We all know that he’s done everything from TV ( ER ) to films ( Ocean’s 11 ).
Before he was a megastar, though, he was an extra in a TV miniseries Centennial, at the age of 17.
Adam Brody
Adam Brody played loveable goofball Seth Cohen on The OC, so it makes sense that he appeared in another teen phenomenon before landing that role: he was an extra in American Pie 2.
Brad Pitt
While Robert Downey Jr. was becoming a bonafide star, an actor named Brad Pitt was just getting his start — as an extra in No Way Out, where you can spot him in a tux and grinning the entire time.
You can also see him in Less Than Zero and Hunk. That last one is pretty fitting tbh.
Milo Ventimiglia
One of the few men to ever successfully pull off a mustache, Milo Ventimiglia is a household name for This Is Us fans.
But he appeared in another household staple in the ’90s — a small part on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Donald Glover
Before Childish Gambino, Community, and writing, Donald Glover appeared as an extra on a show he would eventually end up writing for: 30 Rock.
He’d later appear again in the song “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah,” which you should go watch right now.
Jeremy Renner
Yup, that’s Hawkeye before he started hanging out with the Avengers.
Jeremy Renner appeared in P!nk’s music video for “Trouble,” where she takes on his character in a quick draw.
She and all her friends drive him right out of town. Queen.
Elijah Wood
This is well-known lore if you love Back to the Future.
However, if you’re not weird and obsessive like I am, then I guess this is total news to you.
Elijah briefly appears as one of the kids vying to play a vintage arcade game in Back to the Future: Part II.
Eva Mendes
Will Smith and Eva Mendes are an explosive duo. As love interests in Hitch, they set our screens on fire with just how good they were together. And before that? Eva got her start in Will’s video for “Welcome to Miami.”
Christina Hendricks
Bombshell Christina Hendricks hit our radars when she portrayed Joan on Mad Men.
Prior to that, though, she was in a music video for Everclear’s “One Hit Wonder,” where she played a game show contestant.
RuPaul
Mother RuPaul has been a drag legend for decades.
In full drag, Ru danced her way through the B52’s music video for “Love Shack” in 1989, which was one of his first on-screen performances.
Years later, the B52’s would guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Life really comes full circle.
