After a movie character hits the big time it's often hard to think of where the actor was beforehand. Maybe they were considered unknowns, or they were just playing the field before that one role came along and solidified themselves into the hearts and minds of fans. However, one thing is certain, an actor's past credits can act as stepping stones to the big role that defines their career.

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For many cases it can be an actor's long tenure in a genre, or a similar role they had before landing one that gained traction. Other instances it's through casting, say a Director sees an actor in a movie and writes their new screenplay with them in mind. Sometimes it's just the reputation the actor has created, proving themselves to have the chops it takes to land the title role in blockbuster franchises that permeates through pop culture history.

Prospect (2018) to The Mandalorian (2019)

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Pedro Pascal has skyrocketed into the hearts of Star Wars fans with his portrayal of Din Djarin in The Mandalorian (2019). However, before he dawned the shiny suit of beskar, Pascal wore a lower budget space suit in Prospect (2018). It doesn't take much to see the similarities between the two gritty, western inspired sci-fi dramas that Pascal starred in.

Prospect (2018) stars Sophie Thatcher, new to Star Wars as Drash in The Book of Boba Fett (2021), who travels to a toxic planet with her father to mine for rare materials. There she encounters Ezra (Pascal), who robs them in an old-west style stick up. The highwayman with questionable morals is then left to team up with the young girl and oversee some parental duties.

Good Time (2017) to The Batman (2022)

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Image via A24

Robert Pattinson traded his vampire teeth for Batman's legendary cape and cowl for Matt Reeves' reboot of the Dark Knight in The Batman (2022). Ever since Pattinson's ridiculed performance in The Twilight Saga, he has noticeably taken obscure, art driven, roles to further himself from the teen-heart-throb persona. This eventually lead him to the Safdie Brothers who directed Pattinson in the crime thriller Good Time (2017).

Reeves wasn't sure at the time if Pattinson was interested in the role of The Batman, but the stars aligned and Pattinson brought his powerful, yet reclusive, persona from Good Time (2017) to Reeves' version of Gotham.

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) to The Matrix (1999)

Johnny Mnemonic about to put on an eye mask.

Keanu Reeves plugged into cyberspace a few years before his groundbreaking role as Neo in The Matrix (1999). His first big break came with the sci-fi comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), but over the next few years Reeves looked to transform himself away from stoner comedies, taking action roles that eventually lead to the 1995 cyberpunk action movie Johnny Mnemonic (1995).

In Johnny Mnemonic (1995), Reeves stars as the titular character, a courier whose sacrificed a chunk of his memory in order to store valuable information for high profile clients. Reeves is seen being plugged into cyberspace, interfacing in a virtual computer reality while eluding assassins in the real world.

RocknRolla (2008) to The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

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When Tom Hardy was asked why Christopher Nolan wanted him to play the main antagonist, Bane, in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Hardy surely thought it was his role in Bronson (2008). However, it was not in fact his role as the beefy and violent notorious criminal, Charles Bronson, but Nolan stated it was his performance in RocknRolla (2008) and the way Hardy emoted with his eyes.

RocknRolla (2008) is a criminal action film directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Gerard Butler opposite of Hardy. Hardy has a supporting role amidst the ensemble cast, but has a key car scene in which his character professes his love to Butler's without words, but just a longing intimate stare.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) to Suicide Squad (2016)

Margot Robbie as Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street
Image via Paramount Pictures

Margot Robbie earned her biggest role to date in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) opposite of Leonardo DiCaprio. Within the film she plays the blonde bombshell and love interests to the con-man stockbroker living the life of luxury. However, Robbie's character gets wind of his criminal acts and begins to not take it anymore, lashing out and calling her lover out on the way she has been mistreated.

While Suicide Squad (2016) was not met with much appreciation, a majority of fans would agree that Robbie's portrayal of Harley was the best thing to come of it, starring later in the sequel and her own solo film. Robbie brings all her man-eating talents from The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) to the infamous Harley Quinn.

42 (2013) to Black Panther (2018)

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Before Chadwick Boseman played the first Black superhero he played the first Black professional baseball player Jackie Robinson. The late actor is, of course, most well known as T'Challa, King of Wakanda and member of the Avengers, but Boseman made a career in portraying numerous Black icons before dawning the black and purple vibranium suit in Black Panther (2018).

42 (2013) was Boseman's first big break in Hollywood, but he would also star as the Funk master James Brown in Get On Up (2014) and the civil rights attorney Thurgood Marshall in Marshall (2017). Boseman certainly took it upon himself to lift the voices of his community through his work and in doing so has left his own lasting impression.

Prisoners (2013) to The Batman (2022)

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Paul Dano may be most recognizable for his performances in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), the silent Nietzsche enthusiast, or There Will Be Blood (2007), the exploited priest, but one of his more minimal roles bares the most resemblance to his Riddler performance in The Batman (2022). That is his minor role in Prisoners (2013), as a mentally ill individual whose suspected of being a child murderer.

Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman as an angered father taking matters into his own hands to find his kidnaped children, while a frustrated detective (Jake Gyllenhaal) tries to crack the case. Within the film, Jackman's character comes face to face with Dano's, resulting in one of the most ferocious encounters on screen in recent memory.

Van Wilder (2002) to Deadpool (2016)

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Ryan Reynolds has a long career in comedy ever since starring as the title character in National Lampoon's Van Wilder, and given his long list of credits its obvious Reynolds was tailor-made to play the Merc With a Mouth. Deadpool (2016) was greeted by fans who were looking for a comic book accurate version of the character, and oh boy did they get it.

Even with his previous, and ill-fated, portrayal of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), which removed his character's trademark mouth, Reynolds was finally able to let his true version of Deadpool loose with his 2016 solo film and subsequent sequels that prove his college comedies at the beginning of his career were leading somewhere.

The Hurt Locker (2008) to The Avengers (2012)

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Jeremy Renner has been known for his military roles, including his most iconic reoccurring performance as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye. Before that, Renner has played several members of armed forces and police including S.W.A.T. (2003), 28 Weeks Later (2007), The Hurt Locker. The latter even took home six Oscars, including Best Picture, Screenplay and Director (Kathryn Bigelow).

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The Avengers (2012) features a team-up of superheroes to protect Earth from an alien invasion and even utilizes Renner's background in playing both good and bad characters, seen when Hawkeye is mind controlled by Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and serves as a temporary antagonist.

Lords of Dogtown (2005) to The Dark Knight (2008)

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Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

It's hard to think of a time when fans weren't enthusiastic about Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008), but at the time he was cast it had fans scratching their heads. Before the Joker, audiences really only knew Ledger as that lovely smile seen in teen flicks like 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and A Knight's Tale (2001), but his supporting role in Lords of Dogtown (2005) kept some fans optimistic.

Lords of Dogtown (2005) tells the true story of the Z-Boys and their pioneering influences on skateboarding in the 70s. Within the film Ledger plays their eccentric team manager and surf shop owner Skip Engblom, complete with fake teeth that Ledger had made to play the role.

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