Read update
- There's no shortage of incredible and often underrated movies starring A-list actors before they were famous. Audiences who are curious to see their favorite stars' humble origins have plenty of great films to choose from.
Hollywood is always looking for its next big star. With thousands upon thousands of aspiring actors vying to be headlining major projects, only a select few end up becoming bankable names on the big screen. While actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio became stars very early on in their careers, other actors waited years for their big breaks.
Although it may take time for them to become big stars, many actors have put forth some of the best of the best work of their career in smaller roles before they had their big breakthrough.
Updated on May 3, 2023, by Hannah Saab:
There's no shortage of incredible and often underrated movies starring A-list actors before they were famous. Audiences who are curious to see their favorite stars' humble origins have plenty of great films to choose from.
13 'Peggy Sue Got Married' (1986) – Nicolas Cage
The 1980s was an up-and-down decade for Francis Ford Coppola. While the 70s saw him emerge to become a defining director, making all-time greats like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, the 80s were more hit or miss. One of the more modest hits for Coppola was Peggy Sue Got Married, a comedy fantasy that surrounds a homemaker who is propelled back in time to when she was in high school.
While star Kathleen Turner was already a top leading lady through movies such as Body Heat and Romancing the Stone, it was a risk to cast Coppola's nephew, Nicolas Cage, as her co-star. Although Cage's over-the-top style is now considered iconic, his performance drew criticism for being cartoonish. Despite this, he would achieve mainstream one year later with Moonstruck, for which he would win a Golden Globe.
12 'Smooth Talk' (1985) – Laura Dern
Loosely adapted from the Joyce Carol Oates short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?," Smooth Talk is both a figurative and literal allegory of burgeoning female adulthood. An unfortunate underperformer at the box office, the film surrounds 15-year-old Connie who experiences a sexual awakening that is challenged when a mysterious older man takes an interest in her.
The daughter of actors Dianne Ladd and Bruce Dern, Laura Dern, who stars as Connie, has acting credits that go back to when she was only 6 years old. Having already appeared in films such as Foxes and Teachers, Dern's real breakout wouldn't come until a year later in 1986 with Blue Velvet. Although only 18 in the film, Dern's performance in Smooth Talk is captivating and nuanced, proving her to be a truly natural actor from a young age.
Watch on The Criterion Channel
11 'My Summer of Love' (2004) – Emily Blunt
Based on the novel of the same name by Helen Cross, My Summer of Love is a rich and often poignant look at teenage emotion and response. The film, directed by famed Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski, concerns the newfound relationship between two young women from opposing class backgrounds.
Both unknowns at the time, the young women are portrayed by Natalie Press and Emily Blunt in her first-ever role. Only two years later would Blunt go on to star in The Devil Wears Prada, which became an iconic blockbuster and thrust her into stardom. While only a young actor, My Summer of Love showcases Blunt's cunning and intelligence as an actor to full effect.
10 'Six Degrees of Separation' (1993) – Will Smith
Six Degrees of Separation is as brilliant as they come. A comedy, drama, satire, and mystery all in one, the film is about Paul, a young man, who turns up at the apartment of a wealthy New York couple claiming to be a friend of their children as well as the son of renowned actor Sidney Poitier.
The role of Paul, originated by celebrated stage actor Courtney B. Vance, was replaced in the film, going to Will Smith. Smith, who had been a notable name due to his time on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, was largely a new face in pictures having only appeared in two films to that point. His sensitive and deceitful performance flagged Smith as a name to watch, something that has played out ever since.
9 'Panic Room' (2002) – Kristen Stewart
A rewatchable home invasion thriller movie from directed David Fincher, Panic Room centers on the mother-daughter duo who tries to survive in their New York home's panic room. The burglars – Burnham (Forest Whitaker), Raoul (Dwight Yoakam), and Junior (Jared Leto) – soon discover the hidden chamber, and a tense exchange ensues between them and the panic room's terrified occupants, Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart).
Serving as Stewart's second feature film after The Safety of Objects, the Twilight actor hadn't been thrust into stardom just yet back then. Her talents were obvious in Panic Room, though, as she played the role of a dismissive daughter tired of parenting her own recently-divorced mother remarkably well, adding depth to the thriller.
8 'To Die For' (1995) – Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck
While it was a notable film of 1995, To Die For is still underrated. Sharply written and darkly comic, the film is inventively delivered, combining direct-to-camera monologues and mockumentary-style filmmaking. Directed by Gus Van Zant, the movie is about Suzanne Stone, a determined and ruthless newscaster who will destroy anyone who gets in her way.
The film is superbly acted from top to bottom with Nicole Kidman giving a searing performance as the callous newscaster. Also in the film are Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck, both portraying young students. Praised by critics, the performances combined with an exceptional story make the film riveting. While only young in To Die For, viewers can see the outline of two actors who would later go on to be considered two of the finest of their generation.
7 'The Believer' (2001) – Ryan Gosling
Possibly the greatest movie about self-hate ever written, The Believer is shockingly eloquent and certainly fierce. Winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the film would go on to underperform at the box office. Written and directed by Henry Bean, The Believer follows Danny Balint, a young intellectual Neo-Nazi in New York who is challenged when his self-identity is confronted.
Attempting to break into more serious roles as an actor after being on the Disney Channel, Ryan Gosling found his juxtaposition in starring as the antisemitic Balint. Gosling has since gone on to become one of the most well-respected actors in Hollywood, however, often for roles that do not require such fluency as this one. Having become one of the most thoughtful choosers of projects of any modern actor, it all started for Gosling with The Believer.
6 'A Soldier's Story' (1984) – Denzel Washington
Adapted by Charles Fuller from his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Solider's Story gained momentum towards the end of 1984, eventually being nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Directed by socially conscience filmmaker Norman Jewison, the film depicts a Black Army investigator who travels to the Jim Crow South to solve the murder of a Black sergeant.
Adolph Caesar reprises his role from the original production to put forth a delightful performance as the slain sergeant, with each line reading being more delectable than the last. More famously however is the appearance of Denzel Washington in an early role, reprising his role from the play as Private First Class Peterson. It's interesting to imagine that if the film was made 10, or even 5 years later, Washington is likely the lead.
5 'The China Syndrome' (1979) – Michael Douglas
Characterized by film historian Rob Edelman as "one of the most intelligent Hollywood films of the 1970s", The China Syndrome was a critical and commercial success. Directed by James Bridges, the film concerns a reporter who is put in the middle of a conspiracy when covering a story about a nuclear power plant.
Jane Fonda delivers a powerhouse performance as the punchy news reporter while Jack Lemmon is just as terrific in a classic nervous and jittery Lemmon performance. Also appearing is 35-year-old Michael Douglas, who up to that point was a successful producer, but had yet to reach his zenith as an actor. It wasn't until 5 years later with Romancing the Stone that Douglas would be considered a bankable star.
4 'American Graffiti' (1973) – Harrison Ford
Only the second film by Star Wars visionary George Lucas, American Graffiti is one of the most influential hang-out movies ever. Inspiring Dazed and Confused to Licorice Pizza, the movie follows a group of friends who cruise the streets of early 1960s Modesto, California on the last night of summer.
The cast features a plethora of notable faces including Ron Howard, Cindy Williams and Richard Dreyfuss. However, none would go on to have as big a career as Harrison Ford. Ford, who was pursuing a career in carpentry at the time, only took the role with one of the most famous actors' demands – that he would not have to cut his hair. While it would have seemed unlikely in 1973, Ford would go on to be the biggest star of the bunch.
3 'Sideways' (2004) – Sandra Oh
Sideways is an underappreciated road film unlike any other. Directed by Alexander Payne, the award-winning movie follows two friends – the unsuccessful writer and wine lover Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his engaged but uncertain buddy Jack (Thomas Haden Church) – as they travel through wine country for one last hurrah. Along the way, they encounter two women, Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh).
Best known today for her role as Cristina Yang on Grey's Anatomy, Sandra Oh had already showcased her acting chops in numerous renowned movies, including Sideways. Her role in the 2004 film is noteworthy, as it highlights her now-iconic snark, humor, and ferocity in an unforgettable way.
2 'The Impossible' (2012) – Tom Holland
A disaster film based on an unbelievable true story, The Impossible depicts the experiences of a real-life family during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The movie portrays the family's picture-perfect vacation in Thailand, which turns into a horrific nightmare then a tsunami washes everything away and tears the family apart.
Starring alongside Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor who play the couple, Tom Holland masterfully plays their 12-year-old son, who is separated from everyone else and left to wade through the murky waters while taking care of his injured mother. His persuasive acting, alongside unflinching portrayals of the devastation caused by the disaster, helps make the movie an emotional and even disturbing one. It would take a while before he's recognized by fans as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – those impressed by his performance as Peter Parker should definitely give The Impossible a shot.
1 'Catch Me If You Can' (2002) – Amy Adams
One of the most purely enjoyable film-watching experiences from the legendary Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can is a delightful adventure through a wild, almost unbelievable tale. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, the loosely factual story follows young Frank Abagnale Jr., a con artist, as he is pursued by FBI Agent Carl Hanratty.
The electric pacing of the film and lucrative cast may distract you from certain names who appear in the film, one of which being a twenty-eight your old Amy Adams. Adams, who would go on to be one of the world's highest-paid actors, appears in a supporting role as a naive nurse who Abagnale falls in love with. While she has many accomplishments since, Catch Me If You Can remains a highlight of Adams's career.