Before they went on to capture the hearts of viewers in their breakout roles, these stars featured in humble, though in some cases very memorable, roles in beloved teen series. Whether it was finding a place among the townies of Stars Hollow, mingling with Newport Beach's upper class, or joining the rotation in Eric Forman's basement, these stars stole the show in their roles as guest stars.
And while some have gone on to have Oscar or Emmy Award-winning careers, or perhaps star in more questionable Hallmark holiday films, a trip down memory line is always a good idea, to relish in outdated hairstyles and outfits, and gush over the baby-faced stars only beginning to find their place in Hollywood.
Evan Peters - 'One Tree Hill'
While One Tree Hill had its fair share of celebrity cameos, from Gavin DeGraw to a heavy eyeliner-wearing Pete Wentz, perhaps one of the more forgotten guest stars was Evan Peters.
Before American Horror Story, X-Men and his most recent role as Jeffrey Dahmer in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Peters found his place among the drama of Tree Hill as troubled teen and love interest, Jack Daniels, for Ashley Rickards' character Sam Walker. Whilst he only appeared for a short-lived six episodes in the show's sixth season, his small part in the lives of lead characters Brooke and Julian sure left its mark.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 'That 70s Show'
Just a year before his beloved role as Cameron James in 10 Things I Hate About You, Joseph Gordon-Levitt appeared as Buddy Morgan in That 70s Show, a guest star role that would go on to achieve icon status for fans of the series.
Whilst social media fandom communities continue to express their love for the kiss between Buddy and the show's protagonist Eric Forman, Buddy unfortunately only appeared in the show for a single episode, due to homophobic reactions from viewers and the fear that Buddy's place in the show would impact the relationship between Eric and Donna. Luckily for viewers, Buddy's departure from the show meant Joseph Gordon-Levitt was free to step into the role of Cameron James and win over viewers by learning French for Bianca Stratford.
Chad Michael Murray - 'Gilmore Girls' and 'Dawson's Creek'
Before Chad Michael Murray's fame skyrocketed in his role as (the lesser) half of the Scott brother duo in One Tree Hill, Murray starred in smaller roles in both Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek. Whilst Murray's character, Charlie, on Dawson's Creek is less significant, his role as Tristan DuGray in Gilmore Girls is one which has stood the test of time for fans of the series.
When ranking Rory's boyfriends, fans are still quick to include Tristan, despite having never been an official boyfriend of the lead character. Murray's role as Tristan was so influential that the character of Logan who appears in the show's later seasons was supposedly introduced to take his place, as Tristan was originally planned to be the third and final Rory Gilmore boyfriend in her time at Yale. Nevertheless, it's nice to reminisce on simpler times at Chilton where Rory's biggest problem was that a baby-faced Chad Michael Murray had a crush on her. Oh, to be Rory Gilmore in Stars Hollow.
Melissa Fumero - 'Gossip Girl'
Although Amy Santiago would likely have some issues with the Upper East Side crowd, the early days of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Blockbuster star Melissa Fumero's career took place on the iconic Met steps as one of Blair Waldorf's minions.
Despite her character having attended Columbia University with Blair, it's safe to assume that her character in Gossip Girl, Zoe, was not as studious as Amy. Although, fans of both shows can surely trust the fact that Amy Santiago would certainly give Zoe study tips and lessons on how to construct the best Binder folder.
Rami Malek - 'Gilmore Girls'
Before going on to win an Oscar for his portrayal of legendary Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek was one of the more quiet townsfolk in Stars Hollow.
Malek's role as Andy, one of Lane Kim's fellow bible group members, was a role of few lines, but one which helped kickstart his career. And although Andy's three-line effort to advocate for Assistant Pastor Eric as the group's interviewee for their project was unsuccessful, his somewhat forgotten beginnings as a Stars Hollow townie remain an important aspect of Gilmore Girls lore for dedicated fans.
Max Greenfield - 'Gilmore Girls' and 'The O.C.'
While Max Greenfield is undoubtedly best known for his role as the well-dressed romantic, Schmidt, on New Girl, and for good reason, Greenfield also starred in other beloved series Gilmore Girls and The O.C., though his roles were far less quotable.
While his brief stint as a drunken friend of Dean's in Gilmore Girls is fairly forgettable, his role as a college-aged Sandy Cohen in The O.C. who is meeting his future wife Kirsten for the first time remains one of the greatest casting decisions for a younger version of a character. The resemblance between Max Greenfield and Peter Gallagher was so great, that Gallagher even went on to star in New Girl as Schmidt's dad ten years later.
Adam Scott - 'Boy Meets World'
Before he was Pawnee's most lovable dork and L'il Sebastian hater, Ben Wyatt, in Parks Recreation, a 22-year-old Adam Scott starred as bully Griff Hawkins in Boy Meets World. While a teenaged Ben Wyatt was serving as Mayor of Ice Town, Griff was serving as an all-round menace in the series, paying other students to attend classes for him, using his good looks to make women run his errands, and becoming enemies with Mr. Feeny in the process.
It seems Griff was more on par with the villainy of Scott's character Derek in Step Brothers, though likely without the same vocal range to effortlessly destroy a solo to 'Sweet Child O' Mine' whilst driving.
Jane Lynch - 'Gilmore Girls' and 'Dawson's Creek'
Before stepping into the role of Sue Sylvester on Glee and leaving an unparalleled mark on all human existence with her one-liners and endlessly surprising performances, Jane Lynch guest starred in one-episode roles on Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek.
In Gilmore Girls, Lynch had the minor role of a nurse, tending to Richard Gilmore in the hospital after his heart attack. Her role on Dawson's Creek does, however, immediately have more merit as she was fortunate enough to share screen time with the show's greatest character, Pacey Witter, by starring as Pacey's mom in the episode celebrating his 18th birthday, even if she does forget what his favorite meal is.
Shailene Woodley - 'The O.C.'
Although her role in the ever-problematic Cooper family didn't last long, Shailene Woodley portrayed Kaitlyn Cooper, Merissa's younger sister, in the first season of The O.C., before being replaced by actress Willa Holland in seasons 3 and 4 after her character disappeared from the screen in season 2.
Despite only starring in the show for a season, Woodley wrote in a since deleted Instagram post that it is one of her "proudest accomplishments," and honestly, who could blame her. Playing a snarky youngest child who gets to enjoy the perks of being in a wealthy Newport Beach family without getting involved in all the drama is certainly the sweet life.
Leslie Odom Jr. - 'Gilmore Girls'
In a role which unexpectedly predicted his Tony Award-winning performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. starred as Princeton student Quentin Walsh. In his single-episode stint, Odom Jr. appeared during the Young Voices of Journalism panel at Yale, speaking as the editor of the Daily Princetonian, the student newspaper of Princeton University.
Although his role was brief, he gained the reputation of "pompous Princeton guy," a legacy almost equal to that of the Burr family, proving once more that Leslie Odom Jr. really is the "prodigy is Princeton college."