10 Celebrities Who Only Gained Notoriety Later in Their Career

It's never too late to achieve success in life, and these celebrities are living proof. Acting is a tricky and risky business. Millie Bobby Brown, the Stranger Things star, stated that the Entertainment industry is "full of rejections, 24/7." When they arrive in Hollywood, most actors have no idea if they will ever achieve success and can only cling to their hopes and passion for acting. These celebrities gained notoriety later in their career.
Indeed, when working in the entertainment industry, celebs must have a lot of hope, faith, and patience so that the rest of the world to realize how great they are. Some begin acting like children and continue to thrive as adults. Several become well-known for a single role and never seem to break free from it. And, others had been looking for a breakthrough role that would change their lives forever for years.
The stars featured in our article worked hard for a long time and faced many challenges, and greatly, there is a happy ending. These Celebrities only gain fame later in their careers. 

#1 Chris Pratt

Source: Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection/East News, East News

Chris Pratt was homeless and working low-wage jobs when a casting agent brought him to Los Angeles to star in a film. However, the movie "sucked" and was never released, but the actor chose to stay in Hollywood and try his luck again. He waited nine years for his big break on Parks and Recreation.

#2 Daniel Craig

Source: © The Power of One / New Regency Productions and co-producers, Image supplied by Capital Pictures/EAST NEWS

He made his acting debut in 1992 in the film The Power of One, but he struggled a lot after that. He had to sleep on public benches while waiting for his big break because he couldn't make ends meet. Things changed when he received international recognition in 2006 for his role as James Bond in Casino Royale.

#3 Harrison Ford

Source: EAST NEWS

His career began with a 40-second uncredited role, and he did not achieve significant success until 11 years later when he starred as Han Solo in Star Wars. While waiting for his big break, the actor worked as a carpenter during the day.

#4 Jenna Fischer

Source: © The Office / Universal Television and co-producers

Jenna Fischer had desired to become an actress since she was a child, but she considered quitting due to a lack of work. She moved to Los Angeles in 1996 to pursue her dreams, and she achieved success in 2005 when she starred in The Office.

#5 Laverne Cox

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It took her 13 years to get a major role in Orange Is the New Black. Previously, the actress considered quitting because she was "devastated by turning 40 and being in a lot of debt." She stated that she had difficulty finding work as a Black transgender woman because no one like her had previously succeeded in Hollywood.

#6 Lucille Ball

Source: Album/EAST NEWS

Although she is now regarded as the "Queen of Comedy," she was once known as the "Queen of Bs" for her roles in numerous low-budget films known as B-movies. She had over 70 roles before I Love Lucy, which was a game-changer.

#7 Naomi Watts

Source: Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection / East News

She made her TV debut in 1986 on the show Return to Eden, but it took her 15 years to break out. Her performance in David Lynch's film Mullholand Drive earned her international acclaim and numerous critics' awards.

#8 Sheryl Lee Ralph

Source: Invision/Associated Press/East News

She has over 100 acting credits and has been acting since the 1970s. However, she did not receive her first Emmy nomination until 2022 for her work on the sitcom Abbott Elementary.

#9 Viola Davis

Source: © The Substance of Fire / Miramax, AFP/EAST NEWS

The actress spent 30 years in supporting roles before landing her first lead role in a big movie, Veronica in Widows, in 2018. She also starred as the main character on the ABC series How to Get Away with Murder from 2014 to 2020.

#10 William Jackson Harper

Source: © The Good Place / Universal Television and co-producers

He has been acting since 2007 but has mostly appeared in minor roles on television. As a result, he considered retiring from acting for good, and when he was cast as one of the main characters in The Good Place in 2016, he thought he would only do the pilot. However, the show was a huge success and brought him fame.