Not everyone is born a star. For some celebrities, it takes years of hard work in playing small roles to make it in the show business. True! It is no easy feat to break into the Hollywood scene and it is even harder to become the kind of actor who gets considered for leading roles in TV or movies. However, sometimes the most unassuming role can help accelerate a career into overdrive.
And many times, these actors have actually landed a breakout role that helped them establish their name pretty early on. Well, should we assume this is their luck or their sheer talent? Here we have put together a collection of actors who once had small cinematic roles turned into breakout roles. From Ben Stiller, Margot Robbie to Michael B. Jordan, keep reading to see what unforgettable performances they take on!
Em sửa lỗi nhỏ ở #9 nhé #1 Ben Stiller
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Ben Stiller is a member of a long-established performing family from New York, yet he still had to fight for success. Before being cast on Saturday Night Live, he appeared in a number of little parts. He appeared on the program for just one season, but it was plenty of time for him to establish his comic ability. Shortly after, he landed his own sketch comedy series, The Ben Stiller Show, and from there, he was able to maintain his status and grow into the huge star he is today.
#2 Ryan Reynolds
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It all comes down to the statistics for some actors. Whether the part was good or not, it is basically irrelevant; as long as enough people watched it to make you famous, there may be some momentum to build on. Ryan Reynolds, who plays Deadpool's love interest, was OK with that. Reynolds played Sabrina the Teenage Witch's love interest in the 1996 film. Although it wasn't sophisticated, many people watched it, and Ryan won't soon be forgotten.
#3 Retta
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Another performer who got her start on Parks and Recreation is Retta. She played the little role of Donna Meagle on the show as a relative unknown in Hollywood, and since then, she's had a pretty successful TV career. Since Parks and Rec ended, she has landed other voice acting roles for animated projects, including a recurring position on Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce and a four-season main role in Good Girls.
#4 Bob Odenkirk
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When he was cast as the sleazy, slick-talking lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, Bob Odenkirk had already spent years making his way through the comedy circuit. Up until that point, he wasn't exactly well-known, but his portrayal of the now-iconic character on the popular series (which he stole every scene he was in) led to the creation of the successful spin-off series Better Call Saul, and he went on to become a well-known and respected figure in Hollywood.
#5 Jason Segel
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In the 1998 adolescent comedy Can't Hardly Wait, Jason Segel portrays "Watermelon Guy," a stoner who eats watermelon oddly and improperly as
Jennifer Love Hewitt, the film's star, observes. This portrayal remains one of Jason Segel's most enduring in cinematic history. Despite the fact that Jason went on to achieve great success in Hollywood after that, we couldn't possibly forget it.
#6 Tom Hanks
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Who knew that actor Tom Hanks was essentially Ron Howard's revelation? Okay, so technically he had previously done some acting, but Tom also had an appearance in the 1970s sitcom Happy Days, and it was at this point that Ron noticed him and decided to put him with Daryl Hannah in the 1984 comedy Splash. The movie was a hit, and Tom eventually rose to fame.
#7 Jennifer Garner
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It's difficult to recall a time when adored actress Jennifer Garner wasn't the lead role, but it really took her some time to break into the film industry. Before landing a small role as a nurse in the movie Pearl Harbor, she worked on a significant amount of episodic television. However, her Hollywood career took off after that.
#8 Kirsten Dunst
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Some people might not be aware of this, but before playing the famous part of a young vampire in the 2000 film Bring It On, Kirsten Dunst starred with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the movie version of author Anne Rice's novel Interview With the Vampire. She played a crucial role, but she wasn't the main attraction. But her performance, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, was so outstanding that she could have essentially scripted the rest of her own biography.
#9 Robin Williams
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The late actor that we all know, adore, and still miss had a little role in the 1970s TV sitcom Happy Days many years ago. He appeared in just two episodes as Mork, a pretty silly alien. But that was plenty. With that small part, Robin Williams was able to acquire the title role in his own sitcom, Mork & Mindy. The four seasons of the program made Robin a genuine comedy star.
#10 Brad Pitt
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When a very young and extremely attractive Brad Pitt first came into the public eye, it was in 1991. He had done quite a bit of TV work before to that, but not many people paid attention until he played the alluring and little sketchy part of J.D. alongside
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in Thelma & Louise. He suddenly found himself on the path to celebrity.
#11 Margot Robbie
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Our favorite role of Margot Robbie to date,
Harley Quinn, would not have been possible if it weren't for her little part in the Oscar-nominated movie The Wolf of Wall Street. She managed to shine despite playing Leonardo DiCaprio's co-star in the Martin Scorsese blockbuster.
#12 Paul Rudd
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In the classic 1990s movie Clueless, Paul Rudd starred opposite Alicia Silverstone in a minor but significant role. He played Cher's stepbrother and love interest simultaneously, which is all sorts of bizarre — well, definitely weird enough to garner some notice to his quirky charm and set the stage for his future success in the entertainment industry.
#13 Amanda Seyfried
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Although most of us recall that actress Amanda Seyfried played one of the "Plastics" in Mean Girls, her career wasn't particularly impacted by that part. She appeared in a brief role on Veronica Mars the same year, and the show's creator was so taken with her that he decided to extend her part to 11 episodes, turning her into a regular character despite the fact that she was only ever visible in flashbacks.
#14 Chris Pratt
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Chris Pratt may now be a well-known celebrity, but he wasn't before his time on Parks & Recreation. He was originally contracted to appear in just six episodes and was never intended to be a key character on the TV show. However, he was so well-liked by the audience that the show's makers changed the plot solely to keep him in it.
#15 Norman Reedus
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Before appearing in The Walking Dead, Norman Reedus appeared in a handful of hugely successful movies, but it wasn't until he portrayed the lonely but lovable Daryl Dixon on the long-running zombie apocalypse series that he became a household name. But here's the thing: Although he was never intended to play a major role, the show's writers gave him the role of Daryl specifically because of how well he performed during his audition for a much lesser role. What a breakthrough performance!
#16 Amy Adams
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Amy Adams apparently just required a part in a really popular TV program, even a small one, to complete her journey to celebrity. Amy had been attempting to break into Hollywood for years before she was cast as Jim's girlfriend on a few episodes of The Office. After that, she became well-known, and a ton of more profitable TV and film jobs were available to her.
#17 Michael B. Jordan
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It takes a lot of work to become an A-list actor in Hollywood, and Creed star Michael B. Jordan is a serious performer. When he made his HBO drama The Wire debut in just one season, Michael quickly established his acting talent. He left a great impact on both audiences and Hollywood insiders, and the rest is history.