What Started As Filler Became Fame
Before the lights found them, they were just names buried in credits. The roles were brief, forgettable even. But one day, those forgettable faces became the ones you couldn't forget.
TheShot Video of the Day
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt had no lines in Less Than Zero (1987), where he appeared as a party extra. Four years later, Thelma & Louise gave him a breakout as a charming drifter whose brief appearance launched a lasting Hollywood career built on leading-man magnetism.
Pathe Entertainment, Thelma & Louise (1991)
Viola Davis
Doubt (2008) finally acclaimed Viola Davis, but her screen journey began earlier. Her early roles as Mrs. Stapleton in New York Undercover (1996, credited) and a nurse in The Substance of Fire (1996, uncredited) paved the way for her commanding presence.
Doubt - Meryl Streep and Viola Davis by MiramaxFilms
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood's earliest screen time came as a lab assistant in Revenge of the Creature (1955), a sequel to Creature from the Black Lagoon. On camera, he fumbled with a white mouse. Years later, he gripped a Colt in A Fistful of Dollars and never looked back.
Megan Fox
In Bad Boys II (2003), Megan Fox appeared for seconds in a nightclub scene while leaning over a Ferrari in a bikini. Michael Bay cast her again, this time as Mikaela in Transformers (2007), where her entrance didn't go unnoticed by cameras or the industry.
Paramount, Transformers (2007)
Gal Gadot
She debuted in Fast & Furious (2009) as Gisele, a smooth-talking liaison for the villain. It was a secondary role, barely in the spotlight. Yet, across sequels, she built a presence. By 2017, she headlined Wonder Woman, which reshaped the superhero genre with understated force.
Warner Bros., Wonder Woman (2017)
Matt Damon
It started with one forgettable line about lobster in Mystic Pizza (1988). Matt Damon played Steamer, a background teen with no arc. But that moment led somewhere. Within ten years, he held an Oscar for Good Will Hunting as co-writer and leading man.
Night Life Inc., Mystic Pizza (1988)
Amy Adams
In 2005, Junebug stunned audiences with Amy Adams's breakout performance by earning her an Oscar nomination. This marked a clear shift from her earlier roles, including Kat Peterson in a 2000 episode of That 70s Show, where she was barely noticed and entirely underutilized.
Video clip from the movie Junebug by Alina Parker
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck flashed briefly in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) while wearing jersey #10 without lines or credit. That forgettable appearance faded quickly. But five years later, he returned with Good Will Hunting in a starring role that launched him into Hollywood stardom.
Miramax, Good Will Hunting (1997)
Oscar Isaac
A decade before Inside Llewyn Davis made Oscar Isaac a leading man, he played an unnamed orderly in All About the Benjamins (2002). There were no lingering shots or swelling music, but the camera would eventually find him and reshape what subtle screen presence could look like.
Inside Llewyn Davis - Official Trailer [HD] by CBS Films
Zendaya
Long before Euphoria, Zendaya danced in the background of Sears commercials and music videos. She wasn't speaking yet, just moving. But then came Shake It Up (2010), which opened a door, and what followed was rare: a smooth leap from Disney stardom to award-winning dramatic force.
Eva Longoria
The moment came quietly in 2000 when Eva Longoria appeared as a flight attendant on Beverly Hills, 90210. It was just one scene, yet it helped open doors. By 2004, she led Desperate Housewives, which commanded the screen with wit and sharp timing
Touchstone, Desperate Housewives (2004–2012)
Pedro Pascal
Before landing iconic roles, Pedro Pascal faded into crime show backdrops. He played a dying junkie in NYPD Blue and cycled through the Law & Order universe. Years passed unnoticed. Then came Game of Thrones and Oberyn Martell—one performance that rewrote his entire screen identity.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm's breakthrough came in 2007 when Mad Men introduced Don Draper to television. That performance made him unforgettable. Five years earlier, he was credited only as "Gorgeous Guy at Bar" in Ally McBeal, a brief cameo that barely registered at all.
Lionsgate, Mad Men (2007–2015)
Andrew Garfield
Sugar Rush (2005) started Andrew Garfield as Tom, a teen wrapped in turmoil. The role showed early emotional depth, though it flew under the radar. When The Social Network arrived in 2010, his layered portrayal of Eduardo Saverin proved he belonged on center stage.
The Social Network: My Prada's at the Cleaners (ANDREW GARFIELD HD CLIP) by Scene City
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy first played Darren on stage in Enda Walsh’s Disco Pigs in 1996. He reprised the role for his screen debut in the 2001 film adaptation by portraying a volatile teenager with haunting energy. Peaky Blinders (2013) later showcased his chilling command as Tommy Shelby.
Caryn Mandabach Productions, Peaky Blinders (2013–2022)
Anne Hathaway
In 2001, The Princess Diaries crowned Anne Hathaway as a breakout star. Just two years earlier, she'd made her screen debut on Get Real (1999), quietly portraying a teenager juggling high school pressures and family expectations with early sincerity.
Walt Disney, The Princess Diaries (2001)
Sandra Bullock
A made-for-TV sci-fi flick might not sound like the start of a star. But in Bionic Showdown (1989), Sandra Bullock played Kate Mason with just enough spark. That one credit paved the road to Speed and the global recognition that followed.
Twentieth Century, Speed (1994)
Charlize Theron
Monster stunned audiences in 2003, but Charlize Theron's quiet entry came years earlier. In Children of the Corn III (1995), she had no lines and received no credit. Still, it was a start, and the casting directors saw enough to imagine her as something far greater.
DEJ Productions, Monster (2003)
Paul Rudd
It wasn't a movie or even a sitcom. Paul Rudd's screen debut came in a 1991 Super Nintendo commercial. Still, it got him on camera. That foothold led to Clueless (1995), where his easy charisma turned Josh into a classic 90s romantic foil.
Clueless: I love Josh (HD CLIP), Binge Society
Ryan Reynolds
The emotional honesty behind Ryan Reynolds's wit didn't appear overnight. In Hillside (1991), he played Billy, awkward and unfiltered. That quiet teen drama gave him space to grow. Years later, those same instincts surfaced in his sharpest, most emotionally layered performances.
Ryan Reynolds On Fifteen 1990 | They Started On Soaps - Daytime TV (15) by They Started On Soaps
Terry Crews
Everybody Hates Chris gave Terry Crews the warmth and wit that audiences hadn't seen before. But earlier, he had played silent toughs on The 6th Day and Training Day. Then came White Chicks, where he found his rhythm and hinted at something more lasting.
Paramount, Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009)
Jackie Chan
He spent years in the background, flying through windows and taking punches for Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon (1973). But by Drunken Master (1978), Jackie Chan had found his voice by fusing comedy with kung fu and channeling pain into spectacle and spectacle into stardom.
Jackie Chan is Crackin' Nuts & Kickin' Butts | Drunken Master (1978) | Now Playing by NOW PLAYING
Lupita Nyong'o
12 Years a Slave (2013) placed Lupita Nyong'o in the spotlight and into Oscar history. Years earlier, she had worked behind the scenes on The Constant Gardener (2005). That early exposure, followed by Yale Drama, shaped an actor ready for powerful, enduring storytelling.
12 YEARS A SLAVE: "Soap" by SearchlightPictures
Idris Elba
Idris Elba stepped into The Wire in 2002 and redefined Stringer Bell into a cool, complex figure. Before that, he appeared in one-off roles on shows like Law & Order and CSI: Miami, where survival was rare and screen time was often briefer.
Top 10 Best Idris Elba Performances by WatchMojoUK
Florence Pugh
When The Falling (2014) premiered, most eyes were on Maisie Williams. Florence Pugh played a supporting role as a girl in a school beset by hysteria. But two years later, Lady Macbeth revealed herself as a lead with depth and control far beyond her years.
The Falling Official UK Trailer (2015) - Maisie Williams Mystery Movie HD by Rotten Tomatoes Indie
Emma Stone
Superbad (2007) wasn't her first screen moment, but it was the one that stuck. Emma Stone won the reality show In Search of the Partridge Family (2004) with a Pat Benatar performance. The show disappeared quickly, yet she stayed and turned early exposure into lasting relevance.
Chris Pratt
Before Marvel and blockbusters, Chris Pratt was Bright Abbott on Everwood (2002–2006). He played a cheerful, slightly dim older brother. It wasn't action-packed, but it made him visible. From there, Parks and Recreation built momentum. Then, Guardians of the Galaxy made him Star-Lord.
Parks and Recreation, Universal Television
Michael B Jordan
His death in The Wire still stings. Michael B Jordan played Wallace, a boy too tender for the corners of Baltimore. That 2002 role held emotional weight. After Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015), he'd grown into roles that matched his intensity and range.
Jason Momoa
The ocean came before the sword. Jason Momoa's first screen role was lifeguard Jason Ioane in Baywatch: Hawaii (1999–2001). He was young and largely typecast. A decade later, he emerged from Game of Thrones swinging axes, then dove into Aquaman as a true lead.
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson was nine when she appeared as Laura Nelson in North (1994). Few noticed at the time, but her calm presence stood out. By 2003, Lost in Translation marked her arrival as a leading actor with rare subtlety and emotional depth.
Zoetrope, Lost in Translation (2003)
Tom Hardy
As Pvt Janovec in Band of Brothers (2001), Tom Hardy barely spoke, yet something about his presence lingered. That early WWII reenactment marked his screen debut. By Bronson (2008), he had turned raw energy into controlled chaos and built a reputation for fearless unpredictability.
Rachel McAdams
The line between fantasy and reality blurred in Shotgun Love Dolls (2001), where Rachel McAdams played a teen immersed in a virtual world. The role faded fast. Yet just three years later, she surfaced in Mean Girls (2004), which cemented her place in the teen film canon.
Bryan Cranston
Villains didn't just vanish—they exploded—and Bryan Cranston gave voice to several on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Before audiences saw his face, they heard him. Later, Malcolm in the Middle put him onscreen, and Breaking Bad ensured no one ever overlooked him again.
Liam Hemsworth
Two years after his scenes in The Expendables (2010) were cut, Liam Hemsworth emerged as Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games (2012). What might've seemed like a setback didn't stall him—instead, he reappeared with presence by reaching a broader audience than before and proving his staying power.
Timothee Chalamet
He was barely a blip on Law & Order in 2009—a moody teenager caught in a case-of-the-week. That brief screen time, however, hinted at more. Eight years later, Call Me by Your Name arrived and revealed a complexity far beyond courtroom cameos.
Call Me by Your Name, Frenesy Film Company
Steve Carell
It was 2005 when The Office gave Steve Carell a role that tied everything together. He had already voiced wild sketches on The Dana Carvey Show and delivered deadpan bits on The Daily Show. Michael Scott became the culmination—awkward and entirely unforgettable.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp made his debut in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), where his character Glen met a memorably bizarre end—pulled into a bed and consumed in a spray of blood. The scene stood out. By 1987, 21 Jump Street had made him a household name.
Robert Pattinson
A noble death in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) left audiences remembering Cedric Diggory—and noticing Robert Pattinson. That quiet exit set the tone for a louder return. In Twilight (2008), he reappeared, reinvented, with brooding charm and an instant global following.
Red Letter Media, Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Channing Tatum
Long before words or scripts, Channing Tatum danced in the background of Ricky Martin's She Bangs (2000) video. He just moved silently with precision and energy. That movement led to Step Up (2006), where he moved into the center frame by kicking off a decade of star turns and spotlights.
Channing Tatum - Parking Lot Dance HD - Step Up (2006) Movie by Sporc
Jennifer Lawrence
Winter's Bone (2010) revealed Jennifer Lawrence as a commanding presence, but her journey began far from awards season. One of her earliest appearances was in a modest church camp promo. That quiet start hinted at the intensity and poise defining her breakout.
Anonymous Content, Winter's Bone (2010)
Margot Robbie
Her early work on Neighbours (2008–2011) nearly sent her in a different direction. The parts felt thin, the future uncertain. But Margot Robbie didn't step away. In The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), she claimed the screen with control and star-making confidence.
Paramount, The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Octavia Spencer
The Help (2011) gave Octavia Spencer a rare kind of role that gave her the space to redefine herself onscreen. Just a year earlier, she had considered leaving acting altogether. Years of thankless roles had worn her down. The Oscar that followed changed everything.
John Boyega
After Attack the Block (2011), the momentum stalled. John Boyega went from a rising star to an uncertain prospect, nearly giving up on the industry. But casting directors took another look. In 2015, The Force Awakens introduced him to the world, and he held the frame with conviction.
Lucasfilm, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Brie Larson
Brie Larson's career didn't move in straight lines. After a series of false starts and near-abandonments, she contemplated quitting. Then came Short Term 12 (2013), where her restraint and rawness resonated. By 2015, the world was finally catching up to what she could do.
Short Term 12 Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Brie Larson Movie HD by Rotten Tomatoes Indie
