Not many actors' first roles are as well known as their defining ones. They acted as windows to their acting capabilities before becoming famous worldwide. Before the acting role that defined them, they had to work and polish their acting skills with their first roles in movies or series. Of course, some of them had more screen time than others, but no matter the actor, they all had their first time.
From Leonardo DiCaprio to Nicole Kidman, famous actors did their best in their first roles to succeed in the competitive Hollywood atmosphere. When actor roles became available, they took the chance and tried out for them. Some were in their pre-teen years, others were already full adults. Scarlett Johansson did so when she was a child — Denzel Washington when he was in his late twenties.
If you are an ambitious person waiting for those acting roles to come to you, you might want to learn the art of acting from the best. Below, we compiled a list of the first roles that actors took up in their careers. Leave an upvote on the famous female actor (or male) who nailed the part. Otherwise, share your thoughts in the comments about whether they’ve changed a lot from the first time they appeared on the screen.
#1 Natalie Portman – Léon: The Professional (1994)
Natalie Portman’s first role in a feature film showcased her acting powers to the executives of Hollywood. For Portman, her character Mathilda in Léon: The Professional acted as an actual catapult for Portman's career. Smoking cigarettes and fashioning a black eye, Mathilda is still remembered by millions of fans.
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26points
#2 Johnny Depp – A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
Johnny Depp’s first role involved a large amount of fake blood. Playing the role of Glen in A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984), Depp’s character was one of the victims that Freddy Krueger decided to massacre.
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22points
#3 Anne Hathaway – The Princess Diaries (2001)
The Princess Diaries series helped a couple of stars, who are now world-famous, enter the Hollywood scene. Anne Hathaway is one of them. Before appearing in Les Misérables and winning an Oscar for her role, she had her debut in the first The Princess Diaries movie. There she portrayed the lead character Mia Thermopolis.
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21points
#4 Chris Hemsworth – Star Trek (2009)
Chris Hemsworth has been traveling the galaxies and stars since he first appeared on the screen. Before becoming Thor, Hemsworth had his first movie appearance in Star Trek, where he portrayed George Kirk, the father of James T. Kirk, played by Chris Pine, the main character of the whole movie.
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19points
#5 Leonardo Dicaprio – Critters 3 (1991)
May it be Jack from Titanic or a cruel slave owner in Django: Unchained, Leonardo Dicaprio is known for a good reason. But did you know that before becoming famous, his first role was in Critters 3? So before his days of romancing people on the Titanic, Leo played the role of a child who saw his father meeting a cruel end.
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18points
#6 Reese Witherspoon – The Man In The Moon (1991)
Reese Witherspoon, in 2021, was held as one of the wealthiest actresses in the world, but it took a lot of work to achieve that. She started her acting career as a teenager with the movie The Man in the Moon. In it, she had the lead role of Danielle "Dani" Trant, a 14-year-old girl who experiences her first love.
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18points
#7 Penelope Cruz – Jamón, Jamón (1992)
With that smile and those looks, it’s not a wonder why Penelope Cruz took to the silver screen when she was 16 years old. In the Spanish romantic tragicomedy Jamón, Jamón, Cruz took up the lead role of Silvia, a woman who found herself in a romantic triangle between two men. Not ironically, her future movies involved a lot of romance too.
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17points
#8 Lupita Nyong'o – 12 Years A Slave (2013)
It might be surprising to hear that Lupita Nyong'o's first-ever role in a feature film was so memorable that she got an Oscar award for it. She earned it for the performance she gave in 12 Years A Slave. She portrayed Patsey, a young and traumatized slave, who was abused by Epps.
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16points
#9 Ryan Gosling – Frankenstein And Me (1996)
Ryan Gosling, the man who captured hearts in The Notebook and will do the same (probably) in Barbie, saw the beginning of his stardom in Frankenstein and Me. Gosling got the charismatic role of Kenny, a friend of the main character who seeks to bring Frankenstein back to life — a noble goal.
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16points
#10 Edward Norton – Primal Fear (1996)
Edward Norton showcased his brilliant acting skills with his first appearance on the screen in the role of Aaron Stamplet, an altar boy. Primal Fear was the first movie Norton appeared in, instantly launching his career to stardom. He outshined Richard Gere and Laura Linney and got an Oscar nomination.
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16points
#11 George Clooney – Grizzly II: The Revenge (1983)
Before becoming an expert burglar in the Ocean's trilogy, George Clooney starred in Grizzly II: The Revenge. While it was a nameless role which saw him getting mauled by a monster, it did help him get a part in Return to Horror High (1987), where his character had a name.
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15points
#12 Meryl Streep – Julia (1977)
Meryl Streep wasn’t always the queen of acting as she is known today. Before winning three Oscars and getting a lot of nominations too, Streep took up a minor role in the movie Julia. Starring alongside Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave, Streep had most of her scenes edited out, having only a flashback scene in the finished film.
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15points
#13 Jennifer Aniston – Camp Cucamonga (1990)
Before her role as Rachel Green, Jennifer Aniston perfected her skills as an actress and comedian while working on the big screen. Her first role was in the movie Camp Cucamonga. In it, she portrayed Ava Schector and had to share the screen with Brian Robbins and other great TV series stars.
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15points
#14 Angelina Jolie – Lookin' To Get Out (1982)
When it comes to modern stars, Angelina Jolie takes the top. Her humanitarian work and acting on the screen are known across the world by billions of people. In 1982, Jolie appeared in Lookin’ To Get Out, where she appeared together with her father, Jon Voight. Sadly, the movie wasn't well received by the critics.
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15points
#15 Daniel Radcliffe – The Tailor Of Panama (2001)
Before he became the face of the Harry Potter franchise, Daniel Radcliffe had a few less-known roles. In 2001, the same year the first Harry Potter was released, Daniel Radcliffe made his movie debut in The Tailor Of Panama. In it, he portrayed the character of Mark Pendel and shared the screen with Jamie Lee Curtis and Pierce Brosnan.
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15points
#16 Matt Damon – Mystic Pizza (1988)
Matt Damon today is known as the face of former CIA assassin Jason Bourne and boy genius Will Hunter. In the first appearance in Mystic Pizza, he wasn’t as talented as the previous two mentioned characters. There, Damon shared the screen with Julia Roberts and Adam Storke, where he said only a single line of dialogue — “Mom, do you want my green stuff?”
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14points
#17 Tom Hanks – He Knows You're Alone (1980)
Before becoming the celebrity he is today, Tom Hanks tried out his skills in a 1980s slasher — He Knows You're Alone. Tom Hanks portrayed Elliot, a psychology student who comes across the female protagonist, played by Elizabeth Kemp, while running through a forest. Luckily, Hanks went on to act in more serious roles.
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14points
#18 Geena Davis – Tootsie (1982)
When Geena Davis first appeared on the screen, she had to share the screen and time with the golden stars of Hollywood. Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, and Bill Murray all starred in Tootsie, helping solidify Davis' first appearance on the big screen. She went on to star in Thelma & Louise and The Fly.
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14points
#19 Selena Gomez – Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
When it comes to Disney's most remembered members, Selena Gomez is a singer that is hard to ignore and miss. Her appearance in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over marked her first appearance in a movie. Gomez took up the minor role of Waterpark Girl. She only appeared for a brief moment.
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14points
#20 Ryan Reynolds – Ordinary Magic (1993)
His humor is outrageous, and his looks are blinding. You know and love him — he is Ryan (not Gosling) Reynolds. While today he is known for the perfect portrayal of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in 1993, he was just a rising star. Reynolds's first role was in Ordinary Magic, where he portrayed the character of Jeffrey, known as Ganesh.
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14points