Updated December 16, 2020 9.3k votes 1.3k voters 64.8k views
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Vote for the most impressive acting debuts
Everyone has to start somewhere. Sure, it’s hard to imagine Tom Hanks ever putting on a wig and high heels, or Jim Carrey playing a silly red alien, but that’s how these future Hollywood acting legends got their start in the business. Did you know that Brad Pitt appeared on the soap opera Dallas? Do you remember that Kevin Bacon played one of the frat pledges that you rooted against in Animal House? You do now! Lots of famous actors got their start in small parts that might surprise you.
Can you name your favorite famous actors' first significant roles? We may have skipped over some inconsequential roles with little or no speaking lines, but these first parts played by now famous stars will definitely take you back. These roles and characters mark first time that we actually got to see these great actors in action. Some of these guys hit a home run during their first at bat, like Edward Norton, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in Primal Fear, and Michael Douglas, who garnered a Golden Globe nod for Hail, Hero!
Of course, on the other end of the spectrum, there is the embarrassment factor. Just ask Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had to have his lines dubbed in post because his Austrian accent was incomprehensible in the movie Hercules in New York. Or worse yet, Sylvester Stallone, who dabbled in soft core porn as a character named Stud in the adult film The Party at Kitty and Stud's.
Do you remember these early roles from top Hollywood actors? Many of these parts came before these actors were famous and helped launch their careers. Upvote the best first roles played by now famous actors below and see how these men have changed and how far they've come since early in their careers!
Quick, think of the most iconic film villain of all time. If you're a big fan of films from the 1980s, there's a good chance Hans Gruber is your top choice. Alan Rickman was already a decorated actor in British theater before making his away across the Atlantic to square up against John McClane in Die Hard in 1988.
It would be nearly impossible to point out a more stellar acting debut than Ed Norton's performance in his Academy Award nominated role as Aaron in Primal Fear. The 1996 drama's twist ending left audiences in disbelief, thanks to Norton's ability to play a sweet and naive monster in hiding.
Film audiences have rooted for Kevin Bacon as the hero in many great movies, including Footloose. However, the prolific actor got his big screen start as a douchey Omega pledge in the comedy hit Animal House in 1978.
The two-time Oscar winner did double duty playing both Kip and Buffy Wilson on the 1980s sitcom Bosom Buddies. Hanks had a small role in the film He Knows You're Alone and appeared in one episode of The Love Boat, before becoming a household name playing the cross-dressing Wilson.
"It'd be a lot cooler if you did." Matthew McConaughey's film debut came in Richard Linklater's cult classic Dazed and Confused in 1993. He played that creepy older dude who liked to hang out with high school kids. The Academy Award winner has since put together an impressive filmography with over 50 credits to his name.
Michael Fassbender's first Hollywood role came with the critically acclaimed HBO miniseries Band of Brothers in 2001. The English actor played a Technical Sergeant in the now legendary "Easy" Company from World War II.
