Doing What Actors DoLists about actors and actresses and the characters they became, how they disappeared into roles, what they really look like, and more.
Some movies are only impressive in retrospect. These include films with unknown actors who became famous later on. Considering that most actors don't get famous immediately (or at all), and many of these young, hungry performers cross paths, there are numerous flicks full of future stars. Here are a few films with the most surprisingly star-studded casts.
Although they were outsiders at the time, the cast of The Outsiderswent on to monumental fame. Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Diane Lane, and Ralph Macchio were launched by this 1983 coming-of-age film, while first-billed C. Thomas Howell hit his peak. That's still an incredibly high success rate for future stars.
We don't know how director Francis Ford Coppola did it, but we're happy he did.
This 2001 depiction of the Battle of Mogadishu is also a battle of actors who would become famous. Tom Hardy made his film debut as Lance Twombly; Orlando Bloom mesmerized moviegoers as Todd Blackburn in concurrence with Legolas in The Fellowship of the Ring; and, in playing Norm "Hoot" Gibson, Eric Bana introduced himself to American audiences.
Moreover, the film contains a pre-Modern Family Ty Burrell, a pre-Entourage Jeremy Piven, a pre-Sons of Anarchy Kim Coates, and a pre-Game of Thrones Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, as well as firmly established actors like Josh Hartnett, Tom Sizemore, Ewan McGregor, William Fichtner, Sam Shepard, and Jason Isaacs.
200 Cigarettes is a dime-a-dozen ‘90s comedy with a dozen dimes. It was released in 1999 via the “star power” of a post-Good Will Hunting Ben Affleck and support by Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Paul Rudd, and Dave Chappelle long before they were household names.
Christina Ricci, Courtney Love, Janeane Garofalo, Jay Mohr, Martha Plimpton, Elvis Costello, and Gaby Hoffmann are also in the film. What a strange ensemble.
Ten years after 10 Years premiered, many of its then-unknown cast members are superstars. Channing Tatum, who played main protagonist Jake Stafford, was then the “Step Up guy” and is now the guy who has stepped up to all types of roles; lower-billed Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza had just begun Parks and Recreation and are now major movie stars; and Oscar Isaac, who played supporting character Reeves, was still years away from being a Hollywood hunk.
The little-seen rom-com also features Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Ron Livingston, a pre-Falcon Anthony Mackie, and a pre-House of Cards Kate Mara.
There are angels - and now-famous actors - in the outfield of this 1994 family sports film. Preteen Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Roger, while fresh-faced Matthew McConaughey and Adrien Brody play minor California Angels players. Fast forward 18 years and that trio has several billion dollars in box-office revenue.
In addition to actors on the rise, Angels in the Outfield debuted with actors in their prime/on the decline (depending on your perspective), such as Danny Glover, Tony Danza, and Christopher Lloyd.
The Ice Storm premiered with an actor who would become Frodo, another who would become Spider-Man, and a third who would become Batman's love interest. Elijah Wood, Tobey Maguire, and Katie Holmes were newcomers when they acted in this 1997 Ang Lee drama - Holmes especially, as it was her screen debut.
Rounding out The Ice Storm's eclectic cast are Kevin Kline, Christina Ricci, Sigourney Weaver, and a pre-West Wing Allison Janney.
