Quick Links
Many people have thought about a career in acting. How amazing would it be to become a big Hollywood star and walk red carpets with celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Leonardo DiCaprio? People dream about having a career in acting, but it takes great lengths to actually become one.
Just like any other job you apply for, there is the possibility of rejection, and that plays a big role in the acting world. It can take countless auditions, acting classes, and even blood, sweat, and tears to make it to the top. Acting is indeed one of the many difficult professions to get into and not many people end up becoming an A-list star or an actor at that.
However, there have been a few celebrities that ended up becoming big stars without even auditioning or wanting to even be in the acting business. Stars like Rosario Dawson, who was discovered at sixteen, just sitting on her New York City stoop, never had any intentions of acting or certainly didn't while on her front porch. Another great example is Charlize Theron, who was spotted by a talent agent after she was having a shouting match with a bank teller. These two celebrities and the thirteen others on this list prove that they were merely going about their business when luck just so happened to come their way. These 15 celebrities had their lives drastically changed to become something some people yearn to be. Check out this list of the 15 Celebs Who Landed Huge Movie Roles ... But Had No Experience (At All)!
Channing Tatum - Went From Dancing In LA To Dancing In Big Movie Role
Channing Tatum had no plans on being a professional actor. In fact, he was quite the athlete, playing football, soccer, and track and performed martial arts while in high school. The star even earned a football scholarship to a school in West Virginia but dropped out and decided to work an odd number of jobs, one of them being a stripper at a nightclub. While in Florida, Tatum was discovered by a talent scout for a modeling agency while simply walking around Miami. Soon, we'd see Tatum in a bunch of films like She's The Man, Coach Carter, Step Up, and a bunch of others. But, we all know that his real life as a stripper turned into a blockbuster success. Magic Mike is based on some of Tatum's real experiences as a male stripper. He gained a lot of fame and notoriety for the film, but he never intended on being the famous actor we all know of today.
Jennifer Lawrence - Spotted By Talent Agent While On NYC Stroll
Jennifer Lawrence was only 12 years old when a talent agent spotted her strolling around New York City’s Union Square. She was originally from Kentucky and her mother was terribly strict on her and did not want her daughter pursuing an acting career. With no intentions on acting, Lawrence began to model and, in no time, made her acting debut on the television series Monk in 2002. Sine then, Lawrence is recognized as one of Hollywood's biggest actors. She received her first Academy Award nomination for the film Winter's Bone and would later win Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook in 2013. One of her biggest roles as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games won her great praise, and her films have reportedly grossed an insane total of $5.5 billion worldwide. She's now one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood.
Charlize Theron - Shouting Match With Bank Teller Got Her Noticed
Charlize Theron was born in South Africa before her mother bought her a one-way ticket to move to Los Angeles at the age of nineteen. During her first few months there, a talent agent spotted Theron after she was engaged in a shouting match with a bank teller who refused to cash her check. After several months living in LA, she landed her first movie role in Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest. Later, her career expanded and she was in big box office movie hits, including The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules. In 2004, Theron starred as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the film Monster, which won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. After seeing the film, film critic Roger Ebert stated that it was "one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema."
Evangeline Lilly - Used Modeling Money To Pay For School
Canadian-born Evangeline Lilly was just walking around the streets of British Columbia when a Ford Modeling Agency agent spotted her. She apparently had no intentions of modeling or acting, but she needed the money to pay for school. She landed some small roles in commercials and non-speaking roles in television shows like Smallville, but she ultimately got her big break after auditioning for ABC's Lost. The show was one of the network's biggest hits, with six seasons from 2004 to 2010. Lilly ended up winning a Screen Actors Guild Award and received a Golden Globe nomination. After playing Kate Austen for six years, the actress went on to work in movies like The Hurt Locker, Real Steel, The Hobbit, and Marvel's Ant-Man.
Marilyn Monroe - Factory Working Girl Turned Into Hollywood's Most Famous Blonde Bombshell
Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, is most famous for playing the blonde bombshell throughout her acting career of over 16 years. She is one of the most iconic actresses in Hollywood, but she didn't think she'd become this famous or famous at all. Actually born a brunette, Monroe was working at a radio plane factory when a photographer saw her, took her picture, and put that image in a magazine. After that, the star dyed her hair blonde and began working as a model. After taking part in minor film roles, she signed a contract with Fox and her acting career blossomed. Monroe was cast in many comedies like Monkey Business and As Young As You Feel. By 1953, she began receiving lead roles in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How To Marry a Millionaire, and The Seven Year Itch.
Pamela Anderson - Picture On Football Jumbotron Made Her A Star
During the late 1980's, Pamela Anderson was just a fitness instructor who moved to Vancouver from British Columbia. The blonde beauty attended a Canadian football game in 1989 and was featured on the stadium's Jumbotron wearing a Labatt's Beer t-shirt. After seeing her picture on the big screen, the beer brewing company hired Anderson to briefly be their spokesmodel. After that, Anderson's life changed forever. Pamela moved to Los Angeles and appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine's October 1989 issue. She took a big leap from modeling to acting, landing small parts on television shows, and soon enough, she was Lisa on Home Improvement and then went on to play C.J. Parker on Baywatch. Anderson's Playboy career spans 22 years, and she has appeared on more covers of the magazine that any model to date.
Johnny Depp - Young Musician Became One Of Hollywood's Biggest Names
Johnny Depp had big dreams of being a musician and even his high school principal told him to follow his dreams and be a rock star. Depp had a gift of playing guitar, but after he was introduced to actor Nicolas Cage, Depp was advised to pursue acting and so he did. Depp's first real acting job was for Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street. From then on, Depp became a teen idol and his career as an actor skyrocketed. Some of his best works include Edward Scissorhands, Donnie Brasco, Corpse Bride, Sweeny Todd, and the popular Pirates of the Caribbean installments. Johnny Depp has become one of the most successful names in the business.
Estella Warren - Professional Swimmer Chooses A Future In Acting
Estella Warren had to choose between her swimming career or her acting and modeling career while growing up. In the 90's, Warren trained with the national synchronized swimming team of Toronto. In 1995, after she became the senior national champion, she had the chance to go to the 1996 Summer Olympics. However, an owner of a modeling agency who changed her life discovered Estella. Warren ditched swimming and furthered her career as a model, posing for Victoria's Secret, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Sports Illustrated. Later, she decided to try out for some acting roles and landed a few popular roles. The movies that you’ll see Estella in include Driven, Planet of the Apes, Kangaroo Jack, and The Cooler.
Rosario Dawson - Was Noticed On Her Front Porch In NYC
Rosario Dawson was sitting on her front porch on the Lower East Side in New York City when a photographer named Larry Clark and his associate, Harmony Korine, discovered her. Dawson was only sixteen at the time, and Clark believed she would be perfect to play the role of Ruby in his directorial debut for the film Kids. It was Rosario's big break in the film industry, and coincidentally, actress Chloe Sevigny would also get her first film debut as the lead character in the controversial teen film. Dawson has gone on to star in a number of films and television shows, including Sin City, Rent, and portraying Claire Temple in Marvel's Daredevil.
Alexis Bledel - Tried Out For Gilmore Girls To Help Pay College Tuition
Kimberly Alexis Bledel had a big interest in modeling, and acting never really crossed her mind. She was scouted at the mall and had a few part-time modeling jobs, but nothing really helped pay for her NYU tuition. She apparently had three choices to help pay for college—become a waitress, a census taker, or act. Bledel believed that she'd audition for some roles to make extra cash. Reportedly, Alexis didn't even take the audition seriously and was even sick at the time. However, Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino saw something in Alexis, and she ultimately landed the role of Rory Gilmore. Since the show's final season in 2007, Alexis has had roles in a number of films like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Tuck Everlasting.
David Boreanaz - Suggested To Play Angel After Being Spotted Walking His Dog
David Boreanaz was discovered after a neighbor spotted him walking his dog. The future star's neighbor apparently knew a writer for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also knew that they needed someone to be cast as Angel, the dark and very handsome vampire. Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy, believed David was perfect for the role of Angel after seeing the reactions of the women in the room when he read for the role. After starring on Buffy for three seasons, Whedon gave him his own spin-off titled Angel, which lasted five seasons. Women all over the country were literally drooling over Boreanaz. Since then, he has followed up on his acting career by portraying Special Agent Seeley Booth in Bones, which went on for 12 seasons.
Danny Trejo - Never Believed He'd Be Acting After Being In And Out Of A Cell
Danny Trejo never thought he'd be a famous actor. At a young age, Trejo had a drug problem and was in and out of jail throughout the 1960's. While in prison, he became a champion boxer and was also seeking help by becoming a member of a 12-step program, which he credits for his success in overcoming his drug addiction and becoming sober for 42 years. So, how did Trejo land a job in Hollywood? While Trejo was working as a counselor for teens, a patient asked for his help while on the set of the movie Runaway Train. While on set, Trejo was offered a job to be an extra in the prison scene of the film and even train one of the actors for a boxing scene. Since then, we've seen Trejo in dozens of films, including Machete and Reaper, and we'll often see him playing a thug or lowlife in many other films and television shows.
Mel Gibson - Took Lead Role In Mad Max
Mel Gibson had no intentions of being a big actor when he was younger, although he did have some theater experience in Sydney. According to the star, he was giving a friend a ride to audition for Mad Max, and director George Miller saw something in Mel. Maybe it was all of the bruises on his face since he got in a bar fight the day before, giving him a scruffy bad-a** look. The director believed Mel would make a good fit for a "villainous" role in the film. But when Gibson returned a few weeks later with his face all healed, Miller saw how handsome he was and he cast him as the lead role and hero in Mad Max. Since then, Mel Gibson landed numerous acting jobs and is one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood.
Ashton Kutcher - Quit School To Model Eventually Landing First Acting Gig
Ashton Kutcher was attending the University of Iowa when he was approached by a model scout at a bar and was recruited to enter the "Fresh Faces of Iowa" modeling competition. After winning the competition, Kutcher decided to ditch school and won a trip to New York City to the International Modeling and Talent Association Convention. Kutcher was quite successful as a model, landing gigs with Calvin Klein and modeling in Paris and Milan. He had no real acting experience, but he landed his first acting gig as Michael Kelso in the hit TV series That '70s Show. Since then, he's been in a bunch of movies, including Dude, Where's My Car?, Just Married, The Butterfly Effect, and portrayed Steve Jobs in Jobs.
John Wayne - Aspired To Be A Football Player
Marion Mitchell Morrison, professionally known as John Wayne, never had big dreams of being a Hollywood star. In fact, he had an aspiration of becoming a football player. Morrison played for the University of South Carolina's football team, but sadly, an injury ended his athletic career and lost his scholarship. Looking for ways to earn money, he ended up getting a job as a prop boy at the Fox Film Corporation. John Ford, one of the top directors at the time became close friends with Morrison and gave him a role working as an extra on Mother Machree in 1928. He earned his first lead role in the film The Big Trail, and the director of the film, Ralph Walsh, is often credited with helping Morrison create his stage name, John Wayne. Since then, John Wayne has been known as "The Cowboy" when it comes to Westerns and has appeared in nearly 250 movies.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmsKeiobFusc2tnKuskZ67rrHNrWZqbV2Ysq2xwaxksKCfYrmiusOem2agpZyybrnOr6CeZaKkuaa%2FjJusrWWYlrFuus5mnLGolae2prrCnmSarF2Wua17