The first (major) roles of Hollywood stars

Jared Leto (1994)
Julia Roberts (1988)
Jason Bateman (1974)
Ryan Gosling (1998)
Reese Whiterspoon (1991)
Orlando Bloom (2001)
Ron Howard (1960)
Winona Ryder (1986)
George Clooney (1979)
Helena Bonham Carter (1985)
Elisabeth Moss (1999)
Woody Harrelson (1982)
Kirsten Dunst (1994)
Russell Crowe (1991)
Meryl Streep (1978)
Jeremy Renner (1995)
Daniel Craig (1992)
Angelina Jolie (1993)
Brad Pitt and Jeremy Miller (1985)
Charlize Theron (1997)
Courteney Cox (1985)
Channing Tatum (2005)
Scarlett Johansson (1996)
Chris Evans (2001)
Cameron Diaz (1994)
Ben Affleck (1986)
Chris Pratt (2003)
Leonardo DiCaprio and Max Elliott Slade (1990)
Christian Bale (1987)
Matthew Perry and Christina Applegate (1988)
Claire Danes (1994)
Johnny Depp (1984)
Emma Stone and Jonah Hill (2007)
Mel Gibson (1979)
Jim Carrey (1985)
Tom Holland (2012)
David Hasselhoff (1978)
Denzel Washington (1981)
Don Cheadle and Courtney B. Vance (1987)
Monica Bellucci (1992)
Jason Momoa (1999)
Nicole Kidman (1983)
Drew Barrymore (1982)
Eddie Murphy (1982)
Edward Norton (1996)
Will Smith (1990)
Leslie Nielsen (1956)
Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazzello (1992)
Evan Rachel Wood (2002)
Ewan McGregor (1994)
Matt Damon (1993)
Freddie Highmore (2005)
Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Laurence Fishburne (1988)
Harrison Ford and Jenny Sullivan (1969)
Hilary Swank (1992)
Hugh Grant (1987)
Ian McKellen (1969)
Goldie Hawn (1969)
Tom Hanks (1980)
Queen Latifah (1991)
Tom Hardy (2002)
Ryan Reynolds (2002)
Joe Pesci and Stanley Tucci (1992)
John Lithgow and Nancy Allen (1981)
Billy Bob Thornton (1992)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers (1998)
Anna Paquin (1996)
Adam Sandler (1994)
Karl Urban (1995)
Keanu Reeves and Ione Skye (1986)
Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Ponzini (1968)
Matt Leblanc and Dakota Fanning (1994)
Matthew McConaughey and Rory Cochrane (1993)
Matthew Modine (1983)
Michelle Williams (1995)
Cate Blanchett (1997)
Mickey Rourke (1983)
Robin Williams (1978)
Al Pacino (1971)
Samuel L. Jackson (1989)
Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker (1982)
Krysten Ritter and Steve Guttenberg (2004)
Sean Penn (1982)
Tyler Hoechlin (2002)
Anthony Hopkins (1978)
Jared Leto (1994)

My So-Called Life

Jared Leto was the handsome first love of Claire Danes in this teen drama that only lasted one season.

Look further to see which films and series were the (near-)debut of other big stars!

Julia Roberts (1988)

Mystic Pizza

Jason Bateman (1974)

Little House on the Prairie

The star of 'Ozark' used to be one of the kids on the prairie. Did you remember?

Ryan Gosling (1998)

Young Hercules

Reese Whiterspoon (1991)

The Man in the Moon

Orlando Bloom (2001)

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Ron Howard (1960)

The Andy Griffith Show

Winona Ryder (1986)

Lucas

George Clooney (1979)

The Facts of Life

Helena Bonham Carter (1985)

A Room With a View

Elisabeth Moss (1999)

Mumford

Woody Harrelson (1982)

Cheers

Kirsten Dunst (1994)

Interview with the Vampire

Russell Crowe (1991)

Proof

Meryl Streep (1978)

The Deer Hunter

Jeremy Renner (1995)

National Lampoon's Senior Trip

Daniel Craig (1992)

The Power of One

Angelina Jolie (1993)

Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow

Brad Pitt and Jeremy Miller (1985)

Growing Pains

Charlize Theron (1997)

The Devil's Advocate

Courteney Cox (1985)

Misfits of Science

Channing Tatum (2005)

Coach Carter

Scarlett Johansson (1996)

If Lucy Fell

Chris Evans (2001)

Not Another Teen Movie

Cameron Diaz (1994)

The Mask

Ben Affleck (1986)

ABC Afterschool Specials

Chris Pratt (2003)

The Extreme Team

Leonardo DiCaprio and Max Elliott Slade (1990)

Parenthood

Christian Bale (1987)

Empire of the Sun

Matthew Perry and Christina Applegate (1988)

Dance 'Til Dawn

Claire Danes (1994)

My So-Called Life

Johnny Depp (1984)

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Emma Stone and Jonah Hill (2007)

Superbad

Mel Gibson (1979)

Mad Max

Jim Carrey (1985)

Once Bitten

Tom Holland (2012)

The Impossible

David Hasselhoff (1978)

Starcrash

Denzel Washington (1981)

Carbon Copy

Don Cheadle and Courtney B. Vance (1987)

Hamburger Hill

Monica Bellucci (1992)

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Jason Momoa (1999)

Baywatch

Nicole Kidman (1983)

BMX Bandits

Drew Barrymore (1982)

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Eddie Murphy (1982)

48 Hrs

Edward Norton (1996)

Primal Fear

Will Smith (1990)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Leslie Nielsen (1956)

Forbidden Planet

Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazzello (1992)

Radio Flyer

In the middle, Lorraine Bracco, known from 'Goodfellas' (1990) and, later, 'The Sopranos' (1999-2007)

Evan Rachel Wood (2002)

S1m0ne

Ewan McGregor (1994)

Shallow Grave

Matt Damon (1993)

Geronimo: An American Legend

Freddie Highmore (2005)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Laurence Fishburne (1988)

School Daze

Harrison Ford and Jenny Sullivan (1969)

Love, American Style

Hilary Swank (1992)

Growing Pains

Hugh Grant (1987)

Maurice

Ian McKellen (1969)

A Touch of Love

Goldie Hawn (1969)

Cactus Flower

(In the photo with Ingrid Bergman)

Tom Hanks (1980)

Bosom Buddies

Queen Latifah (1991)

House Party 2

Tom Hardy (2002)

Star Trek: Nemesis

Ryan Reynolds (2002)

Buying The Cow

Next to Reynolds, the by-then-experienced actress Alyssa Milano.

Joe Pesci and Stanley Tucci (1992)

The Public Eye

John Lithgow and Nancy Allen (1981)

Blow Out

Billy Bob Thornton (1992)

One False Move

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (1998)

Velvet Goldmine

Anna Paquin (1996)

Jane Eyre

Adam Sandler (1994)

Airheads

Karl Urban (1995)

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Keanu Reeves and Ione Skye (1986)

Rivers Edge

Laurence Fishburne and Anthony Ponzini (1968)

One Life to Live

Matt Leblanc and Dakota Fanning (1994)

Friends

Matthew McConaughey and Rory Cochrane (1993)

Dazed and Confused

Matthew Modine (1983)

Private School

Michelle Williams (1995)

Species

Cate Blanchett (1997)

Thank God He Met Lizzie / The Wedding Party

Mickey Rourke (1983)

Rumble Fish

Robin Williams (1978)

Mork & Mindy

Al Pacino (1971)

The Panic in the Needle Park

Samuel L. Jackson (1989)

Do the Right Thing

Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker (1982)

Square Pegs

Krysten Ritter and Steve Guttenberg (2004)

Veronica Mars

Sean Penn (1982)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Tyler Hoechlin (2002)

Road to Perdition

Anthony Hopkins (1978)

Magic

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