These Actors Are Most Famous For One Role, But Where Did Their Careers Begin?
Most actors and actresses enjoy long and illustrious careers, featuring in many different movies and television shows throughout their time in showbiz—but they'll forever be known as "that guy/gal" from "that movie/show". When was the last time you looked at Kiefer Sutherland and didn't see Jack Bauer from 24 (2001)? These actors and actresses are most famous for one role, but let's see where they began their careers.
Kiefer Sutherland
While Kiefer Sutherland has had many roles since he starred as the action-hero Jack Bauer in FOX's spy drama 24 (2001), Sutherland's very first movie role was as Bill Costello, a school-friend of Michael Macphee in the action-comedy Max Dugan Returns (1983). Sutherland's father, Donald, starred in the movie as one of the main characters, even though the junior Sutherland had a very brief appearance.
Twentieth Century, Max Dugan Returns (1983)
Paul Hogan
The infamous Australian received his breakout role in Crocodile Dundee (1986) as the titular character, Mick "Crocodile" Dundee. Despite this being his first major role (and one for which he'll forever be remembered), Hogan had starred in many British and Australian TV adverts throughout the 1980s and wrote, directed and produced his own sketch comedy—The Paul Hogan Show (1973).
Paramount, Crocodile Dundee (1986)
David Schwimmer
You knew at least one of the cast of Friends (1994) was going to make our list. David Schwimmer will forever be known as Ross Geller, the hilarious, affable once-husband and eternal friend of Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).
But Schwimmer's first film role was in the TV movie, A Deadly Silence (1989).
Warner Bros., Friends (1994-2004)
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy will "live long and prosper" forever, timelessly known as Spock from Star Trek: The Original Series (1966). But his first ever film role was in the 1951 comedy, Queen For A Day, where he played Chief.
Paramount, Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)
Mark Hamill
Despite it being almost 50 years since Mark Hamill first starred as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977), the iconic actor can't seem to shake the role as being his most famous and well-known. But, before Star Wars, Hamill had a recurring role in General Hospital (1963) and starred in eight episodes of The Texas Wheelers (1974).
Fran Drescher
Fran Drescher might be America's favorite 90s nanny—starring as Fran Fine, the titular character of The Nanny (1993), which she created and co-produced with her then-husband. But, her first break in television came as Connie in Saturday Night Fever (1977). You may remember the line, "So, are you as good in bed as you are on the dance floor"? delivered to John Travolta—that was Fran Drescher.
Paramount, Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Raul Julia
You may not recognize the name immediately—but what about Gomez Addams? Ring a bell?
Of course it does, it's from the 1991 adaptation of The Addams Family. Well, before Raul Julia was Gomez Addams, he got his start in The Panic In Needle Park (1971) and performed small movie roles for 20 years.
Paramount, The Addams Family (1991)
Jim Parsons
While Jim Parsons will always be known as the lovable nerd Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory (2007), he actually got his start on a late 90s/early 2000s legal drama called Judging Amy (1999). He was also a recurring star in the TV drama Ed (2000).
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld could never be associated with any other role than that of the titular character on Seinfeld (1989). One of the biggest successes in American television history, Seinfeld actually got his start on the American sitcom Benson (1979), wherein he was Frankie for three episodes.
Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions, Benson (1979-1986)
Macaulay Culkin
Poor Macaulay Culkin will forever be remembered as 10-year-old Kevin McCallister from Home Alone (1990). He would reprise that role several times over as the movie generated sequels.
But, his first ever film role came at just eight years old, in the drama film Rocket Gibraltar (1988).
Columbia, Rocket Gibraltar (1988)
Adam West
The now-deceased Adam West will forever be remembered as the very first Batman. Despite the comedic nature of the television series that first aired in 1966, West carried the role off brilliantly.
But, his very first (uncredited) film role came as "Weather Station #4 Radio Operator" in the horror film Voodoo Island (1957).
Twentieth Century, Batman (1966-1968)
Jack Gleeson
Unfortunately for Jack Gleeson, he'll never be able to shake the association with that tyrannical figure named Joffrey Baratheon from Game Of Thrones (2011). His first film was in the sci-fi fantasy Reign Of Fire (2002), starring Christian Bale (Gleeson was uncredited), but his next role was credited as "Little Boy" in Batman Begins (2005).
Warner Bros., Batman Begins (2005)
Ralph Macchio
When Ralph Macchio starred in The Karate Kid (1984), he probably couldn't have imagined that he'd forever be associated with kicking bullies in the unmentionables. But before The Karate Kid, Macchio starred in The Outsiders (1983) as Johnny Cade and Jeremy Andretti on Eight Is Enough (1977).
Zoetrope, The Outsiders (1983)
Jim Varney
Jim Varney played the iconic Ernest Worrell for nearly 10 years, from 1980 till 1998, but Jim Varney's first role was in Spittin' Image (1983), as the sheriff.
Touchstone, Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson will forever be Dwight Schrute from The Office (2005), but his first film role was Galaxy Quest in 1999, and his first television role was as Casey Keegan on One Life To Live (1997).
Edward Furlong
Edward Furlong might not be a name that's familiar to you, but "John Connor" certainly will be. The young man from Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) was Edward Furlong. The role in Terminator 2: Judgement Day was also Furlong's first film.
Carolco, Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Aaron Paul
Aaron Paul's role in Breaking Bad (2008), as Walter White's right-hand-man, Jesse Pinkman, was nowhere near his first role in TV and film, but he'll forever be remembered for it. His first-ever role came in the American teen comedy Whatever It Takes (2000), as Floyd.
Columbia, Whatever It Takes (2000)
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins will always be Norman Bates from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), but the man wasn't always depicting the poor, tormented soul from that iconic movie. His first role was in the 1953 comedy-drama The Actress, as the character Fred Whitmarsh.
Jon Heder
Better known as "Napoleon Dynamite", Jon Heder's iconic titular role in Napoleon Dynamite (2004) left everyone being unable to see him as anyone else (probably for the rest of his life). Before Napoleon Dynamite, Heder was credited in three shorts—one is Peluca, the first short film directed by Jared Hess, while he was attending Bingham Young University. Jon Heder is credited as "Seth".
Paramount, Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Frankie Muniz
Known exclusively as Malcolm from the hit sitcom Malcolm In The Middle (2000), most people don't even remember that Frankie Muniz's character has a last name—Wilkerson. But Muniz first starred in a TV movie, To Dance With Olivia (1997), as the character Oscar.
Twentieth Century, Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006)
Brent Spiner
Despite being best known as Lieutenant Commander Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Spiner had a long career before he was cast in the iconic role as the Star Trek nation's favorite robot. His first credited film role was in Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980) as "Fan in lobby", with an uncredited role 10 years prior in the made-for-TV drama My Sweet Charlie (1970).
Paramount, Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Linda Blair
You might not ever have heard of Linda Blair, but if you're a fan of horror, you certainly know Regan—or that levitating girl from The Exorcist (1973). Blair's first-ever film role came as Sara Aldridge in the 1970 film The Way We Live Now.
Warner Bros., The Exorcist (1973)
Jennifer Grey
Jennifer Grey is mostly known for her roles in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), as Jeannie Bueller, and as Frances Houseman in Dirty Dancing (1987). However, she first starred in the romantic drama Reckless (1984).
Alicia Silverstone
Lovers of the comedy/romance Clueless (1995) will know Alicia Silverstone for her role as Cher Horowitz, but her first film was in the psychological thriller The Crush (1993).
Morgan Creek Entertainment, The Crush (1993)
Jensen Ackles
The American actor is best known for his role as Dean Winchester, one half of the demon-hunting duo in Supernatural (2005). But Jensen Ackles first role came in a short film, The Plight Of Clownana (2004), that he assistant-directed and produced. He also starred in the TV series Wishbone (1996), as Michael Duss, for one episode.
Big Feats! Entertainment, Wishbone (1995-1998)
Dominic Monaghan
You either know Dominic Monaghan as Charlie Pace from Lost (2004) or Meriadoc Brandybuck from the first three Lord of the Rings (2001) movies. But his earliest TV role came as Geoffrey Shawcross in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996), where he starred as Shawcross for 27 episodes over two years.
BBC, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1995-1998)
Josh Holloway
If the name doesn't immediately ring a bell, don't worry—it's been 20 years since Lost. Josh Holloway starred as James "Sawyer" Ford in Lost (2004) but his first film role was in Cold Heart (2001), where he played Sean Clark.
Millennium Media, Cold Heart (2001)
Nick Offerman
Before you knew that Nick Offerman owns a woodworking company, you'd definitely seen him in Parks And Recreation (2009) as Ron Swanson. He also starred in the comedy-drama Going All The Way (1997), which also starred Ben Affleck and Rachel Weisz.
Universal, Parks And Recreation (2009-2015)
Hayden Christensen
Of course, Hayden Christensen is best known as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones (2002). But, prior to his iconic role as Lord Vader, Christensen had starred in half a dozen films—his first was In The Mouth Of Madness (1994).
New Line Cinema, In The Mouth Of Madness (1994)
Robert Patrick
You might know Robert Patrick best from The Unit (2006) as Colonel Tom Ryan, or as FBI Special Agent Doggett in The X-Files, or in film as T-1000 in Terminator 2 (1991). But his first role was in a 1987 action movie, Eye Of The Eagle.
Twentieth Century, The Unit (2006-2009)
Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Ribeiro is best-known as Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (1990), but he had a long career prior to starring as Banks—including 72 episodes of Silver Spoons (1984-1987) and two episodes of Magnum PI (1986).
NBC, Silver Spoons (1982-1987)
James Gandolfini
James Gandolfini will always be remembered as Tony Soprano from The Sopranos (1999), but the iconic TV star also starred in Shock! Shock! Shock! (1987) as an orderly and was uncredited for a role in The Last Boy Scout (1991).
Kit Harrington
Despite being 25 at the time of his role as Jon Snow in Game Of Thrones (2011), Harrington had a long career in theater before starring as Snow—one of those performances was the National Theatre's adaptation of War Horse (1982).
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Matthew Gray Gubler
Matthew Gray Gubler's role as Dr Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds (2005) is what he's best-remembered for, the boyish young genius first starred in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004).
Touchstone, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
Alex Winter
Despite Alex Winter not quite reaching the stratospheric heights of his Bill & Ted co-star, Keanu Reeves, Winter is still best-known for his role as the titular Bill. However, he had originally starred in two movies prior:
The Lost Boys (1987) and Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989).
Warner Bros., The Lost Boys (1987)
Shannon Elizabeth
American Pie (1999) is an iconic American comedy series starring Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, and Seann William Scott. Also starring in American Pie was Shannon Elizabeth, as Nadia, but her first role came as Jill Metzner in Jack Frost (1997).
Jason Alexander
Another Seinfeld (1989) entrant in our list is Jason Alexander, famous for playing George Costanza. However, Alexander's first role was in a 1981 flick, The Burning, a slasher horror movie directed by Tony Maylem.
Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood starred as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings (2001) and returned for the other two sequels in the iconic series. But his film debut came in Back To The Future: Part II (1989), at the age of eight. He also starred in 19 other films prior to his role in The Lord of the Rings.
Universal, Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Charlie Day
Charlie Day's first major role wasn't in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005), but he's best-known for his role there as Charlie Kelly. Day's first role was in Love Thy Neighbor (2005), as a video clerk.
FX, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
Megan Fox Gets Fired From Transformers
While many employees can become disgruntled at work, Megan Fox (star of the Transformers movies), took that to a whole new level when she was set to star in Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon (2011). During an interview with Wonderland magazine, she compared director Michael Bay to Napoleon—and then, as if that wasn't bad enough, said, "He wants to be like Hitler on the sets, and he is". She was let go from the movie cast shortly thereafter and was replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Paramount, Transformers (2007)
