Konstantin Stanislavsky, one of the most influential theatre directors of all time and founder of the \u201cMethod Acting\u201d technique, once famously said, \u201cThere are no small parts, only small actors.\u201d In a fast-paced industry like Hollywood, that might sound almost insane: everyone wants the scene-stealing roles, not some inconsequential bit part.<\/p>\n
As it turns out, some of the most iconic stars in Hollywood\u2019s Hall of Fame began their acting days playing \u201cParty Guest\u201d or \u201cWoman #2.\u201d To celebrate 10 of those celebrity overachievers \/ Hollywood actors who went above and beyond their origins as extras, here are some well-known stars who almost went unnoticed.<\/p>\n
10. Reg\u00e9-Jean Page<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Reg\u00e9-Jean](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Rege-Jean-Page-Harry-Potter.jpg\")
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures\n<\/div>\nWith movies like Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, The Gray Man, and the first season of Bridgerton under his belt, Reg\u00e9-Jean Page is well on his way to becoming a household name in Hollywood. Like many other actors, his earliest roles were limited to indie films \u2013 until he struck gold with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows \u2013 Part 1. Which renowned sorcerer or nefarious Deatheater did he play in that film, you may be wondering? Why, none other than \u201cWedding guest,\u201d a role he wasn\u2019t even credited for.<\/p>\n
9. Megan Fox<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Megan](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Megan-Fox-Bad-Boys-II.jpg\")
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing\n<\/div>\nBefore she became an international bombshell thanks to her outstanding roles in Michael Bay\u2019s Transformers franchise, Fox struggled to break the idea that she was just a pretty face. Still, one of her earliest roles (and the first in a major motion picture) came to be thanks to Bay. She played \u201cBikini Kid Dancing Under Waterfall\u201d in Bad Boys II, almost six years before the first Transformers movie.<\/p>\n
8. Viola Davis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Viola](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Viola-Davis-Kate-Leopold.jpg\")
Image Credit: Miramax Films\n<\/div>\nEven future EGOT (that\u2019s Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners) recipients had to start somewhere. For Viola Davis, becoming the quintessential female lead has been a rocky road \u2013 one that began with lots of \u201cNurse\u201d and \u201cPolicewoman\u201d credits in multiple films, including Ocean\u2019s Eleven and Traffic. It wasn\u2019t until 2008\u2019s Doubt that her role as Mrs. Miller finally earned her the recognition she so desperately deserved. Then, 2011\u2019s The Help finally launched her into international stardom, in a journey that would lead her to 2017, when she finally took home the Oscar for her work on Fences.<\/p>\n
7. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Matt-Damon-and-Ben-Affleck-Field-of-Dreams.jpg\")
Image Credit: Universal Pictures\n<\/div>\nNow here\u2019s a two-in-one deal: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who were friends since they were kids, started their acting careers around the same time. The two actors auditioned together for smaller roles and to play extras that would earn them some way into Hollywood. In 1989, hearing that Kevin Costner would star in a new movie in the Boston area, and that production needed around 3000 extras to film a scene in Fenway Park, Damon and Affleck became uncredited extras in Field of Dreams, just so they could meet their acting idol.<\/p>\n
6. Bruce Willis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Bruce](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bruce-Willis-The-Verdict.jpg\")
Image Credit: 20th Century-Fox\n<\/div>\nBruce Willis has an uncanny ability to be both an average Joe and a larger-than-life action hero whenever the need arises. Around five years before he became a pop culture icon with Moonlighting, Willis was still struggling to get noticed in Hollywood. His first two roles (both uncredited) were \u201cMan entering diner\u201d and the coveted part of \u201cCourtroom observer\u201d in Sydney Lumet\u2019s The Verdict. A few years after Moonlighting proved he could be a more than capable movie cop, Die Hard came along \u2013 and changed the course of his career for good.<\/p>\n
5. Brad Pitt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Brad](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Brad-Pitt-as-an-extra.jpg\")
Image Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Sylvester](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sylvester-Stallone-The-Italian-Stallion.jpg\")
Image Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Leonardo](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Leonardo-DiCaprio-Critters-3.jpg\")
Image Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Harrison](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Harrison-Ford-Luv.jpg\")
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n![\"Marilyn](\"https:\/\/www.fortressofsolitude.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Marilyn-Monroe.jpg\")
Image Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures\n<\/div>\nWith movies like Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, The Gray Man, and the first season of Bridgerton under his belt, Reg\u00e9-Jean Page is well on his way to becoming a household name in Hollywood. Like many other actors, his earliest roles were limited to indie films \u2013 until he struck gold with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows \u2013 Part 1. Which renowned sorcerer or nefarious Deatheater did he play in that film, you may be wondering? Why, none other than \u201cWedding guest,\u201d a role he wasn\u2019t even credited for.<\/p>\n
9. Megan Fox<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing\n<\/div>\nBefore she became an international bombshell thanks to her outstanding roles in Michael Bay\u2019s Transformers franchise, Fox struggled to break the idea that she was just a pretty face. Still, one of her earliest roles (and the first in a major motion picture) came to be thanks to Bay. She played \u201cBikini Kid Dancing Under Waterfall\u201d in Bad Boys II, almost six years before the first Transformers movie.<\/p>\n
8. Viola Davis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Miramax Films\n<\/div>\nEven future EGOT (that\u2019s Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners) recipients had to start somewhere. For Viola Davis, becoming the quintessential female lead has been a rocky road \u2013 one that began with lots of \u201cNurse\u201d and \u201cPolicewoman\u201d credits in multiple films, including Ocean\u2019s Eleven and Traffic. It wasn\u2019t until 2008\u2019s Doubt that her role as Mrs. Miller finally earned her the recognition she so desperately deserved. Then, 2011\u2019s The Help finally launched her into international stardom, in a journey that would lead her to 2017, when she finally took home the Oscar for her work on Fences.<\/p>\n
7. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Universal Pictures\n<\/div>\nNow here\u2019s a two-in-one deal: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who were friends since they were kids, started their acting careers around the same time. The two actors auditioned together for smaller roles and to play extras that would earn them some way into Hollywood. In 1989, hearing that Kevin Costner would star in a new movie in the Boston area, and that production needed around 3000 extras to film a scene in Fenway Park, Damon and Affleck became uncredited extras in Field of Dreams, just so they could meet their acting idol.<\/p>\n
6. Bruce Willis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: 20th Century-Fox\n<\/div>\nBruce Willis has an uncanny ability to be both an average Joe and a larger-than-life action hero whenever the need arises. Around five years before he became a pop culture icon with Moonlighting, Willis was still struggling to get noticed in Hollywood. His first two roles (both uncredited) were \u201cMan entering diner\u201d and the coveted part of \u201cCourtroom observer\u201d in Sydney Lumet\u2019s The Verdict. A few years after Moonlighting proved he could be a more than capable movie cop, Die Hard came along \u2013 and changed the course of his career for good.<\/p>\n
5. Brad Pitt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing\n<\/div>\nBefore she became an international bombshell thanks to her outstanding roles in Michael Bay\u2019s Transformers franchise, Fox struggled to break the idea that she was just a pretty face. Still, one of her earliest roles (and the first in a major motion picture) came to be thanks to Bay. She played \u201cBikini Kid Dancing Under Waterfall\u201d in Bad Boys II, almost six years before the first Transformers movie.<\/p>\n
8. Viola Davis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Miramax Films\n<\/div>\nEven future EGOT (that\u2019s Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners) recipients had to start somewhere. For Viola Davis, becoming the quintessential female lead has been a rocky road \u2013 one that began with lots of \u201cNurse\u201d and \u201cPolicewoman\u201d credits in multiple films, including Ocean\u2019s Eleven and Traffic. It wasn\u2019t until 2008\u2019s Doubt that her role as Mrs. Miller finally earned her the recognition she so desperately deserved. Then, 2011\u2019s The Help finally launched her into international stardom, in a journey that would lead her to 2017, when she finally took home the Oscar for her work on Fences.<\/p>\n
7. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Universal Pictures\n<\/div>\nNow here\u2019s a two-in-one deal: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who were friends since they were kids, started their acting careers around the same time. The two actors auditioned together for smaller roles and to play extras that would earn them some way into Hollywood. In 1989, hearing that Kevin Costner would star in a new movie in the Boston area, and that production needed around 3000 extras to film a scene in Fenway Park, Damon and Affleck became uncredited extras in Field of Dreams, just so they could meet their acting idol.<\/p>\n
6. Bruce Willis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: 20th Century-Fox\n<\/div>\nBruce Willis has an uncanny ability to be both an average Joe and a larger-than-life action hero whenever the need arises. Around five years before he became a pop culture icon with Moonlighting, Willis was still struggling to get noticed in Hollywood. His first two roles (both uncredited) were \u201cMan entering diner\u201d and the coveted part of \u201cCourtroom observer\u201d in Sydney Lumet\u2019s The Verdict. A few years after Moonlighting proved he could be a more than capable movie cop, Die Hard came along \u2013 and changed the course of his career for good.<\/p>\n
5. Brad Pitt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Miramax Films\n<\/div>\nEven future EGOT (that\u2019s Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winners) recipients had to start somewhere. For Viola Davis, becoming the quintessential female lead has been a rocky road \u2013 one that began with lots of \u201cNurse\u201d and \u201cPolicewoman\u201d credits in multiple films, including Ocean\u2019s Eleven and Traffic. It wasn\u2019t until 2008\u2019s Doubt that her role as Mrs. Miller finally earned her the recognition she so desperately deserved. Then, 2011\u2019s The Help finally launched her into international stardom, in a journey that would lead her to 2017, when she finally took home the Oscar for her work on Fences.<\/p>\n
7. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Universal Pictures\n<\/div>\nNow here\u2019s a two-in-one deal: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who were friends since they were kids, started their acting careers around the same time. The two actors auditioned together for smaller roles and to play extras that would earn them some way into Hollywood. In 1989, hearing that Kevin Costner would star in a new movie in the Boston area, and that production needed around 3000 extras to film a scene in Fenway Park, Damon and Affleck became uncredited extras in Field of Dreams, just so they could meet their acting idol.<\/p>\n
6. Bruce Willis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: 20th Century-Fox\n<\/div>\nBruce Willis has an uncanny ability to be both an average Joe and a larger-than-life action hero whenever the need arises. Around five years before he became a pop culture icon with Moonlighting, Willis was still struggling to get noticed in Hollywood. His first two roles (both uncredited) were \u201cMan entering diner\u201d and the coveted part of \u201cCourtroom observer\u201d in Sydney Lumet\u2019s The Verdict. A few years after Moonlighting proved he could be a more than capable movie cop, Die Hard came along \u2013 and changed the course of his career for good.<\/p>\n
5. Brad Pitt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Universal Pictures\n<\/div>\nNow here\u2019s a two-in-one deal: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who were friends since they were kids, started their acting careers around the same time. The two actors auditioned together for smaller roles and to play extras that would earn them some way into Hollywood. In 1989, hearing that Kevin Costner would star in a new movie in the Boston area, and that production needed around 3000 extras to film a scene in Fenway Park, Damon and Affleck became uncredited extras in Field of Dreams, just so they could meet their acting idol.<\/p>\n
6. Bruce Willis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: 20th Century-Fox\n<\/div>\nBruce Willis has an uncanny ability to be both an average Joe and a larger-than-life action hero whenever the need arises. Around five years before he became a pop culture icon with Moonlighting, Willis was still struggling to get noticed in Hollywood. His first two roles (both uncredited) were \u201cMan entering diner\u201d and the coveted part of \u201cCourtroom observer\u201d in Sydney Lumet\u2019s The Verdict. A few years after Moonlighting proved he could be a more than capable movie cop, Die Hard came along \u2013 and changed the course of his career for good.<\/p>\n
5. Brad Pitt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: 20th Century-Fox\n<\/div>\nBruce Willis has an uncanny ability to be both an average Joe and a larger-than-life action hero whenever the need arises. Around five years before he became a pop culture icon with Moonlighting, Willis was still struggling to get noticed in Hollywood. His first two roles (both uncredited) were \u201cMan entering diner\u201d and the coveted part of \u201cCourtroom observer\u201d in Sydney Lumet\u2019s The Verdict. A few years after Moonlighting proved he could be a more than capable movie cop, Die Hard came along \u2013 and changed the course of his career for good.<\/p>\n
5. Brad Pitt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Orion Pictures\n<\/div>\nIt seems almost surreal that there was a time when no one in Hollywood knew the name \u201cBrad Pitt.\u201d For more than one generation, Pitt has become the ideal movie star: handsome and talented, the kind of guy who has always been famous \u2013 except he wasn\u2019t. His first year in Hollywood (1987), he spent it playing roles like \u201cMan at beach with drink\u201d and \u201cParty Guest\u201d. Needless to say, all of those roles were uncredited. Even in the mid-90s, after he had managed some success with Thelma & Louise, you could sometimes see him starring in the unlikeliest places, like an episode of Tales from the Crypt.<\/p>\n
4. Sylvester Stallone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Tubi\n<\/div>\nThe Italian Stallion had a rough few years in Hollywood before he made the big leagues. The actor worked as an uncredited extra for years, before Rocky became a part of Hollywood\u2019s history. In 1970, six years before Rocky, Stallone was desperate for work and facing homelessness. To make ends meet, he starred in a sleazy adult film titled The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s \u2013 for which he received just $200. After he became an icon, however, The Party at Kitty and Stud\u2019s was renamed The Italian Stallion to capitalize on Stallone\u2019s newfound legendary status.<\/p>\n
3. Leonardo DiCaprio<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: New Line Home Video\n<\/div>\nWhether he\u2019s playing a teenage heartthrob or delivering an acting tour de force in films like The Revenant, DiCaprio has become intrinsically entwined with Hollywood\u2019s DNA. However, he almost didn\u2019t make it to the mainstream. His first two roles are completely detached from the rest of his oeuvre. First, he played \u201cJosh\u201d in Critters 3, a direct-to-video sequel. Then, he played \u201cGuy\u201d \u2013 as in, just some guy \u2013 in the erotic thriller Poison Ivy. That was in 1992, just one year before he became a massive star thanks to What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape.<\/p>\n
2. Harrison Ford<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: Columbia Pictures\n<\/div>\nEvery actor in Hollywood has wanted to be Harrison Ford at some point. The man became a cultural icon, playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones within the same decade. Before that, however, Ford struggled to provide for his family, which led him to become a self-taught carpenter. Long before Star Wars, you could see the Hollywood actor playing extras and minor characters like \u201cIrate Motorist\u201d in Luv and \u201cStudent\u201d in Zabriskie Point.<\/p>\n
1. Marilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nImage Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n
Image Credit: MGM\n<\/div>\nWhen you think of Hollywood glamour, you think of Marilyn Monroe. With her golden hair and pearly white smile, Monroe embodied a bygone era of movie stars \u2013 one in which dreams did come true for those who persevered enough. And if anyone knows a thing or two about perseverance, that would be Marilyn Monroe. She started her career as a contract player, with minor roles that rarely earned her public acclaim. That all changed with All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, the movies that turned Marilyn into the legendary star she is today.<\/p>\n