If you wanna make it in Hollywood, it’s all about who you know.
There are always new contacts to be made and networking to be done.
Occasionally, the planets align and someone has the good fortune to be born into showbiz.
But the majority of people you see onscreen had to hustle pretty hard to get where they
are, and make ends meet along the way.
But hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere, even the famous people.
Here are Screen Rant’s 10 Actors Whose Careers Started In Shocking Ways.
Chris Evans Everybody loves Chris Evans.
Wether it’s an occasional appearance in a rom-com, or reprising his role as Captain
America, it seems like audiences are willing to follow the actor to the ends of the earth.
But despite his popularity, many fans are surprised to discover one key element in his
origin story: modelling.
His work can be found in an unlikely place, too.
On the cover of the 1999 re-issue of the board game Mystery Date.
Originally released by Milton Bradley in 1965, the focus of the game is to have the perfect
date with the perfect guy.
Fans will recognize one of the game’s eligible bachelors, ‘Tyler’, as portrayed by the
Star-Spangled Avenger.
Jackie Chan Jackie Chan has been in the movie business
for a long time.
The actor and stuntman was quite accomplished in Hong Kong long before American audiences
learned who he was.
But success didn’t always come easy for Chan, who struggled to make ends meet at the
beginning of his career.
And because of this, he had to get creative when it came to making money.
Fans who associate him with family-friendly movies like Rush Hour, Shanghai Knights and
Kung Fu Panda will be caught off guard by the revelation that he was also in porn.
Chan acknowledged his involvement with a 1975 erotic film All In The Family but the star
has stated that he feels no shame about it.
Which is understandable, given how tame it is compared to literally everything on HBO.
Paul Rudd Between guest appearances on Parks & Recreation,
starring in Netflix’s revival of Wet Hot American Summer, and his recent turn as Marvel’s
Ant Man, it seems like Paul Rudd is everywhere.
He can make audiences bust a gut with laughter and cringe with awkwardness, all while making
us fall in love with him.
As it turns out, the actor has always been pretty versatile, both on and off the big
screen.
Before he made his Hollywood debut, Rudd had a handful of odd jobs, including one as a
Bar-Mitzvah DJ.
The actor would spin tunes for parties that were sometimes as elaborate as weddings, so
it’s no surprise that he can work a crowd.
And given how naturally lovable he is, we’re betting he was pretty good at it, too.
Channing Tatum The revelation that Channing Tatum used to
be an exotic dancer is will not surprise anyone who’s seen the Magic Mike movies.
His skills on the stage sparked a lot of discussion about the actors’ beginnings in the entertainment
business.
But what a lot of people don’t know is that he also danced for Ricky Martin.
The 2000 music video for Martin’s “She Bangs” features a lot of dancers, but only
one of them would grow up to be Magic Mike.
Past all the rump-shaking, and oddly-placed mer-people, is a young Tatum dancing his heart
out.
And while Ricky Martin has since faded into obscurity, this video proved to be a valuable
stepping stone for the actor.
And also as a cautionary tale about following strange women into the ocean.
Helen Mirren Not only has Helen Mirren achieved Dame status,
she’s also an actress who surprises audiences with the roles she picks.
Wether it’s transforming herself to play the titular role in films like The Queen,
or being a straight-up badass secret agent in RED, Mirren is a versatile artist.
Having a song interest in acting all her life, she’s been working since the sixties.
And one of her early films had her showing a lot of skin.
Cast as Caesonia in 1979’s Caligula, Mirren worked alongside Malcolm McDowell and Peter
O’Toole in telling the story of the Roman Caesar.
And given that Caligula was a notoriously “passionate” ruler, we’ll let your imaginations
do the rest.
The actress has joked about her time on set, saying that given how naked everyone else
was, it would be weird if she wasn’t.
And that the whole thing was a great experience.
Chris Pratt Chris Pratt is a man wearing many hats, who
has successfully conquered both television and film.
But before the actor made a name for himself as Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy,
he was a stripper for bachelorette parties.
Known for his goofiness and impeccable comedic timing, it’s safe to say that Pratt found
his calling with acting.
When asked about his dancing days, he jests that they were awkward and disappointing for
everyone involved.
It’s a good thing the actor switched jobs, because he’s already on track to becoming
Hollywood’s next superstar.
Wether it’s action, comedy, or voice acting- Chris Pratt has shown that he can do it all.
Cameron Diaz Like many starlets in Hollywood, Cameron Diaz
began her career as a model.
And after being paired up with an agent, landed her first big role in 1994’s The Mask.
But contrary to popular belief, that wasn’t technically her first movie.
The actress can be also be found in a soft-core bondage film from the early nineties, currently
housed somewhere in the internet’s seedy underbelly.
Given the ridiculousness of everything from the early nineties, we’re willing to bet
that the content is pretty subdued, if not downright laughable.
She’s also gone on to star in over forty movies.
And given the insane amount of success Diaz has enjoyed since, there’s no reason for
her to look back.
Aaron Paul If you’ve ever watched The Price Is Right,
you’ve probably mused about how it would feel to hear the announcer say your name,
and be plucked from the audience.
Some of the fun of watching the show is playing along at home, shouting prices at the screen.
But the most enjoyment comes from watching how excited the studio contestants get.
Some jump up and run straight for the podium, while others take time to high-five the entire
audience on their way.
Very few people know what this actually feels like, and Aaron Paul is one of them.
He did pretty well, too, making it all the way to the Showcase Showdown.
But it wasn’t his first (or last) time on T.V.
He also did cereal commercials, and even a music video.
Jason Momoa Jason Momoa has been acting for a while now.
But gained notoriety when he rode his horse into our lives in HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Momoa plays Khal Drogo, the leader of the Dothraki- a vicious tribe of warriors.
After seeing what his character is capable of, it would be easy for audiences to assume
the six-foot-four actor would be just as intimidating in real life.
But it wasn’t his daunting figure that got him the job.
Raised by a photographer mother and painter father, Momoa was destined for a career in
the arts.
During his audition for Game of Thrones, the actor proved he was born to be a warrior,
and enacted a Haka- the traditional war dance of the Māori people.
Not only did this dance land him the role of Drogo, but it also contributed to his casting
in the 2011 version of Conan the Barbarian.
Robert Downey Jr.
Iron Man has gone from a niche-favorite to a household name thanks, in part, to the talents
of Robert Downey Jr.
His fast-talkin’ take on billionaire Tony Stark not only did wonders for the character,
but also for the actor.
Who has reprised his role seven times already.
And with the rapidly expanding Marvel universe, there’s no end in sight.
Raised by creative parents in New York, the actor has been honing his craft since childhood.
But a move to L.A. with his dad reinforced his passion.
Growing up with a drug-addicted father exposed the actor to the culture of narcotics.
And had an influence on his own struggles with substance abuse.
Struggles which, thankfully, Downey Jr. has since overcome.
So what do you think of our list?
Did we miss any interesting career-starters?
Tell us about them in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for
more videos like this one.