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Stars' First Roles

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Jul 14, 2017 5:41 PM
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Angelina Jolie, Lookin? to Get Out, Stars First Roles
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Angelina Jolie

Long before portraying evil queen Maleficent, the actress and activist appeared alongside her father Jon Voight in the 1982 comedy Lookin' to Get Out at age seven. 


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Universal Pictures

Elijah Wood

The eventual Frodo Baggins made his film debut with a minor role in Back to the Future, Part II. Woah, that's heavy!


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Johnny Depp

Before rising to prominence in 21 Jump Street, the Golden Globe winner made his film debut as one of Freddie Krueger's victims in A Nightmare on Elm Street. 


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Zooey Deschanel

Pre-New Girl, the Emmy-winner's first role was a one episode appearance in 1998 on Veronica's Closet, starring Kirstie Alley. 


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Republic Pictures

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The Inception actor was an adorable six-year-old when he made his acting debut in the TV movie Stranger On My Land. 


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Keanu Reeves

We now know him for dodging bullets in The Matrix, but the actor's first role was in a 1984 episode of the Canadian sitcom Hangin' In.


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Leonardo DiCaprio

The Oscar-winning actor was only 15 when he made his debut in two episodes of The New Lassie in 1989. 


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Rob Lowe

The future Chris Traeger made his film debut in 1983's The Outsiders, which became known for its cast of eventual stars like Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio and Diane Lane.


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Flower Films

Seth Rogen

Although he gained notoriety in 1999 with his role in Freak and Geeks, he didn't make an appearance in film until 2001 with a role in cult classic Donnie Darko. 


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Twentieth Century Fox

James Franco

Before we knew him from being stuck between boulders in 127 Hours, the actor played his first film role in 1999's Never Been Kissed, starring Drew Barrymore. 


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Drew Barrymore

The 50 First Dates star had her first acting role as a five-year-old in sci-fi horror film Altered States starring William Hurt, who was also making his film debut. 


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20th Century Fox Television

Jon Hamm

Pre-Don Draper, the now Emmy-winning actor had his first role with a small part in an episode of Ally McBeal in 1997. 


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Emma Stone

Even before playing Jonah Hill's crush in Superbad, the redhead made her first acting appearance in an episode of Medium, back when she went by Riley Stone. 


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Western Film Productions

Naomi Watts

Before her breakthrough with Mulholland Drive, the acclaimed actress debuted on the big screen in the 1986 Australian period piece For Love Alone.


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Universal Television

John Travolta

1972 saw the acting debut of the eventual Danny Zuko when appeared in an episode of medical drama Emergency!. 


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Steve Carell

The Office actor held his first acting role in 1991 with Curly Sue, the final John Hughes-directed film. 


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20th Century Fox

Zac Efron

The heartthrob landed his first onscreen role in an episode of 2002's cult classic series Firefly.


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Jason Bateman

The Arrested Development star got his big break as a 12-year-old when he appeared in two seasons of Little House on the Prairie. 


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20th Century Fox

Winona Ryder

Then 15-years-old, the Beetlejuice star first took the screen in teen film Lucas in 1986. 


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Fox Searchlight Pictures

Katie Holmes

Before Dawson's Creek, the actress first appeared onscreen among a star-studded ensemble cast in The Ice Storm in 1997. 


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Focus Features

Emily Blunt

The Brit received significant acclaim for her first film role in My Summer of Love in 2004 opposite Natalie Press. 


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FOX

Aaron Paul

The future Jesse Pinkman first came to television with a one episode role in Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1999, before going on to win three Emmys with Breaking Bad. 


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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

Jake Gyllenhaal

The Oscar-nominated actor was 11-years-old when he landed a role as Billy Crystal's son in City Slickers.


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Cameron Diaz

The model turned actress got her big break on The Mask opposite Jim Carrey.


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