Everyone has to start somewhere to achieve their goals, and celebs are no exception. It may seem like actors become Hollywood sensations overnight, but these 19 just prove that everyone starts small before making it big.
1.Before getting her own Disney Channel show, Zendaya started her career modeling for companies such as Macy's and Old Navy. She was first seen on television when she was featured in commercials for iCarly toys.
Following this commercial, we saw Zendaya land her first role in Disney Channel's Shake It Up as Rocky Blue from 2010 to 2013. Currently, she's starring in HBO's Euphoria and won her first Emmy Award for her role as Rue Bennett.
2.Before she was a huge Hollywood star, Drew Barrymore started the industry by starring in commercials. At just 11 months, Barrymore was featured in a dog-food commercial, and she's continued to do some for other brands like Pillsbury, McDonald's, and more.
Following her time starring in toy commercials, Kunis had a few minor and supporting roles in TV shows and movies, but it wasn't until 1998 that she landed her most-known role as Jackie Burkhart in That '70s Show.
4.Before Paul Rudd started starring in huge Hollywood films, he was featured in a 1991 commercial for the Super Nintendo.
Following the 1991 commercial, Rudd starred in the TV show, Sisters, then in 1995, he landed his first film role playing Josh in the popular teen comedy, Clueless.
5.Before Steve Carell became a well-known Hollywood actor, he worked for USPS as a mail carrier. It wasn't until 1989 when he starred in a commercial for Brown's Chicken.
It wasn't long after that before Carell landed some of his more notable roles, such as Gary on the comedy sketch, The Ambiguously Gay Duo, that was on The Dana Carvey Show/Saturday Night Live (1996-2011), and Michael Scott on The Office (2005-2011).
Affleck's first leading role was in Dazed and Confused (1993), followed by more commercial success roles, including Good Will Hunting (1997), Armageddon (1998), Daredevil (2003), and many more.
7.Before Leonardo DiCaprio became one of the most famous actors in Hollywood, he starred in commercials such as one for Bubble Yum bubble gum in the late 1980s.
Shortly after his TV commercial debut, DiCaprio started landing huge roles, including Romeo in Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997).
8.After modeling for companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, Channing Tatum started his career in TV by starring in Pepsi and Mountain Dew commercials in 2002.
It wasn't much later until Reynolds started landing the roles we know and love him for, including Two Guys, Girl, and a Pizza Place (1998), The Proposal (2009), Deadpool (2016), and many more.
10.Matt LeBlanc made his very first TV appearance in 1987, starring in a Heinz ketchup commercial.
A few years following his TV commercial debut, and a few TV and music video roles later, LeBlanc landed the role of Joey Tribbiani in Friends — which he played for 12 years, including the two years on the show's spin-off, Joey.
11.Before getting her big break, Amanda Bynes started her journey in Hollywood by starring in Buncha Crunch commercials in 1993.
It wasn't until 1996 that she got her big break when she starred on Nickelodeon's All That (1996-2000). Following that, she continued to star in major roles, including Big Fat Liar (2002), The Amanda Show (1999-2002), What I Like About You (2002), She's The Man (2006), and many more.
12.Before being our favorite vampire slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar started her career starring in more minor TV roles and commercials.
Following her time starring in commercials, Gellar landed huge roles, including Kendall Hart in All My Children (1993), Daphne Blake in Scooby-Doo (2002), and Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
13.Before Tobey Maguire was the Hollywood star he is today, he was featured in various TV commercials, including an ad for the Atari Lynx in 1990.
Afterward, Maguire had a few lead roles in movies like Pleasantville (1998) and Wonder Boys (2000), and in 2002, Maguire landed the role we all know and love, Spider-Man/Peter Parker.
14.At age 14, Anne Hathaway got her first on-screen job starring in a Better Homes and Gardens commercial.
At age 18, Hathaway landed the role of Mia Thermopolis in Disney's The Princess Diaries, which marked the beginning of her becoming one of the biggest names in the movie industry.
15.Before she got her big break, Madison Pettis stepped into Hollywood for the first time via TV commercials for products like the popular toy, FurReal Friends, and modeling.
That was only the start of a very successful career for her, because since then, she's starred in huge blockbuster hits like Jumanji (1995), Bring It On (2000), and Spider-Man (2002).
17.Kat Graham started her career by starring in several TV commercials, including Barbie and Pop-Tarts. At 17, she was a part of Fanta's promotional campaign as a member of the "Fantanas."
Afterward, Graham appeared in several TV shows such as Lizzie McGuire (2001–04), The Parent Trap (1998), and Hannah Montana (2006–11). In 2009, she landed one of her most notable roles as Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries.
18.At the start of his career, Keanu Reeves starred in Coca-Cola commercials in 1983.
In 1991, Pitt started receiving recognition with his role in Thelma & Louise (1991). Ever since, he's starred in several commercially successful movies, including Ocean's Eleven (2001), Troy (2004), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), and many more.
