15+ Actresses In Their Earliest Movie Gigs Vs Their More Recent Ones
Did you know that Brie Larson was in 13 Going on 30?
Some of the biggest names in Hollywood had surprisingly small starts, and those early roles can be a fun reminder that success rarely happens overnight. Before these actresses became household names, many of them were taking on tiny parts, uncredited appearances, or projects that looked very different from the careers they have now.
This roundup compares their earliest movie gigs with more recent roles, showing just how far they have come over the years. From breakout performances to major franchise turns, the contrast is often striking, and sometimes a little unexpected.
Here is a look back at where it all began.
1. Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968) and Joyce Brewster in The Guilt Trip (2012)
Columbia Pictures / Paramount Pictures2. Jennifer Lopez as Rosie Romero in Nurses on the Line (1993) and Ramona Vega in Hustlers (2019)
CBS / STXfilms3. Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries (2001) and Sarah Bilott in Dark Waters (2019)
Disney / Focus Features
4. Taraji P. Henson as Tammy in Streetwise (1998) and Ali Davis in What Men Want (2019)
Black Film Distributor / Paramount Pictures
5. Zoë Kravitz as Charlotte in No Reservations (2007) and Leta Lestrange in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Warner Bros. Pictures
A few of these early roles are almost easy to miss now.
6. Brie Larson as one of the Six Chicks in 13 Going on 30 (2004) and Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel in Captain Marvel (2019)
Sony Pictures Releasing / Marvel
7. Meryl Streep as Linda in The Deer Hunter (1978) and Aunt March in Little Women (2019)
Universal Pictures / Sony Pictures Releasing
8. Angelina Jolie as Tosh in Lookin' to Get Out (1982) and Maleficent in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
Paramount Pictures / Disney
9. Kerry Washington as Chenille in Save the Last Dance (2001) and Kendra Ellis-Connor in American Son (2019)
Paramount Pictures / Netflix
10. Renée Zellweger as Susanne in Shake, Rattle and Rock! (1994) and Judy Garland in Judy (2019)
Showtime / LD Entertainment / Roadside Attractions
Some careers really do tell a full story when you line up the first role and the latest one.
Also, Danielle Fishel being told she “couldn’t show her arms” in the final season of Boy Meets World is another shocking set restriction.
11. Octavia Spencer as Cynthia in Never Been Kissed (1999) and Sue Ann 'Ma' Ellington in Ma (2019)
20th Century Fox / Universal Pictures
12. Regina King as Shalika in Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Sharon Rivers in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Columbia Pictures / Annapurna Pictures
13. Jennifer Aniston as Tory Reding in Leprechaun (1993) and Audrey Spitz in Murder Mystery (2019)
Trimark Pictures / Netflix
14. Helen Mirren as Cora Ryan in Age of Consent (1969) and Magdalene 'Queenie' Shaw in Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Columbia Pictures / Universal Pictures
15. Sandra Bullock as Lisa Edwards in Hangmen (1987) and Debbie Ocean in Ocean's 8 (2018)
AFA Entertainment / Warner Bros. Pictures
It is hard not to appreciate how much range these actresses have shown over time.
16. Jada Pinkett Smith as Ronnie in Menace II Society (1993) and FBI Agent Helen Thompson in Angel Has Fallen (2019)
New Line Cinema / Lionsgate
17. Halle Berry as Vivian in Jungle Fever (1991) and Sofia in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
Universal Pictures / Lionsgate
18. Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978) and Linda Drysdale-Thrombrey in Knives Out (2019)
Compass International Pictures / Lionsgate
19. Angela Bassett as Fran in Critters 4 (1991) and Carol Walker in Otherhood (2019)
New Line Home Video / Netflix
True enough, dreams really do come true when you have enough persistence and hard work, and these ladies are definitely a testament to that. Their looks are just a bonus because it's truly their steadfast personalities that have made them so successful throughout the years!
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Kaley Cuoco’s tense “Charmed” moment with an A-list actress who overlooked her is wild.
