Horror movies are Hollywood’s unacknowledged training ground. If you are looking for the next big stars, the red carpet is not the place to go. Instead, have a look at the cast lists of some cheap slasher or B-movie films. Horror is an incubator for new talent, a zone where courage, unpolished skills, and in some cases, beakers of fake blood, can make an unknown actor become the next household name. The journey from scream queens to alien fighters is the list of 10 most talked about stars who got out of low-budget horror and made it to Hollywood legends.
10. Jennifer Aniston – Leprechaun
Before turning into Rachel Green and international TV royalty, Jennifer Aniston was fighting for her life from a killing leprechaun in the cheesy 1993 movie Leprechaun. As the gun-carrying Tory, she met pint-sized terror head-on. Aniston has confessed she thought the film a bit cringeworthy at the time, laughing that she “just kept walking in and out [of the room], cringing.” Nevertheless, it’s a cult classic and a funny beginning to one of Hollywood’s longest-lasting stars.
9. Sigourney Weaver – Alien
Alien can be remembered as sci-fi gold, but it’s also a horror classic in its purest form. Sigourney Weaver, who had just come from Broadway, became an instant legend as Ellen Ripley, one of the first strong female action heroines. Fighting the lethal Xenomorph, Weaver demonstrated that horror could be a vehicle for powerhouse performances as well.
8. Kevin Bacon – Friday the 13th
Before he was famous for his tap dancing antics in Footloose, Kevin Bacon was the out-of-the-woods slasher victim in Friday the 13th. The horrifying yet funny on-screen death by the stabbing of the throat with an arrow made him a cult icon among the fans of horror, hence partially his following, and a great career that lasted for several decades.
7. Florence Pugh – Midsommar
Florence Pugh, in Ari Aster’s Midsommar, was a revelation of her emotional depth. The role of Dani, a bereaved woman spiraling into a drug-induced horror story, Pugh made the disintegration of the character as genuine and therefore the film as chilling as possible—thus firmly putting her name on the list of the most promising actresses in Hollywood.
6. Tom Hanks – He Knows You’re Alone
Before becoming America’s favorite nice guy, Tom Hanks had a small role in the low-budget slasher He Knows You’re Alone. Playing the sympathetic boyfriend, Hanks demonstrated early signs of the warmth, charm, and relatability that would define his later career.
5. Leonardo DiCaprio – Critters 3
Before Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio battled furry extraterrestrial monsters in the straight-to-video sequel Critters 3. Although the movie was not a critical success, it earned DiCaprio the eye of casting directors, leading to greater, more high-profile roles. It’s a laughable and modest start for one of Hollywood’s most recognizable names.
4. Paul Rudd – Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Paul Rudd first appeared in a feature film in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers as older Tommy Doyle. The muddled plot of the sixth film did him no good, but Rudd’s sincere performance foreshadowed the wit and comedy presence that would go on to make him a household name and Marvel superhero.
3. Brad Pitt – Cutting Class
Brad Pitt’s initial leading role was in Cutting Class, a high school horror film. While the film itself didn’t find much popularity, Pitt’s own charm and presence on screen were apparent, paving the way for his breakneck rise to fame.
2. Charlize Theron – Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
Charlize Theron first appeared on-screen in a small, uncredited part in Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest. After such a modest horror flick, she matured into an Oscar-winning actress and the queen of the box office, proving that even the smallest role in a cheap horror movie can become the step to greatness.
1. George Clooney – Return to Horror High
Before being a movie and television star, George Clooney had a beautiful mullet in Return to Horror High, a horror-comedy that parodied a haunted high school. The film is now completely obscured, but it was the first step of Clooney’s long-lasting career, a reminder that even campy horror can turn into a Hollywood legend.
Why is horror such a good career starter? The answer is simple: it is cheap, creative, and always on the lookout for new faces. Low-budget horror makes directors creative, sometimes by hiring unknown actors. All that might be needed is one scream, one death scene that no one forgets, or one night of horror to make a career. Therefore, the next time you are watching a silly slasher, watch it closely—you might just be witnessing the future of Hollywood.