Hollywood adores a glow-up narrative, and few makeovers are as pleasing as seeing someone move from nameless background player to international superstar. Amazingly, many of today’s leading stars were once background extras waiting in the wings for their big moment. Here are 10 celebrities who began life as extras before taking center stage.
10. Renée Zellweger
Long before Bridget Jones was her iconic role, Renée Zellweger was appearing discreetly in the periphery of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and the television miniseries Murder in the Heartland. She burst onto the scene with Jerry Maguire, where she stole hearts opposite Tom Cruise. From non-credited appearances to Oscar winner—talk about character development.
9. Benicio del Toro
Benicio’s first screen time wasn’t for a gritty drama but Madonna’s La Isla Bonita music video. Then came bit roles on Miami Vice and other television shows before he struck big time with The Usual Suspects, for which he won an Independent Spirit Award. A few years more, and he was holding an Oscar for Traffic. Not bad for someone who used to fade into the background.
8. Kristen Stewart
Before Twilight made her famous, Kristen Stewart was playing small, insignificant roles in films such as The Thirteenth Year and The Flintstones: Viva Rock Vegas. Matters changed with Speak, and she went on to play Bella Swan—starting a career that continues to see her shine today.
7. Brad Pitt
It’s hard to picture Brad Pitt as anything but a leading man, but he actually logged a bunch of blink-and-you ll-miss-him credits in movies like Less Than Zero and No Way Out. His real moment came as the charming hitchhiker in Thelma & Louise, which catapulted him into stardom.
6. Marilyn Monroe
Even the most legendary bombshell of all time began modestly. Marilyn Monroe made background cameos in movies such as Green Grass of Wyoming and You Were Meant for Me before getting noticed in All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle. From “extra” to immortality, her tale is a timeless Hollywood enchantment.
5. Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes dropped out of college to pursue acting, but initially, the jobs weren’t glamorous—uncredited music video roles and even a background on ER. Everything ultimately changed with Training Day, which showcased her acting abilities and led to 2 Fast 2 Furious and Hitch.
4. Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria’s first real screen appearance came with a blink-and-you ll-miss-it role on Beverly Hills 90210. Then came The Young and the Restless, but it was Desperate Housewives that turned her into a primetime star. Her path proves that persistence pays off—even if it starts with being “extra.”
3. Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu’s early resume is packed with background credits, such as a stint on 90210 and an appearance on Home Improvement. But she soon moved on to breakout roles, first in Jerry Maguire and then on Ally McBeal, where her character Ling Woo became a pop icon.
2. Samuel L. Jackson
Before he was one of the most quotable men on earth, Samuel L. Jackson was working uncredited background jobs in movies such as Ragtime. Small roles in Spike Lee’s School Daze and Do the Right Thing made him a bit more known, but it was Jungle Fever that truly highlighted his skill. From then on, he was unstoppable.
1. Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford’s rise to fame wasn’t swift—it was almost two decades of smaller, sometimes insignificant parts. Matters finally picked up when George Lucas cast him as American Graffiti, and later Ford became Han Solo—and subsequently Indiana Jones. From struggling extra to two of the most iconic heroes of the silver screen, his path could well be the greatest Hollywood success story.
The next time you find yourself observing a random background extra, take note—they could be the next Renée Zellweger, Brad Pitt, or Harrison Ford. All legends begin somewhere, and sometimes “somewhere” is only just perceptible on screen.