Every Hollywood legend has a backstory, and for many, it starts not with glamour and glitz, but with creepy monsters, low-budget productions, or indie breakthroughs. Indie and horror movies have long served as a stepping stone for up-and-coming stars, providing actors the opportunity to make bold choices, hone their craft, and make their mark. From cult slashers to festival favorites, here are 15 of today’s largest stars who initially made their mark in horror or indie roles.
15. Jim Carrey – Once Bitten’s Comedy-Horror Origins
Before Jim Carrey was comedy royalty, he appeared in Once Bitten (1985) as a teenager stalked by a vampire. The film didn’t set records, but Carrey’s charisma was evident, preluding the zaniness that would eventually characterize his career.
14. Kevin Bacon – Friday the 13th’s Notorious Arrow Scene
Kevin Bacon’s earliest claim to fame? A graphic arrow-through-the-throat demise in Friday the 13th. Albeit a short role, horror enthusiasts still remember it, and Bacon readily transitioned to greater things, proudly bearing his horror beginnings.
13. Sigourney Weaver – Alien’s Sci-Fi Horror Heroine
Broadway veteran Sigourney Weaver became a film icon with her portrayal of Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979), redefining the female action heroine. Her tour-de-force performance transformed a space-based horror into a landmark film, earning her a household name and icon status for generations.
12. Jamie Lee Curtis – The Ultimate Scream Queen
Jamie Lee Curtis set the standard for “final girls” with her breakout as Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978). She’s since balanced horror returns with comedies, dramas, and even an Oscar win, but she’ll always be horror royalty.
11. Tom Hanks – He Knows You’re Alone’s Creepy Beginning
Before becoming Hollywood’s favorite nice guy, Tom Hanks popped up in the 1980 slasher He Knows You’re Alone. It was a small role, but his natural charisma shone through, an early glimpse of his star power.
10. Drew Barrymore – From Firestarter to Scream
Drew Barrymore matured in front of cameras, appearing in Firestarter as a kid and later surprising viewers with her iconic Scream cameo. Two decades later, she remains a crowd favorite with a multi-genre career.
9. Johnny Depp – A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Bloody Bed Scene
Johnny Depp’s initial film appearance was as Glen in Nightmare on Elm Street. His disheveled death scene was the stuff of legend, catapulting him from horror novice to one of Hollywood’s most eclectic stars.
8. Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Troll’s Bizarre Beginning
Before Seinfeld and Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus starred in the strange 1986 fantasy-horror film Troll. Perhaps not Oscar-caliber, but it provided her with an early experience of life on set.
7. Patricia Arquette – Dream Warriors’ Breakout Role
Patricia Arquette stood out as Kristen Parker in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, going head-to-head with Freddy Krueger. She then transitioned into critically acclaimed dramatic performances, such as her Oscar-winning role in Boyhood.
6. Hilary Swank – Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Teen Comedy-Horror
Hilary Swank introduced herself to the big screen in the over-the-top Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). Just a few years later, she was starring in serious dramas and taking home two Oscars, proving how far a modest beginning will take.
5. Renée Zellweger & Matthew McConaughey – Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation
Before their Academy Awards victories, Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey appeared together in this anarchic Chainsaw sequel. The movie wasn’t a success, but it was an early indication of their unquestionable talent.
4. Jennifer Aniston – Leprechaun’s Campy Debut
Jennifer Aniston’s film debut came in the camp horror-comedy Leprechaun (1993). Although she went on to become a megastar with Friends, horror enthusiasts enjoy reminding her where it all started.
3. Charlize Theron – Children of the Corn III to Oscar Gold
Charlize Theron made her debut on the screen as an extra in Children of the Corn III. In a matter of a few years, she was acting in big-budget films and going on to win an Oscar for Monster.
2. Josh Hartnett – Halloween H20’s Breakout
Josh Hartnett broke in with Halloween H20 (1998), followed in short order by The Faculty. Since then, he’s had a career second act with Oppenheimer and more, but horror enthusiasts recall his scream-filled origins.
1. Elizabeth Olsen – Indie Horror Launchpad
Elizabeth Olsen’s breakthrough was with Silent House and Martha Marcy May Marlene, both Sundance successes. That performance’s haunting on-screen presence set the stage for her breakout as Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
From slashers to bizarre cult movies, these actors show that horror and independent films are more than stepping stones; they’re launchpads. Tinseltown’s biggest stars usually begin small, and sometimes all it takes is one scream (or one chainsaw) to launch a career.