Spotting a superstar before they were famous is one of the best kinds of Easter eggs. It’s like stumbling on hidden treasure in a movie or TV rerun—you’re halfway through the scene before realizing, wait a second, that’s Brad Pitt selling potato chips?! From commercials to background roles, every A-lister had to start somewhere, and more often than not, it wasn’t glamorous. Let’s go back in time and rank 10 of the biggest surprise pre-fame performances—counting down in reverse, just for kicks.
10. Kristen Stewart’s Disney Channel Gigs and Early Commercials
Before Twilight propelled her to international stardom, Kristen Stewart was struggling like every other child actress. She appeared as a faceless extra in Disney Channel’s The Thirteenth Year and The Flintstones: Viva Rock Vegas. She also booked a Porsche commercial—evidence that even before Bella Swan, Stewart was making silent progress in the industry.
9. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bubble Yum Spot
It’s hard to picture Leo as anything but a serious Oscar contender, but rewind to his teenage years and you’ll find him rocking out in a Bubble Yum commercial, cheeks full of gum. He also popped up in soaps like Santa Barbara and sitcoms like Roseanne. From gum ads to The Revenant—that’s quite the glow-up.
8. Courteney Cox’s Bruce Springsteen Dance Break
Long before Friends and Scream, Courteney Cox landed one of the most emblematic music video moments of the ’80s. She was the “random” viewer Bruce Springsteen brought onto the stage in Dancing in the Dark. At age 20, that single dance step opened up Hollywood doors wide for her career.
7. Samuel L. Jackson’s Years as an Extra
Samuel L. Jackson wasn’t an overnight sensation—far from it. Back in the early ’80s, he was performing uncredited walk-ons for films such as Ragtime and The Exterminator. It took breaking through Spike Lee’s films to get him going, and by Pulp Fiction, he was unstoppable.
6. Benicio del Toro’s Madonna Video Cameo
Before he was an Oscar-winning scene-stealer, Benicio del Toro was just another face in Madonna’s La Isla Bonita video. Around the same time, he was landing blink-and-you ll-miss-itarts in Miami Vice. It’s a long way from background extra to Hollywood heavyweight.
5. Brad Pitt and the Pringles Commercial
Brad Pitt’s first screen appearance wasn’t in Legends of the Fall, of course—in fact, it was in a Pringles commercial, surfing in a Hawaiian surf shirt and munching on chips. Like many young actors of the late ’80s, he worked his way up in commercials before gradually transitioning to films.
4. Drew Barrymore’s Commercial Kid Years
Drew Barrymore has been in the limelight almost since the day she was born, but before E.T. turned her into an overnight sensation, she was smiling and introducing herself on McDonald’s and Pillsbury commercials. At age four, she was already displaying the charisma that would keep her going for decades in Hollywood.
3. Harrison Ford’s Long Stretch as an Unknown
Harrison Ford is today’s definition of an icon, but for close to 20 years, he was mired in small parts—sometimes even an uncredited background actor. George Lucas finally noticed him with American Graffiti, and the rest is history. Han Solo and Indiana Jones were born from that. This is the definitive patience-pays-off story.
2. Lady Gaga on The Sopranos
Yes, even Lady Gaga did a minuscule TV stint before world domination. She appeared as a high school student lounging by a pool in an episode of The Sopranos. It’s a flash-in-the-pan moment, but still something that fans enjoy bragging about as evidence that even celebrities begin humbly.
1. Daniel Craig Disguised as a Stormtrooper
Leading the pack is Daniel Craig, who secretly appeared as a Stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The twist? You never get a glimpse of his face—he’s helmeted throughout. Unless you caught the credits or knew the trivia, you’d never suspect James Bond was manning the First Order.
All careers start somewhere, and these quirky jobs are just a step along the way. From cameo walks through the park to minor roles on TV shows, today’s stars used to grab whatever acting work they could find. To fans, these early roles are amusing finds. To up-and-coming actors, they’re evidence that determination—and perhaps a bit of luck—can make a commercial or cameo shoot into an iconic career.