Everybody knows that, in most cases, it takes a lot of effort to accomplish the things we want to achieve. Whether it’s fulfilling a dream, traveling to a place you’ve always wanted to go to, or graduating from a career, it all takes planning, effort, and patience. The same goes for the entertainment industry, where actors, singers, and all sorts of artists must work hard for a long time to become a household name. In some cases, they succeed through perseverance and findsuccess later in life, like Samuel L. Jackson, who played minor roles for more than 25 years before landing his breakthrough role of Jules Winnfield in the 1994 filmPulp Fiction.
Many actors pursue stardom froman early age, while others discover their passion for acting as adults, such as Nicole Kidman, who had acompletely different careeras a masseuse before she became an actress, or Danny DeVito, who worked in his sister’s hairdresser’s salon. For those with connections in the industry, or who come from a family of famous actors andfollow in their parents' footsteps, there is certainly an initial boost that often helps them on their way to the top. Yet, there is a small group of artists whose beginnings were entirely different, as they were discovered by chance, in completely serendipitous and unforeseen ways. Whether it was through a fight, intercepted on the streets, or in the midst of a discussion with a bank representative, many actors got their first break because they were in the right place at the right time. This may have been luck, or the work of fate, but there’s no doubt that these actors have some interesting stories to share about their beginnings. Let’s review eight of them.
8Ellen Pompeo
For nearly two decades,Ellen Pompeohas been recognized worldwide for her role as Dr. Meredith Grey in the medical drama television seriesGrey’s Anatomy. However, this may never have happened. By the mid-90s, Pompeo was working as a bartender at a New York bar when a client, who happened to be a casting agent, persuaded her to attend an audition. At first, Pompeo thought he was just flirting with her, but that wasn’t the case: soon after, she started working in commercials and went on to land some minor roles in TV series, such asFriendsandLaw & Order.
Related:8 Actors Who Played Characters Beyond Their Age Range
7Mel Gibson
When cast auditions for George Miller’sMad Maxbegan,Mel Gibsonhad no intention of auditioning, but his friend Steve Bisley did, and he asked him for a lift. The night before auditions, Gibson got into a bar fight, which left him completely bruised in the face. Unexpectedly, his battered look at the audition drew the director’s attention, as Miller thought he might be a good fit as an extra, so he asked him to go back in a few weeks. By the time they met again, Gibson had already recovered, and instead of being hired as an extra, he was offered to lead the film.
6Charlize Theron
Charlize Theronused to be a model and dancer before turning to acting. In fact, she would have never dabbled in this discipline had it not been for a knee injury that put her off dancing. Living in Los Angeles, Theron struggled to make ends meet and lived off her mother’s money while trying to make a name for herself in the film industry. One day, perVogue, she went to cash one of her checks at the bank, and when it bounced, she got into an argument with the teller. Little did she know that John Crosby, a talent agent who would later become her manager, was there and offered to help her start her career. He also managed to get her her first role inChildren of the Corn III: Urban Harvest.
5Danny Trejo
Danny Trejohas worked in a number of productions, from theSpy Kidsfranchise to dramas such asBlood In Blood OutandHeat. However, Trejo’s start in acting was almost serendipitous. In the mid-80s, after his release from prison and his recovery from a drug addiction, Trejo started working as a counselor for young people with drug problems, and one of his clients, a young actor, asked him to join him on the set ofRunaway Trainfor support. Little did Trejo know that there he would end up landing his first job in the industry as an extra, launching him on a new career path.
4Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrenceis one of the highest paid actresses of recent times. However, like every actor on this list, her break into the industry happened purely by chance. At the age of 14, perMTV, Lawrence traveled to New York with her parents and, as they were walking around the city, a talent scout came up to them and asked for permission to take a picture of her and to save her mother’s phone number. Shortly after, the teen landed her first roles, initially in commercials and subsequently in movies and TV shows such asMonkandGarden Party.
Related:8 Times Actors Played Against Type
3Harrison Ford
The story behindHarrison Ford’s rise to prominence as Han Solo is truly impressive. Back then, Ford was still struggling to make it in the industry, and supported his family by working as a carpenter. After repairing a few things at George Lucas' house, he was offered a minor role in the director’s filmAmerican Graffiti. A few years later, Lucas hired him again, this time to read lines for actors auditioning forStar Wars. Of course, it was Harrison himself who eventually caught the director’s attention, landing him the most important role of his career: Han Solo.
2Johnny Depp
Johnny Deppwas planning to devote himself to music, were it not for the fact that his band ended up splitting in the 80s. By 1984, he made a momentous decision that would end up turning his life around: he accompanied a friend to audition for Wes Craven’sA Nightmare On Elm Streetand, instead of his friend, it was Depp who caught the director’s eye. That is how Depp got his first role as Glen Lantz, and six years later, he would land one of the biggest roles of his career:Edward Scissorhands.
1Natalie Portman
The star of productions such asBlack SwanandV for Vendettadid not plan to pursue acting either. However, when she was still a child, and while she was having pizza at a New York restaurant, a Revlon representative approached her and offered her a gig as a model.Natalie Portmanaccepted the offer, and for some time she worked as a model, before eventually getting bored and deciding to devote herself to acting. Soon after, she would make her film debut big time, co-starring inLéon: The Professionalalongside Jean Reno and Gary Oldman.
