Film|People In Film

30 Famous & Successful Actors Who Started As Extras

Matthew Cole Weiss
Updated July 11, 2024 130.8K views 30 items

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Voting Rules

Vote up the actors with the most surprising roles as extras.

Famous actors as film extras? It sounds wild, but you better believe it. Not every movie star was simply discovered sitting at a diner or at the first big audition they ever had. In fact, some of the biggest celebrities around got their start like every other struggling actor in Hollywood - as an extra! Occasionally they'd get a line or two, but most of the time they stood in the background trying to be spotted, just wanting to make a few bucks and get their foot in the door of the film business.

For every extra who became successful actors, there are probably about 10,000 who didn't. But this group of background actors went on to not only become celebrities, but they became some of the most powerful and richest actors and actresses to ever hit Hollywood.

Though you may have to squint to actually see some of them, they're there! They're much younger, but they're there. Which is the most recognizable? Which famous actor's early bit part is the most jaw dropping? And which Hollywood celebs got their start in terrible horror movies? Read on to find out!