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30 Famous Actresses' Very First Film Appearances

Brie Larson is possibly the most unrecognisable - by Jonah Waterhouse
  • 24 Nov 2020
30 Famous Actresses' Very First Film Appearances

Before famous actresses become household names, many of them have very humble beginnings—and often, are almost impossible to recognise in their first theatrical roles.

For example, did you know Marilyn Monroe had brunette hair in her very first on-screen appearance? And that Meryl Streep played Jane Fonda's daughter in her very first film (even before Kramer vs. Kramer)?

Some actresses' first roles ended up becoming their signature performances, like Lupita Nyong'o and Jennifer Hudson, who both won Oscars for their debut performances in 12 Years A Slave and Dreamgirls, respectively.

Other famous women in Hollywood started off their careers in independent productions. On September 20, 2019, Michelle Pfeiffer took to Instagram to remind her followers that her first role wasn't in Scarface or Grease 2, but was actually in a little-known indie film, 1980's Falling in Love Again.

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For a fun, surprising and occasionally confusing trip down memory lane, scroll down to see 30 major Hollywood actresses in their very first films.

elle

Marilyn Monroe in Dangerous Years (1947)

hepburn

Audrey Hepburn in Dutch in Seven Lessons (1948)

news

Grace Kelly in Fourteen Hours (1951)

news

Jane Fonda in Tall Story (1960)

actresses first film appearances

Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins (1964)

actresses first film appearances

Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl (1968)

actresses first film appearances

Jessica Lange in King Kong (1976)

actresses first film appearances

Meryl Streep in Julia (1977)

actresses first film appearances

Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween (1978)

actresses first film appearances

Michelle Pfeiffer in Falling in Love Again (1980)

actresses first film appearances

Nicole Kidman in BMX Bandits (1983)

actresses first film appearances

Cher in Silkwood (1983)

actresses first film appearances

Sarah Jessica Parker in Footloose (1984)

actresses first film appearances

Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple (1985)

actresses first film appearances

Julia Roberts in Mystic Pizza (1988)

actresses first film appearances

Halle Berry in Jungle Fever (1991)

Toni Collette in Muriel's Wedding (1994)

Cameron Diaz in The Mask (1994)

toni

Toni Collette in Muriel's Wedding (1994)

Amy Adams in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

Natalie Portman in Léon: The Professional (1994)

cate

Cate Blanchett in Parklands (1996)

Amy Adams in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

Amy Adams in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

actresses first film appearances

Katie Holmes in The Ice Storm (1997)

actresses first film appearances

Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries (2001)

actresses first film appearances

Brie Larson in Suddenly 30 (2004)

actresses first film appearances

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex in A Lot Like Love (2005)

actresses first film appearances

Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls (2006)

actresses first film appearances

Emma Stone in Superbad (2007)

actresses first film appearances

Zoë Kravitz in No Reservations (2007)

actresses first film appearances

Jennifer Lawrence in The Poker House (2008)

actresses first film appearances

Lupita Nyong'o in 12 Years A Slave (2013)

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