Top 10 Celebs Who Appeared in Commercials Before They Were Famous
#10: Leonardo DiCaprio Bubble Yum
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He’s become one of the world’s most recognizable faces in the film industry. He made a big splash in “Titanic”, and melted our brains in “Inception”. Some fans will bring up his early work on “Growing Pains” as something people have forgotten. But even before that, DiCaprio could be found in commercials for Apple Jacks, Matchbox cars, and even Bubble Yum gum. For the latter, it’s fun to see DiCaprio pitching a bubble gum that “never blows out”. As young as he is in those spots, between the blonde hair and recognizable voice, you can tell he had a career coming for him.
#9: Bruce Willis Seagrams Wine Coolers
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Say the name Bruce Willis now and you immediately think of John McClane or countless other action heroes the actor has played over the years. Yet there was a time when Willis was mainly known for his comedy chops on TV’s “Moonlighting” back in the 1980s. When the show was at the top of its game, Willis did a series of commercials for Seagram advertising their Golden Wine Cooler beverages. Willis even sings a jingle about the drink. Even more surprising is how catchy the little tune is.
#8: Anne Hathaway Better Homes and Gardens
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Long before the days of “The Devil Wears Prada”, Anne Hathaway got her first on-screen acting gig in a commercial for Better Homes and Gardens. In it, she plays a distraught teenager whose boyfriend is moving away. They both think they’ll have the summer together as homes take forever to sell, until the sign goes up and they see who’s selling it. The horror-esque music is a little cheesy, but as Hathaway puts it [“That paid for my first year of college”]. Not only did it help with her time in university, it paved the way for a massively successful acting career. Thanks BH & G.
#7: Amy Adams Commercial Federal Bank
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During an appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”, Amy Adams watched her first on-screen appearance in a bank commercial. A parody of the film “Grease”, it features Adams singing a jingle very reminiscent of the “Summer Lovin’” song from the original movie. Given her repertoire of musicals she’s appeared in, it’s not surprising that her debut on the small-screen would have a harmonious twist to it. Who would have thought that Lois Lane herself would be singing about checking accounts and free swag from a bank.
#6: Jeremy Renner Kodak
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When Jeremy Renner suited up as Hawkeye for the first “Thor” movie, he had his targets set on an alien from Asgard. This wasn’t however Renner’s first encounter with aliens. For that, we have to rewind the clock back to the mid-1990s. Renner appears as a young man getting his film developed and discovers a UFO in the background of one of his pictures. This turns into a wild adventure as he evades the men in black with help from his alien friends. It’s just one of many commercials he appeared in at the turn of the century - advertising beer and even batteries. Renner certainly paid his dues.
#5: Keanu Reeves Coca-Cola
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After an actor has made it big, seeing them in commercials is more of a novelty than anything. Keanu Reeves has done a handful of commercials recently for Squarespace. Yet if you do a cursory view of his other IMDB works, you’ll find a collection of old commercials you may have forgotten about. One of his first sees him as a competitive cyclist trying to win the big race, and being rewarded with a nice cold Coke. It’s interesting to see his early beginnings, and even more entertaining to hear him tell James Corden all about how it came together.
#4: Matt LeBlanc Cherry 7-Up
At a time long before he was asking anyone how they’re doing, Matt LeBlanc appeared in a handful of commercials. Just like his “Friends” character Joey, his early acting work consisted of ads and bit parts. One notable advertisement sees him buying a six-pack of Cherry 7-Up, and channelling his early Joey to meet up with the cashier. He also brought a billboard Coke to life, apologized to a pre-rock Alanis Morisette in a music video, and was the guy who dripped Heinz Ketchup on his hotdog from 30 feet away.
#3: Mila Kunis Lisa Frank
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She played Jackie Burkhart on “That 70s Show”, and we’ve heard her voice on “Family Guy” for years. She even had a moment with her husband on “The Bachelorette”. Before all the glamor and glitz of Hollywood however, Mila was one of the faces of Lisa Frank. She could be seen in their catalogs, website, but most notably one of their commercials. In the ad, a 13 year old Kunis appears in the most 90s shop ever. Her voice is instantly recognizable and for a split second, you’ll wonder if Jackie is trying to sell you stickers.
#2: Steve Carell Brown's Chicken
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Much like his “Bruce Almighty” co-star Jim Carrey, Carell started out in comedy, but showed the world his range with various successful dramatic roles. Yet with as much success as he’s seen, it all had to start somewhere. In 1989, Carell found himself in a commercial for Brown’s Chicken. We see him finishing the letters on a sign as he tells the viewer about their cholesterol free cooking. As the letters blow away, the only thing left is the word “FREE”, prompting a crowd to rush the restaurant. Maybe his old friend Bruce can help? Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Stanley Tucci, Levi's Talk to the Hand Sharon Stone, Finesse Shampoo Washing the World’s Biggest 80’s Hair Tobey Maguire, Twister Juice Please Don’t Add Broccoli Mark Hamill, Kodak No Show of Force For These Photos Jack Black, “Pitfall!” Looks an Awful Lot Like His Jumanji Character
#1: Paul Rudd Nintendo
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Why does it not seem so surprising to see someone like Paul Rudd being used to sell video games? After all, we watched him and Seth Rogen insult each other while playing games in the movie “The 40-Year-Old-Virgin”. Still though, when we go back in time, it is a bit odd to watch a very young Rudd get so excited to play on the Super Nintendo. He doesn’t speak a word, but does slam his cartridge into the console, and frantically tries to control whatever he’s seeing on that big screen. We love the nostalgia, but we’re certainly glad he changed his haircut.
