Top 20 Exact Moments That Launched an Actor's Career

As an up-and-coming actress at the time, Julia Roberts had already delivered winning performances in “Steel Magnolias” and “Mystic Pizza.” But it wasn’t until this now-classic rom-com that Roberts truly shined. As struggling sex worker Vivian Ward, she garnered praise for her charming, down-to-earth performance, chemistry with Richard Gere, and killer line delivery. This is shown in the iconic scene where Vivian is rejected by snobbish saleswomen. They get the comeuppance when Vivian returns to the shop in an elegant dress and flush with cash. Ironically, Roberts was far from the first choice for the role, with many other actresses considered. It would have been a big mistake, all right. Huge!

This feminist classic is known for the spectacular performances of Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as two friends on the run for shooting a man who attempted to assault one of them. The great performances don’t stop there. A young Brad Pitt shows up here as the charming J.D., with whom Thelma has a much-needed fling. J.D.’s charm has a dark side, which the two friends discover when he steals Louise’s savings. His complete seduction of Thelma shows Pitt’s onscreen charisma, defining him as a sex symbol for a generation.

Before Harley Quinn and the cultural juggernaut of “Barbie,” Margot Robbie was a young up-and-coming actress starring in Martin Scorsese’s crime drama. Playing the second wife of the criminally debauched Jordan Belfort may have been a thankless, throwaway role for any other actress. But Robbie imbues Naomi with warmth, elegance, and shrewdness, as she shows in her response to Belfort’s advances. Amid a sausage convention of Wall Street bankers, Robbie never gets lost in the film, leading Belfort into an arrangement on her terms. It’s a brief but eye-catching performance that foreshadows Robbie’s future triumphs as more than a blonde bombshell.

This critically acclaimed biopic contains a slew of excellent performances. One newbie actor (at the time), delivers a great performance playing Mark Zuckerberg’s early Facebook investor, Eduardo Saverin. Despite Saverin’s early involvement, however, he sees his percentage of shares in the company shrink due to a new investment deal, with Zuckerberg and the other owners’ shares left intact. Garfield deftly portrays Saverin’s shock, hurt, grief, and rage at the betrayal. This film-stealing scene put Garfield on the map as a promising young actor. His later turn as Spider-Man made him skyrocket into fame, but this early role in the David Fincher film truly shows his talents.

Although Curtis had starred in TV before, this award-winning actress’s film debut was in John Carpenter’s slasher classic, “Halloween.” As Laurie, one of Michael Myers’ stalking victims, Curtis stands out in her terror and her quick thinking, even stabbing Myers in the neck with a needle. When Myers continues the chase, Laurie turns a wire hanger into a weapon, stabbing Myers with his own knife. Smart writing and directing, to be sure, but Curtis’ acting gives the scenes their verisimilitude. Curtis would go on as a major star in various roles, from “Freaky Friday” to “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

This Academy Award-winning film by director Barry Jenkins also showcased the talents of Mahershala Ali. Before “Moonlight,” Ali had starred in supporting roles in film and TV, notably “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Hunger Games” franchise, and even “House of Cards.” His turn as a drug dealer in this 2016 coming-of-age drama really brought him worldwide acclaim. Ali’s Juan proves a father figure to a lost and mistreated Chiron. One of the most artistic scenes in the movie is Juan teaching Chiron how to swim, cradling his head above water. It is a powerful scene rife with symbolism, showcasing Ali’s naturalistic acting.

It’s hard to recall a time when Alan Rickman wasn’t the legendary actor. Before his iconic roles in “Harry Potter,” “Love Actually,” and countless other films, he was the villainous Hans Gruber. Rickman’s sophisticated, classically-educated Hans is as chilling as he is charismatic. In this scene, he elegantly explains Mr. Takagi’s shuffling off the mortal coil. Rickman is not the only breakout actor with a fantastic performance; Bruce Willis’ John McClane was also praised for balancing aggression with vulnerability, a breakout role that revitalized his career. Still, critics at the time were immediately taken with Rickman’s Shakespearean gravitas, and the rest is cinema history.

This now-acclaimed actress’ first role was a big one. In this 2013 memoir-turned-biopic, she plays Patsey, a slave who suffers at the sadist hands of plantation owner, Edwin Epps. When she tries to escape the plantation to get soap to clean herself with, Epps forces Northup to whip Patsey. Nyong’o’s pleas, despair, and defiance of her masters, as well as her beating, is nothing less than heart-wrenching. Her performance in this minor role proved so searing, that it made Nyong’o a star virtually overnight. Nyong’o has since gone on to Broadway and other film projects, most notably the blockbuster “Black Panther.” From a slave wanting soap to Wakanda is a great climb.

Musical films are always hard to pull off successfully. Hollywood’s tendency to cast actors with less-than-stellar voices doesn’t help matters either. Jennifer Hudson’s powerhouse vocals in this film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical secured her fame for good. This “American Idol” contestant plays Effie White, lead singer of The Dreamettes, and her defiance as her manager tries to replace her with a slimmer, more conventionally-voiced lead. Her song, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” is a show-stopping number in both the Broadway musical and the film. Effie’s cri de coeur from an artist in the face of industry chicanery. Hudson later made her Broadway debut in “The Color Purple,” among other successes.

Before Leonardo DiCaprio stole our hearts away in “Titanic” and “Romeo + Juliet,” he began as young Arnie from “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” In this 1993 drama, DiCaprio stars as the autistic younger brother of Gilbert, played by Johnny Depp. In the most gut-wrenching scene, Arnie finds his mother and slowly realizes she isn’t asleep. To prepare for the role, DiCaprio studied the movements of other youths with similar conditions. His realistic acting earned the 19-year-old an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, an obvious prelude to his later successes.

American treasure Tom Hanks wasn’t always as well-known. His breakout role in the Penny Marshall film “Big” gave him wide and early acclaim and set him up for even more spectacular roles in the future. Hanks’ down-to-earth charm and charisma as Josh, a teen magically stuck in an adult’s body, is best shown in this musical scene. Hanks plays Frank Loesser’s “Heart and Soul” and “Chopsticks” on the walking piano alongside Mr. MacMillan. Hanks’ portrayal of childlike innocence and joie de vivre is utterly convincing. Hanks later became a powerhouse of an actor, starring in diverse roles throughout the years, including award-winning films such as “Forrest Gump” and “Saving Private Ryan.” He is indeed the “Heart and Soul” of American cinema.

This one film was the breeding ground for many great talents, including Ben Affleck and Robin Williams. It served as a breakout film for one actor in particular, in more ways than one. Matt Damon not only starred as young and troubled Will Hunting, but wrote the script himself. Later, he teamed up with Ben Affleck to refashion the script into the movie it is today. Damon’s acting and writing chops are on display here as Will tells off a pretentious huckster for his weather vane, unoriginal opinions on economics. Damon’s line delivery is both naturalistic and razor-sharp, talents he would put to great use in later projects.

Many actors gave terrific performances in this critically acclaimed 2008 drama, with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Meryl Streep as highlights. Even among these heavyweight performers, relative newcomer Viola Davis holds her own as the pragmatic mother, Mrs. Miller. Sister Aloysius speaks with Mrs. Miller about the relationship between Father Flynn and her son, Donald. Davis’ acting as Mrs. Miller tries to dismiss the accusation before tearfully making a confession. Davis expresses the complexity of Mrs. Miller’s attitude towards her son’s sexuality, her real-life pragmatism contrasting sharply with Steep’s rule-abiding nun. Davis’ acting in this scene no doubt launched her career and earned her her first Academy Award.

Han shot first. We all know that, or at least we should. Before he was everyone’s favorite smuggler, Harrison Ford had starred in supporting roles before George Lucas tapped him to assist in auditions by reading Han’s lines. George Lucas was in fact reluctant to cast Ford in the role, but was eventually won over when none of the other contenders proved convincing. Ford’s rightness for the part is exemplified in this famous scene when Jabba the Hutt's henchman Greedo confronts Han over a debt. Ford’s rakish charisma and quick draw made him millions of fans. Harrison Ford would go on to play other iconic roles, including Indiana Jones, but Han Solo is definitely a role for a lifetime.

The world definitely owes much to Queen Elizabeth I of England, whose reign has had a tremendous impact on the modern world. Among Elizabeth’s achievements, though, is Cate Blanchett’s career. Blanchett rose to fame in this ‘90s biopic, based on the early years of the Virgin Queen’s reign. Blanchett embodies the real-life Elizabeth’s determination to retain her power in a man’s world eager to rid her of it. As her favorite Robert Dudley defends his marriage and professes his love for her, Elizabeth is quick to remind him of the pecking order. Blanchett’s aristocratic command and strength of spirit established her as a formidable actor, and her later roles in “Lord of the Rings,” “Blue Jasmine,” and countless other roles.

This film was risky business for Tom Cruise, but it would prove to be a sure bet for an action-packed acting career. In this scene, Cruise plays high school student Joel Goodsen, who decides to have some “Old Time Rock and Roll” fun when his parents leave on a trip. Apart from being super relatable, Cruise’s convincingly ordinary and uninhibited dance moves sell the scene completely. His overall performance as a privileged suburban kid in over his head was praised by critics and audiences alike. To think, Cruise beat out Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, and Kevin Bacon for the role.

You would think playing a sociopath would be the stuff of dreams for heavyweight actors with tons of experience under their belts. While Christian Bale has been acting since 13, he wasn’t initially interested in this film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ satirical novel, which he never read. favorites like Leonardo DiCaprio and Oliver Stone didn’t pan out. So, the role went to Bale, who imbues investment banker/serial killer Patrick Bateman with giddy, energetic evil. In this scene, he cheerfully explains the history of the song “Hip to Be Square” by Huey Lewis and the News to his hapless victim, played by Jared Leto. This dark comic role would foreshadow his Batman, as well as similarly black comedies like “American Hustle.”

Streisand had already had a couple of hits under her belt before she proved her stage talents in the Broadway musical “Funny Girl.” Her stage performance was so lauded that she reprised her role in this film, to undoubtedly star-turning success. One of her iconic songs, the big band “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” shows her stunning range and chutzpah as Fanny Brice is determined to marry Nick Arnstein. Streisand handles Bob Merrill’s witty, sophisticated lyrics and Jule Styne’s demanding score with ease. Streisand would go on to star in other musicals, both on stage and in film, but this debut proved so iconic it won her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Nobody dared rain on this actress’ parade.

Summing up Meryl Streep’s varied filmography and her versatile greatness is an impossible task. Although “Kramer vs. Kramer” didn’t bring her Oscar nomination – that would be 1978’s “The Deer Hunter” – it would mark a significant turning point. Here, Streep plays the second Kramer opposite Dustin Hoffman as her husband, both of them struggling to keep things civil in an increasingly acrimonious custody battle. Streep plays a tearing, red-faced Joanna, being verbally beaten by the prosecutor into admitting she was a failure as a parent. Streep’s anger and vulnerability shine through, and when Hoffman himself shakes his head, her answering nod is devastating. Streep’s ability to imbue her role with humanity and sympathy justifies her status as an A-list artist par excellence.

A performance so iconic it has been the subject of countless parodies, Marlon Brando’s turn as Stanley Kowalski made him a major Hollywood star overnight. Brando originated the role on Broadway and was called to reprise his role for the film adaptation, along with Kim Hunter as his wife Stella. Brando’s physical portrayal of the boorish Stanley is exemplified in this scene, where he drunkenly calls out his wife’s name. When Stella descends and embraces him, he exudes passion and vulnerability. Brando’s dramatic chops would serve him well in embodying other iconic characters, such as the titular Godfather and Colonel Kurtz in “Apocalypse Now.” From crying over Stella to making offers no one can refuse - now that’s a leap.

What other indelible moments from an actor’s breakout role do you feel proved their star status? Let us know in the comments down below!