You might not have guessed it, but Adam Sandler's first on-screen role was in 1987 on 'The Cosby Show' as Smitty, a role he played for four episodes. His first film was 'Going Overboard,' about a struggling comedian, but had his big breakthrough with 'Airheads' in 1994.
See also: Brendan Fraser's rise, fall, and triumphant return
Known for his starring role in 'The Green Hornet,' Chou's first full-length credit was in the 2005 film 'Initial D.'
A defining Hollywood star since the late 90s, Denzel Washington first appeared in a flashback during the TV movie 'Wilma' (1977) about the track star Wilma Rudolph. Washington's first film role was starring as the illegitimate son of a white man in ‘Carbon Copy' (1981).
Back in 1984, a 21-year-old Johnny Depp starred as Glen Lantz in the original ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street.’ It was the first screen appearance for Depp, who would become wildly famous just six years later for his role in 'Cry-baby.'
One of the biggest stars of the past 20 years (in the picture, hugging her father) got her first role in a movie back in 1982, with her dad, Jon Voight. The film is about two gamblers escaping New York.
The world-famous actor who left us too soon got his start on a family comedy called 'Ship to Shore' in 1993. He then played the character Snowy Bowles on the Australian TV show 'Sweat' in 1996. The year 1999 was a breakthrough one for Ledger, when he starred in '10 Things I Hate About You' and 'Two Hands,' his first movies.
Possibly the most consistently celebrated actor in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio (left) was 5 years old when he got his first TV credit in the children's show ‘Romper Room and Friends’ in 1979. Following a few appearances on TV, DiCaprio landed a small role on ‘Critters 3’ (1991), about fur-ball aliens in Los Angeles.
The legendary actor—with over 1290 credits to his name—got his start in 1969 on one episode of ‘New York Television Theatre.' His first film was in a small role about the last farm in Manhattan called ‘Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!’ (1971).
The charismatic crime actor first appeared in an episode of 'Shell Game' in 1987 about a conning couple. After voicing a dog-faced boy in a Pee-Wee Herman movie, Del Toro played a minor James Bond villain in ‘Licence to Kill’ (1989).
Forever the femme fatale, Penélope Cruz's first appearance was in an episode of a 1990 Spanish sci-fi children's TV show, ‘Los mundos de Yupi.’ In 1992, Cruz starred in her first feature film, Spain's ‘Jamón, Jamón.’ She played a lower-class woman dating an executive, whose family disapproved of her.
Now best-known for starring in 'Nightcrawler', Jake Gyllenhaal got his start in 1991 playing a minor character in the Billy Crystal comedy ‘City Slickers.'
Once the king of comedy, Eddie Murphy's first film was the crime film ‘48 Hrs.’ where he stars as a criminal who teams up with a cop to find a killer. His second film was the major hit and classic comedy ‘Trading Places’ with Dan Aykroyd.
Joaquin Phoenix's first on-screen appearance was in the 1982 TV show 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,’ based on the classic musical. In the midst of his lengthy TV career, he did his first movie in 1986 called 'SpaceCamp,' about children accidentally being sent to space.
The 'That '70s Show' and 'Black Swan' star Mila Kunis' first on-screen credit was in an episode of the soap opera ‘Days of Our Lives.' In 1995 she got a small role in the horror movie ‘Piranha.'
Ben Stiller's first-ever role was in the 1987 TV show 'Kate & Allie,’ about two divorced women raising kids. Stiller then got a regularly recurring role on 'Saturday Night Live.' His first film was in the John Cusack rom-com 'Hot Pursuit' (1987).
The star of 'Her' and 'Lost in Translation' got her start when she was just 10 years old in a movie starring Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, and Jason Alexander, about a kid traveling the world, searching for new parents.
Geoffrey Rush made his appearance on screen in a 1980, one-season TV show called 'Menotti.' Rush made a number of appearances in small roles in both film and television, before landing his first film role in 'Dad and Dave: On Our Selection,' about an Australian bushman running against corrupt politicians in an election.
An eight-year-old Kirsten Dunst got her first film role in the Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis film 'The Bonfire of the Vanities,' in 1990. The movie follows a Wall Street big shot as he loses his life of luxury after his mistress kills a teen in a car accident. After that, in 1994, she famously starred in 'Interview with the Vampire.' Her scene partner was none other than Brad Pitt.
One of the all-time greats, Anthony Hopkins got his first role as a character in two episodes of a 1960s TV show called ‘A Matter of Degree.' Hopkins' first film role was a small part in the morbid British movie 'The White Bus' (1967).
Willem Dafoe (right) has been in over 100 movies, but his first was starring in the Swedish film 'The Loveless' (1981), about a motorcycle gang in a small town.
Cate Blanchett's first film appearance was as a cheerleader in the 1990 movie 'Kaboria.' Blanchett was in a number of Australian TV shows during the 1990s, including 'Police Rescue,' 'Heartland,' and 'Bordertown.' Blanchett also starred in 'Parklands' (1996), 'Oscar and Lucinda' (1997) and 'Elizabeth' (1998), solidifying her as a Hollywood star.
The former king of Hollywood's first movie was ‘Endless Love’ (1981), where he played a small role in the film about forbidden teenage love.
"Pretty Woman" got her start in 1987, playing the role of Tracy in one episode of the Chicago TV show ‘Crime Story.’ In 1988, she got her first film credit in 'Satisfaction,' a movie about a teenage band on tour. That same year, she starred in 'Mystic Pizza' (pictured).
Natalie Portman was 13 when she acted and starred in her first film, 'Léon: The Professional' (1994), as a girl adopted by an assassin.
While some of them took years to rise through the ranks of small TV and film roles, others were given a starring role right off the bat.
Here are the first credits of all your favorite actors before they made it big.
Famous actors' first films and TV appearances
Where did they get their start?
MOVIES Debut
Everyone has to start somewhere, and that goes for the biggest stars in the world too.
While some of them took years to rise through the ranks of small TV and film roles, others were given a starring role right off the bat.
Here are the first credits of all your favorite actors before they made it big.