Watching 90s sitcoms is something that’s been quite interesting for me. The reason for this numbers more than one but one of these is that SO many currently or eventual popular stars that are now household names appeared in, mostly, one off guest roles. These in popular TV shows of the 90s and early 2000s. Let’s meet some of the actors we love today as actors before they were famous.
LIST | THE ALMOST OTPS WE FELL FOR THAT DIDN’T QUITE MAKE HAPPILY EVER AFTER
✨ACTORS IN ROLES BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS!⭐ A PART ONE LIST OF ACTORS PLAYING IN ROLES OR GUEST SPOTS BEFORE WE KNEW THEM AS HOUSEHOLD NAMES. #RYANREYNOLDS #MILESTELLER #OCTAVIASPENCER #SAMHEUGHAN #JESSICALBA #MAEWHITMAN #AUSTINBUTLER Click To TweetThis includes actors in 90s TV shows that millennials love, and feature films many grew up obsessing over too. Let’s meet who all of these characters are and see in what they played.
ACTORS BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS
JESSICA ALBA stars in NEVER BEEN KISSED
Before she starred in Dark Angel or other feature films, Alba plays in Never Been Kissed as a mean girl.
AUSTIN BUTLER appears in RUBY AND THE ROCKITS
We know him now as Elvis Presley from the Oscar buzzy film Elvis, but before this, Butler starred in shows like Ruby and the Rockits or Switched at Birth, and even the film Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure.
BRADLEY COOPER stars in THE LAST COWBOY
Before he became famous for roles like The Silver Linings Playbook or A Star is Born, Cooper starred in a Hallmark film called The Last Cowboy opposite Jennie Garth.
MERRIN DUNGEY appears in MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
EPISODE: Season One, Episode 6
Before she appeared in Alias as a main character, Merrin has a six episode appearance in Malcolm in the Middle playing the mother of Malcom’s best friend’s mother. She also had a forty-some episode run appearance, technically pre this show, on The King of Queens.
WILL ESTES appears in STEP BY STEP
EPISODE: Season Four, Episode 7
Before he becomes the loveable and likeable NYPD cop Jamie Raegan, Estes played, in an all too brief role, Al’s date for the night.
JENNIFER GARNER stars in ROSE HILL
Most households, depending on your style, know Garner as Jenna Rink in the 2004 comedy 13 Going on 30 or as Sydney Bristow (likely her “big” breakout) from the 2001 TV drama Alias. Before this though she stars as the stubborn Rose in the 1997 Hallmark Hall of Fame drama. actors before they were famous
THOMAS GIBSON appears in CAROLINE IN THE CITY
EPISODE: Season Two, Episode 6
Prior to being on Dharma and Greg, and finding success there, he guest stars in this 90s sitcom.
LAUREN GRAHAM appears in CAROLINE IN THE CITY
EPISODE: Season One, Episode 5
We know and love her as Lorelai Gilmore but Lauren also turns in a guest starring arc across a few episodes in the 90s sitcom with Lea Thompson.
SAM HEUGHAN stars in A PRINCESS FOR CHRISTMAS
In 2014, America came to know him as Jamie Fraser from Outlander. I however knew Sam as Ashton, a prince who falls for an awkward American girl. The film is an adorable Christmas movie from Hallmark (albeit one that’s a little production rough until we get to the interior castle beauty) and Sam plays a likeable leading man that I’ll rewatch many times before I’ll ever be likely to make it trough one viewing of Outlander.
RACHEL MCADAMS stars in MEAN GIRLS
Prior to playing Allie in The Notebook (a film that’s as equally loathed as it is loved), McAdams starred in Mean Girls which could possibly be considered her breakout role.
KATY MIXON appears in MY NAME IS EARL
Episode: Season Four
She became one of America’s favorite (I think?) TV mom’s in ABC’s American Housewife, but before this, she plays, in a memorable guest spot, one of Earl’s former lovers.
FRANKIE MUNIZ appears in SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH
EPISODE: Season Three, Episode 16
Before making his debut in his own TV show, Malcolm in the Middle, Frankie Muniz guests in the popular 90s show.
✨ACTORS IN ROLES BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS!⭐ A PART ONE LIST OF ACTORS PLAYING IN ROLES OR GUEST SPOTS BEFORE WE KNEW THEM AS HOUSEHOLD NAMES. #RYANREYNOLDS #MILESTELLER #OCTAVIASPENCER #SAMHEUGHAN #JESSICALBA #MAEWHITMAN #AUSTINBUTLER… Click To TweetTIMOTHY OLYPHANT appears in MY NAME IS EARL
EPISODE: season two, episode 20
Before starring opposite Jennifer Garner and eventually as the lead in Justified, Olyphant played in an episode of My Name is Earl and later, he also guests in the Samantha, Who? TV show. actors before they were famous
JOAQUIN PHOENIX stars in PARENTHOOD
Before he stepped into the role of Johnny Cash or any other number or roles, Phoenix stars as a teenager living in a house of women who bash men in this 80s dramedy.
KEANU REEVES stars in PARENTHOOD
Here’s the thing, Reeves is first credited as starring (in the same year) in Bill and Ted’s Excellent adventure, a film that is a cult classic. However, I’m still going to include him in this 1989 role because I think a: it’s probably underrated for him and a role that probably Step By Step’s Cody took cues from.
RYAN REYNOLDS stars in SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH (1996)
We know him in The Proposal or for some of us, Just Friends. Reynolds appears in the film (pre TV show) version of Sabrina the Teenage Witch alongside Melissa Joan Hart.
LINDSAY SLOANE appears in DHARMA AND GREG
Before going on to star in Sabrina the Teenage Witch as Valerie, Lindsay appears as a nuisance niece in a 1997 episode. The story is all about Dharma believing she can get through to the rebellious teenager, Jennifer, whom Sloane plays.
OCTAVIA SPENCER appears in MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
Before she went on to star in The Help or the more underrated feature Gifted, Spencer made guest appearances in shows like Malcolm in the Middle and Dharma and Greg.
CHANNING TATUM appears in CSI: MIAMI
EPISODE: Season Three, Episode 2
In what is essentially his first credited acting role (outside of music videos), Tatum appears as a guest star in the Miami version of CSI. It’s quite fun to see him appear after seeing him in Step Up, Dog, She’s the Man and any other number of roles.
MILES TELLER stars in FOOTLOOSE
Many are gushing over Teller for his role in the more recent Top Gun: Maverick, but before this, I knew him from the 2011 remake of Footloose. actors before they were famous
MAE WHITMAN stars in ONE FINE DAY
Before she appeared in TV shows like Good Girls and the current Up Here from Hulu, Mae had some big child star roles! This includes the George Clooney comedy One Fine Day or Hope Floats, and also the Hallmark drama A Season for Miracles.
SHAILENE WOODLEY stars in AN AMERICAN GIRL ADVENTURE
Before starring in the 2008 TV show, The Secret Life of an American Teenager, and now in bigger roles (like The Fault in Our Stars) on popular shows, Woodley played beloved American Girl character Felicity Merriman. She also stars alongside Ann-Margaret in the Hallmark flick A Place Called Home.
Have you seen any of these? Does it make you excited to see any of these shows because of the actors? Would you go back and watch any to see them? Comment all the comments. Let’s talk.
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It’s funny, I think the first thing I ever saw Timothy Olyphant in was The Crazies. I don’t even know what Justified is lol
I love seeing what break out roles actors had or whatever small things they were in before they were “big”.
I love finding stars I “know” as more a household name now pop up in some random show or appear somewhere I never expect. It’s so fun. Justified is one of those “tough” crime dramas that aired on FX (I think) following a Marshall who returns to his hometown and in addition to working his job as a U.S. Marshall, he also has to deal with the local bad guys, some of whom he grew up with. It’s also about to have a revival show with new characters but Olyphant will reprise his role. It’s good but more violent/darker than something like NCIS or Blue Bloods.
This is such a fun post! I really enjoyed it :-D
This was fun to put together! I have more names but thought this was plenty long enough so I’ll have to publish it later. :)