Hollywood’s Biggest Movie Stars’ TV Beginnings

TV is an amazing place right now – the output is more entertaining than not. Whereas cinema seems to be experiencing a bit of a dry spell. It seems like many big screen stars are going back to TV but there was a time when TV stars all wanted to make the transition to the big screen.

Here are some of Hollywood’s biggest stars who got their start on TV

George Clooney – we all know he was Dr Ross in ER for 6 years but one of his very first roles was as George in The Facts of Life (1985 – 87)

Oscar winner Sandra Bullock is currently starring alongside George Clooney in the highly anticipated Gravity. Long before this she was starring as Tess in the TV remake of the film Working Girl (1990).

Ryan Gosling got his start alongside Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in The Mickey Mouse Club

Before she was giving acceptance speeches and being the coolest girl in Hollywood, Jennifer Lawrence starred in The Bill Engvall Show, a comedy based on the life and work of her TV ‘father’, therapist, Bill Pearson

Mila Kunis was the youngest cast member when she starred alongside, her now boyfriend, Ashton Kutcher, in That 70s Show (1998 – 2006).

We all know that Michelle Williams starred alongside Katie Holmes in the popular 90s/early 00’s teen angst drama, Dawson’s Creek, but her very first TV appearance was on Baywatch!

Here’s Michelle and her mate Katie in Dawson’s Creek

Ryan Reynolds had featured in a few TV series before the popular 2 Guys, a Girl And a Pizza Place (1998 – 2001). However, this was the one that made film producers take notice and make the successful transition to the big screen.

Johnny Depp was the undercover cop that everyone wanted at their school in the popular 80s show, 21 Jump Street (this was turned into a film last, starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill). Many of today’s biggest stars guested starred on this show, including Brad Pitt!

And finally, everyone knows where Will Smith got his TV start – altogether now .. “Iiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnn …..”

About The Bellissimo Files

Hi, I’m Sarina Bellissimo and this is the place I come to indulge in my love of all things entertainment. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by all things Hollywood/showbiz. I blame my parents! As a child my mum used to force me to watch old Elvis Presley films with her, and both my mum & dad would take my brothers and I to the Drive-In to watch the latest films (this is where my love for ROCKY began!). When not watching movies, I was trying to figure out ways to pull the back off the TV so I could somehow get into it and be a part of all the action on the screen! This blog isn’t a place that revels in gossip and negativity. It’s a place where entertainment is celebrated. That said, this is a place you can turn to for honesty. Honesty and criticism don’t always mean attacks. I choose to criticise the piece of work but not the person and I acknowledge that just because I don’t like something, it doesn’t mean someone else won’t. Here you’ll find interviews with some of the biggest names in the world of Entertainment, reviews, breaking news and my very own musings. Away from The Bellissimo Files, you can find me on Spin 1038 on Saturdays, between 1pm and 3pm,presenting Plan B. There’s celebrity interviews, entertainment news, the low down on the must see movies and music releases of the week, the ultimate guide to what’s on where in the city, as well as masterclasses with experts on standby to answer listeners’ questions. I also appear on TV3’s “Elaine” panel, talk movies on “Ireland AM” and you can sometimes hear me filling in on Moncrieff’s “Movies and Booze “(Newstalk) The Bellissimo Files is constantly evolving. Files (topics) will be added or deleted as time goes on. Feel free to read, watch, comment, share, and make suggestions for what you would like to see on the site. Sarina

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