10 TV Actors that Became Big Movie Stars

There are different paths to success in Hollywood. Sometimes people make it big with the first role they get on film, while others take a while to get recognition. A couple of celebrities took a different route and started their career through television. Luckily for some of them, it proved to be an effective launchpad to kick start their film careers.

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Michelle Williams

A lot of people may know Williams from her time in Dawson’s Creek as Jen Lindley.  This may have given her the exposure that launched her film career. While she starred in a handful of notable films, her breakout role would have to Brokeback Mountain and she was even nominated for an Oscar.

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Emily Van Camp

Van Camp starred in supporting roles in TV shows like Everwood and Brothers and Sisters. However, she finally managed to get a show of her own in ABC’s Revenge. That doesn’t seem to stop her from striving higher. She recently bagged the role of Captain America’s iconic love interest Sharon Carter. We can expect to see her in more Marvel films to come.

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James Franco

Franco first prominent role was in Judd Apatow’s short lived yet cult hit series Freaks and Geeks. While the show only lasted for one season, he managed to woo audiences in critics playing James Dean in the eponymous film.  His role as Harry Osborne boosted his popularity around the globe. He continues to stars in critically and commercially successful films.

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Jessica Alba

Alba first entered into everyone’s minds when she starred in the science-fiction show Dark Angel. She did star in some television show and film roles before that, but she was only widely recognized after starring in Dark Angel. Success soon followed her afterwards as she nabbed big roles in mainstream movies like Fantastic Four, Sin City, and Machete.

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Jennifer Aniston

Aniston already gained worldwide recognition for her role as Rachel Green in the popular television sitcom Friends. As the show was nearing its end, she managed to secure a successful film career specifically in the comedy genre. Her most recent film is We’re the Millers.

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Jennifer Garner

Many people know Garner as Sydney Bristow from the popular TV show Alias before she was a film star. During her time on the show, she managed to snag small roles in films like Pearl Harbor and Catch Me if You Can. She continued to star in films even after the show ended. Her most recent project was the critically acclaimed Dallas Buyers Club.

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Mila Kunis

Kunis started her television career young when she was 15 years old playing Jackie Burkhart in That 70’s Show. In 1999, she started voicing Meg Griffin in Family Guy and continues to do so. Her film career started to take off with Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She gained critical recognition for her role in Black Swan.

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Chris Hemsworth

The actor behind Thor was actually a star in an Australian soap opera called Home and Away. He played the role of Kim Hyde and appeared in a total of 171 episodes before he left the cast. It seemed to be a good decision since he had enough exposure to be cast as Thor in several Marvel films. Additionally, he starred in films like Rush and Cabin in the Woods.

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Shia Labeouf

Anyone who watched Disney growing up would always end up associating LaBeouf with his popular TV show Even Stevens. After the show ended, he starred in small roles in various films. He gained worldwide fame through his role in the Transformers franchise. His marketability as a leading man skyrocketed after that.

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Michael Cera

We know Cera from films like Juno, Superbad, Nick and Norah’s Playlist, and other films. However, he first rose to fame as George Michael Bluth in the award-winning series Arrested Development. The show might not have lasted long, but he can thank it for giving him a film career.

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