12 Actors With No Experience Who Got Their Big Break by Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

Sometimes, life can shape your future in a way that you could’ve never imagined. That’s why it is said that you should always seize every opportunity when they appear. For some celebrities, acting came by surprise, and it made them the biggest movie stars in Hollywood. They just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and we are glad they did.

We at Bright Side made a selection of 12 celebrities who landed life-changing roles with no intentions or, at least, experience in acting. Keep scrolling to find out about it.

1. Channing Tatum

Actor Channing Tatum first appeared in front of a camera professionally as a fashion model, but he got spotted by an agent when he was walking in the streets of Miami. He starred in music videos, a few television commercials before he begins his acting career in 2004, with a small role in CSI: Miami.

2. Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence started modeling when she was just a teenager, thanks to a talent agent who spotted her when she was vacationing in The Big Apple. The little girl was discovered when she was only 12 years old, modeling before making her acting debut and becoming Hollywood’s favorite It Girl.

3. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman started modeling at a young age after she was approached by a scout for Revlon. She was only 9 years old back then, eating pizza with her parents. After some short time, she began to look for a childhood career in Hollywood. She knew that she wanted to act and landed for her first role in 1994.

4. Sarah Michelle Gellar

Our beloved Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer started her career in acting when she was a child. She was invited to audition for the movie An Invasion of Privacy after she was spotted by an agent at the age of four. She was actually eating at a restaurant in her hometown of New York City, and from that day it was meant for her to become an actress.

5. Matthew McConaughey

The Texas-born actor appeared in a few student films and commercials, before an encounter at a hotel bar that would forever change his life. Matthew met a producer/casting director who later introduced McConaughey to a famous film director. The Academy Award winner made his debuts with him and has been blessing us with his performances ever since.

6. Marilyn Monroe

Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, the superstar was working in a factory when a photographer just happened to spot her, take her picture, and put it in a magazine. Her career kickstarted after that, she dyed her hair blonde, changed her name and gained success as a model and an actress.

7. Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher has a brother who suffers from cerebral palsy and septal heart defect, so he was studying biochemical engineering hoping to find a cure to help his twin brother. He began modeling and eventually acting when, one out at a bar, a model scout encouraged him to enter a modeling contest.

8. Mel Gibson

The superstar gave a friend of his a ride to an audition for a Mad Max. The director of that movie saw Mel, who had bruises on his face because of a fight he got into at the bar the night before, and immediately thought he could impersonate a role as one of the villains. The director ended up giving him the leading role, which set his showbiz career in motion.

9. Eva Mendes

The beautiful actress was spotted with a photo when a talent manager saw her in a friend’s portfolio and immediately fell in love with her charm. She started to land gigs and was able to participate in her first movie. However, she was not satisfied with her acting performance, so she decided to hire an acting coach to get better. She landed many roles and received many awards and nominations.

10. Rosario Dawson

Young Rosario was playing with her friends in front of the building where she lived with her family, when she was spotted by a film director. She played in the movie later on and was able to stand out with her amazing performance. Since then, she appeared in a variety of movies and made a name for herself in Hollywood.

11. Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel was living in New York City in an artists’ housing project. At the age of 7, he and his friends decided to break into a theater to vandalize it. They got caught by a lady who offered them $20 with a script, on the condition that they would attend rehearsals every day after school. And that was the start of a very prolific and successful career.

12. Jason Statham

The English actor was initially a diver on the British National Diving Team, he was also a black market salesman who needed to pay his bills. He did land his first gig when he was invited by a filmmaker to audition for a part in the film, by asking him to impersonate an illegal street vendor. A role which he was able to play perfectly.

Which story among the ones on this list was the most surprising? Please let us know in the comments!