19 Movie Stars That Rose Out Of Nowhere
We often sit down to see a Hollywood production, particularly ones that we know have a lot of money and big names behind them, and expect to know everyone involved. If not every face is familiar, at least the leads are someone we recognize, people we often want to pay cinema tickets for.
And then there are certain faces that feel like they came out of nowhere. They obviously had a history of how they made it to where they are, involving hard work and a celebrated trajectory, but not all of us are aware of said path. These are the stars that seem to have come out of nowhere.
Lupita Nyong’o
She stunned audiences when she made her feature film debut in the 2013 historical drama 12 Years a Slave. Her incredible performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress right out of the gate.
Barkhad Abdi
He attended an open casting call and suddenly found himself making his acting debut opposite Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips. The intense rookie performance earned him nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA.
Gabourey Sidibe
She had zero acting experience when she landed the lead role in the 2009 film Precious. Her absolutely heartbreaking performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, placing her right alongside veterans like Meryl Streep.
Yalitza Aparicio
With zero formal acting training, she originally just went to accompany her sister to a casting call. Instead, she won the lead role in Roma and walked away as an Oscar nominated actress for her film debut.
Daisy Ridley
She was virtually unknown to the public before she secured the massive role of Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It was incredibly impressive considering the massive space blockbuster was only her second feature film ever.
Rachel Zegler
She was just a 17 year old high school student when Steven Spielberg picked her out of more than 30,000 applicants. Playing Maria in West Side Story turned the complete unknown into an international star overnight.
Iman Vellani
Having literally never acted on screen before, the 19 year old Marvel fan auditioned on a total whim. She landed the title role in the series Ms. Marvel, proving that massive opportunities can just happen unexpectedly.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
She had no professional acting credits when Mindy Kaling selected her from a pool of roughly 15,000 audition submissions. The 17 year old was plucked from complete obscurity to lead the hit Netflix comedy Never Have I Ever.
Quvenzhané Wallis
At just 5 years old, she was selected out of 4,000 candidates to star in the 2012 drama Beasts of the Southern Wild. She became the youngest nominee ever for the Best Actress Academy Award.
Sharlto Copley
The South African actor practically exploded onto the international scene with his leading role in the 2009 science fiction film District 9. The critically acclaimed movie gave him a huge platform to launch a busy Hollywood career.
Sasha Lane
She caught a massive break making her feature film debut in Andrea Arnold’s 2016 independent drama American Honey. Her raw performance quickly put her on the map, eventually leading to a recurring role in the Marvel series Loki.
Millicent Simmonds
She gained wide critical attention seemingly overnight with her breakout role in the 2017 drama film Wonderstruck. Her compelling performance made audiences take notice well before she went on to star in the massive A Quiet Place franchise.
Hunter Schafer
Born in 1998, she first gained public attention as an activist joining a 2016 lawsuit against a discriminatory North Carolina bathroom bill. The model eventually transitioned into acting, becoming a massive television star completely out of nowhere.
Paul Mescal
He became a household name practically overnight when he landed a leading role in the 2020 romantic drama miniseries Normal People. The massively popular adaptation served as his major breakthrough and turned him into a highly sought actor.
Emma Corrin
They gained sudden international recognition for portraying Princess Diana in the fourth season of the 2020 historical drama The Crown. The stunning performance secured them a Golden Globe and completely changed the trajectory of their acting career.
Hailee Steinfeld
She had a massive breakthrough starring in the 2010 western True Grit. Taking on such a heavy role at a young age earned her an Academy Award nomination and paved the way for massive musical and acting success.
Letitia Wright
She started out doing guest spots on television before achieving a breakthrough in the 2015 film Urban Hymn. Just three years later, she attained global recognition playing the genius inventor Shuri in the 2018 Marvel blockbuster Black Panther.
Barry Keoghan
He really caught the public’s attention in 2017 with powerful supporting roles in both Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. The Irish actor used that sudden momentum to eventually earn himself an Academy Award nomination.
Jodie Comer
She gained some early recognition on television series like Doctor Foster, but her career exploded out of nowhere in 2018. Playing the incredibly stylish assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve brought her award winning prominence and massive global fame.