17 famous actors in tiny background parts
We all have to start somewhere, says Stacy Conradt at Mental Floss. But did you know Michelle Williams was on Home Improvement? Ben Stiller on Miami Vice?
Before they were headlining movies and TV shows, these celebs were just like everyone else trying to make it in Hollywood: thrilled to call home to report that the "Flight Attendant #3" role was totally in the bag. Check out a few of today's big names back when they were cast as no-names.
1. Jason Segel as "Watermelon Guy" in Can't Hardly Wait
2. Lucy Liu as waitress on Beverly Hills 90210
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. Alexis Bledel as an unnamed student in Rushmore
4. Michelle Williams as Brad's girlfriend on Home Improvement
I vividly remember this "Brad wearing makeup" plot line.
5. Jack Black as a taxi driver on The Golden Palace
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Best combo ever?
6. Ben Stiller as "Fast Eddie Felcher" on Miami Vice
7. Steve Carell as "Tesio" in Curly Sue
8. Jane Lynch as Gladys the radio caller in Straight Talk
9. Kristen Stewart as "Ring Toss Girl" in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
Literally blink and you'll miss it.
10. Hey girl, it's Ryan Gosling as Jamie Leary in Are You Afraid of the Dark?
I had no idea there were entire episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? on YouTube. There goes my weekend. If, for some reason, you don't want to watch this whole episode, you'll find Ryan if you start at about 3:05.
11. Ben Affleck as basketball player #10 in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
12. Megan Fox as "Stars-and-Stripes Bikini Kid Dancing Under Waterfall" in Bad Boys II.
She was 15 when she filmed it.
13. Eva Longoria as "Flight Attendant #3" on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.
14. Patrick Dempsey as "Underground Stuff Buyer #2" in The Stuff
This is a horror movie about… wait for it… ice cream.
15. Angelina Jolie in Meatloaf's "Rock 'N' Roll Dreams Come Through"
I know it's not a bit part, but this was too good to exclude.
16. Catherine Zeta Jones as a belly dancer on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
17. Jennifer Lawrence as a high school mascot on Monk
More from Mental Floss...
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published