29 Actors and Directors Who Hit Home Runs on Their Very First Swing

Some people are just born ready
29 Actors and Directors Who Hit Home Runs on Their Very First Swing
Add Cracked to Google

We’ve never been ones to scream, “Put me in, Coach,” but that’s mainly because we never played recreational sports growing up. Even if we did, we’re not the types who think we can just step into any situation and find success right away.

The gall that would take is insanely commendable, though. Take these actors and directors for example. Even as complete rookies, they stepped up and showed the world what they were workin’ with. 

Man, we wonder what confidence is like. It seems nice.

Orson Welles

ORSON WELLES Citizen Kane was Welles's first time directing, writing, or acting in a feature film. Not only did he get an Oscar for writing and nominations for acting and directing, but he also managed to create one of the best films of all time, all on his first try. CRACKED.COM

Anna Paquin

ANNA PAQUIN In 1994, 11-year-old Paquin beat out screen legends like Holly Hunter, Rosie Perez, Winona Ryder, and Emma Thompson to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her breathtaking debut performance in The Piano. CRACKED.COM

Jennifer Hudson

JENNIFER HUDSON Nobody knew what to expect when the former American Idol contestant decided to dip her toes into the acting world with 2006's Dreamgirls. It turned out she could act just as well as she could sing - Hudson won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her debut performance. CRACKED.COM

Glenn Close

GLENN CLOSE It was my first movie, and I had no idea what I was doing, says Close about her Oscar-nominated debut in The World According to Garp. As if that wasn't impressive enough, she got nominated again the very next year for her second-ever role in The Big Chill. CRACKED.COM

Hailee Steinfeld

HAILEE STEINFELD ACADE Steinfeld was only 14 when she received an Oscar nomination for her film debut as Mattie Ross in True Grit. Oscars are pretty cool, however, the actress says that at the time the most exciting part of the movie's success was getting to meet Justin Timberlake at a screening. CRACKED.COM

James Dean

JAMES DEAN Dean only had three credited movie roles before his untimely death at the age of 24. That was enough for the legendary actor to leave his mark on the industry forever. Не was nominated for an Oscar for his 1955 debut in East of Eden, and for his last film Giant, just one year later. CRACKED.COM

Lupita Nyong’o

LUPITA NYONG'O When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every child, no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid, said Nyong'o after winning an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave-her first-ever movie role at the age of 31. CRACKED.COM

John Malkovich

JOHN MALKOVICH At the age of 31, the legendary actor made his film debut in 1984's Places in the Heart. And what a debut it was-Malkovich was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a blind WWI veteran, and he's been a consistent acting powerhouse since then. CRACKED.COM

Julie Andrews

JULIE ANDREWS After starring in the Broadway version of My Fair Lady, Andrews got passed over for the same role in the movie adaptation because she didn't have any film experience. Disney, however, decided to take a chance and cast her as a lead in Marry Poppins. Their gamble paid off - Andrews turned out an iconic performance and won an Oscar. CRACKED.COM

Edward Norton

EDWARD NORTON Norton's notoriously huge ego might be explained by the fact that the actor's first-ever role got him an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win. As Aaron Stampler in Primal Fear, Norton gave a chilling performance that is still being talked about 25 years later. CRACKED.COM

Ron Howard

Directors and their beginnings Then vs. Now Ron Howard Before Willow, Apollo 13, and the awful Hillbilly Elegy, Howard really wanted to direct, and got Roger Corman to produce his debut. 1977's Grand Theft Auto was a success, and Corman also taught Howard a great lesson: If you do a good job for me, on my terms, then you'll never have to work for me again. CRACKED.COM SWIGERT

Martin Scorsese

Directors and their beginnings Then vs. Now Martin Scorsese As a young film student, Scorsese made several very well-received short films. His first feature, 1967's Who's That Knocking at My Door, was also an indie success, leading to Roger Corman trusting him with 1972's Boxcar Bertha - but only if it had tons of sex, violence, and explosions. Scorsese learned a lot. CRACKED.COM

Alden Ehrenreich

CRACKED A BAT MITZVAH VIDEO LAUNCHED ALDEN EHRENREICH. As a teenager, a friend asked him to be in a silly video for her friend's bat mitzvah. Steven Spielberg was at said event, loved his performance, and got him an agent.

Edward Furlong

CRACKED T2 WAS EDWARD FURLONG'S FIRST TIME ACTING. Growing up without a father, he frequented The Boys' Club. Terminator 2 casting director was tired of the same old actor kids auditioning for John Connor, and approached him at The Boys' Club. Не originally thought he was in trouble.

Norman Reedus

CRACKED NORMAN REEDUS AUDITIONED UNKNOWINGLY. ® usbm After being fired from a motorcycle shop for fighting his boss, he went to a party, got drunk, and yelled at people. Someone noticed the rant and asked him to be in a play. His first performance had an agent in the crowd, who began sending him on auditions.

Danny Trejo

CRACKED DANNY TREJO WENT TO SET AS A DRUG COUNSELOR. In prison for a gas chamber offense, he was released on a technicality and began drug counseling. Не only showed up to the set of Runaway Train to counsel an addict, and was offered a role.

Phil Hartman

CRACKED PHIL HARTMAN: THE LITTLE AUDIENCE MEMBER WHO COULD. In attendance at a Groundlings improv show, Hartman jumped on stage during intermission. The cast heard the laughs, asked him to join, and he became a regular for 11 years before joining SNL.

Darlene Cates

CRACKED DARLENE CATES WENT FROM A DAYTIME TALK SHOW TO THE OSCARS. WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE? After seeing her on the Sally Jessy Raphael episode Too Heavy to Leave Their House, Peter Hedges wanted Cates to play Bonnie Grape. Depp called her performance without flaw, and DiCaprio called her the best acting mama I ever had.

Gabourey Sidibe

CRACKED GABOUREY SIDIBE WAS RESIGNED TO RECEPTION. PRECIOUS She was a psychology student and receptionist who performed in local theater years earlier. After her Best Actress Oscar nomination, she said, I wasn't an acting student, I never wanted to act. I thought I'd be a receptionist my whole life.

Felicia ‘Snoop’ Pearson

GRACKED FELICIA SNOOP PEARSON WAS A REAL-LIFE GANGSTER. THE WIRE Before playing Snoop, she was an actual drug dealer who spent years in prison. Michael K. Williams met her at a nightclub, and suggested that she audition. Creators and fans widely consider her one of the most authentic parts of the show.

Herbert ‘Cowboy’ Coward

CRACKED HERBERT 'COWBOY' COWARD WAS A THEME PARK EMPLOYEE. DELIVERANCE Burt Reynolds shot Gunsmoke at the Ghost Town theme park, where Coward worked as a cowboy. Reynolds recommended him for the role, and his line, He got a real purdy mouth, ain't he? haunts us all over 50 years later.

Hafpor Bjornsson

CRACKED HAFPÓR BJÖRNSSON WAS ASKED TO PLAY THE MOUNTAIN VIA FACEBOOK. GAME OF THRONES In 2014, producers sent him an unsolicited Facebook message. Не said, They asked me if I was strong enough to pick one of the guys up. I gave it a try, and they were surprised at how easily I lifted him overhead. Не was crowned The World's Strongest Man in 2018.

R. Lee Ermey

GRACKED R. LEE ERMEY WAS A REAL-LIFE DRILL INSTRUCTOR. FULL METAL JACKET After his military career of actually terrorizing recruits, he became a technical advisor on war-themed movies. Stanley Kubrick wanted the real deal, and cast him as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. Many of the classic insults are Emery's originals.

Ke Huy Quan

CRACKED KE HUY QUAN WAS JUST A TAG-ALONG. TEMPLE OF DOOM Не went with his brother to an open casting call, and was completely unprepared when they asked him to audition. Не met Spielberg the next day, and began shooting Temple of Doom 3 weeks later.

Barkhad Abdi

CRACKED BARKHAD ABDI AS ABDUWALI MUSE. CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Paul Greengrass looked in the Somali-American community of Minneapolis, and discovered the completely unknown limo driver. Abdi won everyone over with, I'm the captain now, won a BAFTA, and was nominated for an Oscar.

Harold Russell

GRACKED HAROLD RUSSELL WON AN OSCAR AS A DISABLED VETERAN. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES The WWII veteran who lost both hands was cast by director William Wyler in his film about veterans coming home from the war. In 1947, he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Haing S. Ngor

GRACKED HAING S. NGOR WON AN OSCAR FOR RELIVING HIS REAL-LIFE HORRORS. THE KILLING FIELDS The Cambodian physician was discovered by a talent scout at a wedding, and was asked to play Dith Pran in a film about the genocide he had just himself survived 6 years earlier. Не is one of only 2 non-actors to win an Oscar.

Quvenzhane Wallis

CRACKED QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS IS A NATURAL. R BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD At six years old, and with no prior acting experience, she expressed seriously complex emotions as Hushpuppy, and became the youngest Best Actress nominee in Oscars history.

Rosario Dawson

GRACKED ROSARIO DAWSON WAS NOTICED ON HER PORCH. KIDS While location scouting for Kids, Larry Clark and Harmony Korine saw 15-year-old Dawson on her porch. Harmony told her, I wrote this character for you without even realizing. You're perfect for this character. Her performance as Ruby launched her career.

Tags:

Scroll down for the next article

Must Read

VIRAL ON CRACKED

A WEEKLY
NEWSLETTER OF
JOKES + TRIVIA

Forgot Password?