10 Actors That Started Out As Movie Extra But Now Are Very Famous And Well-Known In Their Careers

Actors all start their career from somewhere and these actors started as extras in films.

Daphnie

• Published in Film & TV
• February 10, 2023

We are back again with another celebrity post where we take a look into the lives of celebrities. We'll be talking about 10 actors who actually started out as extras in films before making it to the big screen and playing in major roles.

A lot of actors actually start out as extras whether that's their choice, or someone wanted to see how they'd do before being cast in a large role. A lot of the time people can act as extras and be recognized for their talent, to later be offered a major role.

If you're interested in actors and want to know how they got themselves into the career they’re in, then you'll want to stay tuned as we go through these 10 actors and what they started in before they got lead roles. A lot of these actors might have even been missed in their roles as an extra, simply because a lot of us weren't paying attention.

So, with all this being said we are going to dive in and check out these 10 actors who started out as extras in films before making it big on the big screen in a major role. Let's see where these actors started.

1. Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough actually played a small role in Harry Potter as an extra cheering for Gryffindor. She just wanted to test out acting, but she ended up doing dancing instead.

2. Regé-Jean Page

He played an extra in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”. Viewers can spot him in the background of Bill and Fleur’s wedding. This was much before his role that he's now known for which was in Bridgerton.

3. Simu Liu

Simu Liu is a popular Chinese-Canadian actor who made headlines by playing the role of Shang-Chi in the “Marvel blockbuster- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”. However she started off as an extra in many movies and even a stuntman.

4. Megan Fox

Megan Fox actually was an extra as a dancer in Bad Boys II before she starred in many different movies such as Transformers.

5. Jesy Nelson

Jesy nelson started out as a student in About A Boy before she took on the role in the girl group Little Mix.

6. Toby Jones

Toby voiced Dobby in Harry Potter, but most know of him after playing in Captain America.

7. Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes played a bridesmaid in the film A Night At The Roxbury and it was quite a small role. However it got her recognized where she then took a large role in Ghost Rider.

8. Derek Hough

Derek Hough played a few small roles in Harry Potter and other films before he was on Dancing With The Stars and won it a total of 6 times.

9. Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum was actually in the movie War Of The Worlds before gaining his fame through other large films as the main character. He was seen running alongside Tom Cruise in the film.

10. Renée Zellweger

She started off as an extra in Dazed & Confused, which then led to her role starring in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.

Some actors started their careers as extras and background actors. This was the case for Jennifer Aniston, who started her career as an extra on shows such as Molloy and Herman’s Head before landing her break-out role on the sitcom Friends.

Similarly, Benedict Cumberbatch started his career as an extra in various films and television shows before eventually landing a lead role in the television series Sherlock.

Daphnie