7 Actors/Actresses Who Got Their Acting Break in a Horror Movie

Acting is undoubtedly not for everybody. And when someone tries to enter this industry, it takes a lot of hard work and patience to get your break as an artist. And sometimes even horror movies can act as a great launching pad for an acting career!

Although not necessarily the actor’s best-loved genre of film, the following celebrities can certainly attribute their rise to stardom to their presence horror movies.

Jennifer Aniston as Tory Reding in Leprechaun

It may be a shock to learn that this brilliant actor from the hit-show “Friends” first starred in a horror film.

Jennifer Aniston made her feature film debut in a horror picture before her big break on the long-running sit-com. It was a film about a leprechaun who savagely assaulted anyone that got too close to his treasures. Unbelievably, this outlandish film has spawned five sequels, proving that the idea of leprechauns being nasty or malicious is a popular one.

Aniston’s role in the film was as teenager Tory Reding, a young woman that is persistently followed by the grotesque Irish monster – the leprechaun, who thinks that Tory stole his pot of gold. In an interview with InStyle Magazine, the actress recollected that “the movie was special.” Although at that time, she was worried that the role might ruin her career.

Lo and behold, who would’ve thought that this now acclaimed actress started as a girl followed by a tiny menace.

Paul Rudd’s Movie Debut in Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers

There is an ongoing joke among Paul Rudd’s fans that the actor never ages. This is because the passage of time seems to have done little to fade the actor’s handsome looks. Could this also be in-part because of the Curse of Michael Myers?!

Kidding aside, although this gorgeous-looking actor is now widely known because of his role as Ant-Man, his humble beginnings started as Tommy Doyle in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. The character is the youngster from the first Halloween, who has been transformed into a fervent believer in the Michael Myers conspiracy theory.

Syfy Wire’s headline, “Paul Rudd, the Saving Grace of the Worst Halloween Movie,” says a lot about the opinions of those that have watched the film.

Halloween H20’s First Unfortunate Victim Was Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Regarding film genres, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has proven himself a versatile actor capable of playing roles in movies from all walks. His first cinematic role was as a victim of Michael Myers in Halloween H20, but that was just the beginning for him.

In an interview with Late Night with Conan O’Brien, then young JGL the critical point that that the ‘H20 in the title doesn’t mean water’. As we all know, it in fact related to the Halloween franchises 20th Anniversary. The actor, who played Jimmy Howell in the film, also told the host that he had to ask permission to cut his hair because he felt hot with long locks. More water might have helped to cool him off!

Since this early appearance, Joseph has gone from singing to being a filmmaker, this beginning has defined the talented performer that he is today.

Michelle Williams as an Alien-Human Hybrid in Species

When she was just starting in the industry, Michelle Williams was willing to accept any role that came her way. She appeared in the film Species three years before landing her role on Dawson’s Creek. Natasha Henstridge portrayed the character’s elder sister in the film.

Michelle may now be a four-time Oscar nominee, but her first significant film role was in this 1995 sci-fi horror picture, where she played a younger version of seductive alien antagonist Sil. It was her second celluloid appearance following a role in Lassie.

This award-winning, phenomenal actress can certainly attribute some of her success to her alien-human hybrid roots. And she even played a supporting role in the aforementioned Halloween H20 film alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Johnny Depp as Glen Lantz in A Nightmare on Elm Street

It was during the the television series “21 Jump Street,” that Johnny Depp first emerged as a potential star. However, he did have a role in the first film of a long-running horror franchise a few years before that.

Johnny Depp’s first film role was in A Nightmare on Elm Street when he played Glen, a teenager that meets a gruesome end. Screen Rant said, initially, that producers sought Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men) for the role of Glen Lantz, Nancy’s boyfriend, but the low-budget movie couldn’t afford his pay.

Moreover, the article also explained that Glen was supposed to be a jock, but it was the director’s adolescent daughter who endorsed Depp’s star qualities and the character was adapted accordingly. Now, Johnny Depp is an all-star A-list celebrity.

Despite the recent controversy that temporarily cast a shadow over his career, Depp is undoubtedly a fantastic talent and an caring man as proven by the US courts.

Critters 3’s Leonardo DiCaprio

Another phenomenal artist on this list that first made his break in horror films is Leonardo DiCaprio.

As someone who has worked in the industry for decades, DiCaprio had to first do his time in a horror picture to get his feet wet. Leo’s first film role was in “Critters 3” the third sequel to a low-budget horror comedy about man-eating fur-balls from space. Two years later, DiCaprio starred in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? alongside Johnny Depp and he received critical acclaim for his performance.

Reflecting on the film, a wiser and more experienced 18-year-old DiCaprio, would define his portrayal as “your average, no-depth, standard kid with blonde hair.”

Elizabeth Olsen’s Debut Year with Silent House

Last on this list is another star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Elizabeth Olsen.

Because of her role as Scarlet Witch in the MCU, Elizabeth Olsen is now a well-known actress. And even though she portrays a witch in the franchise, we’re not talking about your traditional pointy-hatted witch seen elsewhere in horror lore. In 2011, Martha Marcy May Marlene brought the Olsen twins’ younger sister to public attention.

Following her outstanding debut year, she followed up by starring in the creepy horror thriller Silent House. When asked by how she achieved a real fear “feels” in the movie, the actress said, “You try to figure out all of the things that are known and not known.”

Could You Star in a Horror Film?

These excellent actors in the list started with their dreams and acting skills. So, if you think you can, there surely is a way to do it. You can get tips directly from them, but the problem is how to contact a celebrity? For sure, it’s hard!

Another possible way is to try and practice at home and study how they each portray the role in the films. Great ambition starts from trying. So put yourself out there and grab every acting opportunity that comes, as these actors did.

Who knows, your rise in the stardom may also come from a horror film!