No twodrink minimum needed to watch Netflix’s selection of standup offerings from the likes of Chris Rock, Taylor Tomlinson, and more. The 26 best comedy specials on Netflix for when you need a good laugh No twodrink minimum needed to watch Netflix’s selection of standup offerings from the likes of Chris Rock, Taylor Tomlinson, and more. By Eric Farwell, Ilana Gordon, and James Mercadante May 5, 2026 5:00 p.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/bestnetflixcomedyspecials04302513f9d51521e64fb4a0d00fae4deaefe4.

No two-drink minimum needed to watch Netflix’s selection of stand-up offerings from the likes of Chris Rock, Taylor Tomlinson, and more.

The 26 best comedy specials on Netflix for when you need a good laugh

No two-drink minimum needed to watch Netflix’s selection of stand-up offerings from the likes of Chris Rock, Taylor Tomlinson, and more.

By Eric Farwell, Ilana Gordon, and James Mercadante

May 5, 2026 5:00 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Patton Oswalt in 'I Love Everything'; Ali Wong in 'Single Lady'; John Mulaney in 'Baby J'. Credit:

Kent Smith/Netflix; Courtesy of Netflix; Marcus Russell Price/Netflix

Ours is the era of the productive comedian: Some of the folks on this list are pumping out hour-long specials every year or two. Jokes live forever on the internet, so today's comics feel the pressure to keep up with the endless conveyor belt of news and what’s going on in the cultural zeitgeist. The comedians on this list pull it off.

Supporting live entertainment is always in fashion, but sometimes you're in no state to leave the house. Keep scrolling for **'s list of the 26 best comedy specials on Netflix.**

Ali Wong, Single Lady (2024)

Ali Wong in 'Single Lady'.

Courtesy of Netflix

Ali Wong's life looks a little different than it did in *Baby Cobra* (2016). *Single Lady* — the most recent of Wong’s four Netflix specials — gives the comic a chance to ruminate on the delights of divorce, dating as a mom, and sex with men of different ages. Wong is beloved for her tightly-written jokes and her singular delivery style, and in this special, she continues to mine the topics of aging, parenting, and relationships, but from a different angle and with a refreshing burst of Ali Wong energy. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Single Lady*: Netflix

**Director: **Ali Wong

**Cast: **Ali Wong

Anthony Jesselnik, Bones and All (2024)

Anthony Jeselnik in 'Bones and All'.

The third of Anthony Jeselnik’s Netflix specials, *Bones and All*, proves the comic hasn’t lost his flair or the boundary-pushing style that distinguished him as a late-night writer, roast performer, and comedy host. Known throughout the comedy scene as someone subversive, whose topics often skew dark, Jeselnik’s most recent offering isn’t as unpredictable and consistent as *Fire in the Maternity Ward *(2019), and some of the new material doesn’t hit as hard as it might in his live shows. But lulls aside, fans will find plenty of moments of classic Jeselnik joke-writing to revel in. *—I.G.***

Where to watch *Bones and All*: Netflix

**Director: **Bill Benz

**Cast: **Anthony Jeselnik

Chris Rock, Selective Outrage (2023)

Chris Rock in 'Selective Outrage'. Kirill Bichutsky/Netflix

You’d be hard-pressed to find a legitimate list of stand-up legends that doesn’t include Chris Rock’s name on it, and for good reason. The comic released his first live album, *Born Suspect*, in 1991, and produced another 10 stand-up specials and albums in the 30-plus years since.

A former cast member of both *Saturday Night Live* and *In Living Color*, Rock demonstrates a unique approach to writing about race, politics, culture, and celebrity, and his years working in different facets of live and recorded comedy came to a head in 2023 when he performed his show,* Selective Outrage*, in real time as part of Netflix’s first global live streaming event. The special isn’t Rock’s strongest in terms of material, but it’s a historic achievement, and a reminder that even under the most unconventional circumstances, nobody does it quite like him. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Selective Outrage*: Netflix

**Director: **Joel Gallen

**Cast: **Chris Rock

Hannah Gadsby, Nanette (2017)

Hannah Gadsby in 'Nanette'. Netflix

Tired of the ways comedy has failed them, Hannah Gadsby delivers a set that recontextualizes their relationship with the art form while also redefining what stand-up can be. The show is funny even when picking apart misogyny and the many ways our culture frowns upon queer love. Yet, it’s these topics, woven with self-deprecating humor and art history commentary, that make the special sing. —*Eric Farwell*

Where to watch *Nanette*: Netflix

**Directors: **Madeleine Parry, Jon Olb

**Cast:** Hannah Gadsby

Hannibal Buress, Comedy Camisado (2016)

Hannibal Buress in 'Comedy Camisado'.

Hannibal Buress was not an obvious future star when he started his career, but he nevertheless steadily built his act through odd rhythms and phrasing. By the time he taped this special, he’d established himself as a weird and vibrant voice, helping his class of alternative comedians become mainstream acts while standing out as a wilder comedy personality, from being compatriots with Eric Andre to joking about kicking pigeons. This special is a gorgeous distillation of Buress’ sharp craft and unique observational perspective. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Comedy Camisado*: Netflix

**Director: **Lance Bangs

**Cast:** Hannibal Buress

Jacqueline Novak, Get on Your Knees (2024)

Jacqueline Novak in 'Get on Your Knees'.

Emily V. Aragones/Netflix

Following her successful off-Broadway one-woman show — which garnered her a 2020 Drama Desk Award nomination — comedian and cohost of the *Poog* podcast brings her acclaimed production to Netflix. Directed by *Russian Doll*'s Natasha Lyonne, *Get on Your Knees* showcases Jaqueline Novak's thoughts on topics ranging from adolescence to sexual power dynamics and the art of giving blowjobs. *—James Mercadante*

Where to watch* Get on Your Knees*: Netflix

**Director: **Natasha Lyonne

**Cast:** Jacqueline Novak

Joe Mande, Joe Mande’s Award Winning Comedy Special (2017)

Joe Mande in 'Joe Mande's Award Winning Comedy Special'.

A possible heir apparent to David Cross, Joe Mande’s slow delivery, love of embarrassing stories, and righteous trolling of villains have made him an acerbic talent in comedy clubs and writers' rooms alike. Here, he shares what may be the best diarrhea bit in stand-up history, an anecdote about Hanukkah, and his love of ISIS videos for comedic purposes. In each joke, Mande maximizes the tension and humor in tandem, creating electricity in the room that you can feel through the screen. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Joe Mande’s Award Winning Comedy Special*: Netflix

**Director: **Daniel Gray Longino

**Cast:** Joe Mande

Joel Kim Booster, Psychosexual (2022)

Joel Kim Booster in 'Psychosexual'.

Terence Patrick/Netflix

Queer comics have often been relegated to the sidelines in comedy, but here, with his debut special, Joel Kim Booster vivaciously celebrates his identity, joking about sex, poppers, and threesomes while engaging in crowd work that dares the audience to be uncomfortable. The result is a whirling storm of comedic brilliance from an undeniable talent who is just getting started, even if it’s been a long time coming. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Psychosexual*: Netflix

**Director: **Doron Max Hagay

**Cast:** Joel Kim Booster

John Mulaney, Baby J (2023)

John Mulaney in 'Baby J'.

Marcus Russell Price/Netflix

It's safe to say 2020 was rough for everybody, but John Mulaney ended that year by checking into rehab for a substance abuse problem. In the years since, he got divorced, found a new relationship, and fathered two children with his second wife, Olivia Munn — all while attempting to stay clean.

*Baby J*, Mulaney’s fifth comedy special (this one filmed at Boston Symphony Hall), came out in 2023 and looks back at his intervention, rehab stay, and other assorted moments throughout the course of his journey to sobriety. The content is much different than his previous four specials, but Mulaney’s natural charisma and talent are as strong as ever, and the result is worthy of the Emmy award he won for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Baby J*: Netflix

**Director: **Alex Timbers

**Cast: **John Mulaney

Katt Williams, World War III (2022)

Katt Williams in 'World War III'.

Ser Baffo/Netflix

For this Netflix special, Katt Williams has thoughts on a third world war and what both sides will look like. In this hour-long show filmed in Las Vegas, Williams goes deep on truth, lies, the war on drugs, chicken wing shortages, and much more. Williams wrote and shot 13 specials between 2006 and 2024 — including *Woke Folk *(2024), which was Netflix’s second live-streamed comedy event — and while many would argue that *World War III* doesn’t crack the top three, it’s a good representation of where the comic is at these days. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *World War III*: Netflix

**Director: **Katt Williams

**Cast: **Katt Williams

Leanne Morgan, I'm Every Woman (2023)

Leanne Morgan in 'I'm Every Woman'.

Clean comedy doesn’t have to erase the grit of real life, and Leanne Morgan’s special achieves just that. In *I’m Every Woman*, the 2023 special that brought Morgan into mainstream cultural conversation, she waxes comedic about growing up in small-town Tennessee, her 20-year marriage, being a mom to three children, and adjusting to life as a grandmother. *I’m Every Woman* was so well-received, it inspired a sitcom, *Leanne*, based on Morgan’s stand-up. Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix, but we recommend watching the special first. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *I'm Every Woman*: Netflix

**Director: **Manny Rodriguez

**Cast:** Leanne Morgan

Marc Maron, End Times Fun (2020)

Marc Maron in 'End Times Fun'. Adam Rose/Netflix

Marc Maron is in fine form while unpacking life in the 1990s, the Christian right, and superhero films. The comic is exceptionally animated and jovial here, partially because the material is solid, but it also might have something to do with his director, Lynn Shelton, who was also his romantic partner until her sudden death shortly after this program debuted. Unlike Maron’s 2023 HBO special, *From Bleak to Dark*, which captures his grief, this is a snapshot of the joy the two shared as collaborators in more ways than one. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *End Times Fun*: Netflix

**Director: **Lynn Shelton

**Cast:** Marc Maron

Marc Maron says he couldn't afford a full Taylor Swift song for his stand-up special

Patton Oswalt on predicting 'Star Wars' and Marvel filibuster storyline in 'Parks and Rec' episode

Marcello Hernández, Marcello Hernández: American Boy (2026)

Marcello Hernández in 'Marcello Hernández: American Boy'.

Samuel Rivas/Netflix

Marcello Hernández made history when he was hired as *Saturday Night Live*’s first Gen Z cast member, but the sketch performer cut his teeth with stand-up. *Marcello Hernández: American Boy* is the comic’s first special, and Hernández uses the hour to introduce himself more intimately, packing in jokes about his Latino roots, his ADD diagnosis, and his relationship with his mother (a Cuban immigrant and survivor of the Castro regime). The special isn’t intentionally political, but the jokes hit especially hard in the current state of the world. Humanizing and hilarious, Hernández centers and skewers his upbringing, delivering an energetic and physical performance. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Marcello Hernández: American Boy*: Netflix

**Director:** Nicholaus Goossen

**Cast:** Marcello Hernández

Maria Bamford, Old Baby (2017)

Maria Bamford in 'Old Baby'.

It’s hard to describe a Maria Bamford act, but it is easy to praise it. Here, Bamford does what she does best, setting up a premise before digging into it with voices, impressions, act-outs, tags, and endless funny ideas. There is darkness, but it's nothing she can’t milk for humor, turning cute and bleak observations into laugh generators. Bamford is a one-of-a-kind talent, and she may just be one of the best comics on the scene today. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Old Baby*: Netflix

**Director: **Jessica Yu

**Cast:** Maria Bamford

Michael Che, Shame the Devil (2021)

Michael Che in 'Shame the Devil'.

Mitchell Haaseth/Netflix

Michael Che’s second Netflix special arrived five years after his first, *Michael Che Matters* (2016). Filmed in Oakland, Calif., *Shame the Devil *takes a thoughtful and subversive look at mental health, relationships, Black leadership, and what it means to be an American. Che’s 2016 special was better received by critics and fans, but *Shame the Devil *is a great place to go to get your fix of Che’s jokes and insights. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Shame the Devil*: Netflix

**Director: **Kristian Mercado

**Cast: **Michael Che

Mike Birbiglia, The Old Man and the Pool (2023)

Mike Birbiglia in 'The Old Man and the Pool'.

John Lamparski/Getty

Mike Birbiglia is an exceptional storyteller, and in his third Netflix special, he focuses his comedic lens on the idea of mortality. Birbiglia’s father and grandfather both experienced heart attacks at the age of 56, and in *The Old Man and the Pool*, Birbiglia considers what it means to age when you’re a parent, and how his doctor’s suggestion that he incorporate swimming into his exercise routine affected his life.

The special is performed on a set made to look like a YMCA pool, and Birbiglia uses the stage to great effect, throwing his body around like he’s actually underwater. EW’s reviewer writes, “You never feel like he's performing a bit, but rather like you're throwing back a beer with your funniest friend, a guy you're meeting up with again for the first time in years.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Old Man and the Pool*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Seth Barrish

**Cast: **Mike Birbiglia

Mo Amer, Mohammed in Texas (2021)

Mo Amer in 'Mohammed in Texas'.

Getting the details right, especially when representing your culture and home state, is important. This is, above all, the seemingly most important thing to Mo Amer, who truly considers what he’s saying in this hour about growing up as a Muslim in Texas. The kindness and camaraderie he’s found are complicated by Southern thinking at times, but here, Amer gifts his audience with something delicate and beautiful. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Mohammed in Texas*: Netflix

**Director: **Jay Chapman

**Cast:** Mo Amer

Natalie Palimedes, Nate — A One Man Show (2020)

Natalie Palimides in ‘Nate — A One Man Show‘.

Pushing against the conventional idea of a comedy hour, *Nate* sees Natalie Palimedes explore masculinity by dressing the part, challenging men to wrestle on stage, and performing an act that combines traditional clowning and character-based stand-up. The show is bonkers, but it’s also a true celebration of unique parody. In an era of Andrew Santino and Joe Rogan, voices like Palimedes are essential for reminding audiences that comedy doesn’t have to “tell it like it is” or be “just sayin’” something all of the time. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Nate — A One Man Show*: Netflix

**Director: **Phil Burgers

**Cast:** Natalie Palimedes

Neal Brennan, 3 Mics (2017)

Neal Brennan in '3 Mics'. Brandon Hickman/Netflix

In a brave and singular show, Neal Brennan utilizes three microphones to tell jokes, truths, and one-liners, giving viewers the joy of laughing and eavesdropping at the same time. The most impressive feat is how he creates a fluid story between each mic, surprising the audience and creating tension while also keeping it engaging instead of overly complicated. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *3 Mics*: Netflix

**Director: **Neal Brennan

**Cast:** Neal Brennan

Patton Oswalt, I Love Everything (2020)

Patton Oswalt in 'I Love Everything'.

Kent Smith/Netflix

Patton Oswalt is in his 50s and looking back on his life with the same wit and wordsmithing that made him one of the most beloved comics working today. Four years after the death of his first wife, true crime writer Michelle McNamara, Oswalt released his ninth special, *I Love Everything*. A meditation on middle age, the special investigates Oswalt's thoughts on parenting his young daughter, buying and renovating a house with his new wife (actress Meredith Salenger), and his experiences eating at Denny’s. Though not as laugh-out-loud funny as some of his earlier works, *I Love Everything *has its own standout moments and is another impressive contribution to the Patton Oswalt comedy canon. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *I Love Everything*: Netflix

**Director: **Marcus Raboy

**Cast: **Patton Oswalt

Ronny Chieng, Love to Hate It (2024)

Ronny Chieng in 'Love to Hate It'.

As a senior correspondent and one of the hosts of *The Daily Show*, Ronny Chieng knows how to report on the state of the world. In *Love to Hate It*, his third Netflix comedy special, Chieng reports on the state of American culture, bouncing between bits on the generational divide, politics, and the perils of being perceived as a man on the internet. *Love to Hate It* isn’t as electrifying as *Asian Comedian Destroys America* (2019), but a joke about the humiliation ritual that is participating in the IVF process hits especially hard, and the special showcases Chieng’s sharp wit, outsider perspective, and talents as a present, physical performer. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Love to Hate It*: Netflix

**Director: **Cameron Barnett

**Cast:** Ronny Chieng

Rosebud Baker, The Mother Lode (2025)

Rosebud Baker in 'The Mother Lode'.

For Rosebud Baker’s *The Mother Lode*, the comic filmed two shows one year apart — one while she was eight months pregnant, one while going through postpartum. The two sets were edited together to create a comprehensive look at pregnancy, the early stages of motherhood, and all the feelings, hormones, and irrational thoughts that accompany both. Baker, who also works as a writer for *Saturday Night Live*’s “Weekend Update,” is a skilled joke constructionist with a dark sense of humor and a keen eye for observation. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Mother Lode*: Netflix

**Director: **Rosebud Baker

**Cast:** Rosebud Baker

Sam Jay, 3 in the Morning (2020)

Sam Jay in '3 in the Morning'.

Marcus Price/Netflix

Sam Jay is one of the voices of her generation, who can body jokes and inspire reflection in a single swoop. Here, she runs through dating, growing up, being afraid of aliens, and success, underpinning each dialogue with a vulnerability that expands the hour into a conversation with the audience, allowing their laughter and silence to answer her queries about life as she sees it. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *3 in the Morning*: Netflix

**Director: **Kristian Mercado

**Cast:** Sam Jay

Taylor Tomlinson, Prodigal Daughter (2026)

Taylor Tomlinson in 'Prodigal Daughter'.

Taylor Tomlinson is one of the younger talents on this list, but she’s packed a lot into her career so far. Since 2020, Tomlinson has released four Netflix specials, each crammed with jokes about growing up in a conservative Christian family, mental health, dating, and trying to have it all as a millennial living in today’s social media-obsessed world.

Her newest special, *Prodigal Daughter*, was filmed in a historic church and revisits her evangelical Christian upbringing through the lens of someone who left the church, deconstructed, and evolved dramatically. Tomlinson gets personal about the trauma she experienced in the religion, but her jokes about Christianity land because they're told with love. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Prodigal Daughter*: Netflix

**Director: **Kristian Mercado

**Cast: **Taylor Tomlinson

Tig Notaro, Happy To Be Here (2018)

Tig Notaro in 'Happy to Be Here'.

No comedian delights in being silly as much as Tig Notaro, and this, combined with her deadpan delivery and long pauses, is what makes her such an undeniable talent. Here, post-cancer with an HBO special under her belt, she celebrates being alive with bits about jokes she loves to do at parties, becoming a parent, and the small joys life has to offer after confronting your own mortality. —*E.F.*

Where to watch *Happy To Be Here*: Netflix

**Director: **Tig Notaro

**Cast:** Tig Notaro

Vir Das, Landing (2022)

Vir Das in 'Landing'.

Vir Das made comedy history when he became the first Indian stand-up to receive a Netflix special (*Abroad Understanding*, 2017). In *Landing*, his fourth special on the platform, he mentally returns to India to reflect on his childhood, his move to America, and the controversies that have followed him throughout his entertainment career. *Landing *won Das an International Emmy for Best Comedy Series, and the special has been lauded as a piece of art that finds power in both punchlines and moments of cultural and personal thoughtfulness. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Landing*: Netflix

**Director: **Vir Das

**Cast: **Vir Das

- Comedy Movies

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The 26 best comedy specials on Netflix for when you need a good laugh

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Just look at the baby faces of Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Austin Butler, and more in their very first TV and film projects. See Leonardo DiCaprio, Zendaya, and more stars in their first onscreen roles Just look at the baby faces of Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Austin Butler, and more in their very first TV and film projects. By Skyler Trepel May 6, 2026 10:00 a.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/firstroles14374b9963f248d8ae100f370b56ffe5.jpg) Harrison Ford in 1966; Meryl Streep in 1977; Leonardo DiCaprio in 1989.

Just look at the baby faces of Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Austin Butler, and more in their very first TV and film projects.

See Leonardo DiCaprio, Zendaya, and more stars in their first onscreen roles

Just look at the baby faces of Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Austin Butler, and more in their very first TV and film projects.

By Skyler Trepel

May 6, 2026 10:00 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Harrison Ford in 1966; Meryl Streep in 1977; Leonardo DiCaprio in 1989. Credit:

The journey to Hollywood stardom begins with a single step. Or, should we say, role.

** delved into the resumes of modern cinematic icons in search of their very first screen credits, thus allowing fans a look at their humble beginnings. Many of these stars look back on their origins with pride, wisdom, and even a bit of embarrassment.

From legends like Samuel L. Jackson, Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep to rising stars like Zendaya, Austin Butler, and Michael B. Jordan, here’s a collection of 20 stars in their first onscreen roles.

Halle Berry: Living Dolls (1989)

Halle Berry in 1989 on a forgotten 'Who's the Boss?' spinoff.

For her performance in *Monster’s Ball* (2001), Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress. Her first onscreen role came 12 years before that on the *Who's The Boss*? spinoff *Living Dolls*.

The role of model Emily Franklin just happened to dovetail with her actual life at the time.

“I was playing a model, and up until that point that's what I was doing. I was in Chicago modeling,” she told *Vanity Fair *in 2021. “I was essentially playing a version of myself in many ways and it was the first time that I really realized I could actually earn a living… through my craft.”

Berry went on to become a superhero in the *X-Men *franchise, a Bond girl in *Die Another Day *(2002), and an assassin in *John Wick: Chapter 3 *(2019).

Austin Butler: Hannah Montana (2007)

Li'l Austin Butler has a date with Hannah Montana and he's all shook up about it.

the disney channel

Austin Butler is one of his generation’s up-and-coming leading men, but he started as a supporting boy on *Hannah Montana *as Miley’s blind date, Derek. (He wasn’t such a great date, as it turned out.)

Butler previously reflected on how his early career, including bit parts on Nickelodeon shows, allowed him time to hone his talent.

“I am grateful I started young because it allowed me a lot of time to make mistakes. I had so many years of really bad acting,” Butler told PEOPLE in 2023. “I still have so much to learn, but that’s what really excites me about acting is that… it’s like anything, you can improve, and you can get better.”

After breaking through as the Manson family’s Tex Watson in *Once Upon a Time in Hollywood *(2019), he transformed into the King of Rock and Roll for *Elvis *(2023), for which he earned an Oscar nomination.

The rising star went on to steal scenes in *Dune: Part Two *(2024) and *Eddington *(2025). He also headlined *The Bikeriders *(2023) and *Caught Stealing *(2025).

Jackie Chan: Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962)

Yes, one of these blurry children is Jackie Chan.

Actors-first-roles322-04292026

Jackie Chan, universally regarded as one of the great martial arts actors, began his career at just 8 years old. In his film debut, 1962's *Big and Little Wong Tin Bar, *he got to sing *and *fight. He landed the role when he was in the Seven Little Fortunes performance troupe at the Chinese Drama Academy.

“In the small world in which we traveled, we Fortunes were stars. Not only were we the academy’s elite, acknowledged by all to be the best and brightest, but we also bore the responsibility of keeping the school alive, because it was our performances that generated the academy’s only revenue,” Chan wrote in his autobiography *I Am Chan*. “The most difficult instruction we had was in the aerial maneuvers that gave Chinese Opera its splendor: flips and somersaults, all learned and practiced without a net or harness… We practiced splits against the walls, against the floor, against everything.”

After years as a Hong Kong star — appearing in the *Police Story *franchise, the *Drunken Master *films, *Project A* (1983)* *and more — Chan crossed over into Western stardom, headlining *Rush Hour *(1998), *Shanghai Noon *(2000), and their various sequels.

Cher: Chastity (1969)

Cher will look much happier once she's working with Robert Altman and Mike Nichols.

Cher is best known for her musical career, both alongside Sonny Bono and for decades afterward as a solo act. Her side hustle as an actress began with little fanfare in the 1969 box-office bomb *Chastity*.

Cher didn’t act for over a decade afterward, but she was ready to make her mark even if audiences didn’t expect it.

“I ran to see [the *Silkwood *trailer]. They say, you know, Meryl Streep and everybody applauds and then they say Kurt Russell and everyone applauds and then they say Cher and everyone started laughing,” Cher said on *The Graham Norton Show *in* *2018. “It was heartbreaking… I got home and I called [director Mike Nichols] and said, ‘They may laugh in the beginning, but they won't be laughing at the end… Then I got nominated for [the] Academy Award.”

That was just the beginning. The pop icon won an Oscar four years later for *Moonstruck *(1987) in the midst of a big-screen run that included *The Witches of Eastwick *(1987), *Mask *(1985), and *Mermaids *(1990).

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Leonardo DiCaprio: The New Lassie (1989)

'You had my curiosity, Lassie - now you have my attention'.

Before becoming one of the biggest stars on the planet, Leonardo DiCaprio got upstaged by a dog on *The New Lassie*. His first role gave him an early and unexpected glimpse at the secrets of, uh, Hollywood magic.

“Lassie was… supposed to be a female dog,” the actor told David Letterman* *in 1995. “They had five different dogs that were all guys to do the tricks. I first realized how fake the whole business was when they had to do the pregnancy scene because they had to tape over Lassie's balls.”

Within a few years, the collie’s human costar was an Oscar nominee for *What’s Eating Gilbert Grape *(1993) and set the world on fire in *Titanic *(1997). Since then, he won an Oscar for *The Revenant* (2015) and forged a legendary partnership with Martin Scorsese, which includes *The Departed *(2006), *The Wolf of Wall Street *(2013), and *Killers of the Flower Moon *(2023).

He scored his sixth and seventh acting Oscar nominations for *Once Upon a Time in Hollywood *(2019) and *One Battle After Another *(2025).

Idris Elba: Crimewatch

'A lot of actors don’t like to admit they did Crimewatch, but I’m not embarrassed by it'.

David Cheskin/PA Images via Getty

Idris Elba is a big name now, but his very first role was so small it’s not even on his IMD page. In the early '90s, he played a murderer during a crime reconstruction scene on the British show *Crimewatch. *

“It sounds weird but, at the time, getting a job on *Crimewatch* was the first rung on the ladder,” he said in 2020 prior to receiving a BAFTA Special Award. “A lot of actors don’t like to admit they did *Crimewatch*, but I’m not embarrassed by it.”

The actor and musician broke through as Stringer Bell on *The Wire *before finding a long-term home as maverick detective John Luther in the *Luther *franchise. He’s been a regular in the MCU, won a SAG for the *Beasts of No Nation *(2015), and canceled the apocalypse in *Pacific Rim *(2013).

Elba’s output also includes *Prometheus *(2012), *The Suicide Squad *(2021), *Three Thousand Years of Longing *(2022), and the Apple TV hit *Hijack*.

Harrison Ford: Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966)

Yes, the coolest smuggler and professor in movie history began as a mere bellboy.

In the beginning, Harrison Ford was told he’d never amount to anything. He signed on to a low-paying studio contract and debuted as a bellboy with one line in *Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round*. His boss was less than impressed.

“I was under contract to Columbia Pictures at the time for $150 a week and all the respect that that implies. I was called into the office of the Head of the New Talent program and he told me that I had no future in the business,” Ford previously told *Variety*. “I didn't last that long. It lasted about a year and a half of a seven-year contract. Yeah, I met him later across a crowded room. He had sent me a card on which he had written, ‘I missed my guess.’”

Of course, he went on to play some of the most iconic roles in Hollywood history, from Han Solo to Indiana Jones to Rick Deckard. He scored an Oscar nod for *Witness *(1985) and starred in *Working Girl *(1988), *Presumed Innocent *(1990), *The Fugitive *(1993), and *Air Force One *(1997), among many others.

Recently he’s found a second home on TV with Taylor Sheridan’s *1923* and the hit dramedy *Shrinking*.

Whoopi Goldberg: The Color Purple (1985)

Whoopi Goldberg's film debut was an all-timer.

Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett

Most people don't get Oscar nominations for their first movie, but most people aren't Whoopi Goldberg. It was the actress and comedian's Grammy-winning one-woman Broadway show that caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who wanted her to audition for his upcoming adaptation of *The Color Purple*.

“At the time I thought, ‘Show Steven the show that he couldn't come see in New York.’ I thought it was just going to be he and I. I step out and it's Quincy Jones and there's Michael Jackson… and I thought where am I? I really felt like E.T. like I stepped off into some new planet,” Goldberg told AFI. “I did the show that I'd been doing on Broadway and then I asked him if I could do an extra character that I had written that was based on E.T. called Blee-T…. I did it and he laughed and he said, ‘I’m gonna be directing *The Color Purple *and we would like you to play Celie.’”

Goldberg later took home an Academy Award for *Ghost *(1990). She also led films such as *Sister Act *(1992) and *Boys on the Side *(1995).

The EGOT winner has been cohosting *The View *since 2007.

Ryan Gosling: Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995)

One of the biggest movie stars of his generation, back when he was just a dork on Canadian TV.

Before he was just Ken, Ryan Gosling was just a child actor starting out on a classic Canadian horror show. He was Jamie Leary, the mischievous brother of a death-obsessed boy in an episode of *Are You Afraid of the Dark*?

“I’m glad I did it when I was young… I think your brain doesn't fully form until you're 25, so I was 16 and I didn't know any better,” Gosling said in 2017. “It just felt like I didn't realize… how much of an opportunity for failure there was. I think if I had started later on I might not have taken the risk.”

He became an instant heartthrob thanks to *The Notebook *(2004) and went on to earn three Oscar nominations for his work in *Half Nelson *(2006), *La La Land* (2016), and *Barbie *(2023). In 2026, he helped turn *Project Hail Mary* into a box-office smash.

Tom Hanks: He Knows You're Alone (1980)

Tom Hanks gets his Screen Actor Guild card and (hopefully) a free scarf.

MGM/courtesy Everett

Tom Hanks is known for many things. What he’s *not* known for is horror. Yet his first role was in the low-budget slasher *He Knows You're Alone*, about a young woman who believes (correctly) that she's being hunted by a serial killer. Hanks played a smart-aleck psychology student. He cheekily referred to this as a “knife rack” movie.

“The innocent girl who's going to get married is washing the dishes in the kitchen and right next to her on the wall is a ‘knife rack’ that has all the knives in one place,” Hanks explained in 2023. “She hears a noise and… goes into the other room to check…. then she goes back to finish washing the dishes and a knife is missing from the knife rack!”

After *Bosom Buddies* and a string of comedies, he scored a hit as the star of *Big *(1988). Back-to-back Oscars for *Philadelphia* (1993) and* Forrest Gump *(1994) followed, not to mention *Sleepless in Seattle *(1993), *Apollo 13 *(1995), *Saving Private Ryan *(1998), *The Green Mile *(1999), and *Cast Away *(2000).

The icon’s more recent work includes *Bridge of Spies *(2015), *A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood *(2019), and *Asteroid City *(2023).

Samuel L. Jackson: Together for Days (1972)

On the left, Samuel L. Jackson in 1993, when he was famous. On the right, his debut in 1972, when he was not.

Ron Galella Collection via Getty

He’s one of the highest-grossing actors of all-time, but Samuel L. Jackson started out in a film that’s almost impossible to find today: the independent Blaxploitation flick *Together for Days*.

Directed by Michael Schultz, who went on to helm classics *Cooley High *(1975) and *Car Wash *(1976), it revolves around the cultural reactions to a radical Black activist entering into a relationship with a white woman. Jackson had a supporting role.

In 2010, Jay Leno told Jackson he looked for it and couldn't find it; the actor revealed it had been re-released under the title *Black Cream*. Then again, in 2017 Jackson offered simple advice for curious fans: “Don't go looking for it.”

Of course, he went on to a prolific career that truly took off in the late 1980s. By now, he has about 150 films to his credit, including decades-long collaborations with Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino, and Marvel.

The living legend has an Oscar nomination for *Pulp Fiction *(1994) and received an honorary Oscar in 2022.

Michael B. Jordan: The Sopranos (1999)

Michael B. Jordan (center) bullies a little boy named Tony Soprano.

Michael B. Jordan’s road to stardom began with a small part on a classic show. In a season 1 episode of *The Sopranos*, he briefly appeared as a bully who used to torment a young Tony Soprano.

“I was about 12 years old and I was just, you know, one of the extras, one of the background kids. I might’ve snuck in a couple lines,” Jordan told *Vanity Fair*. “At that point I think the most exciting thing about being on set was the fact that I was not in school. I think it was one of the first times that I got a chance to skip school to go to the city and work. At that time *The Sopranos*…* *we didn't know that it was going to be, you know, as epic of a show as it is today.”

From there, he landed on *The Wire *and *Friday Night Lights *before becoming a bonafide movie star thanks to *Creed *(2015). His Killmonger in *Black Panther *(2018) turned him into a formidable big-screen villain, and his dual performance in *Sinners* (2025) landed him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Jennifer Lawrence: Monk (2006)

Jennifer Lawrence as a mascot on 'Monk.' It was all downhill from there.

Jennifer Lawrence has an embarrassing story about her debut in an episode of *Monk*. While dressed as a cougar mascot at a high school basketball game, Lawrence jumps on the title character’s back. She expected a different role — and even told her fellow churchgoers about it.

“Everybody was like, ‘Oh, we can't wait to watch it.’ [I] find out I'm not playing that part, I'm the mascot, and so everybody watched it after I just told them I was going to have this great, huge part, and I was just the mascot,” she said on *Late Night with Conan O’Brien*. “I've never been back to church since.”

The Kentucky native scored an Oscar nomination for her performance in 2010's *Winter’s Bone*, which paved the way for her star turn as Katniss Everdeen in the *Hunger Games* franchise.

Lawrence later won an Academy Award for *Silver Linings Playbook *(2012) and went on to further acclaim in *American Hustle *(2013), *Mother! *(2017), and *Die, My Love *(2025).

Rita Moreno: So Young, So Bad (1950)

Rita Moreno serenades her fellow reform school rebels in 'So Young, So Bad'.

After a run of small gigs, Rita Moreno earned her first major role at 18 years old in 1950’s *So Young, So Bad, *as a chronic reform school runaway.

“I’d put on my flat shoes and I’d literally walk and visit these little agencies. I was 13, 14, 15 and I would go there, meet the receptionist, and I’d say, ‘I would like to leave my picture and my resume with you,’” Moreno told *Elle*. “Once in a while, I would get a gig dancing, and little by little, some of the agencies began to know me. And eventually that led to being in my very first movie.”

She booked supporting parts in *Singin’ in the Rain *(1952) and *The King and I *(1956) before landing her Academy Award-winning role as Anita in *West Side Story *(1961).

With an EGOT under her belt, she returned as a new character in Steven Spielberg’s remake 60 years later.

Jack Nicholson: NBC Matinee Theater (1956)

Jack Nicholson, seen here in 1958, offically debuted two years earlier on NBC's live drama, 'Matinee Theater'.

Herbert Dorfman/Corbis via Getty; NBC

Another GOAT candidate, Jack Nicholson spent years under the radar before making it big. His first onscreen role was in an episode of NBC’s daytime drama *Matinee Theater*, “Are You Listening?”

He was acting on stage during those years as well — for cheap.

“I made $14 a week. During the run I got my first agent, as well as some work on *Matinee Theatre, *a live TV daytime drama.” Nicholson told *Film Comment *in 1985. “While I was doing this, I got the lead in my first movie, *Cry Baby Killer*… I read for it just like every other actor in town. I screamed and yelled — I know I gave the loudest reading, if not the best. And when I got the part I thought: ‘This is it! I’m made for this profession.’ Then I didn’t work for a year.”

He now has three Oscars under his belt — for *One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest *(1975), *Terms of Endearment *(1983), and *As Good As It Gets *(1997) — in addition to era-defining classics like *Easy Rider *(1969), *Carnal Knowledge *(1971), *Chinatown *(1974), and *Reds *(1981).

Brad Pitt: Another World (1987)

A very young Brad Pitt on 'Another World.' He booked a McDonald's commercial not long afterward.

Before becoming a Hollywood sex symbol, Brad Pitt was just another hunk on a soap opera. His first role came as basketball player Chris in two episodes of *Another World*.

“I did a few weeks on *Another World*,” Pitt told *Tiger Beat* at the time. “I had to go to New York for that, and I had never been there. Then I got* Dallas*, and in between filming those, I did a *Growing Pains* episode. I did a Mountain Dew commercial — got to waterski in Florida. And I just got a McDonald’s commercial today! My mom is so proud!”

Pitt eventually got his breakout in *Thelma and Louise *(1991), which led to acclaimed turns in *Seven *(1995), *12 Monkeys *(1995), and *Fight Club *(1999). The Oklahoma native took home an Oscar in 2020 for *Once Upon a Time in Hollywood*.

Meryl Streep: The Deadliest Season (1977)

Meryl Streep's debut in 1977. Then she starred in back-to-back Best Picture winners.

In 1977, Meryl Streep made her onscreen debut in the TV movie *The Deadliest Season*, playing the wife of a hockey player (Michael Moriarty) on trial for accidentally killing someone during a game.

She had faced plenty of rejection already, even being told she wasn’t pretty enough for *King Kong *(1976).

“I walked in and [producer Dino De Laurentiis’ son] was sitting there very excited that he brought in this new actress and the father said to his son in Italian… ‘Why did you bring me this ugly thing,’” Streep told *The Graham Norton Show *in 2015*. *“So I said to him [facetiously]… ‘I understand what you’re saying. I’m sorry I’m not beautiful enough to be in *King Kong*.’”

In no time, Streep had her first of three Oscars, this one for *Kramer vs. Kramer *(1979). She now has a record 21 acting nominations, including wins for *Sophie’s Choice *(1982) and *The Iron Lady *(2011).

Her illustrious career includes *Defending Your Life *(1991), *The Bridges of Madison County *(1995), *Adaptation *(2002), *The Devil Wears Prada *(2006), and *Mamma Mia* (2008).

Reese Witherspoon: The Man in the Moon (1991)

Reese Witherspoon makes her debut in a coming-of-age gem alongside Jason London.

Reese Witherspoon’s Hollywood career began thanks to an advertisement in her local newspaper. After starring in a few commercials, she auditioned for the starring role in the coming-of-age drama *The Man in the Moon*.

“There was an ad in the local paper that said, ‘Do you want to be in a movie? We're looking for a 14-year-old Southern girl. Do you think you could act some of the lines or read one of the scenes?’ I was like, ‘Yes I think I can!’ I auditioned that day, but then I didn't hear anything for a month,” she recalled on Instagram in 2020. “I came home from softball practice and my mom said, ‘Reese, I need to talk to you. They're calling and asking if you'll go to Los Angeles for a screen test.’”

Her performance paved the way for her breakthrough roles in *Pleasantville *(1998), *Election *(1999), *Cruel Intentions *(1999), and *Legally Blonde *(2001). She won an Academy Award for *Walk the Line *(2005) and earned another nomination for *Wild *(2014).

In recent years, the Louisiana native has found small-screen success with *Big Little Lies* and *The Morning Show*.

Michelle Yeoh: The Owl Vs. Bombo (1984)

Michelle Yeoh makes her debut alongside George Lam.

Fortune Star Media Limited

Before ascending to Hollywood’s A-list, Michelle Yeoh was a Hong Kong action star. It all began with the low-budget *The Owl vs. Bombo*, about two thieves blackmailed by a detective into becoming teachers at a reform center. Yeoh plays Miss Yeung, a fellow teacher.

The young actress, who had a dance background, wanted to try her hand at the stunts.

“I went up to my producers and I say… ‘How about you let me try to do some action?’” Yeoh told *Vanity Fair *in 2025. “I was new in town and they thought, ‘What have we got to lose? Right?’ Because action comedies were the biggest sellouts in Hong Kong cinema at the time.”

Yeoh’s physical chops paid off. She went on to star in action classics like *Yes, Madam! *(1985), *The Heroic Trio *(1993), and *Police Story 3: Supercop *(1992). Years of international success led her to become a Bond girl in *Tomorrow Never Dies *(1997). The Malaysian actress later co-headlined *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon *(2000) and took on supporting roles in *Memoirs of a Geisha *(2005) and *Sunshine *(2007).

In 2023, she won an Oscar for her performance in *Everything Everywhere All at Once*.

Zendaya: Shake It Up (2010)

Zendaya, just a few years away from being one of the biggest stars on the planet.

She’s far from the only superstar whose career got launched on the Disney Channel, but Zendaya may be the biggest. Alongside Bella Thorne, she was one half of a backup dancing duo on *Shake It Up*’s show-within-a-show. The slapstick sitcom was just the ticket for the burgeoning star.

“I am [a Disney kid] and to a degree, I am grateful for that. That’s where I started, and I learned so much from that experience,” Zendaya told Carey Mulligan in a *Variety* Actors on Actors interview. “It’s just kind of been this slow progression, and I am happy that it’s all been to prove it to myself and not to anybody else… I embrace it a little bit. It’s part of my heritage.”

After continuing with Disney for *K.C. Undercover*, Zendaya won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her less-than-wholesome performance as drug-addicted teenager Rue on HBO's *Euphoria*.

She launched her movie career as MJ in the *Spider-Man *franchise, which led to the *Dune *trilogy and widespread acclaim for *Challengers *(2024). After her buzzy role in *The Drama *(2026), the Oakland native is set for Christopher Nolan’s *The Odyssey *(2026).

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Source: Actors

Published: May 6, 2026 at 05:38PM on Source: RED MAG

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