People Are Sharing The Exact Moment They Knew An Actor Would Be HUGE Before Making It Big, And Wow

Some actors just have that star quality, even in the days before they were household names. Redditor @Turbulent_Click_964 recently posed this as a question, asking, "Who's an actor or an actress, that when you first saw them you know they would immediately be a star?" The responses were passionate and varied. Here are 16 that stood out:

1.Reese Witherspoon in Freeway

Person holding a gun, standing against a graffiti-covered wall, displaying an intense expression
Republic Pictures / Via youtube.com

"My friends and I first saw her in Freeway and were obsessed with her. She was so badass in that movie."

k_punk

2.Glen Powell on Scream Queens

A person wearing a cap, sunglasses on a green shirt, and a white t-shirt is talking to a person with long hair outdoors
FOX / Via youtube.com

"My daughters and I watched Scream Queens when they were in high school, and we loved every scene he was in and couldn't stop laughing. He was the best thing about that show. He stood out, and we knew he was going places."

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3.Rami Malek on 24

Actor with disheveled appearance and nosebleed, conveying an intense emotional scene
FOX / Via youtube.com

"Made an impact in only three episodes. This was right before The Pacific."

harebreadth

4.Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone

Person stands outdoors wearing a graphic deer sweatshirt, plaid jacket, and necklace, facing another person. Background includes others and a wooded area
Roadside Attractions / Via youtube.com

"When I saw the Hunger Games trailer, I was like, 'Hey, it's that girl from Winter's Bone.' Great movie all around. I still tell people to watch it."

shweatyshweatpants

5.Morgan Freeman on Another World

A person sits in a relaxed setting with a bookshelf in the background, wearing a button-up shirt. The expression appears thoughtful
NBC / Via youtube.com

"Freeman made the other characters on that soap look like cardboard cutouts. Even as a kid, I said, 'What is that guy doing on this show?'"

Flamebrush

6.Drew Barrymore in Firestarter

Young child in a blue shirt and jacket stands in front of a building engulfed in flames, with a calm expression
Universal Pictures / Via youtube.com

"I am only two years older than her and knew zero about her family. Even at 9, I knew she would be a star. When I saw her in Firestarter, it cemented it for me because through the screen I felt I could FEEL what she felt. She never seemed like she was acting a part. You felt she was living the scene."

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vikingvol

7.Meryl Streep in an unnamed play

Person in a buttoned blouse holds a wooden award, smiling and gesturing with one hand. Background is dark
Art Zelin / Getty Images

"Meryl Streep, who I saw in a walk-on role in a stage play. She had maybe one line, and I knew she would be big. I believe this was before she made any movie. The only thing I could equate would be seeing Elizabeth Taylor [as] a child in [a] small role in Orson Welles's film version of Jane Eyre in 1943. She was magnetic, [and] so was Meryl."

hrdbeinggreen

8.Tom Hanks on Bosom Buddies

Person with curly hair wearing a jersey-style shirt with the number 86, sitting indoors, smiling slightly
ABC / Via youtube.com

"In 1980, a new sitcom called Bosom Buddies came out. It was about two guys who had to dress as women because the only apartment they could afford was one for women only. I kept telling my friends that they had to watch the show because there was this one guy who was hilarious and carried the entire show. The guy was Tom Hanks. 'Sonny, Sonny, Sonny.'"

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9.Bruce Willis in Moonlighting

A person stands in an office setting, smiling, wearing a striped shirt and loose tie
ABC / Via youtube.com

"One of the few TV shows I watched with my mum. I remember her and I agreeing (which is a bit of a collector's item) that he 'had it.' I was 16, and mum was 45 at the time, so he really did have appeal across the generations."

EmbraJeff

10.Jodie Foster in Kung Fu

A person with long hair wearing a rustic outfit, looking to the side outdoors
ABC / Via youtube.com

"I saw her on Kung Fu when she was about 10 years old. She played 'Simple Gifts' on the mandolin, and I thought, 'That kid is going to go far.'"

Imightbeafanofthis

11.Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live

A person smiling while sitting on steps, holding a paper grocery bag and wearing a light jacket over a shirt. Wooden railing in the background
NBC / Via youtube.com

"He was only 19 or 20 when he started there, and he was the star of the show immediately."

Arms_of_Atlas

12.Helena Bonham Carter in A Room with a View

Two people in vintage clothing; woman in lace dress and hat, looking at man outside
Curzon Film Distributors / Via youtube.com

"She just had something about her that was quite wonderful to watch."

EastOfArcheron

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13.Robin Williams in Happy Days

Person in futuristic red outfit with silver gloves sitting on a floral-patterned couch, holding a vase with yellow flower
ABC / Via youtube.com

"I just happened to catch his cameo on Happy Days WAAAAYYY back when and was gobsmacked. Pleased but not surprised at his stardom."

Wroena

14.Cameron Diaz in The Mask

Person with long hair, wearing a floral-patterned dress with a pendant necklace, poses with one hand in their hair indoors

"Came here to say this. That first shot of her screamed 'instant celebrity.'"

Outrageous_Picture39

15.John Cusack in Say Anything

Person in trench coat holds boombox overhead in front of parked car on a tree-lined path, reminiscent of an iconic movie scene
20th Century Fox / Via youtube.com

"Skinny, gawky, charming, charismatic kid. Utterly romantic."

306heatheR

16.Finally, Demi Moore in General Hospital

A person with long, wavy hair and a turtleneck smiles softly, appearing in a candid moment indoors
ABC / Via youtube.com

"Demi Moore in soap operas way back when. I just knew."

Sure-Regret1808

So which of these early career roles have you seen? More importantly, who else would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!