27 Actors Pictured In Their First, Most Iconic, And Most Recent Roles

It's awesome seeing our favorites grow into their talent

Kylin

• Published in Film & TV
• May 30, 2022

Hollywood, the metonym for the United States movie industry, helps nurture budding talent into superstars. Because every actor has to start somewhere before they become famous. 

Most had to work pretty normal jobs while auditioning for roles, like how Kate Winslet was in the middle of making a sandwich for a customer in a delicatessen she was working at when she got the call about her first break into film. Then that first role happens, and they are finally on their trajectory to fame.

After that first big break, it seems like a pretty basic formula. The more roles the actors take on, the more they hone their skills and find their way to the mainstream limelight and into our hearts.

By the time an actor has won their way into our hearts, it’s usually because of a specific role that they become well known for. Like how Chris Evans is universally recognized as Captain America, or Reese Witherspoon is beloved as Elle Woods.

But actors worth their weight don’t stop when they find themselves in their most popular roles. They continue to work and grow, pushing themselves to greater range.

In honor of some of Hollywood’s favorite actors, we’ve made a list showcasing 27 different actors in their very first role, their most memorable role, and the most recent role they’re working on. Keep scrolling to see what we found.

1. Linda Cardellini

Cardellini is well known for her roles in both TV and film. In 2020 she received her first Emmy nomination for her role in Dead to Me.

First Role: Sarah in Bone Chillers

Most Notable Role: Lindsay Weir in Freaks and Geeks

Most Recent Role: Laura Barton in Hawkeye

2. Denzel Washington

Washington has been nominated for 9 Academy Awards over the course of his career. Winning Best Supporting Actor for his work in Glory, a role that essentially got him on everyone's radar, and again for Best Actor in Training Day.

He was most recently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his part in The Tragedy of Macbeth.

First Role: Roger Porter in Carbon Copy

Most Notable Role: Private Silas Trip in Glory

Most Recent Role: Lord Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth

3. Robert Pattinson

Arguably best known for his role in the Twilight Saga, he has starred in both big-budget and independent films. Pattinson has ranked among the world's highest-paid actors.

First Role: Giselher in Ring of the Nibelungs

Most Notable Role: Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga

Most Recent Role: Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Batman

4. Steven Yeun

Arguably best known for his work in The Walking Dead, Yeun has also received critical acclaim for his role in Minari. We will see him next starring in Jordan Peele's latest horror film Nope.

First Role: Chaz in My Name Is Jerry

Most Notable Role: Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead

Most Recent Role: Brian in Nope

5. Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has worked his ass off over these last 50 years in Hollywood, being cast in over 150 films. While he's only been nominated for an Academy Award once for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Pulp Fiction, the Academy recently awarded him an honorary award to recognize his exceptional career.

First Role: Sulk in The Displaced Person

Most Notable Role: Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction

Most Recent Role: Ptolemy Grey in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

6. Harrison Ford

While he was playing Han Solo in Star Wars, Ford was also playing the lead in another iconic franchise: Indiana Jones.

First Role: "Bellhop" in Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round

Most Notable Role: Han Solo in Star Wars

Most Recent Role: John Thornton in The Call of the Wild

7. Timothée Chalamet

Chalamet earned an Academy Award nomination for his breakthrough performance as Elio in Call Me by Your Name, becoming the third-youngest nominee ever in the category. Chalamet also starred as Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve's remake of Dune in 2021.

First Role: Eric Foley in Law & Order in 2009:

Most Notable Role: Elio Perlman in Call Me by Your Name

Most Recent Role: Yule in Don't Look Up in 2021:

8. Reese Witherspoon

Legally Blonde marked a turning point in Witherspoon's career, earning her praise from critics, and a Golden Globe nomination. She’s also won an Academy Award for her role as June Carter Cash in Walk the Line and she’s been nominated for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for her work in The Morning Show.

First Role: Dani Trant in The Man in the Moon

Most Notable Role: Elle Woods in Legally Blonde

Most Recent Role: Bradley Jackson in The Morning Show

9. Rita Moreno

The actress has been acting for over 70 freaking years. She's one of the few people who has an EGOT, meaning she's won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, AND Tony awards.

First Role: Dolores Guererro in So Young, So Bad

Most Notable Role: Anita in West Side Story

Most Recent Role: Valentina in West Side Story

10. Zendaya

Zendaya became the youngest actor to ever win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work as Rue in Euphoria.

First Role: Rocky Blue in Shake It Up

Most Notable Role: Rue Bennett from Euphoria

Most Recent Role: MJ in Spider-Man: No Way Home

11. Sarah Paulson

While she received several Emmy Award nominations for American Horror Story, she finally won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role in The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.

First Role: Maggie Conner in Law & Order

Most Notable Role(s): Billie, Lana, Cordellia, & more in American Horror Story

Most Recent Role: Linda Tripp in Impeachment: American Crime Story

12. Sandra Oh

Sandra Oh is an incredible actor and well recognized for her skill, with 74 nominations across all Major Award Associations and others, and winning 24, including two Golden Globes.

First Role: "Waitress" in Degrassi High: School's Out

Most Notable Role: Dr. Cristina Yang in Grey's Anatomy

Most Recent Role: Eve Polastri in Killing Eve

13. Florence Pugh

Pugh earned her first Academy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role as Amy March in Little Women. And she’s starred in several other noteworthy movies such as Midsommar, Fighting with My Family, and played the role of Yelena Belova in Black Widow

First Role: Abbie Mortimer in The Falling

Most Notable Role: Amy March in Little Women

Most Recent Role: Yelena Belova in Hawkeye

14. Oscar Isaac

Before everyone came to love him as Poe Dameron, Isaac had received critical acclaim for his role as the titular character in Inside Llewyn Davis

First Role: "Pool Boy" in Illtown

Most Notable Role: Poe Dameron in Star Wars

Most Recent Role: Marc Spector/Moon Knight in Moon Knight

15. Michael B. Jordan

While he may be most recognized for his work in Black Panther, Jordan has also performed other iconic roles in Friday Night Lights, Fruitvale Station, and Creed.

First Role: "Rideland Kid" in The Sopranos

Most Notable Role: Erik "Killmonger" Stevens in Black Panther

Most Recent Role: Charles Monroe King in A Journal for Jordan

16. Selena Gomez

Gomez is considered a “Triple Threat” for being a successful singer, actor, and producer. Selena's work alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short in Only Murders in the Building has earned her critical acclaim and helped her win Best Comedy TV Actress at the People’s Choice Awards.

First Role: Gianna in Barney & Friends

Most Notable Role: Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place

Most Recent Role: Mabel Mora in Only Murders in the Building

17. Anna Chlumsky

Chlumsky's work on Veep earned her six Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

First Role: Vada Sultenfuss in My Girl

Most Notable Role: Amy Brookheimer on Veep

Most Recent Role: Vivian Kent in Inventing Anna

18. Hailee Steinfeld

When Steinfeld was just 14, she earned an Academy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her work in True Grit. She is still one of the youngest Oscar nominees ever.

First Role: "Little Girl" in Back to You

Most Notable Role: Mattie Ross in True Grit

Most Recent Role: Kate Bishop in Hawkeye

19. Elizabeth Olsen

Olsen has received critical acclaim for her role as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch on WandaVision, and earned her Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics' Choice Award nominations. While she will be reprising the role again in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she will also star in the HBO Max series Love and Death.

First Role: "Girl in Car" in How the West Was Fun

Most Notable Role: Wanda Maximoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Most Recent Role: Candy Montgomery in Love and Death

20. Leonardo DiCaprio

DiCaprio has been nominated for seven Academy Awards during his 30-year career. In 2016 he finally won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in The Revenant.

First Role: Glen in The New Lassie

Most Notable Role: Jack Dawson in Titanic

Most Recent Role: Dr. Randall Mindy in Don't Look Up

21. Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is an iconic actor. She currently holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations of any actor being nominated 21 times so far.

She's won three Academy Awards for her work in Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, and The Iron Lady.

First Role: Linda in The Deer Hunter

Most Notable Role: Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada

Most Recent Role: President Janie Orlean in Don't Look Up

22. Andrew Garfield

While Spider-Man gave Garfield notoriety, he’s continued to give iconic performances. He earned his first Academy Award nomination for his work in Hacksaw Ridge and was nominated for Best Actor for his most recent role in Tick, Tick...Boom!

First Role: Tom in Sugar Rush

Most Notable Role: Peter Parker/Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man

Most Recent Role: Jonathan Larson in Tick, Tick...Boom!

23. Joshua Jackson

First Role: Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks

Most Notable Role: Pacey Witter in Dawson's Creek

Most Recent Role: Dr. Christopher Duntsch in Dr. Death

24. Viola Davis

Davis has had many iconic performances, which have earned her a whopping 310 nominations, 140 of which she won. She may be best recognized for her role as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away With Murder.

First Role: "Woman" in NYPD Blue

Most Notable Role: Annalise Keating in How to Get Away With Murder

Most Recent Role: Michelle Obama in The First Lady

25. Tom Holland

First Role: Lucas Bennett in The Impossible

Most Notable Role: Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Most Recent Role: Nathan Drake in Uncharted

26. Chris Evans

Beloved and best known as Captain America, Evans has performed roles ranging across several genres. We’ll hear his voice as Buzz Lightyear in Disney’s Lightyear and he will be starring alongside Ryan Gosling in Netlfix’s The Gray Man.

First Role: Cary in Opposite Sex

Most Notable Role: Steve Rogers/Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Most Recent Role: Lloyd Hansen in The Gray Man

27. Kristen Stewart

Stewart was nominated for Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Princess Diana in Spencer.

First Role: "Girl in Fountain Line" in The Thirteenth Year

Most Notable Role: Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga

Most Recent Role: Princess Diana in Spencer

It is really fun seeing how these actors have grown. Some even literally, as a decent amount of the actors on this list had started their acting careers in childhood.

Who is your favorite actor? Is it because of their most iconic role, or is it because of their full collection of work?

Let us know in the comments section below. And don’t forget to share this with your favorite movie lovers.

Kylin