Will Smith, Bruce Willis, Jennifer Aniston. They’re big-time movie stars now, but they started off small on the TV screen. Before Will became legend, he was known as “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Where would Bruce be without “Moonlighting,” and Jennifer without her “Friends”? These three (and plenty of others) owe a lot to the humble boob-tube beginnings that propelled their careers toward box office stardom, and they serve as great role models for television’s young actors. Keep your eye on these 10 stars who got their start on television and are now making a splash on the big screen.
Kristen Bell
Best Known TV Aliases: Veronica from “Veronica Mars” (2004-2007) and Elle Bishop from “Heroes” (2006-present). Solving mysteries and cracking down on crime occupied this so-called teen (she was 24 when “VM” started airing) for 64 episodes. Portraying streets smarts with sass proved no problem for Bell, and on she went to her electrifying role on “Heroes.” She has yet to appear on “Gossip Girl,” but she does the voice for the anonymous, all-knowing blogger.
Movie Milestones: Kristen’s big-studio movie debut is Forgetting Sarah Marshall, opening April 18. She got a great start in plays and a bunch of independent films, but this marks her first big wide release (it's already earned kudos from Variety). With Judd Apatow as producer, we’re expecting lots of funny and less worth…forgetting. By the way, Bell also stars in Fanboys (release TBD) as a diehard Star Wars fan; her role garnered buzz when she slipped into a slave Leia costume.
Jason Segel
Best Known TV Aliases: Nick Andopolis from “Freaks and Geeks” (1999-2000) and Marshall Eriksen from “How I Met Your Mother” (2005-present). As a “freak” he worked with Judd Apatow, series creator/producer.
Movie Milestones: Jason and Judd continued their comedic pairing on last summer’s Knocked Up, where Jason appeared as one of Ben’s (Seth Rogen) buddies. Now he’s taking on a larger role. He not only penned the screenplay for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, he’s starring as the boyfriend Sarah (Kristen Bell) dumps for a rock star.
Brittany Snow
Best Known TV Alias: Meg Pryor from “American Dreams” (2002-2005). This period drama that takes place in the 1960s follows Meg and her family as they live through the Vietnam War era. Meg, who was a hopeless romantic, danced on “American Bandstand.”
Movie Milestones: You’ll remember her as the daughter of the racist Velma Von Tussle from Hairspray, and the vengeful love interest in John Tucker Must Die. In the first of her three 2008 movies, Brittany takes on the thriller genre in the new horror remake Prom Night. A psycho killer plays cat-and-mouse with her, and man, can she scream.
John Krasinski
Best Known TV Alias: Jim Halpert from “The Office” (2005-current), the hit remake of the British mockumentary about the daily grind at fictitious paper distributor Dunder Mifflin.
Movie Milestones: Last year he co-starred with Mandy Moore and Robin Williams in License to Wed. He’s since then boosted his star power working alongside George Clooney and Renee Zellweger in Leatherheads. He admits to being a bit jittery still on the set. “It started to get very overwhelming when I started to realize who I was working with.” Up next for Krasinski is a comedy with acclaimed director Sam Mendes.
Jenna Fischer
Best Known TV Aliases: Receptionist Pam Beesly from “The Office.” Her drab hairstyle and clothing set the tone for her character’s shy and hesitant personality. Although she’s apathetic about working as a receptionist, she’s always excited to talk to her co-worker/best friend/love interest Jim (John Krasinski).
Movie Milestones: She was in a bunch of comedies last year: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, The Brothers Solomon, Blades of Glory. However, her roles are so different from her Pam persona, she’s nearly unrecognizable. Catch her next in the comedy, The Promotion, releasing June 6.
Hayden Panettiere
Best Known TV Aliases: Cheerleader Claire Bennet from “Heroes” (2006-present). Who can forget the ubiquitous tagline? Save the cheerleader, save the world. She dies and comes back to life more times than Kenny does in “South Park”—and it never gets old.
Movie Milestones: The family-friendly starlet made friends with a zebra and other animals in Racing Stripes. Next year, we’ll see her in I Love You, Beth Cooper, playing another cheerleader...named Beth Cooper. She’s also slated to star in Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List in 2010.
Milo Ventimiglia
Best Known TV Alias: Peter Petrelli from “Heroes.” Milo also appeared in “Gilmore Girls” and “American Dreams,” but hands-down, his most memorable role is his “Heroes” character, the guy who saves the cheerleader and himself by absorbing the powers of others.
Movie Milestones: Milo’s big-screen stardom is just starting to blossom. He starred as Rocky’s son in Rocky Balboa, and we’ll soon see him in the buzzed-about Pathology, in limited release this week. It’s a psychological thriller about med students who play a game to see who can commit the perfect murder. With Milo’s dark, handsome looks and mysterious demeanor, he's perfectly cast in the movie as a tortured soul.
Michael Cera
Best Known TV Alias: George-Michael Bluth from “Arrested Development” (2003-2006). He plays the son of Jason Bateman. After Bateman's dad goes to jail, it's up to the enterprising son to take over the affairs of his dysfunctional family. Despite winning six Emmys and one Golden Globe, the sitcom failed to climb in the ratings. That, however, didn’t stop Michael from gaining multiple cult followings. (Yes, that’s plural.) Rumors are going around about a film adaptation for the series.
Movie Milestones: Michael’s got the look for portraying clueless yet well-meaning teens, as seen in Superbad and Juno. In both movies, he also had a few minutes to showcase his uncanny musical talents. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, releasing Oct. 3, has him starring as a teen band member of The Jerk Offs.
America Ferrera
Best Known TV Alias: Betty Suarez from “Ugly Betty” (2006-present). To make her appear homely, it takes a wig, fake braces, unruly brows, and loose-fitting '80s clothes that pop onscreen with bold colors and patterns. Even then, she’s muy bonita especially on the inside where it counts.
Movie Milestones: Although The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants came before “Ugly Betty,” she remained virtually unknown till the series gained popularity. Sisterhood received some raves for its sweet coming-of-age story, and America reprises her role as Carmen in Traveling Pants 2 this summer. See her in the recently released Under the Same Moon, which received a standing ovation at Sundance.
Blake Lively
Best Known TV Alias: Serena van der Woodsen from “Gossip Girl” (2007-present). This teen dramarama revolves around Blake’s vicious circle of socialite friends growing up on New York’s Upper East Side. Gossip Girl (voiced by Kristen Bell) is actually an anonymous blogger dishing out the scoop on the group’s daily happenings.
Movie Milestones: Blake played the Traveling Pants sister who went off to soccer camp for the summer and fell in love with her coach. Like co-star America Ferrera, she gained recognition after the movie with the launch of her series. It’s been three years since the first film, and Blake returns with America for Sisterhood 2.
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