Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were in 2000s Movies

Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were in 2000s Movies

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Stars You Forgot Were in 2000s Movies.

For this list, we’ll be looking at those oughts movies that showcased our favorite stars before they made it to the big time. Heads up, there are some spoilers here!

If we missed your favorite A-Lister surprises, let us know in the comments below.

#10: Sandra Oh
“Sideways” (2004)

Sandra Oh manages to sneak her way into quite a few of our favorite 2000s movies – how could we ever forget the triumph of her turn as Vice Principal Gupta in “The Princess Diaries?” – but here’s one you may not remember. In “Sideways,” Miles and Jack take a road trip through wine country as one last hurrah before Jack’s wedding. They meet Stephanie – played by the future Dr. Christina Yang – working at a vineyard. Jack is immediately taken with Stephanie, and the two hit it off – until she finds out he’s engaged. Sandra is so funny in the role, and especially shines during the beatdown she gives Jack. Don’t mess with Yang!

#9: Megan Fox
“Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” (2004)

Many of us were first introduced to Megan Fox in the “Transformers” franchise – something she and the rest of us would maybe like to forget. Or perhaps your first real interaction with her was in 2009’s fun slasher flick “Jennifer’s Body.” But, for the true fans, there’s “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.” In her feature film debut, Fox plays Carla Santini, the meanest girl at Lindsay Lohan’s new school. She serves as a foil to Lohan, and starts her long run of perfecting the art of playing a teenaged mean girl. Her cadence, her expressions, and her well-timed scoffs all hit the mark perfectly.

#8: Taran Killam
“Big Fat Liar” (2002)

A lot of us know Taran Killam for his six-year stint on SNL – along with his incredible Matthew McConaughey impression. But you might not know that Killam got his start as a child actor years before he ever graced the SNL stage. You might remember his turn as teen heart throb Jordan Cahill in the Disney Channel original “Stuck in the Suburbs,” but we guarantee you don’t remember our pick for number eight. In 2002’s “Big Fat Liar,” starring Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes, Killam plays one of the school bullies. He’s barely in the film – it’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of performance – but it’s definitely fun to notice when he shows up.

#7: Amy Adams
“Catch Me If You Can” (2002)

Amy Adams has had a heck of a career – seriously, where’s the Oscar? She’s been working for so long, it’s hard to remember that there was a time when she wasn’t the biggest name in whatever movie she’s in. But, that’s exactly the case in 2002’s “Catch Me If You Can,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The movie tells the story of con artist Frank Abagnale and the many people he fools along the way – including a young hospital worker named Brenda, played by Adams. Frank asks Brenda to marry him, but being on the lam, leaves her behind. Adams plays Brenda with a doe-eyed sincerity, foreshadowing her excellent work to come.

#6: Ryan Gosling
“Remember the Titans” (2000)

When you think of Ryan Gosling, you probably think of the suave, sexy Jacob from “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” or the passionate and romantic Noah from “The Notebook.” However, you probably DON’T think of silly dance moves and football. Well, think again. As a young actor, Gosling landed a small role in 2000’s “Remember the Titans” as one of the players on the two integrating football teams. He doesn’t have a lot to say, but he doesn’t need words – he’ll leave it all on the dance floor. Looking back now, it’s easy to see the star quality in Gosling’s quirky grins and funny dances.

#5: Bradley Cooper
“Wet Hot American Summer” (2001)

Before he was drunkenly traversing through Las Vegas, or trying to get another look at Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper was just another actor trying to make a living. And in 2001, he took that acting talent to camp. “Wet Hot American Summer” debuted to negative reviews, but has since become heralded as a cult classic. A lot of that is due its all-star cast, who almost all went on to great things, including Cooper. He plays Ben, a preppy drama geek who everyone assumes is straight. Turns out, Ben is in love with another camper, McKinley, played by Michael Ian Black. In a weirdly sweet turn for this ridiculous romp of a film, the two end up getting married, surrounded by their best camp friends.

#4: Jared Padalecki
“New York Minute” (2004)

Who would have thought that Sam from “Supernatural” – or even more unlikely, Dean from “Gilmore Girls” – would start shacking up with the Olsen twins? Well, “New York Minute” proved us all wrong. In the movie, the twins play polar opposites – Ashley, the uptight overachiever and Mary-Kate the rebel – who wind up involved in some weird scheme that never really makes a ton of sense. Alas. They wind up meeting Trey – played by Jared Padalecki – a senator’s son who gets tangled up in their web. The film itself isn’t very good, but Padalecki’s first meeting with the twins – he accidentally winds up in their hotel room – is something you’ve got to see.

#3: Brie Larson
“13 Going on 30” (2004)

When you think about where Brie Larson is these days, it’s easy to forget just how long she’s been around. Even though she’s won an Academy Award, and currently devotes most of her time to playing an all-powerful superhero, we miss her teenage days of playing mean girls. We could have gone with her slightly larger role in 2004’s “Sleepover,” but we had to go with this small, yet awesome, ‘80s-inspired appearance in “13 Going on 30.” In this fantastical romantic comedy, Larson plays one of the infamous “Six Chicks” – the group of middle school mean girls who bully a young Jenna Rink. Larsen doesn’t say much, but the sneer on her face says it all.

#2: Penn Badgley
“John Tucker Must Die” (2006)

If you were around in the aughts, you probably mostly remember Penn Badgley as Dan, the boy from the wrong side of the tracks turned gossip mastermind on “Gossip Girl.” Badgley’s made a bit of a comeback in recent years, starring as Joe in the extremely creepy Netflix original “You,” but we bet you forgot about his turn as the geeky love interest in “John Tucker Must Die.” The story follows four teen girls who try to take down a high school womanizer, with Badgley playing the sweet, nerdy guy with a crush on the main protagonist. The hair definitely gives us “try-hard Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You” vibes, but we’ll let it slide.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Seth Rogen, “Donnie Darko” (2001)
For a Funny Guy, He Plays a Good Jerk

Viola Davis, “Kate & Leopold” (2001)
You Better Pick Up That Poo, Hugh!

Steve Carrell, “Sleepover” (2004)
He Is Hip to You, Little Missy

John Krasinski, “The Holiday” (2006)
Before Dunder Mifflin, Jim Worked for Cameron Diaz

#1: Anna Kendrick
“Twilight” (2008)

Anna Kendrick is so synonymous with musical movies now, it’s hard to think back to the time when she wasn’t riffing off in “Pitch Perfect” or getting stuck on the steps of the palace in “Into the Woods.” But, before she was the megastar she is now, Kendrick was none other than Bella’s sort-of best friend in “Twilight.” The Twilight movies were certainly a moment, and we love everything about their cringey-ness, but Kendrick’s performance adds a much-needed reality check. As annoying as Jessica can be, she’s often a voice of reason, or offers a funny bit of commentary on the otherwise ridiculous going-ons of Bella and the Cullens. Hope you’re good, Jess – we’ll never forget you.