Top 10 Actors You Didn't Know Were Famous on Broadway

A major breakthrough in John Lithgow’s film career came with his supporting role as Roberta Muldoon in the 1982 film “The World According to Garp.” He even got an Oscar nomination for it. The next year, he also received recognition for his role as Sam Burns in the movie “Terms of Endearment.” He later became recognized as Dick Solomon from “3rd Rock from the Sun.” Yet before all this, back in 1973, Lithgow was making a name for himself on Broadway. Indeed, he won a Tony for his work in “The Changing Room,” in which he brought rugby player Kenny to life. The actor has continued to perform on the big stage throughout the years, always proving his talent.

You may know him as Wolverine, or perhaps you see him as P. T. Barnum from “The Greatest Showman.” What you may not know is that Hugh Jackman was putting on a show — multiple, technically — on stage, before becoming such an eminent on-screen actor. His name and face were already known in the ‘90s in Australia, where he did lots of theater and some screen work. He also left his mark in England with his West End “Oklahoma!” performance. Then, in 2003, he made his Broadway debut as Peter Allen in “The Boy From Oz.” He snagged a Tony award for his efforts. While he had appeared in some movies and shows by this time, this was relatively early in his career fame arc.

Let’s be real. That’s Kylo Ren. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” released in 2015, experienced substantial success. Of course, Adam Driver had a part in that with his performance as the bad guy. A few years later, Driver was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Flip Zimmerman in Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman.” Prior to both projects, and the monumental surge in Driver’s fame, he had a few other notable roles. But in a surprising twist, he was on Broadway beforehand. 2010 saw him get his start there in “Mrs. Warren’s Profession.” The following year, he starred alongside Frank Langella in “Man and Boy.” If you didn’t know all this, you’re not alone.

She has been widely acclaimed for her exceptional acting talent and her ability to emotionally embody her characters. This is evident with her work in films like 2011’s “The Help” and 2016’s “Fences,” both of which she received Oscar nominations for. She actually won the coveted statuette for the latter project. Years earlier though, Davis was a major Broadway success. In 1996, she took that world by storm in August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars.” Then, in 2001, her performance as Tonya in “King Hedley II” earned her the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play. You may not have known, but the fact that she excels on stage certainly isn't a surprise.

She’s commonly known for her portrayal of Beca in the “Pitch Perfect” franchise. Anna Kendrick put her skills on full display for the public when the first movie musical came out in 2012. She plays a college student who reluctantly joins an on-campus a capella group. Back in 1998, however, Kendrick was only 12 years old, and was starring on Broadway in the musical “High Society”! That’s right, she brought her acting and musical talents to the big stage way before her “Pitch Perfect” days. Not only did she make her Broadway debut at a young age, but she killed it, being nominated for the Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony.

Morgan Freeman was nominated for Academy Awards for his mid-to-late ‘80s work in “Street Smart” and “Driving Miss Daisy.” His 1994 performance in what many consider one of the greatest films of all time, “The Shawshank Redemption,” also earned him a nod, though he didn’t win on those occasions. Of course, these are just a few of Freeman’s many successes on screen. Well before his Hollywood career took off, though, he was making his mark on the Broadway stage. His first Broadway stint was in a production of “Hello, Dolly!” back in the ‘60s. Multiple stage appearances ensued for Freeman, including in larger roles. He was even nominated for the Best Featured Actor in a Play Tony after portraying Zeke in “The Mighty Gents.”

Diane Keaton’s performance as the titular character in “Annie Hall” is one of her most well-received — and she has a lot of acclaimed work. Indeed, her contributions to the 1977 Woody Allen rom-com got her the Best Actress Oscar. What many don’t know, however, is that Keaton had previously worked with Allen on Broadway. In 1969, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her portrayal of Linda Christie in “Play It Again, Sam,” which he wrote and starred in. The year before, she was in the original Broadway production of “Hair.” Both those jobs came before Keaton became a major silver screen star, notably as Kay Adams-Corleone in “The Godfather.”

Having attained a record number of Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, Meryl Streep is nothing short of a legend in the industry. Many consider her among the best to ever do it. Interestingly, before demonstrating her on-screen brilliance numerous times, Streep exhibited her impeccable acting talent for theater audiences. Indeed, she appeared in several Broadway shows in the mid-to-late 70s. This includes Tony-nominated performances in “27 Wagons Full of Cotton” and “A Memory of Two Mondays.” She also featured as Dunyasha in the Broadway production of Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” in 1977. That same year, she made her feature film debut in “Julia.”

George Costanza is one of the most iconic sitcom characters of all time, played by none other than Jason Alexander. While you may have seen his face elsewhere on screen, Alexander is unquestionably most recognizable as George from “Seinfeld.” Before that though, he was shining on Broadway. The first of those appearances came in 1981 in the musical “Merrily We Roll Along.” After a few more on-stage roles, Alexander garnered a major honor: the Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. This was for his work in 1989 as the narrator in “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway.” Yes, that’s the same year the public was introduced to Mr. George Costanza.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s illustrious career started at a young age on the big stage in 1976. At 11 years old, she was in her first Broadway production: “The Innocents.” Three years later, she became a true Broadway star, playing the protagonist in the all-time classic musical “Annie.” After initially being cast in a smaller part, SJP took over the lead role. Her performance as Annie was essentially a stepping stone to an impressive career as a film and television actress. After “Annie” came Rusty in “Footloose,” Sarah Sanderson in “Hocus Pocus,” and Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City,” among many others.