Top 10 Celebrity Commercials from Before They Were Stars

You may know this versatile actor from his comedic roles in such films as “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” or “I Love You, Man.” But before he was playing the handsome funny guy, he starred in a painfully cheesy Super Nintendo commercial from 1991. Come to think of it, the world has been missing some footage of Brian Fantana intently playing video games on a mega-screen.

Before he starred as “Neo” in “The Matrix” trilogy, he was just an actor trying to catch a break. In this ‘80s Corn Flakes commercial, he plays a server setting out bowls of cereal for the world’s worst company breakfast. Aside from the “way too happy” dancing, it’s apparent that he put a lot of heart and soul into sneaking a dry bite of cereal. That’s true talent.

He was one of our favorite “Friends,” but before that, he was eating hot dogs on camera as a day job. Something about the ‘80s made commercials fairly nonsensical, so apparently, perching a bottle of ketchup on a building, then running downstairs to order a hot dog is a wise decision. This “Friend” makes the best of it, however, and eats that hot dog with pride.

In case you didn’t know, wine coolers are where the fun starts. Just ask the star of “Die Hard.” As a surprise to no one and everyone simultaneously, Hollywood’s favorite funny tough guy can’t even walk down the street without being accosted by models and mildly alcoholic beverages. Sleeveless shirts really drive the point home by the end of the commercial – and the rock harmonica truly sings.

We’ve grown accustomed to him masterminding a sprawling meth empire, or even playing a put-up, comedic family man. But one thing we quite honestly can’t get enough of is watching him star in a commercial for hemorrhoids. We appreciate the sincerity, the full head of hair, and the ‘80s Wall Street shark look that he’s delivering in this spot. Heisenberg cares about your inflamed hemorrhoidal tissue, so show it some love.

This commercial puts a whole new spin on singing for your supper. Seinfeld’s friend and confidante was really excited about hamburgers, and wanted everyone on the street to know. Probably most notable about the commercial isn’t the singing and dancing, but that lush head of “dad hair” that George Costanza was sporting enthusiastically. But much like the McDLT, all good things must come to an end.

When your soda inexplicably flies out of your hands onto a widow ledge, do you go get another can of soda? No. You go out on that ledge and risk your life for some one-calorie refreshment. Prior to “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Ghost,” Ms. Moore was throwing herself off skyscrapers to recover Diet Cokes. And if you’ve ever tasted a Diet Coke, you’ll know that’s just ridiculous.

Clearly the instructions were “smile and look pretty” for this quintessential surfer spot, and the golden Adonis of Hollywood obliged. For a role with no lines, he conveys the inner turmoil of a young man in the middle of an existential crisis as he considers the frivolity of youth and his own impending mortality. Just kidding. He smashes a potato chip into his mouth and grins into the camera, and that’s all we need.

Watching big name celebrities in regional commercials has the added benefit of obscurity for both the star and the product they’re trying to sell. Low-cholesterol fried chicken from a Chicago restaurant chain was clearly all that was needed to boost this “40-Year Old Virgin” from relative unknown to comedic powerhouse. Well, maybe it wasn’t the chicken, but we like to imagine it was.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Drew Barrymore: Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Elijah Wood: Cheese
- Leonardo DiCaprio: Bubble Yum Bubble Gum
- Lindsay Lohan: Jell-O Grape
- Morgan Freeman: Listerine
- Sarah Michelle Gellar: Burger King

He looks like he’s on his way to star in a very serious afterschool special. Back when car phones were a thing, taking to-go orders from strangers was apparently what the cool kids did in their free time. Affleck delivers his lines with the cheeky aplomb of a man who knows he’s going to win an Oscar one day, or even be cast as Batman for some reason.

Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite celebrity TV commercial? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.