Top 10 Stars Who Appeared in Rom-Coms BEFORE They Were Famous

Robbie had her big breakthrough role in the Martin Scorsese film, “The Wolf of Wall Street” and since then has seen her star continue to rise as the beautifully evil Harley Quinn in a number of movies in the DC Extended Universe. But “The Wolf of Wall Street” wasn’t her first movie. She had been doing TV and film for about five years before she landed the role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. In fact, a few months before the black comedy dropped, there was a romantic comedy-drama out in the theaters called “About Time.” The time travel flick starred Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson and featured the not-yet-a-household-name Ms. Robbie in the role of Charlotte.

From about 2005 to 2015, Jason Segel was one of the most popular comedic actors in Hollywood. He came to all of our attention in 2005 with the premiere of “How I Met Your Mother.” He then used the popularity of the show and of his performance to become a legit movie star, appearing in such films as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “I Love You, Man.” But before all of that, even before he was a freak or a geek, Segel got his first job ever as “Watermelon Guy” - aka Matt - in the 1998 rom-com “Can’t Hardly Wait!”

When it comes to Jim Parsons, everyone knows that he played Sheldon Cooper, sorry, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, on the mega-popular sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” for 12 Bazinga-filled years. But here are a few things you might not have known about this multi-award winning actor. His real name is James Joseph Parsons and he was born in Houston, Texas. Also, before he would find fame with “Big Bang,” he had a recurring role in seven episodes of “Judging Amy'' and a minor role as Tim in Zach Braff’s acclaimed cult rom-com “Garden State.”

Damon and his high school friend Ben Affleck became Hollywood golden boys in 1997 with the release of the film “Good Will Hunting,” which they starred in and shared an Oscar for best screenplay. While relatively unknown at the time, Damon had made some waves the previous year playing an opiate-addicted soldier in “Courage Under Fire.” However, if we go back even farther to 1988, we can see a totally unknown Damon in a dinner scene in the Julia Roberts rom-com “Mystic Pizza.” It was one of Roberts’ first roles as well, as she was still a couple years away from us all falling in love with her in “Pretty Woman.”

Ever since she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “The Help,” Octavia Spencer has seen her star rise in Hollywood. But her success definitely didn’t come overnight. After making her debut in “A Time To Kill,” Spencer worked in film and television for 15 years before “The Help” helped make her famous. In those intervening years, one of the films she was in was the classic 90s Drew Barrymore romcom “Never Been Kissed.” And she wasn’t alone. Another before-they-were-famous-face you might have seen in the film was Jessica Alba, who was still a couple years away from breaking out in “Dark Angel.”

Before he stepped up, stepped up to the streets and put the “magic” in “Magic Mike,” Channing Tatum was the hot roommate/love interest of Amanda Bynes’ Viola/Sebastian. When the movie came out, Channing wasn’t a household name, but that was about to change. Just five months after “She’s The Man,” Channing headlined the 2006 dance film, “Step Up,” which put him on the track to fame and fortune. It also had many of us going back and rewatching “She’s The Man” with a brand new appreciation for Tatum - and total jealousy for Bynes who got to make out with him.

Jackson started acting in the early 1970s and almost 20 years later became a known commodity with his work in various Spike Lee films, including “Do The Right Thing” and “Jungle Fever.” But we can probably all agree that it was his performance as Jules the hitman in 1994’s “Pulp Fiction” that made him a household name. However, before he was quoting Ezekiel 25:17 and before he was Señor Love Daddy, a relatively unknown Sam L. Jackson was cast as the “Hold-Up Man” in the 1988 romantic comedy, “Coming to America.”

In 2002, Adams got her first major role opposite Leonardo DiCarpio in “Catch Me If You Can.” In 2007, she found success as a lead actress in the romantic fantasy, “Enchanted” and in 2014 Time Magazine named Amy one of the 100 most influential people in the world. It might be hard to remember a time when she wasn’t famous, but all you have to do is go back to 1999 when she made her film debut as Leslie the cheerleader and second-runner up in the beauty pageant mockumentary “Drop Dead Gorgeous.” But it was in 2002 that Adams appeared in not one, but two rom-coms: “Pumpkin” sees her in the role of Alex, while “Serving Sara” has Adam playing mistress to Bruce Campbell’s character!

The pretty Ms. Stone’s first leading role was a romantic comedy called “Easy A” in 2010. The following year she continued to see her fame grow with parts in two hit movies: “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “The Help.” Today, she is one of the most recognizable leading ladies in Hollywood and has already racked up three Oscar nominations, including one win. But back in 2008 before she was winning Oscars and performing lip syncs, she was racking up a supporting role in “The House Bunny,” opposite leads Anna Faris and Colin Hanks.

Pine has had the great honor of being one of very few actors to play Captain James Tiberius Kirk and it no doubt changed his life. Since that first “Star Trek” movie, he’s been Jack Ryan and has also made his way into the DC Extended Universe with his role in Wonder Woman. But as good-looking and talented as Mr. Pine is, no one could have guessed he would become one of Hollywood's brightest stars back in 2004 when he was kissing Anne Hathaway in his feature film debut “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.”