While many actors dream of making their way to the Oscars, not everyone has movies and television in mind when starting out - some feel the call of the stage from a young age and thrive on the love of a live audience. While they may not all have stayed in the world of theater, these celebrities made their acting debuts through the brightest and best - Broadway itself. Whether soaking up the applause at the Gershwin Theater or starting strong in the West End before hitting it big in America, these stars all proudly started on the stage.
10 Sarah Jessica Parker Started Small
Long before her iconic starring role as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker brought love and laughter to audiences from a spotlight on stage. The actress kick-started her career when she joined the Broadway debut of The Innocents at age 11. While her career grew alongside her as she aged away from the stage and onto the screen, her passion for live performance remains and she returned to the stage with her husband Matthew Broderick to bring Plaza Suite back to Broadway in 2022.
9 Jason Alexander Joined The Crew Of Jerome Robbins’ Broadway
While Jason Alexander made himself a household name and face through the sitcom Seinfeld, his career actually took off on stage years before. In 1981, Alexander joined the cast of Merrily We Roll Along, taking to the stage immediately. His performance in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway brought him home a Tony, just in time for him to join the cast of Seinfeld to win over the rest of America as George Costanza.
8 Meryl Streep Shone On Stage
Julliard-trained Meryl Streep has always glowed in her performances, bringing the most intricate details to the screen, so it’s no wonder her talents have also shone on stage. Prior to killing it on the screen, Streep stepped up on Broadway with Trelawny of the Wells in 1975. It only took one year (and a switch over to joining 27 Wagons Full of Cotton) to win her a Tony. Of course, her Tony is now joined by three Oscars and multiple Golden Globes, as Streep’s amazing career has persisted.
7 Diane Keaton Networked From The Stage
Known popularly for her work in Annie Hall, Father of the Bride, and Something’s Gotta Give, Diane Keaton wasn’t always that cool and quirky figure on screen that the public came to love. Her career actually kicked off with a performance as an understudy in Hair. Of course, being in the background wasn’t her thing forever and, within a year, she was starring in Play It Again, Sam with Woody Allen. The two got together in 1972 to make the Tony-nominated play into a film and her career took off after that.
6 James Earl Jones Earned A Solid 3/5
Widely known for his voice work in Star Wars and The Lion King, James Earl Jones’ career has spanned a wide variety of genres and forms. While he became a popular figure on screen, the actor actually started out on Broadway in 1957 with Sunrise at Campobello. He’s frequented the stage, nominated for a total of five Tony awards, winning three of the five and actually won a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater in 2017.
5 Nick Jonas Was Burning Up On Stage
Before hitting it big in the Jonas Brothers or on Disney Channel, Nick Jonas heated up the stage from a young age. Cast on Broadway at only 7 years old, the singer joined the casts of Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast, and Annie Get Your Gun. He stepped away from the stage of theater and turned that success into a career in music and film. The singer returned to theater briefly in 2012, but has since chosen to focus on music and spend time with family including his wife Priyanka Chopra and their new daughter.
4 Viola Davis Took Time For Her Tony
Widely recognized for her role in How to Get Away with Murder, Viola Davis has a wide career full of diverse roles and platforms. Her first steps into the limelight actually came off-Broadway in a 1992 production of As You Like It. The actress took four years to make it to starring on Broadway in Seven Guitars, and it was another five years until her 2001 role in King Hedley II would win her that Tony. Though it took some time, she’s since won an Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG Award to join the collection.
3 Gaten Matarazzo Gave The Audience A Reason To Smile
The youngest on this list, Gaten Matarazzo spun straight from the stage into the cult classic Stranger Things, cementing himself as a fan favorite within minutes. While his character Dustin is adored on screen, Matarazzo actually started off singing his way into hearts as Gavroche in Les Misérables in 2014. Matarrazo returned to Broadway in 2022, joining the cast of Dear Evan Hansen as Jared Kleinman. Co-Stranger Things stars Sadie Sink and Caleb McLoughlin also kickstarted their careers on Broadway, making that child cast a triple threat.
2 Morgan Freeman Debuted With Dolly
Few actors are as revered among critics and fans as Morgan Freeman. His iconic and recognizable voice seems to soothe the crowds and the casting director of Hello, Dolly! apparently agreed. The actor set up on stage in 1968, joining the crew for an all-Black version of the classic musical on Broadway. It didn’t take long for him to move from the stage to the screen when he started winning the hearts of millions.
1 Julie Andrews Brought West End Charm
One of the iconic actors that many admire, Julie Andrews’ charm has always come across to the audience. First starting her career in England, the actress began as a child and started her time acting on the West End. Her charisma seemed to beckon to all, leading to her move to New York in 1954 to star in The Boy Friend. The actress quickly found a role in My Fair Lady as Eliza Doolittle, leading to rave reviews that interested Walt Disney. It didn’t take long for her to hit the right notes with Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, cementing herself into culture for the decades that followed.
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