First roles launching successful Hollywood careers

BY NIDA FARAZ: From Johnny Depp to Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz to Kirsten Dunst, here are some of Hollywood stars whose first movies were a hit and launched their acting careers.

The list also reveals that an acting career is not a magic wand and it takes years before the actors mature in their performances. This also indicates that the cine-world offers chances to prospective performers but then it is their devotion and abilities that finally result in a decisive breakthrough.

Johnny Depp was seen in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ in 1984, at the start of what would become a highly successful film career.

Adam Sandler appeared first in 1994 film ‘Airheads’.

Angelina Jolie, back in 1993, was in the film ‘Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow’, before she went on to become one of the most famous women on the planet.

The popular actor Matthew McConaughey appeared in the 1993 film ‘Dazed and Confused’ while Drew Barrymore was just a toddler in the 1982 film ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Sean Penn first acted in ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’, in 1982. Scarlett Johansson was seen back in 1996 in the film ‘If Lucy Fell’.

Kirsten Dunst starred in the 1994 film ‘Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles’.

A young Natalie Portman starred alongside Jean Reno for ‘Léon: The Professional’ in 1994.

Anthony Hopkins started from 1978 in the film ‘Magic’ while blonde bombshell Cameron Diaz starred in the film ‘The Mask’ back in 1994.

Nida Faraz is a freelance contributor