At IKEA or burglary

The unusual ways Hollywood stars were discovered

"Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson in a red swimsuit was a man's dream in the 90s. But that's how unusual she was discovered.

(Bild: SAIL / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

Whether in IKEA or at the bank - all stars have their own story of how they were discovered. Of course, there are people who are born into high society. However, most stars were completely normal people before their careers. Here are the careers of 10 Hollywood stars who were discovered in very unusual ways.

Alden Ehrenreich
He became world famous as the young "Han Solo". In a press conference for "Oppenheimer", Alden Ehrenreich revealed that he was discovered for Hollywood at the age of 14 by an incredible coincidence. He had recorded a comedy video for a classmate's bar mitzvah party (the celebration of coming of age).

The 34-year-old: "It was just for him, otherwise I would never have made it." But to Alden's horror, his friend played it for everyone. Among the guests was Steven Spielberg, who was impressed by the teen's talent. The legendary director gave Ehrenreich his first small role in the TV series "Supernatural: To Hell with Evil". Ehrenreich is not the only star whose star rose under very unusual circumstances.

Alden Ehrenreich recorded a comedy video for a classmate's bar mitzvah party and was thus discovered in Hollywood.

(Bild: APA/AFP/VALERIE MACON)

Vin Diesel broke into a theater
Vin Diesel broke into a theater in New York's Greenwich Villa at the age of seven as a test of courage. The 'Fast & Furious' star was promptly caught by the theater director Crystal Field. Instead of reporting Mark Sinclair (his real name at the time) to the police, she gave him a role in her play "Dinosaur Door". The 56-year-old never let go of acting after that.

Vin Diesel broke into a New York theater when he was seven years old. Instead of being reported, he got his first acting role.

(Bild: 2021 Getty Images)

Johnny Depp - a breakthrough by chance
Johnny Depp was dreaming of a career as a musician when he drove his roommate to an audition in 1986. While waiting outside the door, the producer of the show came by and convinced Johnny to audition himself. This is how Depp got his breakthrough role as a cop in "21 Jump Street: Crime Scene Classroom".

Depp only got his breakthrough role as a cop in "21 Jump Street: Crime Scene Classroom" by a lucky coincidence.

(Bild: 2023 Invision)

Whether at the bank or at a football game
Pamela Anderson was in Vancouver for a football game in the stadium when a cameraman zoomed in on her and the blonde appeared on the screens in close-up. The 22-year-old became famous overnight and Playboy invited her to a shoot in Los Angeles. Anderson stayed in Hollywood straight away and immediately landed a small role in the sitcom "Hör mal, wer da hämmert" - before switching to "Baywatch" as a mermaid.

"Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson in a red swimsuit was a man's dream in the 90s. But it was only by chance that she made it in Hollywood.

(Bild: APA/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Charlize Theron came to Los Angeles as a model at the age of 18. When she tried to cash her first paycheck at a bank in Hollywood, she was turned away. Because she wasn't American. The beautiful South African made a loud scene with the banker until a customer behind her offered to cash the check for her. The man turned out to be an acting agent called John Crosby, who then got Charlize her first role in a horror film.

Charlize Theron

(Bild: APA/AFP/Frederic J. Brown)

From street vendor to Hollywood
Jason Statham was selling fake jewelry on a street corner in London when he was approached by Guy Ritchie. The director offered him a role in his film "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels". In the film, the current action hero plays a black market dealer who sells jewelry. In Statham's words later: "It was perfect. I didn't have to act, just do my day job in front of the camera."

Harrison Ford tried in vain to make it as an actor in Hollywood in the 1960s. In order to support his wife and two sons, he switched to carpentry. The job of building a pool house took him to Malibu in 1972. The homeowner was not only very pleased with his work, George Lucas also invited him to audition for a leading role in "American Graffiti". The rest is Hollywood history.

Harrison Ford made it from simple carpenter to Hollywood legend.

(Bild: www.viennareport.at)

From temp to leading actor
John Wayne still bore his birth name Marion Morrison in 1930, when he was earning extra money as a student temp on the Fox film studio lot. When the burly, tall macho man was hauling props to the set of director Raoul Walsh, he was immediately offered a role in his western "The Big Trail". Walsh also gave the 23-year-old the stage name John Wayne, in reference to a general in the US War of Independence.

Haley Joel Osment was discovered at IKEA.

(Bild: FS / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

"Forrest Gump" star discovered atIKEA
Haley Joel Osment was discovered as a five-year-old by two acting agents - at IKEA. With his mother's permission, they took a photo of him and asked for his phone number. According to Osment in the magazine "Vulture", he received a call shortly afterwards: "I was invited by director Robert Zemeckis for an audition with Tom Hanks." The movie was called "Forrest Gump" and was the beginning of his career as a child actor.

Charlie Hunnan had worked up the courage to go Christmas shopping in a pub in Newcastle. While shopping, the then 17-year-old saw that he was being stared at by a woman a good 10 years older than him. On the "Kelly and Ryan Show" he revealed: "I was a bit drunk and spontaneously threw her a kissing hand with a big grin. Whereupon she came over and asked me if I'd ever acted before." His "flirt" was a TV producer and Hunnans landed his first role in the British teen drama "Byker Grove".