13 Actors Who Didn’t Make It Big Until Later In Life

Not every celebrity becomes an overnight success. While some stars found fame at a young age, others spent years working behind the scenes, taking small roles, or pursuing entirely different careers before finally getting their big break. Their stories are proof that talent, determination, and persistence can pay off at any stage of life. Here are 13 actors who didn’t achieve widespread fame until later in life.

Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston‘s rise to household-name status didn’t happen overnight. He started working as an actor in 1980 and had over 50 projects to his name before he got notable traction as Tim Whatley in 5 episodes of Seinfeld in the mid 1990s. His big break and first iconic role was Hal, the father in the TV series Malcolm in the Middle, which aired from 2000 to 2006.

Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong began his career as a licensed physician but always harbored a passion for comedy. Before becoming one of the most well-known comedic personalities, he earned his medical degree in 1995 and practiced medicine for several years, per Biography. His first acting role was in an episode of The Big Easy in 1997. After years of acting, Jeong finally had a breakthrough role in the 2009 comedy blockbuster The Hangover, starring as Mr. Chow.

Leslie Jones

Leslie Jones‘ breakthrough as a comedian came after years of hard work on the stand-up circuit. She started her stand-up career in 1987 while attending Colorado State University. In 2014, 27 years into her career, she finally made it big by landing a job as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

Tim Allen

Tim Allen spent years honing his stand-up routine before comedy television gave him his big break. He started working in Michigan’s comedy stand-up scene in the early ’80s, with steady success that also landed him roles in Mr. Goodwrench commercials, as reported by Biography. His big break came in 1991 when the TV sitcom Home Improvement premiered, with Allen starring as Tim Taylor.

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch‘s journey to stardom included roles in theater, commercials, and supporting TV characters before she achieved recognition. She started acting in theatre after completing her master’s in acting from Cornell University in 1984. She continued to work in plays and later on-screen roles until her big break in 2009, when she was cast in the TV Series Glee.

Steve Carell

Steve Carell was just a familiar face in sketch comedy and small supporting parts before his leap into leading roles. His first acting role was in 1991, and in the years between then and landing the role of Michael Scott on The Office in 2005, he was involved with over 25 projects and was most known at that point as a correspondent on The Daily Show.

Ty Burrell

Before being known as Phil Dunphy in Modern Family, Ty Burrell had a short list of acting credits, with his first role on a TV series being an episode of The West Wing in 2001, when he was 33-years-old.

Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal has captivated audiences with his powerful portrayals in genre-defining TV and film roles. He made his on-screen debut in 1999 and would act in mostly supporting roles for the next 15 years. In 2014, Pascal got his break and widespread recognition when he took on the role of Oberyn Martell in season four of HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford worked behind the scenes and took on minor roles before his turn as a legendary space pilot made him a star. The actor spent years struggling to break into Hollywood, supporting himself with carpentry jobs before landing the career-defining role of Han Solo in the original Star Wars, as reported by NPR.

Kathy Bates

Kathy Bates established herself on stage long before a chilling film performance earned her industry-wide recognition. In 1970, she relocated to New York City from Dallas after college, taking on a variety of jobs while pursuing her dream of becoming an actress, according to Britannica. After two decades of perseverance, she landed the career-defining role of Annie Wilkes in the 1990 adaptation of Stephen King‘s Misery.

Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm moved to Los Angeles in 1995 to pursue acting, where he spent years struggling before finally landing work as an actor. He took roles in a dozen projects throughout the early 2000s before landing his breakout role as Don Draper in the drama TV series Mad Men.

John Mahoney

John Mahoney‘s early years were spent perfecting his craft on stage before finding his breakout sitcom role later in life. In his late 30s, he made the bold decision to quit his job as a medical magazine editor and study acting in Chicago, as reported by NPR. His portrayal as Martin Crane in the TV Series Frasier garnered him critical acclaim.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson spent years in uncredited and supporting roles before becoming a household name. His first acting credit was as the character Stan in the 1972 film Together for Days. Jackson continued to have steady acting work until his breakout role in 1994, when he starred as Jules Winnfield in the 1994 classic Pulp Fiction, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.