Breaking into the world of Hollywood acting is undoubtedly tough. Sometimes the biggest celebrities seem to come out of absolutely nowhere, but in reality, most start their careers in really small roles. From working as an extra on TV shows and movies to doing commercials and voiceover work, a lot of today's biggest stars built their careers bit by bit. Believe it or not, the lucky ones ended up with recurring roles on soap operas that they were able to use to launch themselves to big-time Hollywood stardom.
Although some people may see soap opera acting as B- or even C-list work, being a regular on a soap is actually considered a great gig for many aspiring actors. The heyday of soap operas may be long past, but still, the work is consistent, it pays relatively well, and for those who establish a loyal fan base it can be a really rewarding career. In fact, lots of celebs get their start in soap operas and decide to stick with it. Just look at soap icon Susan Lucci (she was the reigning queen of All My Children for an impressive 41 years)!
Some actors used their recurring roles on soap operas as a jumping-off point for a career in primetime TV or movies. You might even be surprised to find out that years ago, some major A-listers were regulars on popular soaps.
Elizabeth Banks
Hunger Games actress Elizabeth Banks was in college when she first started auditioning for soaps, and it went well. She was first offered a role on the show Santa Barbara, which she ended up turning down in favor of finishing school, and then she took the part of a waitress named Rosalie on All My Children.
Josh Duhamel
Actor Josh Duhamel, who was once married to singer Fergie, has starred in countless movies including Transformers, Safe Haven, and the upcoming rom-com Shotgun Wedding (alongside Jennifer Lopez). But did you know he was a regular on All My Children for more than 10 years, playing heartthrob and fan favorite Leo du Pres?
Justin Hartley
Dreamy This Is Us star Justin Hartley played the character Fox Crane on the NBC soap opera Passions from 2002 to 2006, followed by a few small roles in primetime TV series including Smallville and Revenge. Then he returned to the world of soaps with a role in CBS' The Young and the Restless — just before hitting it big with This Is Us in 2016.
Lindsay Lohan
With her being a child star, we assumed we already knew Lindsay Lohan's entire body of work, but she was actually in the soap opera Another World very early in her career. She was 10 at the time and had a recurring role, but left when she nabbed the lead in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap.
Amber Tamblyn
From The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants to House, actor and activist Amber Tamblyn has had a very successful career in Hollywood — but without General Hospital, that may not have been the case. She spent her teen years playing the character Emily on the enduring ABC soap opera before moving on to bigger projects.
Shemar Moore
Actor Shemar Moore first garnered fame as hunky Malcolm Winters on the soap The Young and the Restless. He was on the series for more than a decade, overlapping with his start on Criminal Minds in 2005. That series would make him a household name and pave the way for his success in primetime TV.
John Stamos
Full House made John Stamos a legit celebrity and opened up a lot of opportunities for him, but his stint as the character Blackie Parrish on General Hospital in the 1980s proved his acting abilities. He won a Daytime Emmy for the role, setting him up for long-term TV success.
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is a huge movie star, but she actually got her first real recognition for acting in soaps. She played dual characters Frannie and Sabrina Hughes in As the World Turns in the mid-1980s, winning a daytime Emmy for her work in 1988. She's even reprised the role in various episodes throughout the years, including in 2010 and 2020.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar was a Hollywood staple in the 1990s and early 2000s. Just before her Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame, though, she had a recurring role as Kendall Hart, the daughter of Susan Lucci's character, Erica Kane, on All My Children. Sarah was on the show for two years and won a Daytime Emmy. She returned to the set for a few scenes in 2020.
Jensen Ackles
Supernatural star Jensen Ackles definitely has the face of a male soap star, so it's no surprise that he starred on Days of Our Lives for years in the late 1990s before he became a bonafide sci-fi TV star. He played the character Eric Brady and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for the role three years in a row.
Hayden Panettiere
Actress Hayden Panettiere has certainly made her mark in showbiz, starring in such popular shows as Nashville and Heroes and in movies including Remember the Titans and I Love You, Beth Cooper. She was on One Life To Live in the mid-'90s for three years, and then on Guiding Light for three years immediately following that.
Michael B. Jordan
As a young, aspiring Hollywood star, actor Michael B. Jordan had a recurring role on All My Children for four years. He played troubled teenager Reggie Montgomery, a part that was originally given to the late Chadwick Boseman, who ended up getting fired because he didn't like that the show perpetuated stereotypes.
Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos
Power couple Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos actually met each other on the set of All My Children when Mark was there auditioning and Kelly was already a regular in 1995. He got the gig, and they began dating shortly after. They starred on the show together for years, eventually becoming an on-screen couple as well.
Brittany Snow
Actress Brittany Snow has starred in such hit movies as Pitch Perfect and Hairspray, enjoying a long and enduring career in Hollywood. But she actually got her start in the soap Guiding Light. She was on the show for three years between 1998 and 2001, winning a Young Artists Award for her work in 2001.
Kristin Davis
Sex and the City and And Just Like That star Kristin Davis had a recurring role on General Hospital during the early part of her career. She starred as Nurse Betsy Chilson for 18 episodes in 1991. It was the third acting credit of her entire career, which is now quite prolific.
Eva Longoria
Actress, producer, and director Eva Longoria is best known for her role on the soapy primetime series Desperate Housewives, but long before that she worked on daytime soaps. She did a one-off episode of General Hospital and then worked on The Young and the Restless in a recurring role for two years between 2001 and 2003, just before her Desperate Housewives fame.
