10 Actors Who Began Their Career In A Soap Opera

While we're very much living in a golden age of television, there is one particular genre that continues to be mocked and ridiculed. Soap operas are often thought to be associated with melodramatic storylines and poor acting and, while this has certainly been the case in the past, it doesn't ring true today.

There's plenty to love about soaps: they're on all year round, they're well-storylined, and, due to the amount of episodes produced, the production teams work harder than pretty much every one else in the industry. But even more than all of that, soaps have been the training ground for some of the world's biggest and best-known names. Pretty cool, huh?

Serial dramas have given us plenty of talent over the years. Just think: if it weren't for Neighbours, the world might not have Kylie Minogue. It's not just musicians tough, as some of Hollywood's finest have found their footing on soap operas.

Soaps are the perfect training ground for young actors, as the hectic production schedules ensure that they're prepared for whatever they may pursue later. If it weren't for soaps offering a platform to these young up-and-comers, we may have been deprived of some of the best actors in the industry.

We may be familiar with Naomi Watts due to her stunning performances in David Lynch's classic Mulholland Drive, as well as Peter Jackson's wonderful remake of King Kong, but, believe it or not, the English actress starred on Australian soap Home and Away before hitting the big time.

Playing wheelchair-bound Julie Gibson, Watts was only present for a handful of episodes, making her first appearance in April of 1991, before departing the following month. This wasn't her first part as an actress, but it was her most recognisable role at the time.

Following her short stint in the serial drama, she was offered the opportunity to star in A Country of Practice - another Aussie soap - but she turned it down on the basis of not wanting to get attached to a soap for several years - a decision which the actress later called "naive".

Watts has gone from strength to strength in her career and has become a well-recognised actress. She was more recently seen in Twin Peaks: The Return, as well as Netflix's Gypsy, and will star in the upcoming Game Of Thrones prequel series.