8 Actors Who Got Famous Off Just One Scene

From D-list to A-list in one swift, brief appearance!

by Andrew Pollard
Hit Girl Kick Ass
Universal Pictures

Hollywood is a glorious and disgusting place.

For as quick as you can be the brightest star in the Hollywood skyline, you can be instantly turned to the dirtiest of trash on the Hollywood sidewalk. It's a cold, clinical, and cynical business - but hey, when you get that glimmer of 'making it', time's are good.

And time's were very good for the people featured here in this feature.

While some actors are given an entire picture to headline and steer to success, others are merely afforded a brief scene or two to showcase their talents. And it's in these few scenes where some of the biggest stars of today have made their mark and fired themselves to the A-list.

It's on that school of thought that we're driving our attention here, as we look at those people who made an instant mark that set them on the rise to being huge stars based on only a few minutes on screen - those guys and gals who shot themselves to superstardom off the back of one certain scene.

Here, then, are eight actors who got famous off just one fleeting on-screen appearance.

8. Steve Carell - Bruce Almighty

Steve Carell Bruce Almighty
Universal Pictures

Comedy movies have so often been used as the launching pad for many a career. And one career that was skyrocketed in just such a way is that of Steve Carell.

Having spent his formative years doing commercials or having an occasional stint on sketch shows such as Saturday Night Live and The Dana Carvey Show, it was 2003’s Bruce Almighty that first thrust Carell into the public spotlight.

After having audiences in hysterics with his antics as news anchor Evan Baxter, Carell propelled himself to being one of those funny sorts who people are dying to see more of. And see more of him, they did.

While Evan got his own spin-off picture – Evan Almighty – the next project to come for Carell directly after Bruce Almighty was a little movie by the name of Anchorman. Again set in the familiar setting of a newsroom, Anchorman continued to showcase Steve Carell as a standout star of the comedy genre.

Whether it's elaborate slapstick or more nuanced, knowing humour, Carell has shown himself to be a true master of his craft since his breakout, scene-stealing appearance in Bruce Almighty.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.