Memorable acting debuts.

gigantic09 · 08-12-2021 7:22pm #1

Recently watched an old movie, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. It starred Barbara Stanwyck, Lisbeth Scott and Kirk Douglas who gave a powerful performance in his first film role. What are your stand out acting debuts?.

StevenToast · 08-12-2021 7:30pm

Edward Norton in Primal Fear

Steveimitation · 09-12-2021 5:19am

Sharlto Copley was great in District 9.

flasher0030 · 09-12-2021 8:02am

The young lad in The Sixth Sense stands out for me.

coolisin · 09-12-2021 8:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118294082#Comment_118294082

With my nerd hat on that wasn't really is debut! First major role I guess.

He had that odd movie with Whoopi Goldberg and an imaginary Gerard Depardieu.

But more importantly being a Young head tilting Forrest Gump Jr

09-12-2021 8:30am

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins.

bigar · 09-12-2021 8:33am

Die Hard was the feature film debut for Alan Rickman. He did do some television before,

event · 09-12-2021 8:38am

Anna Paquin - The Piano

Cameron Diaz - The Mask

ohnonotgmail · 09-12-2021 8:43am

John Cazale in The Godfather.

10-12-2021 1:44am

Colin Farrell in Tigerland (2000)

I don't think that he has ever bettered that performance tbh and it made him a star

He was off to Hollywood and next thing he was hanging out the back of Britney

JP Liz V1 · 10-12-2021 2:34am

Natalie Portman in Leon

Shred · 11-12-2021 10:18pm

Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun.

Agent Coulson · 11-12-2021 10:31pm

Jamie Bell in Billy Elliott

miss flutter ups · 11-12-2021 11:49pm

Angelina in girl interrupted

bigtimecharlie · 12-12-2021 12:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299138#Comment_118299138

Totally agree.

vriesmays · 12-12-2021 1:09pm

Brian Glover in Kes.

The White Wolf · 12-12-2021 4:05pm

The day that's in it Kirsten Dunst in Interview With A Vampire.

Don't think it was her first film but Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit was striking as well.

Igotadose · 12-12-2021 4:10pm

Jodi Foster in Taxi Driver

Agent Coulson · 12-12-2021 4:10pm

I want to say R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket.

I know he had a non speaking bit part in Apocalypse Now and one other film before he got Full Metal Jacket.

The White Wolf · 12-12-2021 4:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118310307#Comment_118310307

Ermey is a great shout. His performance in that film could only come from one place and that was reality.

Thecageyone · 12-12-2021 6:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299112#Comment_118299112

He was in a couple of Movies prior to that, he appeared in Ordinary decent criminal and The warzone in 98/99

12-12-2021 6:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118310923#Comment_118310923

first significant film role I think is the spirit of the thread, as already outlined by the poster in post #5 - not less significant supporting parts.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118294113#Comment_118294113

Tony EH · 13-12-2021 1:56am

Julie Walters in 'Educating Rita'

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween'

Thecageyone · 13-12-2021 6:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118311258#Comment_118311258

I guess, but you could say his earlier roles were significant in that he was chosen for Tigerland because of those smaller roles

13-12-2021 10:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118316653#Comment_118316653

Kevin Spacey got Farrell the audition with Joel Schumacher for the role in Tigerland.

Spacey had apparently seen Farrell on stage and also got him the small part in "Ordinary Decent Criminal"

The Farreller may have had to blow Spacey for the benefits - who knows... it was Spacey's modus operandi in these matters as we now know to take advantage of young men when he was in a position of power vis-a-vis them.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0160611/trivia/?ref_=tt_ql_trv

Kevin Spacey would later recommend Colin Farrell to director Joel Schumacher, with whom he had made " A Time to Kill". Schumacher would give Farrell his first Hollywood break in the critically acclaimed " Tigerland".

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-oct-01-ca-29476-story.html

was cast as a criminal in “Ordinary Decent Criminals” after the film’s star, Kevin Spacey, saw him on stage. Then he was called in for a chat with Schumacher in London.

Captain Red Beard · 14-12-2021 12:16am

Cillian Murphy in Disco Pigs, I'm not sure if was his first role but it got him noticed.

silverharp · 14-12-2021 3:30pm

Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours , Trading places was his next film, talk about coming out the gates hard

loyatemu · 14-12-2021 3:36pm

he was already fairly famous though, same with Steve Martin in "The Jerk".

shazzerman · 14-12-2021 3:53pm

Orson Welles in Citizen Kane

Agnes Moorehead in Citizen Kane

Joseph Cotten in...Citizen Kane

magicbastarder · 14-12-2021 3:59pm

can't believe no-one has mentioned mark hamill (first movie role, not first acting role)

ohnonotgmail · 14-12-2021 4:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321030#Comment_118321030

If we're with first movie role but not first acting role then it has to be Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver.

Mickeroo · 14-12-2021 4:02pm

Leonardo DiCaprio in Critters 3. I knew straight away he would be a star from that performance.

Igotadose · 14-12-2021 4:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321045#Comment_118321045

I already brought that up!

ohnonotgmail · 14-12-2021 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321056#Comment_118321056

I did a search for Jodie and couldn't find it.

Igotadose · 14-12-2021 4:06pm

Jennifer Aniston in "Leprechaun."

Igotadose · 14-12-2021 4:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321062#Comment_118321062

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118310299#Comment_118310299

Ya all right spelled her name a little worng. Turns out per wikipedia it was far from her debut, she'd done a bunch of films and TV before then.

ohnonotgmail · 14-12-2021 4:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321074#Comment_118321074

oh yeah. she was a seasoned pro by the time of taxi Driver and it shows.

14-12-2021 6:20pm

It's sort of common sense that it should be something like the first role in a feature film (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_film) where the actor is in the top 2 or 3 of the cast list where that at least provides for a role with decent screen time.

Sonic the Shaghog · 14-12-2021 6:32pm

Arnie in "Hercules in New York" and not memorable for the right reasons

magicbastarder · 14-12-2021 7:55pm

i went down a slight rabbit hole based on this thread, and found this; there's an important caveat that the figures are not adjusted for inflation, but check out the second table - and the variation in the 'top grossing film' column:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_actors

KaneToad · 14-12-2021 8:02pm

Eamonn Owens in the Butcher Boy was very good.

Memorable acting debuts.

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