Movies Starring People Before They Were Famous (Part 1)

Twenty years from now, we may look back at In The Heights as launch point for a new wave of Gen Z stars. Think about it, have you ever watched a movie and said, “I didn’t know that person was in it” or, “How did they find all of these people before they were stars?”

You know the movies that I’m talking about, The Outsiders, Dazed and Confused, Black Hawk Down, Dazed and Confused,

Think about it. Dazed and Confused plucked a young Matthew McConaughey right off the University of Texas - Austin campus, introduced us to a pre-Good Will Hunting Ben Affleck, an unknown Renée Zellweger, and a pre-Fifth Element Milla Jovovich. This is to say nothing of other featured actors such as Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, Rory Cochrane, and Adam Goldberg (before his very forgettable guest starring role on Friends).

The Outsiders, which is probably the greatest before they were stars movie of all time put together a cast that today would easily cost a tens of millions to put together, just five years after the release of this movie.

Let’s start off with the Karate Kid himself, Ralph Macchio. Wax on, wax off, the crane technique, so many enduring moments of popular culture come from this movie. Years later Macchio returned back to the character in Cobra Kai, which became a smash hit on Netflix.

Also, the Outsiders has a pre-Brat Pack Emilio Estevez, one of the defining stars of the ‘80s with hits such as The Breakfast Club and even enjoyed success into the ‘90s with hits like the Mighty Ducks franchise.

Rob Lowe, who was the total teen heartthrob saw great success with St. Elmo’s Fire, and endured into the 90’s and 2000’s with hits such as Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The West Wing, and Parks and Recreation.

Matt Dillon saw success with critically acclaimed hits such as There’s Something About Mary, and Crash. Even C. Thomas Howell even had a nice career with a few hits in the ‘80s.

If the movie had just those names alone it would still be remembered as a before they were stars movie. But know you get the big ones.

Swayze. God rest his soul. Patrick Swayze was one of the biggest stars of the 80’s and 90s who was taken away from us far too soon. Would he have had a 2nd act of his career similar to the next star in this movie? In his short time with us Patrick Swayze managed to give us some all-time classics in Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Even today his name evokes a positive reaction among anyone who knew him or his work.

And now it comes time for the biggie, one of the biggest movies stars in cinematic history. The man who needs no introduction himself, Mr. Tom Cruise. As big of a movie star that Tom Cruise was in the ‘80s he may be even bigger now. Top Gun 2 has become the biggest grossing movie in the US this decade and entered the top 5 grossing films in US box office history earlier this week. Cruise has two upcoming Mission Impossible movies which will even feature him shooting scenes from space!!! it might sound like hyperbole, but there is no major star who is as physically committed to acting and delivering big box office joy to audiences around the world than Tom Cruise. The ageless wonder has enjoyed a legendary career with hits such as Risky Business, Top Gun, Rain Man, Born on the 4th of July, A Few Good Men, Mission Impossible, Interview with a Vampire, The Firm, Jack Reacher, and so much more!!! (We definitely leftout a bunch of Tom Cruise hits, if you’d like just Google them.

When we said this cast would cost tens of millions to make a movie with in the 80s we weren’t joking (maybe even more). What’s even crazier to think about is that The Outsiders, which was directed by the Oscar winning legend of The Godfather fame, Francis Ford Coppola, turned down even more unknown actors who auditioned to be part of the film.

Among the many would-be stars that didn’t make the cut, Mickey Rourke, Scott Baio, Dennis Quaid, and wait for it… Leonardo Dicaprio.

Could you imagine a movie with Leo, Swayze, and Tom Cruise all sharing the big screen? if only we had a time machine to go back.