Break a leg, they say, to wishing luck to actors before they go on stage. Acting is one of the hardest and most unstable jobs, with countless of auditions and rejections. Even when aspiring actors make it and become known faces, many don’t always stay very long in the business. All of that is why it’s so breathtaking to hear the stories of actors who almost quit acting right before they hit their stride and land their big break. This article looks into the stories of such actors, who endured heartache and hardship, until they unexpectedly achieved success.
Catherine Zeta-Jones – Chicago
Catherine Zeta-Jones is a Welsh born actress who is best known for her performance in Shawshank Redemption, Traffic and the musical Chicago. Before she became a star, however, she experienced years of hardship trying to break into the acting industry. After attending the London Studio Centre for three years, she was encouraged to leave and advised to look for a new career. Just two months after her departure, she received a call to audition for Chicago and it was her big break.
Jim Carrey – Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jim Carrey, the master of physical comedy, was almost a complete unknown actor when he landed the role of Ace Ventura that propelled him to stardom. But just before his big break, Carrey had been close to giving up entirely and was preparing to leave Hollywood. However, his father convinced him to stay, and luckily he did. Because of it, Carrey earned a seven-figure salary to play Ace Ventura and won the MTV Movie Award for best male performance – and his career was launched.
Zac Efron – High School Musical
Disney’s High School Musical was a pop culture phenomenon, and we have Zac Efron to thank for his role as Troy Bolton. It was 2006 and Efron’s success was one of the most serendipitous turns of events. Before he even graduated from high school, he had worked on several small independent films but was yet to land a big role. After attending countless auditions and being rejected from dozens of roles, Efron was about to give up, when he attended an audition for High School Musical. Although he was written off at first, he impressed the casting directors. And the rest is history.
Renee Zellweger – Jerry Maguire
Renee Zellweger, who is best known for her role in Bridget Jones’s Diary series, almost quit acting before she had a chance to become famous. It was 1996, and Zellweger had to attend more than 80 auditions before she was offered the part of Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire. But by then, Zellweger was so tired of being rejected that she had already decided she was done with acting and was going to move to Texas. However, she finally got the chance to audition, and she won the role of Boyd. Finally she achieved the breakthrough role that made her a star.
The acting industry is so unpredictable and uncertain that it’s hard to keep going and stay committed. Despite their talent, many actors don’t make it due to the sheer odds and lack of luck. But the stories of those who almost quit acting before landing their big role serve to inspire and remind us to never give up. Just like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jim Carrey, Zac Efron and Renee Zellweger, you never know when your luck might change.
