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BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS: The humble early roles of 15 major Hollywood stars

Anjelica OswaldNov 26, 2015, 01:20 IST

Robert Downey Jr.'s first role, when he was 5.Jimmy Kimmel

From Pepsi and Bubble Yum commercials to failed sitcoms and small guest roles, A-list celebrities were once struggling trying to make it in the business, just like everyone else in Hollywood, before they started getting award-winning roles.

Samuel L. Jackson didn't jump right into Tarantino movies. He was trained and started on stage. Johnny Depp was pursuing a music career before he got into acting, and Kerry Washington was popping up in educational videos before dominating in "Scandal."

We took a look back at 15 A-list celebrities before they were the recognizable names we know today.