Mark Ruffalo in a pimple ad? Emma Stone in a rock band? Oscar nominees before they were stars
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Mark Ruffalo, nominated for best actor in a supporting role, got his start in a 1989 commercial for Clearasil -- long before he was a four-time Oscar nominee.
Years before walking the red carpet on Oscar Sunday, Academy Award nominees all started from humble beginnings in the entertainment industry.
As long as there have been movies, people have come from all over, hoping to make it in Hollywood. This year's Oscar nominees are representing hometowns from coast to coast.
MARK RUFFALO
Mark Ruffalo, nominated for best actor in a supporting role, got his start in a 1989 commercial for Clearasil -- long before he was a four-time Oscar nominee.
Mark Ruffalo arrives at the Governors Awards on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
EMMA STONE
Ruffalo's "Poor Things" co-star Emma Stone made her screen debut as a teenage contestant on the VH1 competition series, "In Search of the Partridge Family."
Stone won the part of Laurie Partridge in a Partridge Family reboot that lasted just one episode.
This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Emma Stone, left, and Mark Ruffalo in a scene from "Poor Things."
Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures via AP
PAUL GIAMATTI
Paul Giamatti has credited the Howard Stern movie, "Private Parts" with making him a star.
Another memorable early role for Giamatti was the villain in "Big Fat Liar" - where he was dyed blue by Frankie Munoz and Amanda Bynes.
This image released by Focus Features shows Dominic Sessa, from left, Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in a scene from "The Holdovers."
Seacia Pavao/Focus Features via AP
AMERICA FERRERA
Before "Barbie" or "Ugly Betty," America Ferrera was a Disney Channel star growing up.
She played Yolanda in the 2002 movie "Gotta Kick it Up!"
America Ferrera arrives at the 96th Academy Awards Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
RYAN GOSLING
Ryan Gosling was also a Disney Channel star.
Gosling co-starred with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in "The All New Mickey Mouse Club!"
Ryan Gosling arrives at the premiere of "Barbie" on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
BRADLEY COOPER
Bradley Cooper's screen debut came in "Sex and the City."
He shared a passionate makeout scene with Sarah Jessica Parker after meeting her character, Carrie in a bar.
Cooper also starred in the ABC TV show "Alias" with Jennifer Gardner in the early 2000s.
This image released by Netflix shows Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in a scene from "Maestro."
Jason McDonald/Netflix via AP
JEFFREY WRIGHT
Jeffrey Wright's first starring role was playing artistJean-Michel Basquiat in the 1996 bio-pic, "Basquiat."
Nearly 30 years later, he's a first time Oscar nominee.
This image released by MGM shows Jeffrey Wright in a scene from "American Fiction."
Claire Folger/MGM-Orion via AP
March 10 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2024 Oscars live on ABC.
Red carpet coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET 10 a.m. PT with "Countdown to Oscars: On The Red Carpet Live." At 4 p.m. ET 1 p.m. PT, live coverage continues with "On The Red Carpet at the Oscars," hosted by George Pennacchio with Roshumba Williams, Leslie Lopez and Rachel Brown.
Watch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, streaming live on OnTheRedCarpet.com and on the On the Red Carpet Facebook and YouTube pages.
The 96th Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, begins at 7 p.m. ET 4 p.m. PT, an hour earlier than past years.
The Oscars are followed by an all-new episode of "Abbott Elementary."
