Memorable acting debuts.

gigantic09

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

Edward Norton in Primal Fear

Steveimitation

Sharlto Copley was great in District 9.

flasher0030

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

coolisin

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

Hello 2D Person Below

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins.

bigar

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

event

Anna Paquin - The Piano

Cameron Diaz - The Mask

ohnonotgmail

John Cazale in The Godfather.

[Deleted User]

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

Natalie Portman in Leon

Shred

Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun.

Agent Coulson

Jamie Bell in Billy Elliott

miss flutter ups

Angelina in girl interrupted

bigtimecharlie

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

Totally agree.

vriesmays

Brian Glover in Kes.

The White Wolf

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

Jodi Foster in Taxi Driver

Agent Coulson

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

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

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

[Deleted User]

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

Julie Walters in 'Educating Rita'

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween'

Thecageyone

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

[Deleted User]

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

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

silverharp

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

loyatemu

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

shazzerman

Orson Welles in Citizen Kane

Agnes Moorehead in Citizen Kane

Joseph Cotten in...Citizen Kane

magicbastarder

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

ohnonotgmail

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.