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Less-known people who went on to overshadow then-bigger names

  • 13-01-2025 03:24PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,644 ✭✭✭


    I recently learned that Megan Fox, all the way back in 2001, appeared as a teenager in the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen film "Holiday in the Sun" in which she played Briana Wallace, who seemed to be a spoilt department store heiress. This was some six years before she became a household name in the Transformers films. Now she's one of the most famous people in the world, while Mary-Kate and Ashley, much more well-known at the time, have become not as heard of as often as they were back then.

    Can any of you think of more examples of people who were unknown at some point, worked in some way alongside a much-better known name, and then went on to be much more well-known than (or as well-known as) them?

    Post edited by its_steve116 on


«13

Comments

  • Posts: 697 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Looks like it could be the case for Kieran Culkin. He has serious acting chops.

    Post edited by [Deleted User] on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,351 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    The twins own and run a successful fashion business and produced their own movie. To say they are hasbeens and she is more successful is some stretch. No doubt then have more money and fame than she has to date



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,644 ✭✭✭its_steve116


    Megan Fox was completely unheard of in 2001; AHITS was her first role.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,644 ✭✭✭its_steve116


    Maybe I worded it wrongly, but my point is you don't hear as much from them nowadays.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,671 ✭✭✭✭Boggles


    Can any of you think of more examples of people who were unknown at some point, worked in some way alongside a much-better known name, and then went on to be much more well-known than them?

    Probably the vast majority of all famous actors today, they all have to start somewhere.

    Strange thread.



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  • Posts: 697 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    In terms of acting, the Olsen twins are of course has-beens. And they're not their sister.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 573 ✭✭✭Jim Herring


    I just watched ‘His Three Daughters’ yesterday with Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,781 ✭✭✭✭Oscar_Madison
    #MEGA MAKE EUROPE GREAT AGAIN




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 18,347 ✭✭✭✭cj maxx


    I never knew Mary-Kate and Ashley had a sister.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,324 ✭✭✭✭LambshankRedemption


    Last I heard of Megan Fox was the Turtles movie in 2014. Then she fell out with Michael Bay and that was kind of it.

    I thought this thread was going to be how Plato was really well known and then he taught Aristotle and now arguably Aristotle is more famous.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 573 ✭✭✭Jim Herring


    Megan Fox is possibly better known for being partner / ex-partner of ‘Machine Gun Kelly’ rather than for her recent acting I thought?

    She and Michael Bay ‘made up’ since, apparently.

    She is an attractive lady. 😆



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,351 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    They changed careers and are very successful. They aren't chasing acting fame and a has-been would suggest they are still trying to be famous for acting. Megan Fox has stayed in the public eye most lately because of her relationship although it appears she did a surprise hit in the last year



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 580 ✭✭✭Taxburden carrier


    Conor Sheehy and Biddy Byrne



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,015 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    Every famous actor has to start somewhere, one of Brad Pitt's very early films starred Charlie Sheen and Randy Quaid. It might be more interesting if you were to include sport where unknowns or lesser knowns became direct competitors with knowns and then blew them away. E.g In darts, Phil Taylor was a relative unknown when he was mentored by Eric Bristow, the biggest name in the sport and only only 3 years older than Taylor. Taylor went on to dominate for the next 30 years, obliterating every record that Bristow ever held.

    Curtis Strange was a pretty big name in golf - 2 major wins. Yet, this is one of things hes subseqently became most known for. "You'll learn". LOL



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,555 ✭✭✭csirl


    NFL GOAT Tom Brady was Drew Bledsoe's backup as Patriots QB.....until Bledsoe had a freak medical condition. Bledsoe was one of the biggest stars in the NFL at the time and had won a Superbowl.

    Before turning pro, Brady shared time with and backed up Drew Henson at Univ. of Michigan. Henson was a 2 sport star who was expected to be brilliant in the pros. He went on to play pro baseball and QB for the Dallas Cowboys. Henson was a bust in the NFL wheras Brady became the GOAT.



  • Posts: 697 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Thora Birch was a young actress whose performance in American Beauty was highly acclaimed. She wasn't massively famous obviously, but the film was, and she was excellent in it. It looked like a great career beckoned. One of her subsequent films was Ghost World, with one Scarlett Johansson. Birch was the bigger name, and then...

    Shame her career didn't take off.

    Post edited by [Deleted User] on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 468 ✭✭Charlo30


    Where Eagles Dare. Starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. Made around 1968. Burton at the time was one of the best known actors in the world. Eastwood, although he had success with Leone's Westerns was still in the process of establishing himself as a leading man. Burton continued his decent into alcoholism and his career started going down the tubes. And although he eventually got sober in the mid 70's. His career never recovered. Eastwood went to to become a hugely successful actor and highly respected Director.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 387 ✭✭L Grey


    Stone Cold Steve Austin.



  • Posts: 697 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Bruce Willis after being in Moonlighting with Cybill Shepherd. She was the bigger name at first, having been in the major, now culturally significant films The Last Picture Show and Taxi Driver. Bruce had just been cast in a handful of bit parts... and look how things turned out for him.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,593 ✭✭✭TinyMuffin


    Megan fox, and no pictures.
    # disappointed



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭thereiver


    Every actor starts on in small tv roles some then go on to be film stars . Its been years since Megan fox was in a hit movie.

    now she just appears in newspapers who is she dating now ,gossip columns

    Post edited by thereiver on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 869 ✭✭✭Triboro


    Also re Mr Brady. He was only the 199th pick in the NFL draft!



  • Posts: 697 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yes but here the OP specifically asked if people can think of actors who had bit part roles with more famous people and then went on to be the more famous ones themselves.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,557 ✭✭✭silliussoddius


    Colin Farrel in Killybashangel.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 573 ✭✭✭Jim Herring


    Barry Keoghan in Love/Hate. Cat killing *******.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,980 ✭✭✭buried


    Satan

    Bullet The Blue Shirts



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,137 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    Virtually every famous actor ever has started their career with small roles alongside more famous people: think of a famous actor; go to their IMDB page; go to the start of their acting credits; open the first couple of productions; find someone famous. Example: George Clooney was in a show called E/R (not that one) in 1984 with Elliott Gould

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,325 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    That Gabriel Byrne fella went on to become better known that Joe Lynch (Dinny). Mad



  • Posts: 697 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    OP, people are just not getting the "and became more famous than their famous co actor" bit. Another AH thread with the point of the title missed.

    Post edited by [Deleted User] on


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭thereiver


    Elizabeth olsen appears in hit tv drama,s i dont think gen z know anything about her sisters .+



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