Acting is unlike any other profession. Many performers will tell you that in order to thrive in Hollywood, you must take acting classes or enroll in an acting school. Is it true that taking acting classes improves your chances of earning a part?
You might be surprised that not all great actors went to acting school. So, to prove that you don’t always need acting training to become a Hollywood superstar, here’s a list of celebs that have proven it.
#1- Jim Carey
He set goals for himself as a teenager after living in a van with his family. He wanted to be successful one day. Carrey’s father lost his job while he was a student in high school, and he was forced to work as a security guard and janitor at a small tyre factory in Toronto alongside his family. Carrey had dropped out of high school by the age of 16 to help support his family. Later, he would audition for and work on a number of modest parts. Jim Carrey’s career did not take off until he earned a regular part on the TV show In Living Color. He would go on to play the lead in the comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. During this time, he never spent a dime on an acting class.
#2- Tom Cruise
Tom was a movie buff who once worked in a play that forever changed his life. He moved to New York to pursue a career as an actor, and six months later, he landed a role in the film Taps. He became one of the highest-paid performers in the world in 1990 and has always maintained a humble demeanor about it.
#3- Cameron Diaz
A well-known photographer called Jeff Dunas once approached Diaz and inquired about her agent. Dunas gave her his business card and advised her to contact him once she had an agent when she claimed she didn’t have one. She started out as a model with Elite modeling agency and then moved on to modest parts. She received her big break with The Mask four years later.
#4- Johnny Depp
Before he was 12 years old, Johnny Depp lived in almost 20 different houses. He planned to go from Florida to California to pursue a career as a musician when he was older. He obtained a job as a telemarketer selling ink pens over the phone to help support his musical career. “That was his first acting gig,” he says.
Johnny Depp’s friend Nicolas Cage encouraged him to see his agency when he was selling ink pens. Later, Johnny Depp auditioned for the role of Glen Lantz in A Nightmare on Elm Street and was cast. Johnny Depp did not attend an acting school.
#5- Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer persuaded her parents to help her find an agent in New York City to help her launch her acting career. Her first break came on The Bill Engvall Show, a TBS comedy series. She gradually landed roles in films such as The Hunger Games, X-Men, and others.
#6- Heath Ledger
When he was 17, Ledger dropped out of school to pursue a career in acting. He and his best friend, Trever DiCarlo, traveled to Sydney to look for acting work. His first break came in the form of a modest role on the TV show Clowning Around. After 10 Things I Hate About You, he gradually became a well-known face, and then he made his best performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight. To be an actor, Ledger is the definitive proof that you don’t need any formal training.
#7- Charlize Theron
When she was 16, Theron started modeling and then went on to study ballet dancing. She gave up everything after a series of knee injuries and relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. She began arguing with a bank teller who refused to cash her out-of-state cheque in order to make ends meet. She was found by a Hollywood manager at the time, who helped her get into films.
#8- Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy had a difficult upbringing. His parents divorced when he was a child. His mother was later diagnosed with TB and admitted to the hospital. Eddie Murphy and his brother were placed in foster care and spent almost a year there. Eddie would turn on the television to distract himself from what was going on around him. When he was in eighth grade, he began performing as a stand-up comedian.
He auditioned for a role on Saturday Night Live three months into college and was cast in multiple roles on the show. Eddie Murphy rose to fame as a stand-up comedian, but it wasn’t until he earned a main role in the film 48 Hours that his career took off. Eddie Murphy has never attended an acting school.
#9- Joaquin Phoenix
Phoenix has worked as an actor, a producer, and a musician, to mention a few. To help support his family, he and his siblings used to perform on the streets. They were all discovered by an agent named Iris Burton, who landed them roles in advertisements and television shows. After his brother, River Phoenix died, Joaquin took a break.
His comeback brought him a slew of hit films, for which he received an Oscar and a slew of other significant prizes, including best actor in The Joker.
Sources: Bright Side, Project Casting