The Hilariously Awesome Early Roles Of Today’s Biggest Stars

It's a good time to be, well, a lot of celebrities. Tons of our favorite stars are having a huge moment. Shailene Woodley is about to enter the big leagues with Divergent. Miles Teller was the talk of Sundance — again. And, Cate Blanchett won another Oscar. In other words, we're equal parts jealous and proud. To celebrate these red-hot A-listers (and A-listers-to-be), we decided to do a little digging into their pasts.

You see, everyone has to start somewhere — and this bunch started in some pretty quirky places. Some of their early roles are too funny, while others are just adorable. (We're talking about you, baby-faced Michael B. Jordan!). Come along with us on this journey through the days of yore. You'll probably get some laughs. You'll definitely get fodder for your next trivia night.

Oh, poor little Kaitlin Cooper. It's not easy being stuck in Marissa's shadow, but it seems like Shailene's gotten over it pretty quickly. The actress was all of 12 years old when she scored her role on the hit teen drama, and we reckon she's had the biggest career out of the whole Orange County gang. It must have been all that exposure to the ocean air.

Anna Kendrick showing off those killer pipes, with a side of irreverent swearing? Yes! This little movie is about a struggling Broadway songwriter who starts a musical camp. We're not sure if the entire thing is worth watching, but now we understand why Pitch Perfect was so darn good.

This trailer might seem like a knockoff of Real World: Nairobi, but the back story is actually pretty cool. Shuga was a Kenyan soap opera commissioned as part of a groundbreaking campaign to spread the word about HIV prevention. Going from this to 12 Years A Slave? Not too shabby at all.

That's right, Miles Teller is "that kid from Rabbit Hole," as his friends affectionately call him. This film can go down in history as the most we've cried watching a movie...ever. Teller's pensive eyes and sort-of-baby face served him well as the teen who accidentally runs over a young boy — after all, not many actors could make that character likable.

Okay, we just can't handle the cuteness here. We're going to ignore the fact that Jordan's Jamal later returns to the gang that will be responsible for G-Baby's death (G-Baby!) and just focus on this hilarious scene. He can get hit in the head with the best of 'em.

By now, we all now about McConaughey's infamous first role in Dazed & Confused. "Alright alright alright," right? But, his next movie was a little more mysterious. Well, at least we know how his shirtlessness was born.

Before she was Khaleesi, she was a bit part in a British soap opera. It wasn't quite as badass, but everybody has to start somewhere, right? Hey, at least she got to wear normal clothes.

What is it about Cate that's always been so regal? Even here, in a post-World War II Australian refugee camp, she's positively elegant. Tell us your secrets, Cate!

You guys, Nicholas Hoult wasn't always Jennifer Lawrence's hunky man-friend. Nope, there was a time when he was just Hugh Grant's spunky sidekick. How British of him.

It's almost unnerving to see Kristen Bell in period garb. We're so used to her being the queen of rom-coms and mysteries (and Kaan & Associates!). We wonder if the young actress here has any idea she'll one day become infamous for crying about a sloth.