8 Stars Who Received Main Awards For Their First-Ever Performing Roles

Discover out what these stars mentioned about their huge wins…

Anna Paquin was simply 9-years-old when she filmed The Piano — and just some years later, she took house the Oscar win for Finest Supporting Actress. Not solely did it mark her first huge display screen position — nevertheless it was her first time ever appearing. Trying again, Anna admits she “completely couldn’t” acknowledge the magnitude of her accomplishment at such a younger age. 

“It’s nonetheless form of bizarre and summary to consider it now,” Anna shared on PeopleTV.

Jennifer Hudson might have discovered fame within the music trade earlier than touchdown a starring position in 2006’s Dreamgirls — nevertheless it was truly her first time appearing. Then in 2007, she gained an Oscar for Finest Supporting Actress. And due to her inexperience, Jennifer admits she wasn’t very accustomed to how the Oscars even labored earlier than her win. 

“It sounds so harsh, however I wasn’t too accustomed to the Oscars as a result of my dream was to be a singer and win Grammys,” she shared in Dave Karger’s 50 Oscar Nights e book. “So even all the way down to the night time of being there, I bear in mind [co-star] Jamie Foxx saying, ‘The craziest factor is she has no clue to what’s going on.’ I used to be experiencing it as I went alongside.”

1000’s of actors auditioned for a starring position in Primal Concern — however newcomer Edward Norton received the half, regardless of having no appearing expertise. With no different roles below his belt, his efficiency ended up incomes him his first Golden Globe Award for Finest Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination. Trying again, his co-star Richard Gere says Edward’s inexperience labored within the movie’s favor. 

“He’s completely sensible within the film, I believe. We didn’t design it this fashion however, because it turned out, having an actor that no one is aware of enjoying the half helped us enormously as he had no baggage with him and we take him at face worth, which we must always within the movie,” Richard shared with Arts Beat LA.

Again in 1974, Tatum O’Neal was simply 10-years-old when she took house the Oscar for Finest Supporting Actress for her position in Paper Moon. Tatum, who was forged within the movie alongside her father, actor Ryan O’Neal, had no appearing expertise previous to touchdown the job. Whereas the connection absolutely received her foot within the door, it was her innate expertise that earned her the Oscar. Regardless of the most important accomplishment, it wasn’t a cheerful time in Tatum’s life, with the actress later explaining that her father’s lack of nominations created a “deep resentment.”

“You’d assume an Oscar nomination can be an indelible second, a victory to cherish and savour for a lifetime,” she shared in her memoir A Paper Life, including that her father slapped her when he discovered she was nominated. “However for me it should have been a trauma as a substitute of a triumph.”

Marlee Matlin had carried out on stage as a toddler however her position in Kids of a Lesser God marked her first ever on display screen appearing job. Her debut efficiency ended up incomes her an Oscar for Finest Actress, making her the primary deaf actress to ever win the award. 

“Trying again now, fascinated with that second within the lights, with my coronary heart pounding, Oscar in my hand, all I can say is I’m grateful and humbled — nonetheless to at the present time,” she shared with Leisure Weekly. “Subsequent to marrying my husband and the start of my youngsters, it is likely one of the finest days ever. Twenty-five years later, it nonetheless feels similar to yesterday.”

Whereas Whoopi Goldberg had discovered success on stage and as a comic, her first ever huge display screen position was in The Coloration Purple — which earned her a Golden Globe for Finest Actress in a Movement Image Drama. Whereas some say it ought to have gotten her an Oscar too, it was a giant deal for a brand new actress to win the Golden Globe and marked the primary time a Black actress had gained within the class. 

“The very first time I received nominated for [a Golden Globe], I gained it,” Whoopi shared, including that the second time she was up for an award, her daughter ended up being Miss Golden Globe. “The Golden Globes have all the time had a spot in my coronary heart as a result of they all the time handled me nicely and been sort to my household.”

Haing S. Ngor had an unimaginable journey to his Oscar win, first working as a gynecologist in Cambodia and later, escaping the massacre-ravaged nation with simply his younger niece. The pair had been residing in America for a number of years when he was scouted for his position in The Killing Fields by the movie’s casting director who was attending the identical wedding ceremony as him. Though he needed to be satisfied to take the position, it ended up incomes him an Oscar for Finest Supporting Actor, marking the primary time an Asian particular person had gained within the class. 

“He had an innate reward for appearing,” casting director Pat Golden advised The Hollywood Reporter of Haing, who was sadly killed throughout a theft in 1996.

Barbra Streisand had made a reputation for herself on Broadway when she was forged within the movie adaptation of Humorous Woman, a job she had originated on stage. Regardless of her theater expertise, Barbra had by no means acted on display screen earlier than. Regardless that it was her first time appearing on the massive display screen, she ended up profitable the Oscar for Finest Actress — a tie with Katharine Hepburn. 

“I needed to take out my gum and put it on the underside of the chair and take into consideration what the hell I used to be going to say and speeding to the stage, tripping on my lengthy pants, pants that have been too lengthy and a prime you can see via when the lights are on it, so I used to be form of a large number, nevertheless it was pretty to obtain an Academy Award, I have to say,” Barbra recalled to Selection.