Discover the incredible stories of these actors who seized their breakthrough roles against all odds and learn how they transformed their lives in the process.

When Henry Golding secured a leading role in the hit film Crazy Rich Asians, he did so without any prior experience in filmmaking. Before this life-changing opportunity, Henry was working as a TV presenter in Kuala Lumpur, hosting travel shows for major networks like BBC and Discovery Channel Asia. His unique charm and talent caught the attention of an accountant in the film’s Malaysian production office, who recommended him to director Jon M. Chu. This pivotal moment not only altered the course of his career but also showcased how unexpected opportunities can arise from seemingly unrelated experiences.

?[Jon] was like, ?You can do this. We see a lot of this character in this role for you, so if you bring who you are as a person, we?re going to nail this,?? Henry shared in an interview with Vulture, highlighting the confidence the director placed in him.

Rachel Zegler was just a high school student with a fervent love for singing and musical theater when she was cast as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed adaptation of West Side Story. Initially, her friend alerted her to an open casting call via social media, prompting Rachel to submit her audition tape without realizing the monumental journey that awaited her. After several callbacks and nearly a year of auditions, she finally secured the role, marking a transformative moment in her life and career.

?It?s kind of crazy to look back on that girl who was singing show tunes in her bathroom, and I wonder what she would think of me now,? she reflected in an interview with Variety, emphasizing the incredible journey she underwent.

Iman Vellani was also still in school when she auditioned for the lead role in Ms. Marvel. With no acting experience, she was initially skeptical when her aunt forwarded her a post about an open casting call. Almost on a whim, she decided to submit a self-tape at the last minute. Miraculously, just days later, she found herself being flown to Los Angeles for an audition, marking the start of her incredible journey in the film industry.

?This happened through a WhatsApp forward. My aunt was part of some Brown group chat that she never opens, and one day she opened it and someone had forwarded this casting call. She sent it to me, and I?m like, ?Look, this is what a scam is,?? she humorously recounted on The Daily Show, reflecting on her initial disbelief at the opportunity.

She continued, ?I?m not an actor. I can?t. It was totally a blank page that said, ?Send headshot and resume here, Ms. Marvel casting?? Then they sent the sides for the self-tape and an NDA, and I was like, ?Oh my God it?s real.??

When Gabourey Sidibe was cast in Precious, she was a psychology student working as a receptionist, having stepped away from local theater productions years earlier. When she was recommended to audition for the lead role, she hesitated, feeling unprepared and unsure, especially since she had just begun her classes. Ultimately, she decided to go for it, which became a transformative decision in her life.

?I didn?t think I had any business going to the audition; I didn?t think I could get an acting job with one audition. I wasn?t an acting student; I never wanted to act. The biggest thing I learned is that I was wrong about what I thought I could do. I thought I?d be a receptionist my whole life,? Gabourey shared with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reflecting on her unexpected success.

Alexis Bledel had just graduated high school and had only appeared as an extra in one film when she auditioned for Gilmore Girls. She believes that her lack of knowledge about the industry played a crucial role in her landing the lead role. Alexis attended six different callbacks, a process that tested her patience at the time, but ultimately led to her breakthrough.

?Oddly, I wasn?t a very seasoned actor at all. I didn?t know the process,? she shared on Late Night with Seth Meyers. ?I grew a tad bit impatient. I had a little attitude, and our boss really liked that a lot. She was like, ?That?s our girl!? I was like, ?Are you guys going to bring me back again??? and she was like, ?I like that, that?s perfect.??

Camila Mendes? breakout role as Veronica Lodge in Riverdale marked the beginning of her acting career, occurring just before she graduated from New York University, where she was studying acting. This timing led to mixed reactions from her professors, some of whom were supportive while others were less than pleased with her absences due to auditions.

?Some teachers were really cool about it, and some teachers? weren?t,? she recalled to Entertainment Weekly. ?The goal is for me to be able to pay my loans. I was frustrated that they would get mad when someone?s trying to pursue the career that you?re teaching us.?

Before Hunter Schafer landed her starring role in Euphoria, she was actively working as a model and had aspirations of attending fashion school. When she stumbled upon the casting call for the show, she considered applying even though she had never acted before. Unexpectedly, her modeling agency invited her to audition, which opened the door to her acting career.

?I had not acted before and was not planning on it really either. I was modeling for about a year in New York and had my sights set on fashion school afterwards. Then?I saw this casting call floating around on Instagram. It was for trans women who didn?t have to be trained, and it didn?t say ?Euphoria? or anything. I had been thinking about trying acting and?I was in the craft but didn?t really push myself to do it. Then, my model agency rang me up a few days later and had me go in for an audition, and it was the weirdest thing ? it kept going,? Hunter explained to EW, recounting her unexpected journey.

Jameela Jamil was working as a model with aspirations of becoming a comedy writer when her modeling agency suggested she audition for The Good Place. Despite her lack of interest in pursuing acting and having no experience, she reluctantly attended the audition and unexpectedly landed the role, which changed her career trajectory.

?I wanted to be a writer, and a comedy writer, especially, and I was pressured, really, to go to the audition for The Good Place. And I was only kicking and screaming ?cause I thought that I didn?t need to be there in a Mike Schur comedy since I had no prior experience whatsoever, but they gave me the role ?cause Mike Schur is a weird, strange man,? Jameela shared in an interview with W Magazine, emphasizing the serendipity of her casting.

Kunal Nayyar had studied acting but had never landed a significant role until The Big Bang Theory, aside from an uncredited appearance on NCIS. When he auditioned for the CBS series, he was unaware of the significance of this opportunity, which would become a defining moment in his career.

?I had no idea I was going to get the role. I remember [co-creators] Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady laughing a lot, and I just felt so much in my element. I?d just gotten my MFA in acting from Temple University and was high on life after returning from the Royal Shakespeare Company in England,? Kunal shared with The Hollywood Reporter. ?I wasn?t jaded and didn?t understand the weight of the situation. This was my second job; I played a terrorist on NCIS. I didn?t grasp the gravity of the situation and just walked in. That was so naive!?

Rosario Dawson was just a teenager when she was cast in Kids. Reflecting on this