TV made them Hollywood stars

Before blazing the multiplexes, some of today’s hottest Hollywood stars were making themselves comfy in your living room — on the TV screen. Kasmin Fernandes looks back on their idiot box beginnings
Jennifer Garner
From 2001-2006, Jennifer Garner made a killing, literally, as sexy, student-turned-super-spy Sydney Barstow on JJ Abram’s “Alias”. Garner nailed the audition, where she reaped the rewards of private Taekwondo classes.Garner lay beats to bad guys while in a variety of disguises which, in turn, allow for a variety of sultry outfits. And viewers had no trouble following her to the big screen as she took on less physical roles in “13 Going on 30”, “Juno”, and “Valentine’s Day”.
James Franco
The Oscar-nominated star of films like “127 Hours”, “Eat Pray Love” and the “Spiderman” franchise, James Franco’s first role was as a young man on “Pacific Blue” who gets the handsome kicked out of him by troublemakers. A few made-for-TV movies later, and somewhere around his film debut in Drew Barrymore-starrer “Never Been Kissed”, he landed the lead on TV series “Freaks And Geeks”. The show, which ran for 18 episodes only, later became a cult hit in the US. Franco describes it as “one of the most fun experiences” he has ever had.
Katherine Heigl
This Emmy award-winner started her movie career while wrapping up her turn on medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy”, starring in rom-coms like “Knocked Up”, “The Ugly Truth” and “27 Dresses”. On the show, Heigl played Izzie Stevens, a surgical intern who overcomes her innate vulnerability to become a resident. Before “Grey’s Anatomy” made her a recognizable face, Heigl played an undercover alien in sci-fi drama “Roswell”.
Johnny depp
His starring role on “21 Jump Street” made him a sensation among teenage girls and paved the way for more serious roles in film. He snagged a small part in Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning Vietnam film “Platoon” before moving on to leading roles in other big-budget movies. If Hollywood was a long-jump, then Johnny Depp has jumped far beyond the sandpit. “Donnie Brasco”, “Blow”, “Sweeney Todd”, and now the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, Johnny Depp can pretty much do anything.
Miley Cyrus
Slightly tamer than Britney Spears, but naughtier than Mandy Moore, Miley Cyrus got her big break as a tween star from Disney and she has become a mini-musical empire through the careful harvesting of her singing alter-ego, Hannah Montana on the TV show of the same name. With 2010’s “The Last Song” a moderate success, Cyrus is gearing up for her next feature, “LOL”, a comedy co-starring Demi Moore, Thomas Jane and Ashley Greene of “Twilight”.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Welsh wonder Catherine Zeta-Jones first made a name for herself as Mariette, Ma & Pa Larkin’s beautiful daughter on comedy-drama “The Darling Buds of May”. In 1993, after two years on the show, Zeta-Jones departed for the States, and had carved a feature film career on her own right long before marrying Michael Douglas, which only amplified her status as half of one of the biggest super-couples in the industry.
Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper made his acting debut alongside Carrie and the girls in the “Sex and the City” series, but had perhaps his biggest impact on JJ Abrams’ “Alias”, rumpled as reporter Will Tippin, holding a candle for Jennifer Garner’s Sydney Bristow. “The Hangover” showcased his good looks and comic timing, and he proved an invaluable member of the romantic, dramatic ensemble “He’s Just Not That Into You”.
Ashton Kutcher
This former supermodel played a dolt on “That ’70s Show”, though Kutcher is anything but stupid. Not only did he manage to make the treacherous leap from small to big screen with “The Butterfly Effect” and cult comedy “Dude, Where’s My Car?”, he simultaneously produced two hit reality shows, “Punk’d” and “Beauty and the Geek.” Not bad for a small-town boy from Iowa!