Top 10 Actors Who Got Their Start on Daytime Soaps

[@jorollenola8320]

U forgot: Hayden Panitere/Guiding Light Nia Long/ Guiding Light Lauren Hill/As the World Turns Jordan's Brewster/As the World Turns

[@membel]

Hayden got her start in One Life to Live as a toddler. She has been in the biz for a long time!

[@xoThatOneBitchox]

Saying that soap operas are 'just a step above fast food commercials' is insulting to the actors and actresses in that industry who bust their asses for those shows. They work ten times harder than other shows, they air DAILY, not weekly. I'm sorry but it makes me mad when people look down upon this industry considering, as this video observes, it launches the careers of actors and actresses who otherwise may have never been discovered. Although soap operas have been a fading genre lately, they play an important part in TV history. A lot of them air controversial story lines before prime time TV. Believe it or not up until the late 90s soap actors were like rockstars and they still have a HUGE fanbase to this day.

[@shspurs1342]

xoThatOneBitchox Yes but that is what Hollywood and critics think.

[@loriellajames6978]

Lol

[@Eric4471066]

More honorable mentions are Kiefer Sutherland, Mike Farrell, Amber Tamberlyn, Janine Turner, Kelly Rutherford, Corbin Bernsen, Kelly Ripa, Rick Springfield, Lori Loftlin, Jack Wagner, Tamara Tunie and Dana Delany.

[@membel]

Christopher Reeve was terrific as a villain in the soap opera he was in JUST before Superman that it was hard for me to separate the two just like Brandon Routh, who also played a bad guy in a soap opera and badly at that. Both ended up as excellent Superman actors to my surprise.

[@nataz885]

Jensen Ackles in Days of Our Lives #1

[@JamesRDavenport]

Anne N Yup. My sortof GF at the time watched DOL and had a crush on the guy. They also forgot to mention Shemar Moore from Young and The Restless and Another World (even though they showed him in the preview clips)

[@frankiehays3638]

***** why should she? its her opinion

[@MajinLordVegeta]

Frankie Hays Jensen can be number 1 for her, but I hope she didn't expect him to be number one on this list, he's really only been in Supernatural, and his acting in that is just...decent. nowhere near some of the actors on this list

[@Denis-89]

Anne N He's not that big of an actor. And certainly not number 1. He's a decent actor at beat but not that huge.

[@RomanceGirl6666]

+Anne N: He's not that well-known outside of Supernatural. He's a good actor, but limited. I'm not surprised he wasn't on here.

[@adamf1980]

I'd like to see a similar list with actors who started in Australian soaps. Include the likes of Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, Heath Ledger, Isla Fisher, Melissa George, Kylie Minogue, Chris Hemsworth, Simon Baker, Natalie Imbruglia and Ryan Kwanten.

[@Preeve]

Didn't Mel Gibson start out in a soap opera or sitcom or something?

[@vincentknight27]

Reeve Isaacs No, but he ruined his career with a lot of episodes that many would consider a sitcom.

[@stipV]

+TheYoudontknowjack Lol pretty much every successful Aussie ever was on either Neighbours or H and A haha

[@melindakinnaird]

Laurence Fishburne was on One Life To Live. Melina Kanakaredes was on Guiding Light. Marg Helgenberger was on Ryan's Hope.

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

Tommy Lee Jones DID win an Oscar. For "The Fugitive!"You guys are slipping HARD!

[@bossasuz]

Yolanda Anne Brown Right! And they had no footage of him in his soap opera role...just a still shot. Lame.

[@Denis-89]

Now do Top 10 "Australian Actors Who Got Their Start On Australian Soaps" " That would probably be every Aussie actor everywhere...

[@csrhymer]

Ahem ... Richard Dean Anderson started on General Hospital before landing such minor shows as MacGyver and Stargate: SG1 ... just sayin'

[@B0ttinat0r]

This will be a cool list. "We're not including soaps outside of North America." Oh.

[@drieuxkoeppel4157]

Kate Mulgrew on “Ryan’s Hope.” Earl Hineman on “Ryan’s Hope.” Jessica Tuck on “One Life to Live.” Joe Lando on “One Life to Live.” Eddie Cibrian on “Sunset Beach”. Eva LaRue on “All My Children”. Mark Consuelos on “All My Children”. Kelly Ripa on “All My Children.”

[@AWorldofKayos]

shoutout to steven webber and john Wesley shipp in the kevin bacon and Julianne moore clips lol

[@Fashionfreak351]

I loved this list! I'm just surprised you left off Judith Light(One Life to Live). I really hope you will do more soap opera list. Top 10 soap supercouples would be great!

[@thomperrigo1846]

There are much bigger actors than some that appear on this list such as Morgan Freeman AW, Robin Wright SB, Laurence Fishburne OLTL, Kevin Kline SFT, Marisa Tomei, ATWT, Christopher Reeve LOL to name a couple!

[@bethdibartolomeo2042]

I remember watching General Hospital in the mid-90s when Ricky Martin was on, he wasn't a good actor at the time and had a bad case of the mumblemouth (most likely because he wasn't a fluent English speaker). When he became a singing sensation 5 years later I was surprised it was the same person. I'm not knocking him, he is a great singer, it's just funny that I saw him early enough to see how far he's come (no, I wasn't old enough to remember Menudo). I have the same thing with Ryan Gosling, I remember him being a fair actor at best on Young Hercules in the late-90s, but he's improved since.

[@bpe-music]

Thommy Lee Jones just "oscarnominated"? He fucking won an academy award for "The Fugitive" in 1993!!!

[@shspurs1342]

Bernhard Eder Tommy was already famous actor before being on that soap. He should not be on this list.

[@MyRevengeContinues]

No Robin Wright in Santa Barbara?

[@fvillag1]

you need another list because I know there are more actors who starred in soaps.

[@qajitodia7416]

Robin Wright in Santa Barbara?

[@parents65]

My first thought was Christopher Reeve as Ben Harper in Love of Life.

[@melkorsheir]

I'm expecting every Australian actor ever.

[@danesh1978]

Excluding people who are not from North America

[@melkorsheir]

Danes H Damnit

[@moitrix43]

haha same for Mexican actors

[@ryanuva4700]

John Stamos even referenced his role on General Hospital in Fuller House

[@gennigcottrill]

you guys also frogot James Van Der Beck(ATWT),Jason Biggs(ATWT),Leo DiCaprio(Santa Barbara),Christina Slater(Ryan's Hope),Kevin Kline(SFT),Mariss Tomei(ATWT),Kirsten Dunst(Loving),Marica Cross(AW,OLTL),Alec Baldwin(The Dr's),Teri Hatcher(Capitol),Morgan Freeman(Texas,RH and AW),Lindsay Lohan(AW),Hayden Panettiere(OLTL,GL),William H Macy(AW),Ming-Na(ATWT),Lauryn Hill(ATWT),Taye Diggs(GL),Courtney Cox(ATWT),Ted Danson(Somerset,The Dr's),Amanda Peet(OLTL),James Earl Jones(ATWT,GL),Calista Flockheart(GL),Nathan Fillion(OLTL),Tichina Arnold(RH,AMC),Melissa Leo(AMC),Lacey Chabert(AMC),Kathleen Turner(The Dr's),James Lipton(GL),Anne Heche(AW),Ruby Dee(GL),Robin Wright(SB),Phylicia Rashad(OLTL,SB),Nia Long(GL),Vivca A Fox(Days,Generationa and Y and R),Halle Berry(Knots Landing),Lisa Rinna(Days),Bryan Cranston(Loving),Elizabeth Banks(AMC)Ashley Benson(Days)

[@roddycurt9139]

Wow!! I am impressed someone besides me knows that much about the soaps! I guess I could add in a few that you didn't mention: Jonathan Bennet (AMC) Ryan Philippe (OLTL) Sarah Michelle Gellar (AMC) Brandon Routh (OLTL)

[@TheBlackKakashi]

Jensen flocka Ackles

[@Vamptitude]

Frankie Hays what

[@ridrfan1]

Anne Heche as Vicky and Marley Love...Another World...

[@barihope]

Marissa tomei atwt. Judith light oltl. Robin Wright Santa Barbara

[@haba3000]

Brad Pitt did also act in "Dallas".

[@simonmarshall19]

There's Paul Walker on Y&R and Michael Clarke Duncan on Bold

[@Kobobble]

No footage of TLJ during his role in soap opera? :(

[@familyvoid]

Where's Joey Tribiani?

[@SurgeCess]

Shout-outs to the Stay At Home crowd, I love you all.

[@motiontrack2]

I think Christopher Knight aka Peter Brady was in Another world! should be on the list! He is sooooo hot 🔥😍

[@GeorgeyTheApe]

Patrick Stewart's first appearance on screen was in a soap.

[@rachaeleigh]

Morgan Freeman started out in soaps too. You may want to do a second list

[@liewchengyeh]

Love Meg Ryan... Who would forget her voice....

[@macecrawford2860]

What about robin Wright on santa Barbara.

[@bluBob]

This, kind of strangely, makes me want to start watching soaps... not sure how I feel about that....

[@murphyboy11]

What about Ashley Benson from Pretty Little Liars on Days of our lives???

[@gabebraden7205]

Btw +watchmojo. Tommy Lee Jones wasn't an Oscar nominated actor. He was an Oscar winning actor. He won Best Supporting Actor for The Fugitive in 1994. Get your facts together.

[@pamnamisniak3158]

Rick Springfield was awesome on Gh.

[@micerule934]

top 10 staircases in movies top 10 ways to eat food top 10 dog food brands top 10 tissue box designs These will all likely become watchmojo top 10 lists, considering the strange themes of some of the newer lists

[@info62]

micerule934 nah they'll just keep milking "top 10 ___ you can't believe are turning ___ years old"

[@shspurs1342]

Troll.

[@mihaelajukic739]

General Hospital made really great actors😆

[@johani1717]

Next video: top 10 celeberty eyelids on women Not including men or eyes in general becuase that is a list for another day

[@sandraargese2920]

I came here all excited to see Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem, Heath Ledger...waaaaah:(

[@AlecIceferno]

Not counting soaps outside the US? Well that's a stupid rule.

[@nyahola39]

never been this early before...

[@masonkhan7313]

+Hlock stfu

[@masonkhan7313]

+Hlock stfu

[@BURNFIRE92]

Where the hell is Shemar Moore who had a great run from 1994 to 2005 as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless & then from 2005 to 2016 as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds & now from 2017 to present as the lead actor in S.W.A.T. !!!

[@jinnasmith3470]

lets not forget Mark Hamill he was on General Hospital as Jesse's nephew

[@SamSanders072764]

Many future film and television stars appeared during the brief run of A World Apart, including Susan Sarandon (Patrice Kahlman), Nicolas Surovy (Fred Turner), Susan Sullivan (Nancy Condon), Dorothy Lyman (Julie Stark), David Birney (Oliver Harrell), and James Noble (Dr. Ed Sims), who eventually went on to play the lovably goofy, but very capable Governor Eugene Gatling on the television comedy Benson alongside Robert Guillaume. Also becoming rather successful is Clifton Davis (Matt Hampton), who went on to star in the series That's My Mama, and much later, the series Amen, where he played Reverend Reuben Gregory. Clifton Davis and actress Jane White played son and mother on both A World Apart and Amen.

[@cianaclarke9110]

Straight outta soap operas

[@Linerunner99]

In the same scene with Kevin Bacon in this vid is John Wesley Shipp, who played Barry "The Flash" Allen in the 1990 tv series and Barry's father in the current Flash show.

[@shspurs1342]

Linerunner99 No because i this was supposed to be soap actors turned Hollywood A-lister.

[@Kyrakitten]

how the heck did Jensen Ackles not make the list?! i mean come on he went from heartthrob of all my children to 11 seasons of slaying monsters!

[@ganiibraimi8022]

Top 10 Action Movies of All Time +WatchMojo.com im waitin

[@ganiibraimi8022]

+Hlock stop what

[@ganiibraimi8022]

+Hlock go for it

[@ganiibraimi8022]

+Hlock what is this question

[@ganiibraimi8022]

+Hlock pizza and spaghetti why did you ask this

[@ganiibraimi8022]

+Hlock which is your favourite movie and actor

[@leedswill11]

british soap but if i remember correctly Patrick Stewart was a fireman on corrie in the early 60's (one episode though) :)

[@Twilight4ever131979]

You should have had Jensen ankles on the list

[@membel]

Christorpher Reeve, Love of Live, Armand Assante, The Doctors.

[@millerhxc]

So really this is "Top 10 Actors Who Got Their Start on North American Daytime Soaps"?

[@JadisAmalthea]

So there are no surviving clips of Tommy Lee Jones on One Life to Live? I mean, that's weird. The clips of Susan Sarandon the unknown A World Apart still exist, but TLJ on the popular OLtL is nonexistent? Wtf?

[@SamSanders072764]

I tried to look on KZbin, but none jump out.

[@dannyhill8797]

i remember Tommy Lee Jones' story very well..thanx to a 'frigid' wife, Mark ended up in an affair with Dorian..that lead to the death of a patient because of a missing chart notation..Mark skipped town, leaving Dorian holding the proverbial bag..shortly after returning in 1975, Mark Toland was laid to rest.....

[@haba3000]

What about Richard Dean Anderson? He did start his acting career in General Hospital.

[@gennigcottrill]

+haba3000 yes he played Jeff Webber. Elizabeth,Steven and Sara's dad

[@dannyhill8797]

Genevieve Cottrill and it was revealed that Steve Hardy was Jeff's natural father.......

[@Corsina]

Forgot Richard Dean Anderson who played Dr. Jeff Webber on General Hospital. MacGyver and Col. Jack O'Neill on Stargate SG1.

[@shspurs1342]

Gin C Its about people who go from daytime soap to Hollywood A-lister. So you are wrong.

[@zanelicare306]

I thought Neil Patrick Harris was in a soap called doggie houser I don't know how to spell the show name

[@drieuxkoeppel4157]

Zane Licare it was “Dougie Howser, MD” and it was not a daytime soap. It was a nighttime drama!

[@MrWebby93]

So by not including Aust. soap operas, you miss Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, Chris Hemsworth, Kylie Minogue and Heath Ledger.

[@cindytraub4806]

On OLTL Dr. Mark Tolan was married to Julie she had a twin brother played by Tom Berringer!!!

[@chrispa9573]

Kathy bates was on all my children. She should have made the list.

[@sarahuren6231]

There are so many from Neighbours and Home and Away haha

[@stipV]

WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAA?! Thought Leo was a shoe in for no 1 with Growing Pains but he's not even mentioned?! Huh?!

[@PaulaAllenPaulasPlace]

In social studies in high school my teacher had us watch the wedding of Luck and Laura from General Hospital.

[@zacharybosley5740]

Did they forget Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for one of his nominations?

[@AnneettaLife]

Did anyone else notice the young Juliane Moore looked liked a now Lieghton Meester?

[@russellbogrett605]

Tom Selleck on young and the restless?

[@barbarajeanritchie6753]

How about Christopher Reeves as Ben on "LOVE OF LIFE" .

[@stevennieves3327]

2:35 Vanessa’s last name was Bennett, not du Pres.

[@YoungFrankenstein]

Top 10 Celebrities Out of "Neighbours"

[@shspurs1342]

YoungFrankenstein Some come from Home&Away.

[@ruvinwolf]

JENSEN ACKLES?!?! WE HEAR TALK OF CULT STATUS AND ONE HALF OF THE STARS OF SUPERNATURAL DOESN'T EVEN GET AN HONORABLE?!?!?! SCREW YOU, MOJO!

[@louisfonseca6505]

John Wesley Shipp, the first Flash with Kevin Bacon, Sebastian Shaw

[@jadeenright6272]

Why would you reject Australian soap operas? Do you know who you left out by doing that? CHRIS FREAKIN HEMSWORTH!

[@LBF522]

I remember Demi Moore as Jackie Templeton. She was a fun character until the writers made her an miserable shrew who lived to make everyone miserable. I was happy to see the last of her. Like Demi Moore though,

[@dannyhill8797]

if i remember correctly, Demi Moore's husky voice had something to do with her departure from GH......

[@shspurs1342]

Danny Hill what the hell does her leaving GH. Have to do with her getting a husky voice. I thought she got that voice from to much drink and drugs.

[@lynnbaynes2128]

I think I remember Kathleen Turner and Alec Baldwin on The Doctors, NBC.

[@alexvitrani3192]

Andrea Barber was on Days of our lives in the 80s

[@Telly26]

Vivica A. Fox on Generations

[@oddowlhomevideo6383]

early af... GO SEE STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

[@BigSlimeyLilDude]

I did

[@BigSlimeyLilDude]

Lol

[@masonkhan7313]

+Hlock stfu

[@rotoninja]

Technically, John Stamos is still a struggling actor.

[@oularonkkonen6364]

Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates in Rawhide he should be the first

[@drieuxkoeppel4157]

oula rönkkönen “Rawhide” was NOT a soap. It was a thirty minute NIGHTTIME show that aired weekly.

[@mk6rfc1]

Every Australian actor

[@mk6rfc1]

Oh

[@tomahawkANDscopZ]

HEATH LEDGER?!?!?!? I guess the only soaps you know is american 70's .

[@traceyclaver6076]

Michael J. Fox anyone?

[@clarifyingquestions]

kelly - all my children

[@justin33.44]

Whoa whoa whoa! Tommy lee jones Oscar nominated??? More like Oscar winning!!!

[@thebooknight]

But where's Jensen Ackles from days of our lives?

[@p.r.morgan1358]

ryan hope daniel hugh kelly

[@footy2rock]

P.R. Morgan I only remember DHK as Mccormick in Hardcastle and Mccormick he was good in that show

[@jayballauer8353]

Richard Dean Anderson.

[@youmakemewannalala21]

That's a bit stupid that you didn't include Aussie soaps as most major Aussie stars started on Home and Away or Neighbours. Ryan Kwanten and Chris Hemsworth started out on Home and Away as fairly major characters, for example.

[@luis70450]

can you guys & girls do a list for the Spanish-language Actors & actresses???

[@mediis]

Wasn't that Steven Webber with Julian Moore?

[@gennigcottrill]

+mediis yes he played Kevin Gibson in 1985

[@LadyAleena]

Nathan Fillion didn't make the list?!

[@ckxdesigngroup]

Shemar Moore was in the intro but not on the list 🤔

[@pamnamisniak3158]

I remember Demi Moore on gh

[@thefuckinlegend6554]

1:06 neighbours an Aussie soap then my mum likes for some reason you should do one internationaly so u can include home and away Chris Hemsworth started there along with a heap of other Hollywood actors and neighbours was on channel 10 not five it's on channel 11 now though

[@rodundarrIV]

Top 10 Lara Jill Miller performances

[@agentprime2179]

rodundarrIV Isn't that the woman who played Kari in Digimon.

[@rodundarrIV]

Thomas bates She also played Samantha in "Gimme a Break", Julie from Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi, and Juniper Lee

[@whenifindmy5yearold352]

Days of our lives...