It’s impossible to picture these celebrities in anything other than the roles they are known for—like Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani or Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden in Fight Club—but before they were major movie stars, these celebs were just getting started in television commercials. See which of your favorite stars you recognize in these classic advertisements!
1. Courteney Cox
Before portraying Monica Gellar on Friends, Courteney Cox was promoting Tampax in 1985. In fact, Cox was the first person to say the word “period” on television and she even received fan mail. Cox actually gave her commercial an update in 2022, but instead of talking about Tampax, she talks about menopause and how difficult it can be.
2. Mila Kunis
When Kunis was 13, she starred in a commercial for Lisa Frank, a company that creates colorful designs and turns them into fun stickers and school supplies. Kunis promoted the brand, saying in the ad, “I’ll never forget the day I got stuck on Lisa Frank. The stickers were so cool!”
3. Drew Barrymore
Barrymore was the child star, appearing in iconic movies like E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1982) and Babes in Toyland (1986). But before she was a movie star, Barrymore appeared in a 1979 commercial for Pillsbury. The actress was only four years old in the ad, where she eats a Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie.
4. Sarah Michelle Gellar
We know and love her as Buffy from the hit drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but before she was defeating demons, Gellar was promoting Burger King. The adorable actress was just four years old when she starred in the commercial for the fast-food chain. And let’s be honest, that face would have definitely been able to sell us a cheeseburger.
5. Matt LeBlanc
Before he was a fan-favorite on Friends, Matt LeBlanc was promoting Heinz ketchup, the popular hot dog condiment. LeBlanc was able to show off his easy-going personality and charisma in this ad, two key factors that would go into making him Joey Tribbiani.
6. Brad Pitt
The Fight Club movie star didn’t start out in iconic movies. Before he was the Brad Pitt, he was appearing in an ad for Pringles. Pitt stars in the laid-back commercial where he and his friends are searching for a can of Pringles after running out. The friends put up a sign that says, “We’ve Got the Fever” for Pringles, but I think we’ve all “got the fever” for a young Brad Pitt. Right?
7. Demi Moore
Demi Moore goes to great lengths to catch her can of Diet Coke, which we can totally understand. She loses a shoe and walks on the ledge of A roof in the process, only to fall off, but she does land on the porch of an attractive man, who is also drinking a Diet Coke so it seems like it was all worth it.
8. Keanu Reeves
Reeves also got his start in a Coca-Cola commercial, where he portrayed a cyclist at his biggest race. When he wins, he is rewarded with the delicious taste of a Coca-Cola. Reeves had a chance to react to the ad while on The Late Late Show with James Corden, who played it back. Reeves seemed a bit embarrassed to see his early work, but Corden shared he got chills from the ad.
9. Britney Spears
Very early in Spears’ career, before she was a pop star, she appeared in a commercial for Maull’s BBQ sauce. Her appearance is brief in the beginning, but the ad ends with a photo of her ready to enjoy a burger with the BBQ sauce on it.
10. Anne Hathaway
The Princess Diaries alum experienced her first time on camera in a commercial for Better Homes and Gardens. The melodramatic story in the ad features a young Hathaway realizing her first love is moving away, but she definitely sold us. In fact, Hathaway shared that since the commercial ran for so long, it was able to pay for her first year of college.
11. Leonardo DiCaprio
Young Leo ruled the screen in films like Titanic, but before he was a star, he appeared in a Bubble Yum commercial. DiCaprio adorably sells a piece of Bubble Yum bubble gum and we think he did pretty well.
12. Steve Carrell
Who knew Steve Carell worked for Brown’s Chicken? Just kidding, but The Office star did appear in one of their commercials. Carell spends 30 seconds explaining that Brown’s Chicken was selling cholesterol-free chicken.
13. Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd got his start appearing in a very dramatic ad for Super Nintendo, but it seems he has the same charm he does in all his films. He starred in the commercial in 1991, however it would be a few years until his big break in Clueless (1995).
14. Ben Affleck
A 17-year-old Affleck appears in this commercial for Burger King as Jeff, who acts as one of their delivery boys after a girl accidentally calls him to place an order. Jeff accepts, picks up her order in the drive-thru and brings it to her doorstep. The 1989 commercial closes with the line, “Sometimes you’ve gotta break the rules.”
15. Lindsay Lohan
Lohan had appeared in the entertainment sphere before, but before she was a star, she starred in a commercial for Jell-O. She and other kids sing about grape Jell-O, and how good it is. Specifically, “Kids go ape for the Jell-O grape.”
