It’s that time of year again. We’ve started getting ready for the gorgeous gowns, the dapper suits and those gleaming gold statuettes… The Oscars are here again on 2 March. It’s easy to believe that the people who stroll down the red carpet are too perfect to be from the same world we are, but look again. We’ve put together a list of what those Oscar nominees did before their rise to stardom.
Julia Roberts
Before Erin Brockovich and Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts was earning her way by being an ice cream scooper at Baskin Robbins while dreaming of pursuing a career as a veterinarian. Now she’s a darling of Hollywood – an Academy Award winner, one of the highest paid actresses in the world and one of People’s “50 Most Beautiful People”. This year she’s been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in August: Osage County.
Matthew McConaughey
He’s strayed away from romantic comedies lately, turning to more serious roles like The Lincoln Lawyer and The Wolf of Wall Street but it’s Dallas buyers Club that’s brought him his latest Oscar nomination. However, before all of these hard-hitting roles, McConaughey took a year out in Australia – and shovelled chicken manure for a living. Not what you’d expect from the rich and famous!
Amy Adams
She’s the all-American girl who brought new life to Lois Lane and the wholesome girl-next-door who frolicked her way through New York as Disney princess, Gisele, in Enchanted. Now she’s up for Best Actress for her role in American Hustle. Before we were treated to her great performances though, she was working in the famous orange shorts and white vest top donned by the Hooters girls. She worked there for two months so she could save up enough to buy a car.
Bradley Cooper
We’re somewhat used to Bradley Cooper’s more eccentric roles – working out in a bin bag in Silver Linings Playbook and running away from the tiger in his hotel room in The Hangover. He, like his co-star Amy Adams, has received an Academy Award nomination for American Hustle. However, before reaching stardom, Cooper worked as a doorman at the Morgan’s Hotel in New York City.
Sandra Bullock
Arguably one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood, Sandra Bullock has done it all. She’s been the FBI agent in a beauty pageant, the Southern mum of a football star and has now received an Oscar nomination for journeying into space in the disorientating epic, Gravity. She also paid her way to fame and success in New York City but as a bartender, cocktail waitress and coat checker.
Christian Bale
We tend to associate Christian Bale with gritty roles, taking full advantage of his rough edges – The Fighter, American Psycho and, of course, The Dark Knight. This year, he’s another addition to American Hustle’s impressive award nomination list. Ironically though, it was a Lenor fabric conditioner advert in the 80’s that shot Bale to fame. Since he’s now known for his fiery temper it does make you wonder when everything changed…
