Hollywood Super Stars Who Got Their Start On Daytime Soaps

Daytime news reveals that plenty of A-list Hollywood stars got their big break on a soap opera. Here is a look at some of the brightest stars who cut their acting teeth on daytime!

Justin Hartley, Passions

Justin Hartley is known for the retired prime time show This Is Us, and his current drama, Tracker. But way before his nighttime starring roles, Justin kicked off his career on Passions (1999–2008) playing Nicholas Foxworth “Fox” Crane from 2002 to 2006. He went on to star as Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless, a role he left to jump to This Is Us.

Amber Tamblyn, General Hospital

Audiences know Amber Tamblyn for Joan of Arcadia and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. She got her start on General Hospital where she debuted as the original Emily Quartermaine, a job she had from 1995 to 2001.

Julianne Moore, As the World Turns

Julianne Moore may be better known for her big screen roles including The Kids Are All Right (2010) and Still Alice (2014). She earned a Oscar and a Golden Globe for Still Alice but she began her career playing Frannie and Sabrina Hughes on As the World Turns. She won a Daytime Emmy for portraying Frannie (from 1985 to 1988).

Josh Duhamel, All My Children

Heartthrob Josh Duhamel starred as Leo Dupre on All My Children from 1999 to 2002. He won a Daytime Emmy for the role and fans were stunned when the show killed off the popular character. Duhamel went on to star in the Transformers franchise (2007, 2009, 2011, 2017) and the TV series Blade Runner: Black Lotus among other credits.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, All My Children

Sarah Michelle Gellar will forever be known as Buffy the Vampire Slayer! But from 1993 to 1995 soap fans enjoyed watching her as troubled teen Kendall Hart on All My Children. Although she was on the show for a brief time, she managed to earn a Daytime Emmy for her stellar performance.

Shemar Moore, The Young and the Restless

Shemar Moore became a superstar for his roles on Criminal Minds and S.W.A.T. but before these credits he was Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless. He debuted in 1994 and left the show in 2005. During that time he earned three Daytime Emmy nominations and won an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series award in 2000.

Kathy Bates, The Doctors

Kathy Bates kicked off her award-winning career with a short stint on The Doctors. The Misery (1990) star has earned 14 Emmy nominations (two wins), nine Golden Globe nominations (two wins), and four Academy Award noms (one win). Today you can catch her on the hit series Matlock.

John Stamos, General Hospital

John Stamos will forever be known to a generation of tv fans as Uncle Jesse on Full House. But before this breakout role, John Stamos played Blackie Parrish on General Hospital in the ’80s. He did double duty on the show, showcasing his musical talent in the onscreen group Blackie and the Riff Raff.

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Leonardo DiCaprio, Santa Barbara

Plenty of Leonardo DiCaprio’s fans remember his ‘90s roles on Roseanne and Growing Pains. But before those nighttime dramas, he appeared on Santa Barbara where he starred as a younger version of the character Mason Capwell. Leo won an Oscar for his role in 2015’s The Revenant.

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