There are examples I can recall, but not are all obvious at first unless you knew prior:
- Channing Tatum in War of the Worlds (starring Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning) as “boy at church” (uncredited)
- Bruce Willis in The Verdict (starring Paul Newman, James Mason) as “courtroom observer” (uncredited)
- Sylvester Stallone in Klute (starring Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland) as “disco dancer” (uncredited)
- Megan Fox in Bad Boys II (starring Martin Lawrence, Will Smith) as “dancer in club” (uncredited)
- Vin Diesel in Awakenings (starring Robin Williams, Robert De Niro) as “hospital porter” (uncredited)
- Brad Pitt in No Way Out (starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman) as “party guest” (uncredited)
- Michael Biehn in Grease (starring John Travolta, Oliva Newton-John) as “school athlete” (uncredited)
- Gerard Butler in Tomorrow Never Dies (starring Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh) as “crewman” (uncredited)
- Tobin Bell in Manhattan (starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton) as “man on street” (uncredited)
They are not mentioned on the end credits, so you wouldn’t really know unless you either know which scene they appear due to their screen time being that brief or knew how old they were upon the films release anticipating they’re younger back then. I mean, have you seen movies where an actor you recognize began their career as a extra before they achieved stardom?
David Dastmalchain. He was an extra for many years before his breakout small role in Nolan’s second Batman movie as one of Joker’s goons.
I even remember pausing the scene (because he is so good) on one viewing to look him up and saw it was his first role listed on IMDB. (He has since been credited for a few tiny roles prior.)
Now he’s in a ton of movies and has Grave Conversations on YouTube where celebrities are interviewed in caskets.
A small but memorable role in Bladerunner 2049, been spotting him everywhere since!
There’s no such thing as a small part. He took that to heart and his career has taken off!
And yet this is the first time I hear your name, David Dastmalchain.
If you have seen The Dark Knight, you might remember the scene. Harvey is confronting him after Rachel was taken and Batman intervenes.
David Dastmalchain is the Joker goon who panics and insists he knows nothing. Just in that one little moment he impressed me.