1. Amanda Seyfried
Amanda spent 4 years on daytime television (As the World Turns and All My Children) before finding movie success with Mean Girls as unforgettable Karen Smith. She went back to TV for a few years before landing roles in Mamma Mia!, Dear John and Letters to Juliet. Since then, her career includes a few trips between the small and the big screen, which we don’t mind!
2. Anne Hathaway
Before Anne Hathaway graced us all with her presence as The Princess Diaries’ Mia Thermopolis, she played Meghan Green on the 1 season of Get Real. As we know, Anne went on to bring us Ella Enchanted, The Devil Wears Prada, Becoming Jane and Get Smart in the next few years.
3. Blake Lively
Technically, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants came first (in 2005), so Blake didn’t truly start her career on TV. However, her role as Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl (which began in 2007) was definitely a defining moment of her career. Since, she’s taken on leading roles in The Age of Adaline, The Shallows and more.
4. Claire Danes
Claire did truly get her start on the small screen, with roles on Law & Order, Dudley, Lifestories: Families in Crisis before landing the role of Angela Chase on My So-Called Life. Her movie career took off later, with I love You, I Love You Not, To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday and Romeo + Juliet.
5. Halle Berry
You probably don’t think about Halle Berry as a TV actress, because she’s definitely a full-fledged movie star these days. However, her first role was as Emily Franklin in Living Dolls, an ABC sitcom in the late 80s. Then came Jungle Fever, Strictly Business and The Last Boy Scout.
6. Katie Holmes
Dawson’s Creek launched the careers of multiple actors, including Katie Holmes. She began acting in movies during the 5 year run of Dawson’s Creek, before taking on mega-roles in First Daughter, Batman Begins and Thank You for Smoking.
7. Melissa McCarthy
Before Bridesmaids, The Hangover Part III and The Heat, there were Gilmore Girls, Kim Possible and Samantha Who? Melissa McCarthy stole the show as loving, enthusiastic, scattered Sookie St. James, introducing us to the unique energy Melissa brings to the screen, both small and large.
8. Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald started her career as Molly Parker on Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, TV comedies from the late 70s. Then came The Tempest, Spacehunter, and of course, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. In 2008, she headed back to TV to play Anne Juergens on The Secret Life of the American Teenager, staring another TV-turned-movie actress.
9. Shailene Woodley
That actress is Shailene Woodley, who appeared in The District, The O.C., Crossing Jordan and more before landing a role as Amy Juergens in The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Now, we know Shailene as Aimee in The Spectacular Now, Tris from the Divergent series, and most importantly, Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars.
