Tom Hardy on The Big Breakfast, Michael Fassbender on Holby City and Keira Knightley on The Bill: Hollywood stars who started out on British TV shows revealed
- Many stars have since won Oscars, like Kate Winslet and Eddie Redmayne
- But waiting for their big break, starred on the likes of Casualty and The Bill
- Keira Knightley played a 10-year-old child burglar on The Bill in 1995
Whether they're scooping Oscars, strolling down the red carpet, or rubbing shoulders with other A-listers, some actors seem like they were always made for the big screen.
But every Hollywood star had to start somewhere - and more than a few chose to hone their skills on a score of humble British television gems.
From Tom Hardy sporting a hairband on The Big Breakfast, to Michael Fassbender as a patient on Holby City, FEMAIL looks at the Hollywood actors that started out on UK television shows.
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Many actors, including Tom Hardy, started out on British television, in hopes of getting their big break
The 37-year-old (left) appeared on The Big Breakfast in 1998, with then-hosts Denise Van Outen (middle) and Johnny Vaughan (right) as an aspiring model
TOM HARDY
Actor Tom Hardy has made a name for himself in action-packed films, playing the titular character in the recent apocalyptic reboot Mad Max: Fury Road, as well as formidable villain Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.
But the 37-year-old had a much softer, boy-band aesthetic when he was first starting out in his career, starring on The Big Breakfast back in 1998.
At the time, Hardy, who was 20 years old at the time, was intent on honing his attractive looks into a career in modelling.
On the show, the actor sported a hairband and cavorted with then-hosts Denise Van Outen, 41, and Johnny Vaughan, 49, as he was named the winner of a modelling competition.
Keira Knightley has achieved worldwide success in films such as The Imitation Game and Pride & Prejudice, but also started her career on British television
Knightley starred on an episode of The Bill in 1995, playing a child burglar at the tender age of 10
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY
One of the most well-known British actresses in the world, Keira Knightley rose to fame in Pride & Prejudice and the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, and recently proving her acting prowess in Oscar-winning The Imitation Game.
But back in 1995, when the 30-year-old actress was only 10, she appeared on The Bill as a waif-like child burglar.
Speaking to The Telegraph last year, Knightley admitted: 'I was in The Bill as a child and it was the most exciting character I have ever played.
'I was just in the one episode but I loved it and I was so cool at school because I was in it.'
Michael Fassbender has become a household name with roles in X Men and Inglourious Basterds - but started out with guest appearances on Holby City
Fassbender played a man under anaesthetic in Holby City, back in 2002
MICHAEL FASSBENDER
German-Irish actor, Michael Fassbender has enjoyed a swift ascent to success, gaining acclaim for roles in films such as Shame, X Men and Inglourious Basterds.
But the 38-year-old's roles were slightly more limited when he was first launching his acting career, namely the time he played a man under anaesthetic in Holby City, back in 2002.
Sporting a mop of unruly hair, Fassbender, who would have been only 25 at the time, has spoken to the Radio Times about accidentally falling asleep while filming the role.
The actor admitted: 'The trouble was they were filming the scene over and over again and focusing on all the doctors operating on me and I was lying there with my eyes closed and I just drifted off. I woke to hear someone whispering, "He's fallen asleep".'
Carey Mulligan is now a highly-respected actress in Hollywood after roles in An Education and The Great Gatsby
The actress started out with an episode on Doctor Who in 2007, with then-Doctor David Tennant
CAREY MULLIGAN
She's starred in high-profile films such as The Great Gatsby, Drive and An Education, but Carey Mulligan had much more modest roles at the beginning of her illustrious career.
Back in 2007, the 30-year-old brunette once starred on British television gem, Doctor Who, as a young woman who has to unravel a set of clues, sent cryptically from then-Doctor, David Tennant, 44.
Fresh-faced and sporting wavy mousy locks, Mulligan would have been only 22 years old at the time, and seven years away from her BAFTA-scooping success from An Education.
Benedict Cumberbatch has swiftly risen to fame with thought-provoking roles in Sherlock and The Imitation Game
Back in 2009, the 39-year-old starred on Agatha Christie's Marple as a detective
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH
One of the hottest commodities in Hollywood right now, Benedict Cumberbatch secured his fate in his Oscar-nominated role as World War II codebreaker, Alan Turing, last year.
The 39-year-old has also been praised for his effortless acting in his career-making titular role in BBC One's Sherlock.
But back in 2009, when the curly-haired actor was still looking for his big break, he was donning cream linen suits for a one-off stint in Agatha Christie's Marple.
The actor plays a detective, working opposite Miss Marple to solve a string of murders - apt training for role in Sherlock, which would come just a year later.
Felicity Jones missed out on an Oscar win this year, for her career-making role in The Theory of Everything
Back in 1998 and 1999, the young brunette donned a pointy hat and cape for a role in The Worst Witch
FELICITY JONES
Felicity Jones' big break came when she took on the huge role of Jane Wilde, Stephen Hawking's wife, in touching Oscar-winning biopic, The Theory of Everything.
And going forward, the 31-year-old actress' popularity is on the rise, with future roles in Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One, and Inferno, opposite Tom Hanks.
But for Jones' earlier roles, she was more used to donning a pointed hat in children's television series, The Worst Witch, in 1998 and 1999.
Not quite Harry Potter, the stunning brunette starred in a total of 11 episodes about the school for witches before calling it quits, not knowing that it would be another 15 years before her first Oscar nomination - for Best Actress, no less.
Charlie Hunnam famously turned down the role of Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation, and has gained much success in stateside drama, Sons of Anarchy
The Newcastle-born actor (left) honed his skills in drama Queer As Folk back in 2000
The 35-year-old (left) has admitted that for his first episode of Sons of Anarchy, he earned twice what he received for his entire time on Queer as Folk (pictured)
CHARLIE HUNNAM
The original choice for Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades Of Grey adaptation (before Jamie Dornan took the helm), Charlie Hunnam, has swiftly become one of Hollywood's most coveted actors - thanks only in part to his looks.
The 35-year-old blonde has achieved major success in stateside biker series, Sons Of Anarchy, in which he plays main character, Jax Teller, but when the Newcastle-born actor was first starting out, he settled for much smaller roles on British television.
For 10 episodes between 1999 and 2000, the actor starred in Manchester-based series Queer As Folk - chronicling the lives of three gay men.
In an interview with The Independent in 2010, the actor admitted that it was a life-changing experiencing, swapping from small British television shows to big-budget American dramas.
Hunnam admitted: 'For the first episode of that I got paid twice what I got for all of Queer as Folk.'
Kate Winslet is one of Hollywood's hottest commodities, with an Oscar, two BAFTAs and three Golden Globe awards under her belt
The actress first started on British television series such as Casualty (pictured)
Winslet played troubled visitor Suzanne in an episode back in 1993 - four years before her Titanic success
KATE WINSLET
Ever since the unprecedented success of Titanic, Kate Winslet's career has gone from strength to strength - with the 39-year-old a proud owner of an Oscar, two BAFTAs and three Golden Globe awards.
But like every actress, the beautiful blonde has humble roots - one of which was her stint on British medical drama series, Casualty in 1993.
Four years before her Titanic success alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, 40, the actress would have only been 17 years old at the time, starring as troubled visitor, Suzanne.
In an interview with the Radio Times, the actress has admitted that her stint on Casualty had surprisingly been an important part of her career.
Winslet said: 'In England, it almost seems to be part of an actor's training. As far as I was concerned it was a great episode, a great part.'
'Appearing in Casualty taught me a big lesson in how to be natural in front of the camera.'
Eddie Redmayne recently shot to acclaim for his role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything
But the actor started out on Midlands-based drama, Doctors, back in 2003
EDDIE REDMAYNE
Eddie Redmayne recently shot to Hollywood stardom, scooping an Oscar for Best Actor in one of his first major roles, as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.
Prior to that, the 33-year-old had only started attracted attention for supporting roles in films such as Les Misérables and My Week With Marilyn.
But like many, the Oscar-winner had to start somewhere, and for Eton-educated actor, it was a guest appearance on Midlands-based drama series, Doctors, back in 2003.
Redmayne plays a young teenager, who is put in a difficult situation when he discovers his father has been lying to him about his mother.
Emilia Clarke is now a household name due to her role in HBO's hit series, Game of Thrones
Clarke plays ice-blonde beauty Daenerys Targaryen, ruler and proud owner of ferocious dragons
Back in 2009, the 28-year-old played a sassy teenager on British medical drama, Doctors
EMILIA CLARKE
Her face is widely-recognised on television screens everywhere due to her career-making role as ice-blonde beauty Daenerys Targaryen in HBO's hit series, Game of Thrones, but Emilia Clarke also once starred on medical drama Doctors, back in 2009.
Although the 28-year-old's arresting looks are still perceptible, Clarke played a sassy teenager for her guest appearance on the series, sporting garish earrings and a bad attitude.
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