MomSkoop
Hollywood success stories often hide years of struggle and near-defeat. Behind many famous performances are actors who were ready to throw in the towel just before their big break. These performers faced rejection, financial hardship, and self-doubt that almost led them to abandon their dreams. Their stories remind us that sometimes the biggest success comes right after the moment you feel like giving up.
1. Harrison Ford: From Carpenter to Han Solo
Struggling to support his family as a bit-player in Hollywood, Harrison Ford became a carpenter to make ends meet. At 30, he was building cabinets for director George Lucas, who eventually cast him in “American Graffiti.”
Years of carpentry jobs followed until Lucas remembered Ford while casting for a space opera called “Star Wars.” Ford initially just read lines for other auditioning actors, never expecting to become the iconic Han Solo himself.
The role that almost didn’t happen launched Ford into superstardom and led to Indiana Jones. Had he given up acting completely for woodworking, we would have missed one of cinema’s most beloved scoundrels.
2. Jennifer Lawrence: The Bus Ticket Home
Before becoming Katniss Everdeen, Jennifer Lawrence endured countless rejections that left her questioning her talent. At 21, she actually purchased a one-way bus ticket back to her Kentucky hometown, ready to abandon her Hollywood dreams entirely.
Lawrence’s parents encouraged her to try just a little longer. Weeks later, she auditioned for “Winter’s Bone,” a role that earned her first Oscar nomination and changed everything.
The struggling actress who nearly returned home defeated became one of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars. Her journey from almost-quitter to Oscar winner shows how quickly fortunes can change in the entertainment industry.
3. Jon Hamm: The 30-Year-Old Deadline
Jon Hamm set a deadline for himself: succeed as an actor by 30 or find another career. Approaching that milestone with only a few minor roles and waiting tables to survive, Hamm was ready to quit.
His agent convinced him to try one more audition – for an AMC show about 1960s advertising executives. The network initially resisted casting this unknown actor, but creator Matthew Weiner fought for him.
At age 36, Hamm finally landed the role of Don Draper in “Mad Men,” transforming from struggling waiter to Emmy-winning star. His perseverance beyond his self-imposed deadline led to portraying one of television’s most complex characters.
4. Chris Hemsworth: Down to His Last Dollar
The mighty Thor was once a broke actor making desperate phone calls home. Chris Hemsworth moved from Australia to Hollywood chasing his dream, but found only rejection. By 2009, his bank account nearly empty, he seriously considered returning to Australia permanently.
With barely enough money for rent, Hemsworth recorded one final audition tape for a superhero film. Director Kenneth Branagh saw something special in the struggling actor and cast him as the Norse god Thor.
Hemsworth’s career exploded overnight. The role he almost didn’t pursue because of financial desperation became his signature character across multiple Marvel films, proving that sometimes last chances lead to greatest victories.
5. Judi Dench: The Director Who Said She Had “No Future”
Early in her career, Judi Dench auditioned for a film only to be told by the director she had “absolutely no future in movies.” The cutting remark nearly convinced the young actress to stick exclusively to theater, abandoning screen acting entirely.
Fortunately, Dench ignored this devastating criticism. She built a respected stage career before finally breaking into films in her 60s – much later than most actresses.
Her persistence led to seven Oscar nominations and one win. The woman once told she had no cinematic future became Dame Judi Dench, one of the most respected film actresses in British history, proving rejection sometimes says more about the critic than the talent.
6. Morgan Freeman: The Late Bloomer
That distinctive voice almost never graced Hollywood. Morgan Freeman struggled for decades as a dancer and stage actor, with only minor screen roles by his 40s. Approaching 50, Freeman seriously considered leaving acting altogether.
Financial struggles and lack of recognition wore him down until 1987 when he was cast in “Street Smart.” His performance earned him his first Oscar nomination at age 50 – an age when many actors see their careers winding down rather than taking off.
Freeman’s iconic roles in “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “Million Dollar Baby” all came after 50. His patience created one of Hollywood’s greatest late-blooming success stories.
7. Emma Stone: Panic Attacks and Perseverance
Sixteen-year-old Emma Stone created a PowerPoint presentation to convince her parents to let her drop out of school and move to Los Angeles. Despite this determination, years of rejection and debilitating panic attacks almost forced her to abandon acting.
Stone’s anxiety became so severe she questioned whether she could handle the pressure of auditions. After countless failed attempts and small roles, she was ready to quit when she auditioned for “Superbad.”
This breakthrough role led to “Easy A,” “La La Land,” and eventually an Oscar. The anxious teenager who almost surrendered to her panic attacks transformed into one of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses by finding ways to manage her anxiety rather than letting it defeat her.
8. Mark Ruffalo: Brain Tumor and 600 Auditions
Mark Ruffalo endured nearly 600 failed auditions while living in a $600 apartment with no bathroom door or heat. After a decade of rejection, he was ready to quit when diagnosed with a brain tumor that paralyzed half his face – seemingly ending any acting hopes.
During recovery, Ruffalo considered his acting dreams finished. Yet he fought through facial paralysis rehabilitation and eventually returned to auditions, landing his breakthrough role in “You Can Count On Me.”
Years later, he would become Bruce Banner/Hulk in the Marvel films. The struggling actor who once couldn’t afford proper housing and overcame a devastating health crisis transformed into one of Hollywood’s most respected performers.
9. Viola Davis: Food Stamps to Oscar Gold
Growing up in extreme poverty, Viola Davis once lived in rat-infested apartments and dumpster-dived for food. Even after graduating from Juilliard, she struggled for meaningful roles, relying on food stamps between small parts.
In her 40s, despite critical acclaim in theater, Davis considered leaving screen acting due to the limited, stereotypical roles offered to Black women. Her frustration nearly drove her from Hollywood until she was cast in “Doubt.”
A mere eight-minute performance earned her first Oscar nomination. Davis persevered to become the first Black actress to achieve the “Triple Crown of Acting” (Oscar, Emmy, Tony). Her journey from hunger to Hollywood royalty demonstrates the power of refusing to settle.
10. Robert Downey Jr.: The Ultimate Comeback
Robert Downey Jr.’s story isn’t about an unknown actor nearly quitting – it’s about a star who crashed spectacularly. Multiple drug arrests, rehab visits, and a prison sentence derailed his once-promising career. Hollywood had essentially blacklisted him.
Insurance companies refused to cover productions featuring Downey, making him virtually unemployable. After hitting rock bottom, he fought through addiction recovery while most industry insiders considered his career permanently over.
Director Jon Favreau fought to cast him as Tony Stark in “Iron Man” despite studio objections. The role Downey almost never got to play transformed him into one of cinema’s highest-paid actors. His journey represents perhaps Hollywood’s greatest comeback from career death.