Fascinating stories on how models, actresses and stars were discovered

Ah, celebrities. We've all got our favourites.

And we often turn to these stars for everything from beauty secrets to help nail trends like oversized outfits or 90s looks.

But can you imagine if some of the most iconic stars never got their big break? Thankfully, the stars aligned for these stars, with the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Pamela Anderson and Naomi Campbell having memorable encounters that led to their discovery.

Fascinating stories on how stars were discovered

Pamela Anderson

Baywatch beauty and pop culture icon Pamela Anderson was discovered entirely by chance.

As a teen, she was attending a football game in Canada. The fresh-faced, beautiful blonde caught the eye of a cameraman who put her on the big screen.

The crowd went wild, and it led to a beer company hiring her to model for them. What followed was experience with Playboy and an acting career that has continued to flourish, with her receiving her first ever Golden Globe nomination for 2024's The Last Showgirl.

Lana Turner

Lana Turner, in addition to being one of the leading ladies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, is arguably the poster child for serendipitous discoveries. Starring in classics like The Postman Always Rings Twice and Imitation of Life, Lana's career spanned five decades, and her tumultuous personal life saw her dominate headlines.

And she owes it all to a chance encounter - and a milkshake break.

As Hollywood lore has it, at the age of 15, Lana was discovered by a talent scout who spotted the striking beauty enjoying a treat at an old school malt shop in Hollywood.

Kate Moss

A missed flight turned out to be the very definition of serendipitous for Kate Moss.

When she was just 14, Kate was sitting on a suitcase in JFK Airport in New York while her father, who worked for Pan American World Airways, was trying to get them on a standby flight back to London.

Sarah Doukas, founder of the prestigious Storm Model Management, happened to be catching the same flight and spotted the young Kate. One thing led to another, and soon Kate was signed. Her campaigns a few years later with Calvin Klein would revolutionise the industry and usher in a new era for models.

Gisele Bündchen

Having grown up in the small municipality of Horizontina, Brazil, a teenage Gisele Bündchen didn’t have any aspirations to become a supermodel – in fact, she hadn't even seen a fashion magazine before, as she’s shared in interviews in the past.

So when she had the chance to sign up for a modelling course, she wasn’t expecting a lot from it. Indeed, she signed up just to get the free trip to São Paulo.

Whilst there, a scout spotted her at McDonald’s and Gisele’s Happy Meal had the happiest of endings – she became the highest-paid supermodel consistently for over a decade between 2002 and 2017.

Jennifer Aniston

Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award-winning actress Jennifer Aniston has been one of the most popular stars of the small and big screens for decades. And her impressive career got its start because Jennifer was brave enough to ask for help.

Things weren't working out for her. She'd shot multiple pilot episodes for TV shows that weren't being picked up. Struggling and frustrated, it's widely reported that Jennifer approached TV executive Warren Littlefield in a gas station car park to ask advice about her career. Making an impression with her moxie, the TV boss remembered her when they were casting for a new show. It was the role of Rachel in a little show called Friends.

A lesson to us all - be bold and speak up for what you want!

Naomi Campbell

One of the most iconic supermodels of all time, Naomi Campbell was first discovered on a random afternoon, hanging out with friends after school.

The legendary model has previously told the Guardian how it all came to be, revealing, "... a woman came up to me and asked if I’d ever thought of modelling. It was Beth Boldt, head of the Synchro agency... But when I told my mum, she wasn’t into the idea at all."

Deciding to go and visit Beth anyway, Naomi continued, "On my first visit, she parted my hair in the middle, did my makeup and took me up on the roof in my school uniform to take a few black-and-white pictures. Eventually, Mum decided I could model, so long as it didn’t interfere with my school work or exams."

Courteney Cox

Courteney Cox's big break is all thanks to being picked to dance in a music video for the - at the time - relatively new medium of MTV.

In one of Bruce Springsteen's earliest music videos for Dancing in the Dark, Courteney is pulled out of the crowd to dance on stage.

Per reports, Courteney has spoken about how it all came to be, sharing, "I went into Brian De Palma’s office. He put on the music and said, ‘Well, you dance.’ And I thought, ‘Right now? Here? In front of you? Just the two of us?' I think that’s why I got it because I was like, Okay!’ I think that’s what they wanted, a fan that just couldn’t believe it."

The exposure from the music video helped Courteney get her face out there, and she shortly landed a role in the American sitcom, Family Ties. But it was in 1994 that she'd truly hit the big time, being cast as Monica Geller in Friends.

Charlize Theron

There's a saying that you don't always know your good breaks from the bad, and Charlize Theron is living proof of that.

One of her stressful days turned out to be the key to her decades-spanning career as an Oscar-winning actress.

She was discovered after losing her temper in a bank. The lore has it, Charlize was animatedly arguing with a bank teller in Los Angeles who was refusing to cash her international cheque from her native South Africa.

Hollywood manager John Crosby was at the bank at that exact same moment and saw something in the furious Theron. Turns out, he was right.

Jennifer Lawrence

An Oscar-winning star, Jennifer Lawrence is on her way to becoming a true Hollywood legend. And her discovery was all down to chance.

While on holiday in New York with her family, aged 14, a modelling agent asked to take a photo of her. The next day, she came in for a screen test and began getting acting roles in commercials for MTV.

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara was spotted on a beach in Colombia when she was just 17 - a model scout asked if she'd be interested, and this led to a major Pepsi commercial. What followed was acting and hosting work across Spanish-language television shows.

A role in 2009's Modern Family would prove to be her big break, landing her four Emmy nominations, and she's gone on to be a judge on America's Got Talent and star in the likes of Netflix's Griselda.

Toni Braxton

The Grammy-winning, iconic voice behind classic tracks like Unbreak My Heart was discovered purely by chance.

Toni Braxton was reportedly overheard singing at a gas station as she was filling up her car. Up until then, she had sung in church, but she was pursuing a teaching degree.

Overhearing her voice, a record executive approached her and asked if she would be interested in pursuing a career. She accepted, and she's gone on to sell over 70 million records worldwide.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy and Kate Moss have something in common - the two were both scouted by the same person.

Anya told Sunday Times Style Magazine the amusing story of how she was scouted by Sarah Doukas while walking her dog by Harrods in London.

Noticing a car trailing her, Anya almost fled, thinking something was untoward. She said, "I picked up my dog and started to run" but then heard a voice say 'If you stop, you won’t regret it… please, there’s someone in this car who would really like to meet you.'"

That person was Sarah of Storm Management. Anya signed with them and continued to pursue acting, landing her breakthrough role in the 2015 horror film The Witch.

Marilyn Monroe

In 1944, before she had truly become Marilyn Monroe, factory worker Norma Jeane Dougherty - at the time married to Merchant Navy officer James Dougherty - was working at a factory during World War II when she was spotted by photographer David Conover.

David, who worked for YANK, a magazine whose purpose was to boost the morale of American soldiers overseas, convinced her to take photos, and this led to pin-up popularity and a professional modelling career.

As she transformed her style, taking on the platinum blonde and deep red lips, she transitioned this into the Marilyn Monroe persona that made her an icon.

Natalie Portman

Oscar-winning star Natalie Portman was first discovered at a pizza shop enjoying a treat after a dance class. She was only 10 at the time, and when she was approached about modelling, she had the foresight to ask to be put in contact with acting agents instead.

Katherine Heigl

Hopefully, Grey's Anatomy actress Katherine Heigl sent her aunt lots of good birthday presents over the years, because she helped kickstart the star's career.

While visiting the family, Katherine's aunt took photos of her nine-year-old niece to promote a hair care product she had invented. The aunt then sent the photos to several modelling agencies, leading to Katherine's signing with Wilhelmina, a prominent international agency.

The modelling led to acting gigs, and Katherine has gone on to win an Emmy for her role in Grey's Anatomy, as well as starring in romcom classics including 27 Dresses.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt got his big break when he accompanied a friend to an acting audition when she needed a male partner to play her lover. This favour turned out to be the best thing Brad could have done.

He impressed the agents who were there, and it led to him being signed and one of his breakout roles in Thelma and Louise.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley's modelling career has included an unprecedented three consecutive covers of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, but she never planned on becoming a model.

She was discovered by chance in a post office in Paris.

American photographer Errol Sawyer spotted her and took her first pictures, and then introduced her to agencies in Paris. She would later sign with Elite and land three national ad campaigns after her first lunch with agencies.

Ava Gardner

One of the most prominent leading ladies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Ava Gardner was training to be a secretary when she was first scooped for a screen test in 1941.

It was her brother-in-law who sent photographs of the striking beauty to MGM, who invited her in for a test and signed her for a seven-year contract based on her looks alone.

Luckily, she could act, and her career included classics like The Barefoot Contessa and The Killers.

Karlie Kloss

Model and TV personality Karlie Kloss was discovered as a teenager and was living a small-town life far different from her glamorous later years.

"I was discovered at 13 in a mall in St. Louis. I had never been on an airplane, actually." she has previously told CBS. She would make her New York Fashion Week debut aged just 15, walking for Calvin Klein.

"When I walked that runway, I didn't know a single person in the audience and I was thinking, 'OK, I gotta do my chemistry homework'," she told Net-A-Porter.

Chloë Sevigny

Indie darling and cool 'It Girl' Chloë Sevigny is known for her daring film roles and effortless style. She was first discovered skateboarding in the streets of New York when she was just 17.

A photographer asked her to model for Sassy magazine, and she started acting a couple of years later.

Her breakout role was Lana Tisdel in 1999's Boys Don't Cry, for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Eva Mendes

Hitch star Eva Mendes' acting career began after a talent manager spotted her photo in a friend's portfolio. While a tough break for her friend, it led to Eva being cast in her first role in Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror.

Dolph Lundgren

Some people surprise you, and macho actor Dolph Lundgren has plenty of layers.

His road to stardom began with a chance encounter with model and icon Grace Jones in a nightclub. Taken by his appearance and personality, Dolph would become Grace's boyfriend, which led to opportunities in showbiz, including his breakout role in Rocky IV.

Before that, though, Dolph was actually waiting for a Fulbright scholarship at MIT after earning a Master's Degree in chemical engineering.

Shelley Duvall

With her unique, striking look and scene-stealing performances in the likes of The Shining, Shelley Duvall's iconic career started off in the most unexpected way.

Shelley was hosting a party for her boyfriend at the time when Robert Altman and the crew members of his film, Brewster McCloud, showed up. Robert Altman - who had directed Nashville and M*A*S*H - was said to have been impressed by Shelley's look and demeanour, and she was later cast in the film.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp's major breakout role came in 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street - and he actually owed his discovery to the director's daughter.

Per Huffington Post, Johnny auditioned for the iconic film but hadn't fully convinced director Wes Craven, who had his mind made up on hiring "handsome jock types" he thought teenage girls would like.

His daughter, however, knew better and insisted on the "dreamy" Depp being cast.

Rosario Dawson

Sin City and Rent star Rosario Dawson was discovered when she was 15 years old, proving that one can be in the right place at the right time.

People were shooting a commercial outside her apartment, and she sat to watch it all taking place. Seeing her, the director and screenwriter approached her and asked if she'd be interested in pursuing a career in the movies.

Her debut role would come in 1995's independent drama, Kids.

Jason Statham

Hollywood hard-man Jason Statham - known for films like The Meg - was actually a professional diver before he turned to acting.

Having lost his sponsorship in diving, Jason had contemplated becoming a stuntman. Eventually, he was approached to star in an advert for French Connection, and his breakthrough film role was in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Lauren Bacall

Before her film debut, Lauren Bacall was a jobbing model, posing for various catalogues and appearing in the pages of fashion magazines like Harper's Bazaar.

As legend has it, film director Howard Hawks' wife, Slim, spotted Lauren on the cover and thought she would be perfect for her husband's film.

He listened and cast Lauren in 1944's To Have and Have Not - kick-starting not only her career but her iconic partnership with Humphrey Bogart.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber's discovery was one of the first of the digital era - and still one of the most legendary.

As a young child, Justin made use of the - at the time - new phenomenon known as YouTube. Music manager Scooter Braun was looking for something completely different on the video platform when he accidentally clicked on one of Bieber’s videos.

Impressed, he tracked down the Canadian entertainer and launched his pop career.

Tippi Hedren

Tippi Hedren - star of classic movies including The Birds, and the matriarch of an acting dynasty, with her daughter being Melanie Griffith and granddaughter Dakota Johnson - was discovered entirely by chance.

As Hollywood lore has it, she was simply getting out of a taxi in Minneapolis when she was spotted and offered a modelling gig.

A later advert for a drink caught the eye of Alfred Hitchcock, who made her one of his muses, casting her in a string of his movies including Marnie and The Birds.

Cathy Moriarty

With that sultry, husky voice and penchant for playing tough women, Cathy Moriarty is best known for starring in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull, for which she received an Oscar nomination.

Cathy had no intentions of being an actress, though. It was a fortunate discovery by actor Joe Pesci, who discovered her competing in a bathing-beauty contest at a bar.

In a Guardian interview, she revealed her big break was all down to wanting a pair of heels. She agreed to enter the life-changing contest because the prize on offer was a pair of "Black high heels with an ankle strap. They were the only reason I said yes."

Austin Butler

Austin Butler's career has been stratospheric, going from teen actor to Oscar-nominated star of Elvis.

He was discovered at the age of 13 while attending the Orange County Fair. He was approached by an agent who signed him up for his early roles, including as a background extra on a Nickelodeon show.

Mandy Moore

The delivery service FedEx really delivered something special for actress and singer Mandy Moore - they helped launch her career.

The This is Us actress was overheard singing after buying some studio time when she was still in high school. A deliveryman heard her and helped get her in front of the right people.

"It turned out the delivery guy had a friend of a friend of a friend who was the head of Urban A&R at Epic Records," she told Into the Gloss. "The meeting was the same day as my high school homecoming football game, and I was more concerned about making sure this meeting was done in time so I could hang out with my friends! It was so beyond my comprehension that this could actually lead to a career. I was 14!"