Justice, in cinemas on 18th November, has a cast thick with talented actors. But not all of these stars have always been seen on the silver screen.
Keep reading as we take a look into the success of actors that have made the transition from the small to big screen, just as Justice stars Guy Pearce and January Jones have done.
George Clooney: After a decade of smaller roles on various television shows, this silver fox landed the role that would get him noticed- Dr. Doug Ross on the long running drama series 'ER'.
This leading role gained him widespread recognition, and he began appearing in film projects simultaneously. He left the show at the turn of the century to star in smash hits such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Ocean's Eleven.
Acting is no longer enough for the celebrated star. Today he is just as well known for his directing, screen writing, producing, and social activism.
Johnny Depp: Before pursing acting, Depp unsuccessfully pursued record deals and fame with his band. But then his first wife introduced him to Justice star Nicolas Cage, who encouraged him to try his hand at acting. His leading role in Fox’s 21 Jump Street made him a heartthrob, a role which Depp was uncomfortable with.
Ever since then, he’s stuck strictly to quirky film roles (think Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Edward Scissorhands) which suit him incredibly well.
Leonardo DiCaprio: This heartthrob started young and appeared on numerous television shows before becoming a recurring member on ABC’s Growing Pains.
DiCaprio’s career really took off when he starred opposite Johnny Depp in the dark comedy What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. DiCaprio worked on numerous other films before being elevated to international heartthrob status with his charming role in the epic Titanic.
DiCaprio has followed this smash success with a variety of leading roles in acclaimed films, including Gangs of New York, The Departed, and Inception.
Jennifer Aniston: America’s sweetheart earned herself numerous awards and became a household name through her funny, lovable role as Rachel Green on the immensely popular, long-running Friends television series. Before Friends was a series of failed roles in other shows, which almost caused this starlet to give up acting altogether.
Thank goodness she persevered, because now we can watch her in lovable, laughable flicks like Bruce Almighty, Along Came Polly, and Horrible Bosses.
Will Smith: There’s not a single American person born in the 90’s who can’t rap the opening jingle of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (penned by Smith himself). Smith stared as a fictional, animated, charismatic version of himself.
But a successful musical and television career wasn’t enough. He went on to star in commercially-successful films such as Bad Boys (1 and 2), Men in Black (1 and 2), Ali, and the Pursuit of Happyness.
Tom Hanks: When Hanks showed up on the set to start shooting for Bosom Buddies, co-producer Ian Praiser instantly knew he would soon be a movie star. Hanks didn’t buy into it until he started landing roles that gained him recognition for his range and ability in both comedy and drama.
Big cemented his place in Hollywood, and after a couple of box office flops Hanks was the second person to win two consecutive Best Actor Oscar awards, for his leading roles in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.
Mila Kunis: Fiesty, Ukraine-born Kunis fibbed her way into her first major television role as girly Jackie on the hit-series That 70’s Show.
Fourteen-year-old Kunis stated she 'would be 18', the age requirement for working on the show. So perfect she was for the role, the producers kept her anyway after they found out.
She also voices the character of Meg on the animated comedy Family Guy. After a string of failed films, she began to hit in on the mark with her performances in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Friends with Benefits and, of course, the riveting Black Swan.
Guy Pearce: This English-born, Aussie-raised beauty kick-started his professional acting career with a role on the popular Australian soap Neighbours.
This, along with spots on other series such as Home and Away and Snowy River: The McGregor Saga landed him his first silver screen gig. Triple threat (director/writer/producer) Frank Hawson cast Pearce in three different films, which elevated Pearce as a breakthrough film star.
From his celebrated performances in Memento, L.A. Confidential and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Pearce was transformed into the movie star we love today.
January Jones: The beautiful January Jones had a few films under her belt before landing her breakout role as Betty Draper on the popular American series Mad Men.
Her role as the bored housewife, married to smooth-talking Don Draper with a mysterious past, gained her international attention for her sultry features and excellent acting chops. After a lead performance in X-Men: First Class, all eyes are on January as she selects her next big film roles; first up is Justice, in which she stars opposite Nicolas Cage.
Justice is in UK cinemas from November 18.
Tagged in Nicolas Cage