Before making it big in the Hollywood, stars such as Channing Tatum and Cara Delevingne started out with a career in the fashion industry. Here is a look at celebrities who had walked the ramp before delivering dialogues in front of the camera.
Gal Gadot
Before becoming one of the world’s highest-paid actresses following the stupendous success of “Wonder Woman” films (2017, 2020), Gadot was already a top name in the world of fashion. The winner of the Miss Israel crown in 2004, she modeled for Israeli clothing company Castro, was the face of the international campaigns of renowned products including Jaguar cars, and was featured in fashion magazines such as FHM, Cosmopolitan and Glamour. Her other notable films include “Fast & Furious” film series, “Knight and Day” (2010) and “Justice League” (2017).
Cara Delevingne
The British model-turned-actress entered the world of fashion at an early age and shot to fame in no time. Delevingne has done ad campaigns for brands such as H&M, Burberry and Chanel, among others. She made her acting debut in a small role in the 2012 film “Anna Karenina” and followed it up with roles in “The Face of an Angel” (2014), “Suicide Squad” (2016, pictured R) and “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” (2017). In 2019, she began playing one of the main leads in the TV series “Carnival Row” (2019-).
Cameron Diaz
Diaz started working as a model at the age of 16, appearing in ads for Calvin Klein and Levi’s, among others. Her acting break came when she scored a role opposite Jim Carrey in the 1994 comedy “The Mask.” She has since built a stellar reputation as an actress and has won Golden Globe nominations for “There’s Something About Mary” (1998), “Being John Malkovich” (1999), “Vanilla Sky” (2001) and “Gangs of New York” (2002). Before announcing retirement from acting in 2018, Diaz appeared in films such as “The Other Woman” (2014, pictured R) and “Annie” (2014).
Marilyn Monroe
While working at the Radioplane Munitions Factory, Monroe was photographed by David Conover and that led to her joining Blue Book Model Agency in 1945. After few years of modeling and appearing on various magazine covers, she got her start in films and is best remembered for “All About Eve” (1950), “Niagara” (1953, pictured R) and “Some Like It Hot” (1959).
Halle Berry
Oscar winner for “Monster’s Ball” (2001, pictured R), Berry kicked off her modeling career in 1980s. She won the Miss Teen All American pageant in 1985 and participated at the Miss World pageant in 1986. In 1991, she made her film debut in Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever” and followed it up with a series of major Hollywood blockbusters including, “X-Men” franchise, “Die Another Day” (2002), “Cloud Atlas” (2012), “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017) and “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” (2019).
Charlize Theron
The Oscar-winning actress started modeling at 16 after winning a local beauty pageant. She broke into acting in the late ’90s and went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Monster” (2003, pictured R). Some of her noteworthy films include “North Country” (2005), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) and “Bombshell” (2019).
Monica Bellucci
To pursue a career in modeling, Bellucci quit her law studies and moved to Milan in 1988, where she joined Elite Model Management. By 1989, she had become an established model and posed for many big names, such as Dolce & Gabbana and Elle. After making her screen debut in an Italian film, Bellucci’s Hollywood break came with “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992). She went on to act in some major critical and commercial hits including “Malèna” (2000), “Irreversible” (2002), “The Passion of the Christ” (2004), “Shoot ’em Up” (2007, pictured R) and Bond film “Spectre” (2015).
Uma Thurman
The Academy Award-nominated actress graced the cover of British Vogue in 1985 and 1986, and modeled for brands such as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. Since making her acting debut in the late 1980s, Thurman has appeared in film such as “Pulp Fiction” (1994, for which she received an Oscar nomination), “Batman & Robin” (1997) and “Kill Bill” (pictured R) films.
Brooke Shields
Even before she became a sought-after actress, Shields had established herself as a fashion model working for illustrious brand such as Calvin Klein and appearing on the cover of Vogue. Of the movies and television series she starred in, “The Blue Lagoon” (1980), “Running Wild” (1995), “Suddenly Susan” (1996-2000), “The Midnight Meat Train” (2008) and “Furry Vengeance” (2010), are worth noting.
January Jones
As a model, Jones worked for brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Versace and Kérastase, among others. As an actress, she is best known for TV series “Mad Men” (2007-15), for which she received Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress in a TV Series. Some of her TV series and film appearances include “Taboo” (2002), “We Are Marshall” (2006), “X-Men: First Class” (2011), “The Last Man on Earth” (2015-18) and “Spinning Out” (2020-).
Elle Macpherson
Since beginning her modelling career in the 1980s, Macpherson graced the cover of magazines such as Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. She earned the nickname ‘The Body’ when she appeared on the cover of Time magazine. She also featured on five covers of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue — 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 2006. Macpherson’s acting efforts have been reasonably successful with roles in “Sirens” (1994), “If Lucy Fell” (1996, pictured R), “Batman & Robin” (1997) and the sitcom “Friends” (1999-2000).
Lily Collins
In 2007, Collins was named International Model of the Year by Spain’s Glamour magazine. The same year she was presented as a debutante at the Bal des débutantes in Paris, France. Her acting career took off when she played Snow White alongside Julia Roberts in “Mirror Mirror” (2012, pictured R). Lily also starred in “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” (2013), won a Golden Globe nomination for “Rules Don’t Apply” (2016), and played Fantine in the BBC miniseries “Les Misérables” (2018-19).
Kate Upton
Upton has graced the cover of various high-profile magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Cosmopolitan, and Esquire. In 2011, she made her film debut with “Tower Heist.” Later, she went on to appear in comedies such as “The Other Woman” (2014, pictured R) and “The Layover” (2017).
Diane Kruger
The German model-turned-actress walked the runway for various high-profile brands such as Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabbana. She also made appearances on the covers of Vogue and Marie Claire, among others. Kruger made her acting debut with “The Piano Player” (2002), and has since starred in blockbusters such as “Troy” (2004), “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), “Unknown” (2011) and “The Host” (2013, pictured R).
Olga Kurylenko
Kurylenko graced the covers of Vogue and Elle magazines before starring in the movie “Hitman” in 2007. She later appeared in the 2008 Bond film “Quantum of Solace” and subsequently in “Oblivion” (2013, pictured R), “The November Man” (2014), “Johnny English Strikes Again” (2018) and “The Room” (2019).
Suki Waterhouse
A model since the age of 16, Waterhouse modeled for brands such as Burberry, Marks and Spencer, and Tommy Hilfiger. She also appeared on the cover of mainstream fashion magazines including Vogue and Elle. Over the years, she has appeared in films such as “Love, Rosie” (2014, pictured R), “Insurgent” (2015), “Jonathan” (2018) and “A Rainy Day in New York” (2019).
Sharon Stone
Best known for her roles in films such as “Total Recall” (1990), “Basic Instinct” (1992), “The Muse” (1999) and “Lovelace” (2013, pictured R), Stone had won the Miss Crawford County in 1976. She also worked in print and TV commercials.
Rebecca Romijn
Romijn modeled regularly for Christian Dior, Tommy Hilfiger and Victoria’s Secret before her big-screen break came with the first “X-Men” movie in 2000, in which she played Mystique. She also made her way to the small screen, starring in the shows “Ugly Betty” (2007-08), “The Librarians” (2014-18, pictured R) and “Star Trek: Discovery” (2019).
Milla Jovovich
At the age of 11, the Ukrainian-born star appeared on her first cover for Italian magazine Lei. She enjoyed a modeling career that included campaigns with Christian Dior, Calvin Klein and Versace. Jovovich’s acting career, too, has been equally successful with leading roles in “The Fifth Element” (1997) and the “Resident Evil” (pictured R) franchise.
Lily Cole
At 16, Cole appeared on the cover of British Vogue magazine and went on to work with top brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jean Paul Gaultier and Versace. Her first major acting role was alongside Heath Ledger (1979-2008) in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” (2009, pictured R). Later, she went on to star in films such as “Snow White and the Huntsman” (2012), “The Zero Theorem” (2013) and “The Messenger” (2015).
Famke Janssen
Before starting her film career, Janssen modeled for brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Victoria’s Secret. Though she had been acting since the early 1990s, her breakthrough role came as Xenia Onatopp in the James Bond film “GoldenEye” (1995). She went on to appear in various films and TV series such as “X-Men” franchise, “Hemlock Grove” (2013-15, pictured R), “How to Get Away with Murder” (2015-19) and “The Capture” (2019).
Christie Brinkley
The popular model featured multiple times on the cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. In 1983, she tried her hand at acting by making an appearance in the classic comedy “Vacation.” Her other film and TV credits include “Vegas Vacation” (1997), “Jack and Jill” (2011) and “Parks and Recreation” (2012-15).
Lauren Bacall
Bacall entered the modeling world in the 1940s. When she appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 1943, producer Howard Hawks’ wife Nancy noticed her and urged her husband to consider her for the role in “To Have or Have Not” (1944). Eventually, she got the role and later went on appear in many films such as “The Big Sleep” (1946), “North West Frontier” (1959, pictured R), “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974) and “The Mirror Has Two Faces” (1996).
Rene Russo
Russo was a top model in the 1970s and early 1980s, having posed for brands such as Francesco Scavullo and Versace. After appearances on cover of magazines, including Vogue, and several TV commercials, Russo made her acting debut in 1987 with a small role in the TV series “Sable.” Her first film was “Major League” (1989). She has since acted in a number of films and was most recently seen in “Velvet Buzzsaw” (2019, pictured R) and as Frigga, Thor’s mother, in “Avengers: Endgame” (2019).
Jaime King
In the 1990s, King featured in various fashion magazines such as Vogue, Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar, and walked the runway for brands including Chanel and Christian Dior. Since making her Hollywood debut in the 2001 film “Pearl Harbor” (2001), King has worked in films such as “Sin City” (2005), “My Bloody Valentine” (2009), “Waiting For Forever” (2010), “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” (2014), “Escape Plan 2: Hades” (2018) and “Ice Cream in the Cupboard” (2019).
Agyness Deyn
Before entering the world of films, Dyne walked the runway for renowned brands such as Versace, Moschino, Chanel, Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent. In 2010, she made her film debut in “Clash of the Titans.” Some of her other films include “Pusher” (2012), “Sunset Song” (2015, pictured R), “The Titan” (2018) and “Her Smell” (2018).
Emily Ratajkowski
One of the most famous names in the world of fashion, Ratajkowski has walked for designers such as Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. Since making her first notable appearance in the critically acclaimed “Gone Girl” (2014, pictured R), Ratajkowski has worked in films such as “We Are Your Friends” (2015), “Welcome Home” (2018) and “Lying and Stealing” (2019).
Dree Hemingway
Hemingway was a popular face for the advertising campaign of Gianfranco Ferré, and walked the runway for brands such as Givenchy and Calvin Klein. Some of her notable films include “Starlet” (2012), “Listen Up Philip” (2014), “It Happened In L.A.” (2017) and “The Unicorn” (2018).
Joy Bryant
Bryant dropped out of Yale University to embark on a modelling career and worked with labels such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Victoria’s Secret. She subsequently made a name for herself as an actress with films and TV series such as “Antwone Fisher” (2002), “The Skeleton Key” (2005) and “London” (2005), “Good Girls Revolt” (2015-16) and “Trinkets” (2019-).