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14 Surprising Stars Who Got Their Start on Soaps
![Ryan Phillippe](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/480x251/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/640x335/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/768x402/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/1024x536/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/1280x670/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/1440x753/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/1600x837/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/J4r0IK16x/2160x1130/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg?position=top 2160w)
Jan. 28 2015, Updated 2:08 p.m. ET
Soap operas are not just for afternoon entertainment, they are also useful for launching the careers of some of today's biggest actors and actresses. Did you know these 14 superstars got their start on daytime soaps? Click below to see Josh Duhamel, Michelle Trachtenberg, Ashley Benson and more in the very early stages of their careers.
John Stamos
![John Stamos](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/480x364/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/640x485/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/768x582/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/1024x775/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/1280x969/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/1440x1090/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/1600x1211/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/83iDE3STJ/2160x1635/2014/03/john-stamos.jpg 2160w)
John Stamos was on General Hospital back in the day and his hair still looked amazing.
Eva Longoria
![Eva Longoria](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/gn5xRbAVd/485x500/2014/03/eva-longoria1.jpg 485w)
When Eva Longoria was young, she was on The Young and The Restless.
Brad Pitt
![Brad Pitt](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/480x294/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/640x392/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/768x470/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/1024x627/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/1280x783/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/1440x881/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/1600x979/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PzFLGDHSO/2160x1322/2014/03/brad-pitt.jpg 2160w)
Yup, even Brad Pitt kickstarted his career on Another World.
Michelle Trachtenberg
![Trachtenberg](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/480x349/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/640x466/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/768x559/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/1024x745/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/1280x931/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/1440x1047/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/1600x1163/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/uuuDzRgvl/2160x1570/2014/03/trachtenberg.jpg 2160w)
It's not just gossip, Michelle Trachtenberg really did star on All My Children as a child.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
![SMG](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/480x335/2014/03/smg.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/640x446/2014/03/smg.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/768x536/2014/03/smg.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/1024x714/2014/03/smg.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/1280x892/2014/03/smg.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/1440x1004/2014/03/smg.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/1600x1115/2014/03/smg.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/BkprSM64G/2160x1505/2014/03/smg.jpg 2160w)
Before she was Buffy and before she was bitchy in Cruel Intentions, Sarah Michelle Gellar was Kendall Hart Lang on All My Children.
Ryan Phillippe
![Ryan Phillippe](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/480x293/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/640x391/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/768x469/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/1024x625/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/1280x781/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/1440x879/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/1600x976/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Xdnc16_P6/2160x1318/2014/03/ryan-phillippe.jpg 2160w)
SMG's fellow Cruel Intentions star Ryan Phillippe also started out being hot on One Life to Live.
Leonardo DiCaprio
![Leo D](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/480x457/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/640x610/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/768x731/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/1024x975/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/1280x1219/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/1440x1371/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/1600x1523/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Vl-mrxDPt/2160x2056/2014/03/leo-d.jpg 2160w)
Even though it's just a brief moment, Leonardo DiCaprio did in fact appear on the soap Santa Barbara.
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Ricky Martin
![Ricky Martin](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/480x337/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/640x450/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/768x539/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/1024x719/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/1280x899/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/1440x1011/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/1600x1123/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/8n2xFFUf3/2160x1516/2014/03/ricky-martin.jpg 2160w)
Ricky Martin portrayed Miguel Morez on General Hospital.
Josh Duhamel
![Josh Duhamel](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/480x348/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/640x463/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/768x556/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/1024x741/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/1280x926/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/1440x1042/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/1600x1158/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/QFCDZiVUb/2160x1563/2014/03/josh-duhamel1.jpg 2160w)
Mr. Fergie himself, Josh Duhamel showed up on All My Children and in one episode, he hit on a waitress in a restaurant. That waitress?…
Elizabeth Banks
![Elizabeth Banks](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/480x332/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/640x442/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/768x530/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/1024x707/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/1280x884/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/1440x994/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/1600x1104/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/q_o1SGF1c/2160x1491/2014/03/elizabeth-banks.jpg 2160w)
Elizabeth Banks! She got paid to get hit on by Josh Duhamel. Not a bad gig!
Amber Tamblyn
![Amber Tamblyn 1](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/480x361/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/640x482/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/768x578/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/1024x770/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/1280x963/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/1440x1083/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/1600x1203/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/Ym-TbZ90_/2160x1624/2014/03/amber-tamblyn-1.jpg 2160w)
Amber Tamblyn landed a role on General Hostpial when she was a youngster.
Julianne Moore
![Julianne Moore](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/480x305/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/640x407/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/768x488/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/1024x651/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/1280x813/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/1440x915/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/1600x1016/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/PnI6N0L4T/2160x1372/2014/03/julianne-moore1.jpg 2160w)
Julianne Moore appeared on As The World Turns at the beginning of her career.
Ashley Benson
![Ashley benson](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/480x349/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/640x466/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/768x559/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/1024x745/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/1280x931/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/1440x1047/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/1600x1163/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/dMhPMIHvA/2160x1570/2014/03/ashley-benson.jpg 2160w)
It's no lie, Ashley Benson was on Days of Our Lives!
Kevin Bacon
![Kevin Bacon](https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/480x313/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 480w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/640x418/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 640w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/768x501/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 768w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/1024x668/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 1024w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/1280x835/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 1280w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/1440x939/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 1440w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/1600x1043/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 1600w, https://media.okmagazine.com/brand-img/i0dfdOsIE/2160x1408/2014/03/kevin-bacon.jpg 2160w)
Before he danced up a storm in Footloose, Kevin Bacon brought the drama to Guiding Light.