Few people remember them like this: what the stars looked like in their youth, who became famous in adulthood

Everyone knows what Gandalf, the hero of the Lord of the Rings film series, looks like. Or, for example, Minerva McGonagall from the Harry Potter films. The actors who played these characters, Ian McKellen and Maggie Smith, have come a long way to fame: they became world famous in adulthood. Few people know what they were like in their youth.

We offer you to take a look at archival photos of celebrities taken at the beginning of their careers. Read more in the OBOZREVATEL article.

1. Maggie Smith (88 years old)

The English actress Maggie Smith became famous for the Harry Potter film saga (she was 67 at the time). But her career began long before the Potter films. In 1970, the celebrity won an Oscar for her role in the film The Rise of Miss Jean Brodie, and then completely switched to theatre. Many years passed. It was only after playing the role of a teacher at a school of magic that the actress returned to filming. Maggie appeared in the TV series Downton Abbey and in the tragicomedy Marigold Hotel. The Best of the Exotic".

2. Ian McKellen (84)

British actor Ian McKellen was a master of Shakespearean repertoire in his youth, and gained worldwide fame at a respectable age after starring in such cult films as X-Men, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The actor is now 84 years old. He still appears in films from time to time. For example, in 2019, he played the lead role in the film Pitch Perfect.

3. Willem Dafoe (67 years old)

American theatre and film actor Willem Dafoe began acting in films in the 1980s. His career breakthrough was the role of Sergeant Elias in the film Platoon (1986), for which Defoe was nominated for an Oscar. Then he was offered minor roles. After a "lull", his first high-profile film was Inside Man (2006), and later The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014).

4. Hugh Laurie (63)

The most prominent work of the English actor, director, singer and musician Hugh Laurie was his role in the TV series House, which debuted in 2004 (filming ended in 2012). The film star was 45 at the time. He played a gloomy but brilliant misanthropic doctor. This image stuck so firmly in the minds of the audience that Laurie was offered supporting roles. In 2020, he was lucky enough to play the lead in the comedy television series Avenue 5.

5. Morgan Freeman (86 years old)

In 1971, American actor and film director Morgan Freeman starred in the film Who Said I Can't Walk on a Rainbow? He was very proud of this role, but it went unnoticed by famous directors. After 10 years, he was invited to film the drama Brubaker. This was followed by numerous casting failures.

Freeman gained real fame at the age of 51, when he played in the film Street Smart. Later, Morgan appeared as God in the film Bruce Almighty.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote about stars who did not want to be kissed on the set.

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