A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Acting Debuts

Everyone has to start somewhere. Moses was found in a basket. Shakespeare had to learn his ABC’s. Tom Brady played with a Nerf football. There are humble beginnings for every great figure in history, literature, art, sports, and…the movies. Directors and writers get their start making short films, commercials, or TV episodes, and within those works are the actors: the faces of the movies. Every actor has a beginning. Some start small and are in the background, while others come out of the gate like hellfire; coming out of nowhere in their feature debut so strong that we would think they had been doing film for decades. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Cinematic Acting Debuts. 

 

Before proceeding, it seems prudent to note the difference between a debut and a breakthrough role. The breakthrough is when an actor already has a few films under their belt before finding that one role that elevates them. Peter O’Toole is often miscredited as LAWRENCE OF ARABIA being his debut, when he had three prior films to his credit (same with Robert DeNiro, who had done 12 films before THE GODFATHER PART II). This blog focuses on the debut, which is the very first credit for an actor. The best ones are the debuts that define the actor, create memorable characters, and set them on their career paths. 

 

 

Here are the best of the Firsts: 

 

 

 

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES (1985)

 

Someone from THE GOONIES had to be chosen, and it might as well be a two-fer. Brolin and Astin play brothers and un-official leaders of The Goonies in this rollicking, generation-defining hunt for rich stuff. Both Brolin and Astin would go on to stellar careers; Brolin doing everything from Oscar winners (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), to supervillain work (AVENGERS). Astin of course would play a pivotal role in THE LORD OF THE RINGS…because Frodo would not have got very far without Sam. 

 

 

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT (2010)

In this Coen Brothers-directed remake of the John Wayne Western, Hailee Steinfeld was just 14 years old when she went up against acting heavyweights Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, and (ahem), Josh Brolin. Not only did Steinfeld hold her own, but she stole the show…helping this new version surpass the original in every way. 

 

 

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001)

 

Along the same lines as Steinfeld, Anne Hathaway was just 19 when she went toe-to-toe against Hollywood legend Julie Andrews in this coming-of-age comedy. Hathaway would launch into a stellar career; winning an Oscar for her stunning role in LES MISERABLES (2012), and surprising us all with her villainous turn in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (also 2012). 

 

 

7. Lupita Nyong’o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)

 

In her first feature film, Lupita Nyong’o would win an Oscar for her gut-wrenching performance as a slave in this Best Picture winner. Her big monologue about body stench sums up slavery as well as can be done, helping 12 YEARS A SLAVE earn its reputation as a difficult, yet required watch. Nyong’o would go on to further accolades in her career, while also having fun in Marvel and STAR WARS movies.  

 

 

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (1994)

 

Before she won an Oscar for BLACK SWAN (2010), and played the love of Anakin Skywalker, Natalie Portman played the protégé of a hitman in this iconic film that has grown in popularity over the years. THE PROFESSIONAL is known for a lot, including Jean Reno as a non-traditional hitman and Gary Oldman going batshit crazy…but it was Portman, who was 13 during filming, who came out the cleanest. 

 

 

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN (1978)

 

The HALLOWEEN franchise has (so far) produced 13 films with ever-changing lines of continuity, but none of the 12 films can match the splash made by Jamie Lee Curtis. The stalking shape of Michael Myers may get most of the attention, but it’s Curtis, who gave us fear and strength at the same time, who became the true icon of the series and one of the best Scream Queens. 

 

 

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE (1941)

 

Cinema was changed forever when 26-year-old Orson Welles wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this towering epic that set the standard for the modern Hollywood film. Often regarded as one of the best (and maybe the best) of all time, Welles’ mighty accomplishment has yet to be matched. 

 

 

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR (1996)

 

This legal mystery thriller was capped by one of the best twist-endings of all time, and it all worked thanks to Ed Norton’s stunning debut. Norton would get an Oscar nomination and win a Globe…and then go on to a productive and impressive career of hits, including an Oscar win for AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998), a Wes Anderson regular, a Marvel film, and a movie that we do not talk about.  

 

 

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD (1988)

Before he was Snape, he was terrorist Hans Gruber who took over an L.A. high-rise before famously getting tossed off the roof by a barefoot John McClaine (Bruce Willis). Rickman made the jump from Shakespeare theatre to cinema seamlessly, while creating one of the best villains the big screen has ever seen. No matter what season we choose to watch DIE HARD, Rickman’s ice-cold performance still chills. 

 

 

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS (1964)

Julie Andrews won an Oscar for her charming and delightful performance as the magical nanny, while creating one of the most iconic characters of all time. Everyone, including non-Disney fans, knows who Mary Poppins is. Andrews’ performance would earn her a role in THE SOUND OF MUSIC the following year, and it’s been practically perfect since. In a stack of impressive film debuts, all one has to do is see the famous silhouette of the umbrella and hat to know who flew in the best. 

 

 

REEL SPEAK’S TOP 10 ACTING DEBUTS

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL

7. Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES

 

A Reel 60: THE SOUND OF MUSIC

 “The hills are alive…”

 

This month marks the 60th anniversary of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

 

Directed by Robert Wise and often considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, THE SOUND OF MUSIC was based on the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp. The film was a fictional telling of her experiences as a governess to seven children, eventual marriage, and their escape from the Nazi regime. 

 

The journey to bring music to the hills started in 1956, when a German producer purchased the film rights. In the same year, THE TRAPP FAMILY was released as a comedy. A sequel, THE TRAPP FAMILY IN AMERICA, followed two years later. Paramount Pictures would later acquire the rights, looking to produce an English-language version with famed actress Audrey Hepburn in the lead. The studio would later drop the option, but the story would be adapted for the stage in 1959. A year later, 20th Century Fox would step in and acquire the film rights. 

 

By 1963 director Robert Wise, who had won several Oscars with WEST SIDE STORY (1961), was brought on to helm the film. Wise and writer Ernest Lehman went to Disney Studios to view footage from the yet-unreleased MARY POPPINS, and decided then and there to sign Julie Andrews to the lead role. Christopher Plummer would join the cast, beating out favorites Bing Crosby, Sean Connery, and Richard Burton. Filming would begin in 1964 at 20th Century Fox Studios, and would continue on-location in Salzburg, Austria. 

 

On release, critical reaction was mixed, but the film would be a box office smash, becoming the highest grossing film of all time in a year. The initial theatrical release would last four and a half years. At the 38th Academy Awards, THE SOUND OF MUSIC would win five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise. 

 

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One of the biggest crimes in cinema is to dismiss THE SOUND OF MUSIC as just a musical. As a film set in the early days of WWII and the Nazi takeover of Austria, it can fall into the war film genre…despite not a single shot being fired. The exploration of themes such as family, finding one’s identity, and a country in turmoil via hostile takeover are even more relevant today. 

 

After 60 years THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a towering film. Julie Andrews’ opening number The Sound of Music, set in those famous hills, has become one of the most iconic scenes of all time, and Do-Re-Mi is used today to teach music. It is a big part of cinema history, and American and worldwide culture. It is a film that everyone knows at least a little of, which makes it an all-time favorite. 

 

“These are a few of my favorite things…”

 

 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode III

Awards Season is over, and we have moved out of Movie Siberia. The month of March can usually serve as a warmup to the fun Summer months, and although this year the month is a little light, can still offer some shelter from the cold. Here is what’s coming to the big screen in March: 

 

 

MICKEY 17 – Director Bong Joon-Ho, who delivered the Oscar-winning PARASITE (2019), returns with this sci-fi black comedy about a clone worker (Robert Pattinson), working in dangerous off-planet conditions with his clones as a backup. The cast includes Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. 

 

 

IN THE LOST LANDS – Up and down director Paul W.S. Anderson (RESIDENT EVIL), helms this epic fantasy about a witch and a hunter journeying to find an artifact for a queen. Dave Bautista and Mila Jovovich star. 

 

 

SEVEN VEILS – Amanda Seyfried plays a theatre director with repressed trauma in this drama. 

 

 

BLACK BAG – Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh (OCEAN’S ELEVEN, TRAFFIC), is back with a spy thriller. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan.

 

 

NOVOCAINE – In this action thriller, Jack Quaid plays a bank executive who has an inability to feel pain, and uses his gift to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. 

 

 

THE ALTO KNIGHTS – Acclaimed director Barry Levinson (GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, WAG THE DOG), directs this mob thriller with Robert DeNiro in a dual role of playing two mob bosses. 

 

 

SNOW WHITE – Walt Disney Pictures continues its live-action remake era with this re-do of its beloved classic. Rachel Zegler (WEST SIDE STORY), plays Snow White, and Gal Gadot (WONDER WOMAN), plays the Evil Queen. 

 

 

A WORKING MAN – Jason Statham once again plays a retired killer pulled out of retirement. It is directed by up and down director David Ayer (TRAINING DAY, SUICIDE SQUAD). 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of April. 

A Reel Opinion: The 97th Academy Awards - The Good, The Bad, and the Glorious

 

The year in film 2024 was put to rest last night with the 97^th Academy Awards. ANORA was the big winner with five wins, including Best Picture. Other multiple winners included THE BRUTALIST with three, while EMILIA PEREZ, WICKED, and DUNE: PART 2 tied with two. Here is how it all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious:

 

THE GOOD

-First time host Conan O’Brien was a blast with good energy and spot-on jokes. One would think he had been hosting the Oscars for years.

 

-The opening with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reprising music from WICKED was spectacular.

 

-This year, in an effort to keep things moving, the Academy did not have performances of the Best Original Song nominees. The nominees still had plenty of attention, however…and music was still given its proper tribute.

 

-ANORA director Sean Baker become only the second person in history to go home with four Oscars for one film, winning for producing, directing, writing, and editing. He’s in an exclusive club with Walt Disney, who in 1954 won four for four different films.

 

-Baker’s acceptance speech included a plea for the survival of movie theatres. It was an echo of an earlier sketch done by Conan O’Brien.

 

-The James Bond tribute, which also served as a farewell for long-time retiring producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, was very well done…even though it felt like a wake for the series as we’ve known it.

 

THE BAD

 

-One too many winners in the below-the-line categories had no idea what to do on the stage and looked like idiots. A little preparation goes a long way.

 

-ANORA winning Best Picture. Sorry/not sorry…but this Blogger found ANORA to be a pointless, meandering pile of nonsense.

 

THE GLORIOUS

 

-Adrien Brody winning his second Oscar in over 20 years for his towering performance in THE BRUTALIST.

 

-FLOW winning Best Animated Feature. The dialogue-free film that was made in Latvia bested the favored THE WILD ROBOT and the highest grossing film of the year, INSIDE OUT 2. The win delivered the Baltic nation its first Oscar; an important feat for small independent films, international cinema, and proper attention to a nation living under the threat of war. The world needs more films like FLOW to be recognized…and the Academy got that right.

 

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The 98th Academy Awards will be in 2026.