Gallery: 30 Hollywood Stars Who Started Out in Horror Movies
01Chloe Grace-Moretz
Horror movies often get a bad wrap -- too violent, too exploitative, too cliche, too many women walking around casually not wearing bras (because don't we all wear button downs half undone with nothing underneath?) -- but if we look at them a little closer, we see the great equalizer of the cinematic universe. That's right. Horror movies are a place where many of the brightest stars in the Hollywood firmament once appeared early in their careers, including unexpected actors like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlize Theron, George Clooney, Jon Stewart, and Katee Sackhoff. And these roles that need to be celebrated for the star-making turns they (maybe, probably, kinda) were. Did you fall in love with Renée Zellweger singing "Sugarhigh" to you in *Empire Records*? Then light a jack-o-lantern for her terrorized prom goer in *Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation*, which was filmed before *Empire*, but released after. Bonus co-star? Matthew McConaughey, playing perhaps the most psychotic role of his career as Vilmer Slaughter. Do you swoon over George Clooney or stand in awe of his seemingly endless reservoir of screen talents? Then dig *Return to Horror High* out of moth balls and behold the majesty of his pre-*ER* mullet. But don't blink! He's a first kill. And yes, that *is* Marcia Brady erotically rubbing blood all over her body - for no reason! Think the new *Carrie* is Chloë Grace-Moretz's first brush with the horror cannon? Go back and re-watch *The Amityville Horror* from 2005 (above). Though we understand if you can't see past Ryan Reynolds' pre-ScarJo six-pack (24 pack?). Contrary to appearances, these fine specimens of stage and screen were not grown in labs. They were not flown in from some magic island and dropped into our laps camera-ready. They worked long and hard, putting in their time getting murdered by cornstalk monsters, aliens, and sadistic sociopaths. Remember, having skeletons in your closet is some JV material. But having Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, or Leatherface kicking around in there? That's when you've made the varsity team. Check out some of the best pre-A-list horror performances above. __Above:__ Chloë Grace-Moretz ------------------ __Movie:__ *The Amityville Horror* (remake) __Year:__ 2005 __Age:__ 8 __Role:__ Chelsea Lutz, youngest of the Lutz daughters __Fate:__ Lives __Since then:__ Now starring as the title character in the new *Carrie*
02Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart ----------- __Movie:__ *The Faculty* __Year:__ 1998 __Age:__ 36 __Role:__ Professor Edward Furlong, high school science teacher __Fate:__ Lives, but briefly becomes an alien host and loses an eye and four fingers __Since then:__ Host of the Emmy and Peabody award-winning *The Daily Show*
03Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt -------------------- __Movie:__ *Halloween H20: 20 Years Later* __Year:__ 1998 __Age:__ 17 __Role:__ Jimmy Howell, well-meaning neighborhood boy __Fate:__ Dies first, by ice hockey skate to the face __Since then:__ Wrote, directed, and starred in this year's indie romantic comedy *Don Jon*
04Renee Zellweger
Renée Zellweger --------------- __Movie:__ *Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation* __Year:__ 1994 __Age:__ 25 __Role:__ Jenny, Final Girl/heroine who has to survive the Slaughter family on her prom night __Fate:__ Lives (uncovers Illuminati plot) __Since then:__ 1 Oscar win, 2 more nominations
05George Clooney
George Clooney -------------- __Movie:__ *Return to Horror High* __Year:__ 1987 __Age:__ 26 __Role:__ Oliver, an actor playing a cop on the set of horror movie __Fate:__ First to die __Since then:__ 2 Oscar wins, 6 more nominations
06Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis ---------- __Movie:__ *American Psycho II: All American Girl* __Year:__ 2002 __Age:__ 19 __Role:__ Rachael Newman, criminology student who became obsessed with serial killers after watching Patrick Bateman kill her babysitter __Fate:__ Lives after faking death __Since then:__ *Esquire*'s sexiest woman alive, all-around hilarious and hot
07Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck ----------- __Movie:__ *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (The only clip we could find was in Spanish.) __Year:__ 1992 __Age:__ 20 __Role:__ Basketball player who shows up for a matter of seconds __Fate:__ Lives (Probably. It's unconfirmed.) __Since then:__ 2 Oscar wins
08Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart --------------- __Movie:__ *Panic Room* __Year:__ 2002 __Age:__ 12 __Role:__ Sarah Altman, one half of the mother-daughter combo stuck in a panic room __Fate:__ Lives, survives asthma attack __Since then:__ Became Bella Swan, Snow White, Joan Jett, GF of R.Pattz, perfecter of hair-flipping
09Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence ----------------- __Movie:__ *House at the End of the Street* __Year:__ Filmed in 2010, released in 2012 __Age:__ 20 __Role:__ Elissa, heroine starting a new life with her mom who befriends the troubled boy in the house at the end of the street __Fate:__ Lives, starts a new life with her mom, again __Since then:__ 1 Oscar win, 1 more nomination, Mystique and Katiniss Everdeen
10Taylor Kitsch
Taylor Kitsch ------------- __Movie:__ *The Covenant* __Year:__ 2006 __Age:__ 25 __Role:__ Pogue Perry, super hunky prep school student and member of the Sons of Ipswich warlock collective __Fate:__ Lives, wears a speedo in swim class __Since then:__ Tim. Riggins.
11Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron --------------- __Movie:__ *Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest* __Year:__ 1995 __Age:__ 20 __Role:__ Young woman (uncredited), child of the corn __Fate:__ Death by mutant corn stalk monster __Since then:__ 1 Oscar win, 1 nomination
12Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth --------------- __Movie:__ *The Cabin in the Woods* __Year:__ Filmed in 2009, released in 2012 __Age:__ 27 __Role:__ Curt Vaughn, the hottie buff-guy friend __Fate:__ Dies third __Since then:__ Thor
13Katee Sackhoff
Katee Sackhoff -------------- __Movie:__ *Halloween: Resurrection* __Year:__ 2002 __Age:__ 22 __Role:__ Jen, the wild child friend __Fate:__ Killed fourth, by decapitation __Since then:__ Starbuck in *Battlestar Galactica* and recently starred in *Riddick*
14Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey ------------------- __Movie:__ *Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation* __Year:__ 1994 __Age:__ 25 __Role:__ Vilmer Slaughter, alpha male/head sadist of the Slaughter family __Fate:__ Death by plane propeller __Since then:__ Coming up in Martin Scorcese's *The Wolf of Wall Street*
