9 Celebrities Who Started Their Careers After Turning 30

Published on May 6, 2016. Updated April 3, 2017

We often think that it is easier for young actors and actresses to get their breakthrough roles when they are young, but these 9 celebrities prove that theory dead wrong! They were all over the age of 30 when they landed that coveted role that brought them international recognition!

9. Steve Carell

Steve Carell’s big break came in 2005 when he was 43 years old. He was offered a starring role on the mockumentary series The Office, which ran until 2013. This led to other roles in movies like Get Smart, Date Night, Foxcatcher (which earned him an Oscar nod) and The Big Short.

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8. Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy’s landed her breakthrough role as Sookie St. James on the television series Gilmore Girls when she was 30 years old; however, it’s her role in the movie Bridesmaids that won her critical and commercial acclaim. She was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, but she didn’t win.

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7. Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford hit superstardom when he landed the role of Hans Solo in the Star Wars films. When he was cast in the first film, he was 35 years old and after that his career really skyrocketed. He’s been the star of many films including the Indiana Jones movies, The Fugitive and Air Force One.

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6. Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wiig has been around for while. She was on Saturday Night Live for several years and had supporting roles in movies like Unaccompanied Minors, Knocked Up and Whip It; however, it was her role in Bridesmaids, which she also wrote, that turned her into a household name. She was 38 at the time and earned a nomination for a Golden Globe for Best Actress-Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film.

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5. Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain had been toiling away in Hollywood without any major successes when she landed the role of Celia Foote in the film adaptation of The Help at the age of 34. This role gave Jessica her first taste of blockbuster success and earned her an Oscar nomination. In 2013, she received another Oscar nomination and she took home the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in Zero Dark Thirty.

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4. Connie Britton

Connie Britton was 36 years old when she landed her breakthrough role on the critically acclaimed television series Friday Night Lights, which earned her an Emmy nod. This led to more television opportunities in shows like American Horror Story, Nashville and American Crime Story.

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3. Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler was just another improve actress when she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live back in 2001. She was 30 years old at the time. Since then, her career has reached unbelievable heights. She’s considered one of the television’s top comediennes thanks to the success of Parks and Recreation and her impressions of Hilary Clinton on Saturday Night Live.

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2. George Clooney

George Clooney didn’t get his big break until he was 33. Before his role as Dr. Doug Ross on ER, he was getting bit parts in TV shows like The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls and Roseanne, but now he’s a major movie star who can pick and choose his roles as he sees fit.

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1. Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm was cast in his breakthrough role on Mad Men when he was 36 years old. Before that he had bit parts in shows like Ally McBeal, Gilmore Girls, CSI: Miami and Numb3rs with a recurring role on Providence and a main cast part on The Division.