Celebrities Who Started on Soap Operas

Demi Moore

For her first 19 years, her name was Demetria Guynes, but then she married musician Freddy Moore and took the name that most recognize today. In 1982, Demi beat out thousands of actors for the role of Jackie Templeton on General Hospital. She was an instant sensation as a sassy reporter who went to great lengths to get a scoop. She left daytime TV in 1983, eventually starring in such feature films as Ghost, Indecent Proposal, and A Few Good Men

Kathleen Turner

As a child, Mary Kathleen Turner traveled the world because her father was a U.S. foreign service officer. During that time, the Turner family lived in Canada, Cuba, London, Venezuela, and Washington, D.C. By age 23, she shed her first name and got her first big break in show business on The Doctors. From 1978 to 1979, Turner played trampy Nola Dancy, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who married someone from the right side. Then, in 1981, she debuted on the big screen as a sizzling temptress in Body Heat.

Meg Ryan

Before she was the queen of romantic comedies, Meg Ryan was tangled up in a love triangle on As the World Turns. From 1982 to 1984, the spunky actor portrayed good girl Betsy Stewart, who was in love with blue-collar Steve Andropolous. Her stepfather didn't approve, so Betsy married unscrupulous Craig Montgomery instead. But true love prevailed when Betsy left Craig and married Steve in May 1984. Their happiness didn't last, but so it goes in the soap world. Ryan's movie career took off when she left the show, and her starring role in When Harry Met Sally in 1989 solidified her place as a leading lady.

Teri Hatcher

Voted by her 1982 high school class as "Girl Most Likely to Become a Solid Gold Dancer," Hatcher took a different direction and studied math in college. Her classmates might have been onto something, however, because she soon left college life and, in 1985, found a job as a dancing mermaid on The Love Boat. From 1986 to 1987, she was cast on Capitol as Angelica Clegg, a congressman's wife. But Hatcher didn't stick around for long; in 1987, she started to appear in several prime-time TV shows, such as Night Court and L.A. Law. By 1993, she landed her first major role -- as Lois Lane on the series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

Marisa Tomei

After attending Boston University for a year, perky actor Marisa Tomei landed a role on As the World Turns. From 1983 to 1985, she played airhead Marcy Thompson. Her character accused a man of sexual harassment, then went on to marry a prince, Lord Stewart Cushing. He swept Marcy away to England where they lived happily ever after as Lord and Lady Cushing.

Cicely Tyson

This highly acclaimed actor got her start on The Guiding Light in 1966. She originated the role of nurse Martha Frazier. On the show, her husband, Dr. Jim Frazier, was played by Billie Dee Williams and later, James Earl Jones. Tyson was plucked from the hospital set when producers chose her for a film called The Comedians. Her cast mates in the film were an impressive lot: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov, and Lillian Gish. Throughout her career, Cicely Tyson has been known for portraying strong African-American women.

Susan Sarandon Politically active and outspoken, even as a teenager, Susan Sarandon landed a spot on the runway as a Ford model. But it was her role as Patrice Kahlman on the soap A World Apart that put her on the small screen from 1970 to 1971. She moved to Search for Tomorrow in 1972 and played a murderous drifter named Sarah Fairbanks. Sarandon left the show the same year, and in 1975 she appeared in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. During the next 20 years, Sarandon was nominated for five Oscars before finally bringing one home in 1995 for her part in Dead Man Walking, which was directed by her partner, Tim Robbins.