17 Celebrities Who Started as Runway Models
The journey from catwalk to camera isn’t as unusual as you might think. Many of Hollywood’s biggest names first learned to work the spotlight on fashion runways across the world, where they mastered the art of commanding attention before a single line of dialogue was ever spoken. Here are 17 celebrities who traded their stilettos for scripts and found massive success on the big screen.
Charlize Theron
— Photo by arp
At 16, Theron won a one-year modeling contract at a local competition in Salerno, Italy, and moved with her mother to Milan. She spent a year working European runways before relocating to New York. Originally planning a ballet career at the Joffrey Ballet School, a knee injury forced her to reconsider. That twist of fate led to an Oscar-winning performance in “Monster” and a career spanning blockbusters like “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
Cameron Diaz
— Photo by Jean_Nelson
Cameron Diaz started modeling when she was in high school—which included a magazine cover for Seventeen and campaigns with Coke and Calvin Klein. “I’ll probably model until I’m old and grey. Actually, my ultimate dream is to be a zoologist,” Cameron told Seventeen in 1990. Instead, an agent at Elite Model Management got her the role that would change everything: Tina Carlyle in “The Mask” alongside Jim Carrey.
Cara Delevingne
— Photo by arp
Two-time Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, Cara Delevingne was scouted at 10(!); Her breakthrough was walking the Burberry catwalk in 2011. Cara spent much of her teenage years working as a runway regular for Burberry, Chanel, Victoria Secret and Balmain. She made the switch to acting after feeling burned out by the fashion industry’s approval process, landing a role in “Only Murders in the Building.”
Halle Berry
— Photo by Image Press Agency
In the ’80s, Halle Berry began her career in modeling and entered several beauty contests. She won Miss Ohio and finished as the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant. Many fans don’t know that Halle Berry was the first black American Miss World contestant, but yes! The actress placed sixth in the competition. After moving to New York in 1989 to pursue acting, she eventually became the first African American to win the Oscar for Best Actress.
Uma Thurman
— Photo by tanka_v
Uma Thurman started modeling as a teen—and landed a couple of magazine covers in those early years—but almost immediately started getting cast in films, including Dangerous Liaisons in 1988. Uma Thurman appeared on the covers of Vogue and Glamour as a model before she turned to acting. She wanted to be an actress from an early age and transitioned quickly into memorable roles in “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill.”
Channing Tatum
— Photo by Jean_Nelson
Before Magic Mike taught him to strip, Tatum learned to strut. Five years before he starred in Step Up, Tatum modelled for Abercrombie & Fitch. From there, he moved onto the runway, walking in major fashion shows at both New York and Milan fashion weeks. Now a Hollywood leading man and critically acclaimed actor, Channing Tatum started out in the entertainment business as a model and a dancer. His athletic background helped him book campaigns for Gap, Pepsi, and American Eagle before landing his first film role.
Brooke Shields
— Photo by bossmoss
Brooke Shields famously and controversially started working at a very young age. After modeling as a literal baby, she also worked as a child model. At 14, she became the youngest model to appear on a Vogue cover at the time. Her controversial Calvin Klein jeans campaign made her a household name before she transitioned into acting with films like “Pretty Baby” and “The Blue Lagoon.”
Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich began her modeling career in 1987 when she was on the cover of Italian magazine Lei. She’s been featured in over 100 magazine covers since then, including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, and GQ. The star of The Fifth Element and all those Resident Evil movies was determined by Forbes to be the highest-paid model in 2004. She seamlessly transitioned between both careers, becoming synonymous with sci-fi action films.
Jaime King
— Photo by Jean_Nelson
Jaime King was discovered at 14 and had a successful modeling career, including in Vogue, on the Chanel runway, and for a Revlon campaign. Jaime King was a big-time runway model for Chanel and Christian Dior before she made her debut in Pearl Harbor in 2001. She was told she was insane when she quit because she was at the top of her modelling career. Her successful transition to acting included roles in “Sin City” and “Hart of Dixie.”
Anjelica Huston
— Photo by s_bukley
The daughter of famed director John Huston (who’d tried to feature her in an early film), Anjelica Huston was more interested in modeling through the 1970s—becoming a favorite of Halston—and only picked up acting in the following decade. While modeling, Huston made sporadic cameo appearances in a couple films, but decided to pursue it as a career in the early ’80s. Her eventual acting career earned her an Oscar for “Prizzi’s Honor.”
Diane Kruger
— Photo by arp
Kruger started out as a runway model in Germany, during her late teens. Diane Kruger used to be the face of incredible fashion brands like Chanel, Burberry, Dior, and Giorgio Armani before she landed her first roles in Hollywood. Despite being relatively short for a model at 5 ‘9, she made it work before transitioning to memorable film roles in “Troy ” and “Inglourious Basterds.”
Ashton Kutcher
— Photo by Image Press Agency
Before That ’70s Show, Kutcher was signed with Next modelling agency in New York, appearing in Calvin Klein commercials and fashion editorial shoots. In 1997, Kutcher was a biochemical engineering student at the University of Iowa and was discovered by a local talent scout. He quickly transitioned from modeling into television with “That ’70s Show” and later films like “Dude, Where’s My Car?”
Demi Moore
— Photo by Image Press Agency
After a volatile and difficult home life as a child, Demi Moore worked as a model for a short time as a teenager, and made her acting debut before she was even 20 in General Hospital. Believe it or not, though, she made her runway debut for Fendi in 2021. Coffee was her poison back then—she needed it to stay alert during those long modeling shoots.
Her early modeling work led to soap opera roles and eventually blockbuster films like “Ghost” and “A Few Good Men.”
Caitriona Balfe
— Photo by Image Press Agency
Best known for her role as Claire Fraser in the popular series Outlander, Caitriona is a former Victoria’s Secret model. She walked the runway in 2002. Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière worked with Outlander and Money Monster star Caitriona Balfe for her Cannes Film Festival wardrobe — the actress, now a screen force to be reckoned with, started out as a runway model for Chanel, Michael Kors, Dior, and Balenciaga. She successfully transitioned from fashion runways to time-traveling drama.
Abbey Lee
— Photo by bossmoss
Abbey Lee Kershaw walked for Valentino and appeared in campaigns for Versace and Calvin Klein. She was just one of the myriad breakout faces of 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. The Australian model dropped her last name for her acting career, appearing in films like “The Neon Demon.” Her transition from runway to dystopian wasteland was surprisingly seamless.
Jamie Dornan
Decorated Irish actor Jamie Dornan may perhaps be best known for portraying Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, but before he was dominating Hollywood the star was making a name for himself as one of the fashion industry’s brightest talents. The actor we now know best as Mr Grey is also a musician and a Calvin Klein model. Back in 2005, he posed with Kate Moss for a Calvin Klein Jeans campaign. Dornan has modeled for major brands like Armani, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, and Dolce & Gabbana, and was even named one of the “25 Biggest Male Models of All Time” by Vogue in 2015.
Rebecca Romijn
The first of many stars from the X-Men franchise is Rebecca Romijn. She had a successful modeling career before transforming into the blue-skinned Mystique. Her runway experience helped her feel comfortable in elaborate costumes and makeup.
But modeling experience apparently helps with:
- Staying still for hours in makeup chairs
- Working with demanding directors
- Maintaining composure under pressure
- Looking good in tight leather outfits
Where Fashion Meets Fame
The transition from runway to red carpet proves that the skills needed for both aren’t that different after all. These celebrities mastered the art of presence, learned to work with cameras, and discovered how to embody different personas—all invaluable tools for their eventual acting careers.
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