Actors who do not have a professional education

A selection of talented people who have never been in pairs at a theater school

Heath Ledger

At the age of 17, the future celebrity, along with his best friend Trevor DiCarlo, traveled around Australia in search of any acting job. Ledger’s first filming was a small role in the Australian television series Clowning Around. His feature film debut came in 1997 in the Australian film Blackrock, and just two years later he starred in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, after which he was instantly in demand.

Christian Bale

Although he is best known for playing Batman in the Dark Knight films, other films featuring Christian Bale better showcase his talent as an actor. Bale dropped out of school when he was only 16 years old and started doing commercials until he made his debut with The Nerd in London’s West End. Just two years later, Bale made his debut in the TV movie Anastasia: Anna’s Secret. In the same year, he was lucky enough to work with Christopher Lee and Nick Picard in the fantasy "Mio in the Faraway". His performance as Jim Graham in "Empire of the Sun" earned him the first-ever "Best Performance by an Underage Actor" award from the National Film Review Board. Since then, he has starred in many popular films such as American Psycho, The Machinist, The Fighter, and more.

Russell Crowe

The man attracted the attention of viewers from all over the world thanks to the role of the Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius in the historical epic film "Gladiator". Crowe, like Bale, made the bold decision to leave school at the age of 16 to pursue his aspirations to become an actor. He didn’t become famous after his first role, but his perseverance and dedication paid off over time, which landed Crowe roles in many well-known films such as The Insider, Gladiator, and A Wonderful Mind.

Jennifer Lawrence

Lawrence managed to convince her parents to take her to New York to find a talent agent when she was only 14 years old. Apparently, the effort paid off when she began her acting career on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. Her breakthrough role was the participation in the film "Winter’s Bone" by Debra Granik. After that, the girl starred in the film X-Men: First Class, followed by the popular role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games.

Johnny Depp

Initially, his dream was to become a musician, which he did throughout his teenage years and achieved good success by the early 80s. After he married Laurie Ann Allison, Depp didn’t have a permanent job — it was part-time jobs, including as a telemarketer for pens, which he considers his first acting job. Everything changed when his wife introduced him to actor Nicolas Cage, who advised Depp to pursue an acting career. Depp’s first starring role was in the 1984 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street. Shortly thereafter, he was spotted by director Tim Burton, who made Depp a real Hollywood star.