During the BAFTA speech for All Quiet on the Western Front (https://youtu.be/wTgY4K1ztjY)the director mentioned that this is Felix Kammerer’s film debut. I was truly surprised by that! Given the emotional weight the film had to convey and he was at the helm of it and it is his first film to boot. I think the consensus for AQOTWF is that the acting is one of its biggest strengths even though some may not like the film overall. That scene with him and the soldier is definitely a highlight of his acting.

Another example I can say is a young Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun. But not sure if he acted before (in tv) and this is only his big screen debut. As someone that young being the lead of a Spielberg film and nailing it, well that is just amazing.

Do you have other samples or favorites?

Comments

[deleted] t1_j9phebx wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:23 PM

#1,942,730

[deleted]

PurpsMcNuggets t1_j9phmrq wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:24 PM

#1,942,765

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins

Jamie Bell as Billy Elliot

Buckar00_Banzai_ t1_j9phxjc wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:26 PM

#1,942,815

Dafne Keen, "Logan"

testingtor t1_j9pi2wl wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:27 PM

#1,942,841

Ed Norton in Primal Fear.

Agent_Tomm t1_j9pi528 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:27 PM

#1,942,851

Wasn't "Primal Fear" Edward Norton's film debut? If so that one.

nowhereman136 t1_j9pji8u wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:36 PM

#1,943,033

Lupita Nyang'o in 12 Years a Slave

ChrisEvansFan OP t1_j9pjylq wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:38 PM

#1,943,108

Replying to testingtor (#1,942,841)

Wow! Didnt know this.

ChrisEvansFan OP t1_j9pk8u0 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:40 PM

#1,943,145

Replying to nowhereman136 (#1,943,033)

She really was amazing in this!

TheCosmicFailure t1_j9pl36r wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:45 PM

#1,943,254

Cynthia Erivo. I thought she was very good in Widows

Even-Builder8092 t1_j9plqrg wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:49 PM

#1,943,352

Alan Rickman’s debut film was Die Hard

rabid_scotsman t1_j9pm5ky wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:52 PM

#1,943,417

Alan Rickman in Die Hard is the answer.

official_bagel t1_j9pmdsg wrote on February 23, 2023 at 5:53 PM

#1,943,445

Orson Wells in Citizen Kane
Alan Rickman in Die Hard
Frances McDormand in Blood Simple
Natalie Portman in Leon: The Professional

DrRexMorman t1_j9pou9o wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:08 PM

#1,943,759

>But not sure if he acted before (in tv)

He had.

> Do you have other samples or favorites?

I would say 99% of child actors are terrible, but sometimes we are graced by a child who can act - Tatum O’Neil’s performance in Paper moon comes to mind.

It is considerably harder to think through this for adult actors, who are either grown up child actors (like Bale) or who made it big after a slate of small appearances (like many of the answers in this thread).

TappyMauvendaise t1_j9pp012 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:09 PM

#1,943,777

Jaye Davidson - The Crying Game

notthatbigtuna t1_j9ppgv2 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:12 PM

#1,943,835

I’m a big Brad Dourif guy from way back and his performance in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a pretty great way to start a career.

Ebolatastic t1_j9pph16 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:12 PM

#1,943,837

Sharlto Copley was so good in District 9 that he got major roles for like a decade afterward.

Owasso_Landman t1_j9pr04e wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:22 PM

#1,944,041

Barkhab Abdi in Captain Phillips

Looper007 t1_j9psdaj wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:30 PM

#1,944,228

Replying to nowhereman136 (#1,943,033)

And she hasn't come close to topping it since.

Looper007 t1_j9pswjz wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:33 PM

#1,944,303

Paddy Considine in Room for Romeo Brass

Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit

Anna Paquin in The Piano

Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun

nowhereman136 t1_j9ptet6 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:36 PM

#1,944,373

Replying to Looper007 (#1,944,228)

Shes really only done a handful of movies since. She was fantastic in Us. It wasn't a very challenging role but she was good in the Black Panther movies.

[deleted] t1_j9pv2kx wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:47 PM

#1,944,598

[deleted]

Holy_Hole_Inna_Donut t1_j9pwbqm wrote on February 23, 2023 at 6:54 PM

#1,944,771

Kirsten Dunst in Interview With The Vampire, playing a 60 year old mind trapped in the body of an 11 year old girl. It was especially impressive because she stole scenes from two powerhouse A-listers.

Also Julie Andrews who won an Oscar for her first role.

Looper007 t1_j9pxmgp wrote on February 23, 2023 at 7:02 PM

#1,944,952

Replying to nowhereman136 (#1,944,373)

She never really struck while the iron was hot, half her roles have been for voicing . Us definitely was only thing she's done that I've seen her in that gives me hope that it wasn't a one off performance with 12 years a Slave. It's been 10 years now since that film, and only really one more eye catching performance. She definitely hasn't been prolific for sure.