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24 Actors From Music Videos Who Went On To Become Super Famous
I didn't know I needed to see a red-headed Zooey Deschanel in a '90s pop punk music video until today.

1. You probably know Taye Diggs from Rent, or Private Practice, or All American.


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The year was 1999, and the music video was “Out of Control” by The Chemical Brothers.

Virgin Records Ltd

Watch the video here:


Margaret Norton / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

He was in a few different music videos in the ’90s, but I think my favorite one has got to be starring in Alanis Morissette’s 1991 music video for her hit “Walk Away.”

MCA Records

Watch the video here:


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This was, of course, Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” 1984 music video.

Columbia Records

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However, wayyyy before that, Zooey starred in The Offspring’s 1999 “She’s Got Issues” music video — only her third role!

Round Hill Records

Wild to see Zooey without her long, dark locks! (Though of course she was blonde in 2003’s Elf.)

Watch the video here:


Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Disney

Well, before all that, he appeared in P!nk’s 2003 music video for “Trouble.”

LaFace Records

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He starred in Hayden Panettiere’s music video for her song “Wake Up Call” in 2008. This was three years before he played Bucky Barnes — though he had appeared on Gossip Girl twice for brief guest appearances.

Hollywood Records

Also, remember how Hayden used to be a singer?

Watch the video here:


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The artist was Lady Gaga, and the music video was 2009’s “Paparazzi.”

Interscope Records

Watch the video here:


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The throwback music vid he was in is Elton John’s “I Want Love.” More like “I Want Love 3000,” amirite?

The Rocket Record Company / Mercury Records

Watch the video here:


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Years before, he had a blink-and-you-miss-it role in Selena Gomez’s “Love You Like a Love Song” video in 2011. It was his first role.

Hollywood Records

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Allow me to refresh your memory — back in 2009, he appeared in Taylor Swift’s iconic music video for “You Belong with Me.”

Big Machine Records

He also starred in Hannah Montana: The Movie the same year.

Watch the video here:


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A year before, she had actually appeared in the music video for “Number One” by Pharrell ft. Kanye West.

Virgin, Star Trak, Interscope

Watch the video here:


Karwai Tang / Getty Images

But that wasn’t the case back in 2007, when her reality TV show had only just started. In fact, you may have even missed her in Fall Out Boy’s music video for “Thnks fr th Mmrs.”

The Island Def Jam Music Group

Watch the video here:


Alex Wong / Getty Images

Her second role, all the way back in 1991, was in Antonello Venditti’s music video for “Alta marea.”

Heinz Music Srl

Watch the video here:


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She was a successful model, but not as famous as she is now, when she starred in John Legend’s “Stereo” music video in 2007. Of course, the two met on set, and ended up getting married and raising a beautiful family.

Columbia Records

Watch the video here:


Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic for HBO via Getty Images

But way back when, she also appeared in Green Day’s 2005 music video for “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” (Okay, this is two years after her role in Thirteen, but it was so long ago and before her mega-fame that I’m still counting it!)

Reprise Records

Watch the video here:


Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images For Louis Vuitton

But way back in the day, she was in the music video for the Sidecars’ 2009 song “Mundo Fragil.”

Allison Music, S.L./SBME España, S.L.

Watch the video here:


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The second was in 1997, for Aerosmith’s “Hole in My Soul.”

Columbia Records

The first was in 1996, for Pet Shop Boys’ “Se a vida é.”

Watch the video here:


CBS via Getty Images

She appeared in four Aerosmith music videos before her starring role in Clueless. The first was 1993’s “Cryin’.”

UMG Recordings, Inc.

Two of the Aerosmith videos Alicia appeared in were with a pre-fame Liv Tyler (though of course Liv was a bit famous with her father being Steven Tyler). 

Watch the video here:


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The video — which was also her first acting role overall — was Duran Duran’s “Union of the Snake.” The year was 1983, and Jennifer would’ve been around 12 when it was filmed.

Sony ATV Publishing

Watch the video here:


Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic via Getty Images

But before that, in 2005, he was in Fiona Apple’s “Not About Love” music video.

Epic Records

He was also in Kanye’s 2007 “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” music video.

Watch the video here:


Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney

But back when Bobby Moynihan was in his first season of SNL as a featured player, he starred as the love interest in Colbie Caillat’s 2009 hit “Fallin’ for You.”

Universal Records

Watch the video here:


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But some of his first roles were in ’90s music videos. These include “Don’t Let Go (Love)” by En Vogue and “Nobody” by Keith Sweat — but most iconic is Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” from 1998.

Atlantic Records

Watch the video here:


Eugene Gologursky / Getty Images for CoinGeek

But even before those roles, he had a more important one — in Britney Spears’ 1999 “(You Drive Me) Crazy” music video.

Jive Records

Watch the video here:


View this video on YouTube

Jive Records / Via youtube.com