When it comes to choosing a career, no matter which profession it is, there is always a certainty that the road to success will rarely be straightforward. In most cases, people must build up patience to get through the rough patches and be prepared as best as possible for when the good times come. The same applies to actors, who, just like any other professional, must constantly persevere. Of course, what’s tricky about being an actor is that it is not only up to them: part of what contributes to an actor’s success is being seen by the right people at the right time.

The roads that lead an actor to success can be quite diverse. Some actors enter the industry at a very young age and become rising stars, as was the case of Natalie Portman, who starred alongside Jean Reno in The Professional, a production that launched her to stardom. On the other hand, there are other actors who, on the other hand, took a little longer to achieve notoriety. Many, in fact, had completely different careers before becoming actors in order to support themselves. They needed the right production to empower them and allow them to unleash their talents, and raise their careers to the next level. More often than not, this takes time. In this article, we review ten actors who achieved success later in life.

10 Ken Jeong

     Warner Bros.

Ken Jeong’s background is slightly different from the rest of the actors featured in this list, and that is because Jeong’s early days were not as an actor, but rather as a doctor. He graduated as a physician in 1995 and worked in this field for several years while taking on some minor roles in movies and TV series. Ultimately, in 2007, his acting career began to take off when he took part in Judd Apatow’s rom-com, Knocked Up. Yet, the project that launched him to fame, after which he decided to dedicate himself entirely to acting, was The Hangover, starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha.

9 Jane Lynch

     FOX

Actress, writer, comedian, and singer Jane Lynch started training at a very young age to pursue an artistic career at Illinois State University and Cornell University. While she began working in theatrical productions when she was very young, her film debut did not occur until 1988, as part of the comedy film Vice Versa, an adaptation of F. Anstey’s novel of the same name. Her first major role came at the age of 40 in Christopher Guest’s Best in Show. However, the part that made her internationally famous was that of Sue Sylvester in the teen series Glee, which earned her an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe.

8 Bryan Cranston

These days, Bryan Cranston is one of the biggest stars in the industry, recognized for every movie and TV series in which he participates. However, this hasn’t always been the case, as the actor, producer, and screenwriter had to work very hard for many decades to achieve the recognition he has today. His first major role came in 2000 in the TV series Malcolm in the Middle, where he portrayed Hal Wilkerson, the father in the family. This role, which he took at the age of 44, became the foundation of his brilliant career, which led him to interpret, a few years later, his most notable role so far: Walter White in Breaking Bad, which won him numerous awards, among them three Emmy Awards, a SAG Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

7 Melissa McCarthy

     Bridesmaids

Before landing the role that would make her a household name, Melissa McCarthy spent many years working as a cast member on Gilmore Girls. In this series, which ran for seven years starting in 2000, McCarthy starred as Sookie St. James, a young cooking fanatic with a great sense of humor. However, the part that would earn her international recognition would only come at the age of 41, when Paul Feig invited her in 2011 to be part of the cast of Bridesmaids, a role that earned her many nominations for awards and follow-up offers. Now, McCarthy is an esteemed comedic and dramatic actress, leading multiple movies and TV series, and has even founded a production company with her husband, Ben Falcone, called On the Day Productions.

6 Samuel L. Jackson

     Miramax

It may surprise some people that Samuel L. Jackson made this list. Yet, this actor and producer spent several years working his way up to become the renowned artist he is today. The person responsible for giving Jackson the chance to shine would be Quentin Tarantino, who called him in for the 1994 classic Pulp Fiction, where he even created the role of Jules Winnfield specifically for him. Since stepping into this role at the age of 40, Jackson went on to star in hits such as Django Unchained, S.W.A.T, and A Time to Kill, and he even joined some of the most successful franchises in cinema, such as the MCU and Star Wars.

5 Viola Davis

Graduated with honors from Rhode Island College and later from Julliard School, Viola Davis developed a strong interest in acting from a very early age, and spent several years working with success in plays such as As You Like It and Seven Guitars. Despite her success in theater, it was not until the age of 43 that she became known worldwide thanks to the movie Doubt, in which she starred alongside Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Despite having a minor role — she was only on-screen for eight minutes — her performance amazed both critics and audiences, receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

4 Steve Carell

     NBC

At the age of 43, Steve Carell was offered the lead role in the American version of The Office, not yet knowing how successful that production and his role as Michael Scott would become. Accepting that offer was a great decision, as Carell, who had been considered an actor of supporting roles, took a leap forward and eventually became one of the most beloved actors and comedians of recent times. From that moment on, this performer kept on starring in hits. Among his best movies are Little Miss Sunshine, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Big Short. Moreover, in 2010, he decided to venture into the children’s genre and voiced the lovable villain Gru in Despicable Me.

3 Kathy Bates

     Castle Rock Entertainment

When Kathy Bates is part of a movie cast, it is almost certain that the production is going to be flawless. This versatile actress began working in the industry in 1971, performing a few minor roles in films and series. However, the role that would set her apart from the others would come at the age of 45, when she starred in the 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Misery. Her performance is known as one of the best in history, and her role as Annie Wilkes, one of the best women serial killers in all cinema. That was only the beginning for Bates, who keeps on delivering brilliant performances in every project in which she is involved.

2 Alan Rickman

     20th Century Studios

It is hard to believe that an actor as talented and prestigious as the late Alan Rickman wasn’t involved in movies for his entire life. He only became successful in the industry at the age of 42, when he took on the role of Hans Gruber, the antagonist in the 1988 action film Die Hard. Since then, the offers kept on coming, and Rickman starred in one hit after another for decades. A few years after Die Hard, he appeared in the blockbuster Sense and Sensibility and, by 2001, he landed a role that would make him a world-renowned performer: Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise.

1 Morgan Freeman

     Golan-Globus Productions

Morgan Freeman is without a doubt one of the most well-respected actors in the film industry, acclaimed both by critics and fans worldwide. Yet, surprisingly, he is one of the many actors who rose to fame later in life. The star of hits such as Unforgiven, Seven, and Million Dollar Baby only achieved public recognition in his 50s, when he starred alongside Christopher Reeve in the 1987 film Street Smart. Two years later, he was cast in Driving Miss Daisy as Hoke Colburn, a role that earned him his first Golden Globe Award.