8 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Started Out As Theater Kids – Charm

Before they were red carpet regulars, these eight celebrities were just regular theater kids, learning lines, hitting their marks, and dreaming big under the stage lights. From school plays to community theater, their early love of performing set the stage for the careers we know and love today. You might be surprised to find out which stars got their start singing, dancing, and acting before making it big on TV and in movies.

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Before she rose to fame, Ariana Grande performed in South Florida at the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theatre, where she starred in Annie, and made her Broadway debut at just 15 in 13. She will soon return to the stage in the West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George, acting alongside her Wicked costar Jonathan Bailey.

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Figuring he would meet girls at his local dramatic society in southeast London, Robert Pattinson auditioned for the Barnes Theatre Club, where he was later spotted by a talent agent in the audience after a show. That agent went on to introduce Pattinson to director Mike Newell, setting off a chain of events that ultimately led to his first on-screen role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

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Anna Kendrick honed her acting and singing at a local community theater in South Portland called the Lyric Music Theater. Her first audition was for the musical Annie, and while she did not land the title role, she was cast as one of the other orphans and had a great time singing “It’s the Hard Knock Life.” She attended her first Tonys in 1998!

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Emma Stone got her start performing in her hometown of Arizona at the Valley Youth Theatre, appearing in 18 productions before eventually leaving for California. This month, she earned her seventh Academy Award nomination, becoming the youngest woman to reach that milestone.

5. Chris Briney

Growing up, Chris Briney attended Waterbury Arts Magnet School in Connecticut! He honed his acting skills and performed in several plays before returning to the theater in 2025 to star in the Off-Broadway world premiere of Dilaria.

6. Zendaya

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In third grade, a shy Zendaya began to come into her own after enrolling in classes at the Cal Shakes Conservatory, which her mother introduced her to through her work at the theater over 12 summers. In 2024, Zendaya donated $100,000 to support the conservatory that helped shape her early love of performance.

7. Madelyn Cline

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Before landing a role on Outer Banks, Madelyn Cline appeared as a bunny in The Flowertown Players’ production of Fantastic Mr. Fox, an early stage credit that hints at her long-standing ties to the South Carolina theater scene. Outer Banks was filmed primarily in South Carolina, a fitting full-circle moment in Cline’s career.

8. Joe Locke

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Heartstopper star Joe Locke began his acting career in local productions with the Kensington Art Centre’s Youth Arts Theatre Group, where he built an early foundation onstage before moving into professional work. After breaking out on screen, Locke continued to expand his range as a performer, and in 2023, he made his Broadway debut when he was cast as Tobias Ragg in the revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.