Before A-list actors turned into the Hollywood big shots they are today, a number of them started out in minor roles. Some were extras in a film, others started as models. Still, there are those who first came out as actors in commercials, which, luckily for some, launched their careers sky high (and enriched their bank account). However, not everyone's destined for the spotlight forever. There are well-known actors who started in not-so-great commercials, and then there are those who appeared in famous ones but ended up with nothing after that. Here, you'll find out what has become of those people who had graced some famous TV commercials back in the day. Who has made an investment out of some few seconds of fame? Who has gone to retirement? Read on and find out!
John Gilchrist: Life Cereal Commercial
When a company likes a commercial, they often reward the actors with a lot of money or offer them more roles. But for the company that owned Life cereal, they decided to take it to another step and run the commercial for 12 years. The person behind the long-running commercial was John Gilchrist. In fact, he became so popular back then that he became a subject of an urban legend, claiming he died after drinking a soda and eating Pop Rocks.
John Lehr: Caveman From Geico Commercials
To play the iconic role of the caveman in the Geico commercials, John Lehr claimed that it took him three painstakingly long hours in the makeup department to get the job right. Thankfully, his sacrifice paid off and he has started to reap the dividends when he has made it into Hollywood after the famous stint. Lehr eventually became the co-creator of the TBS series 10 Items or Less and is also working on yet another project, The Loop, a show by HBO.
Jonathan Goldsmith: "Most Interesting Man in the World" According to Dos Equis
When Jonathan Goldsmith became the "Most Interesting Man in the World," he certainly lived up to his name when he was also able to land different roles in various films and shows. For the iconic guy behind the Dos Equis commercials, who prompted us to, "stay thirsty, my friends," guest-starring in 45 TV series and appearing in over 25 films were made easy after the famous commercial. In 2016, there were talks mentioning the reboot of the character. Well, if it would mean some excellent earnings for Goldsmith, then why not?
Isaiah Mustafa: Old Spice Commercials
Aside from being the former NFL practice squad wide receiver, Isaiah Mustafa is also known for one other manly thing: the guy from the Old Spice commercials. The famous "Man You Could Smell Like" certainly smells of manliness, especially when he puts on his famous quips. Luckily, Mustafa was able to further his celebrity status as he currently takes credit for playing the werewolf Luke Garroway in Shadowhunters.
Stephanie Courtney: Flo From The Progressive Insurance Commercials
Stephanie Courtney joins the ranks of those celebrities who started out as commercial models before moving on into bigger roles in Hollywood's films and series. She has appeared in series such as Caveman, Tom Goes to the Mayor and Mad Men. Despite her success in Hollywood, she is still most famously remembered for her role in the Flo in the commercials of Progressive insurance.
Dean Winters: Mr. Mayhem from the Allstate Commercials
Even before his role as Mr. Mayhem on the Allstate (insurance company) commercials, Dean Winters has already been hitting it big in Hollywood by having the lead role on Oz, a prison drama. Aside from that, he has also appeared in numerous shows such as Law and Order: SVU, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and 30 Rock. He also has movies credited to his name such as John Wick and The Devil You Know.
Morgan Smith Goodwin: Wendy's Girl
The goddess-like beauty of Morgan Smith Goodwin is certainly a factor in helping her land the aptly named role of Red, Wendy's Girl. Although she breathed life into the character magnificently with her orange-red hair for the commercials, it's unbeknownst to most that Goodwin actually has dark blonde hair and that they just dyed it for the character.
Dennis Haysbert: Allstate Man
For the always-recognizable Allstate Man, Dennis Haysbert certainly has good looks that are definitely for the books! However, in addition to his iconic role, he has also gained prominence for giving life to the character of Pedro Cerrano in the Major League trilogy and for his character as POTUS on 24. His most recent guest appearance was on BBC's Undercover where he appeared for five episodes.
Beck Bennett: AT&T's "It's Not Complicated"
AT&T (the telephone service provider giant) has been known for the creation and delivery of hilariously genuine commercials. And, certainly, their most memorable one to date is still the one where the "It's Not Complicated" guy made waves. Beck Bennett, the guy who gave life to the character, has luckily made it to the big screen as well. He has appeared in hit movies such as Late Bloomer and Zoolander No. 2. Today, if you're kind of missing Bennett, you can catch him on Saturday Night Live where you could enjoy the good chuckle he provides.
Billy West: Red M&M in M&M's Commercials
It's safe to say that, when it comes to commercials, the people behind them aren't simply after what pleases the eye -they also know how to find people with the flare for voice acting! One particular actor who cashed in on this is Billy West, who remains as one of the most successful voice actors even today. In terms of advertisements, his most comedic role was when he voiced the red M&M in their TV commercials. Aside from that, he also takes the credit for his work with The Ren & Stimpy Show, Futurama, and Doug - just some among his growing acting portfolio.
Vanessa Branch: Orbit Gum
Although Vanessa Branch gained widespread fame when she became the ever-so-fabulous Orbit gum lady, she was already joining the ranks of beautiful women when she competed in the 1995 Miss America pageant (using beauty queens and models is a great brand management strategy). Today, she still remains active in the spotlight with her recent comedy movie Road Hard. Branch is also recognized for her role as Giselle in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Hallie Eisenberg: Pepsi
Whenever we see Jesse Eisenberg act, especially with his role in The Social Network, we can't help but think that the acting prowess certainly runs in the family - and we couldn't be more correct. Aside from Jesse, Hallie Eisenberg also has the penchant for acting and even displayed it at a young age as well. During the late '90s and up to the early '00s, Hallie was the young Pepsi model in their string of commercials. After that, she made her debut film, Paulie. However, she has shied away from the spotlight recently after her last movie in 2010 being Holy Rollers.
Paul Marcarelli: Verizon's "Can You Hear Me Now?"
The "Test man" on the series of Verizon (internet business, cable, and phone lines) TV commercials couldn't have been portrayed more perfectly by Paul Marcarelli. Although his role was iconic, Marcarelli has branched into other areas as well. Aside from being the founding member of Mobius Group Productions based in New York, he is also an accomplished producer and actor. And, although he certainly owes credit to Verizon for providing him the chance to star in their commercials, he has recently switched to doing spots for Sprint.
Charles Stone III: Budweiser "Whassup?"
While Charles Stone III is well-known as the director of numerous music videos and films such as Mr. 3000 and Drumline, he is still most famously remembered as the star and creator of the "Whasup?" ads for Budweiser. The comedic quips of the commercial paired together with Stone's hilarious delivery were enough to make it an overnight hit. Stone's most recent project was directing Lila & Eve, which was released in 2015.
Ben Curtis: Dell Commercials
In the early 2000s, most commercials were filled with genuinely funny lines, quips, and antics. And for restaurant chain Taco Bell, they weren't exactly going to pass up on the trend. When Ben Curtis came into their doorstep for a commercial, it was as if he was destined to play a role in their commercial: Slacker Steve. Curtis certainly played a critical role in Taco Bell's success during the run of the commercials with his line, "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" However, the commercial abruptly stopped when Curtis was arrested for buying marijuana while in New York.
Donna Loren: Dr. Pepper
During her heydays, Donna Loren was a beautiful woman who scored countless spots that placed her in the limelight. So much so that she was in fact chosen as Dr. Pepper's model/poster girl. Although years have certainly caught up with her, it's not to say she's slowing down anytime soon! To date, Loren remains active in the entertainment scene. In addition to her autobiography that would be coming out anytime soon now, she's also been working on her YouTube music videos featuring her songs and live performances throughout different platforms.
John Hodgman: The Human Representation of a PC
When John Hodgeman played the role of becoming the human version of a PC, which he played often appearing beside Justin Long's Apple, it was almost certain that the commercial would be one for the record. The show would run at a seemingly template-like dialogue where the two would debate at which one is better at different things. PC, who was Hodgeman, provided the humor and much-needed vigor that the commercials needed.
Orlando Jones: 7up
From 1999 to 2002, Orlando Jones was the man behind the string of 7up commercials that surely made a significant increase in their sales. During his run at the commercials, he was given the character of a fake spokesperson for the company. During that time, they ran numerous clever gags, such as the "Show Me Your Cans'' bit. Jones' talent investment in that commercial has allowed him to successfully continue his onscreen career on his own. For the cult fan community, Jones is remembered for his role in Sleepy Hollow.
Diane Amos: Pine-Sol Lady
Ever since her run with the commercial in 1993, the role of the Pine-Sol Lady has remained with Diane Amos, and it appears that she hasn't got a contender yet. For over 20 years, Amos' convincing delivery and promotion of the cleaning product has helped it to stay strong in the market even today. But even with her long-standing association with Pine Sol, she has also branched out by working on her TV and film career and occasionally as doing stand-up comedy and stage plays.
Jerry Lambert: PS3
Although Jerry Lambert has reprised his role as Kevin Butler for a number of times, he would still often appear as the made-up Sony executive for his roles. During his run at the commercials, he was given due credit as the very convincing guy who tries to prove that the PS3 is the best console in every category imaginable. However, when Lambert appeared in a Bridgestone commercial that featured the Nintendo Wii, he was sued by Sony, which eventually led to a settlement. Today, Lambert is into acting, and he recently did Horrible Bosses 2.
Carly Foulkes: T-Mobile
Although a lot of people think that the Windows vs. Apple commercials were a breakthrough in terms of how successful commercials were made, it's often forgotten that similar feuds in the past started with phones, with Carly Foulkes even at the forefront of it. When Foulkes became the T-Mobile model in 2010, the ads centered around the idea of degrading its competition: the iPhone 4. But since T-Mobile became practically nonexistent in 2013, Foulkes decided to move on and try her hand at acting and modeling, for which she hasn't had any notable work yet.
Maria Bamford: Target Commercial
During the 2009 and 2010 holiday seasons, Target had a particularly funny commercial that was certainly successful due to the combined comedic chops of Maria Bamford and the great pitch. In the commercial, she played the role of a slightly crazy but equally zany Target shopper who wanted to get the best products for the best price (credit card friendly items). Although the commercial only ran for two holiday seasons, shorter compared to the others on this list, Bamford did reap what she sowed as she had continued her own successful comedy and acting career.
Pete Gardner - Moustache Guy
Pete Gardner, despite his work as an accomplished actor with over 70 credits to his name, remains wildly popular and remembered for his fitting role of the "mustache guy." His work with Juicy Fruit's "Armpit Fart" is his most recent project as of today. However, it's unlikely that Gardner would be following up with his goofy, dad-type, middle-aged roles, as he's already appeared in more serious roles such as in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
David Leisure - Isuzu
Sometimes, you just need to be honest - and it can equally be said about commercials. Thankfully, Isuzu had the same idea when they got David Leisure to play Joe Isuzu in one of their commercials. When Leisure got into the car manufacturing company's commercials, he had one job: convince people how untrustworthy car salesmen are and do it in a creative, hilarious way. Luckily, Leisure fell nothing short of giving a most convincing delivery which made the commercial a huge success in the late '80s and early '90s. After that, however, Leisure's career didn't exactly take off.
Demetri Goritsas - Slim Jim
We think of lunatics and we classify them into two categories: lunatics by their own fate and lunatics, well, because they need to appear as one. Thankfully, Demetri Goritsas was only playing the latter when he appeared in numerous commercials by Slim Jim, the spicy meat-ish stick that would bring out the lunatic in the person as it bangs around and inside the stomach. And although his amazing voice greatly contributed to the success of the commercial (and his acting portfolio), he has since moved on to more serious and respectable roles such as documentaries.
Rachel Bilson: Magnum Ice Cream
It's undeniable that Magnum Ice Cream has one great marketing team that allowed it to become one of the best-sellers to date. Aside from that, it also remains as one of the best-tasting ice cream on a stick. And, to top it off, when Magnum got Rachel Bilson to model their product, it was only a matter of time before they got to claim their rightful crown. Today, Bilson remains active in the limelight as she continually appears in films. Her recent work includes Hart of Dixie, Drunk History, and Nashville.
Rachelle Wood: GoDaddy
GoDaddy had the typical commercial gist that would use as models: scantily clad women. When Rachelle Wood joined the ranks, she was no exception to their storyline. Apparently, for the domain name-selling website, they were convinced that these kinds of commercials work in boosting their sales - well, it actually did. However, Wood was not just limited to working as a lightly dressed actress as she's also had other credits to her name including her stints in How I Met Your Mother, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Rules of Engagement.
Christopher Walken: Kia
In order to get a veteran and A-list actor like Christopher Walken, you'd have to cough up some serious money if you want to get him in a commercial. Thankfully, Kia had a nice budget that allowed them to get the legendary actor as their representative. As for car manufacturer Kia, they certainly got their money's worth now that they can use Walken's name to boost their sales - which is undeniably working in their favor! Today, Walken remains active in the limelight even after his Academy Award.
Justin Hagan & Henry Strozier: Ocean Spray Commercial
When Ocean Spray made their commercial, they got the idea that two characters with southern accents getting tired of one another really fast would cut it - and thankfully it did. In real life, however, Henry Strozier and Justin Hagan are probably walking themselves happily into the bank every day after their association with the successful commercial. And we doubt Ocean Spray regrets their investment in the two talents as they actually created the perfect commercial for the brand.
Tina Fey: Mutual Savings Bank Representative
Rarely do we see any Hollywood actress who can pull off an oversized shirt, a mom hairstyle, and a vest - and there are even fewer women willing to accept that role. For Tina Fey, however, she proudly accepted the role and got a killing out of it for playing the Mutual Savings Bank representative in one of their commercials. After that, however, Fey eventually moved on to greener pastures and unto Saturday Night Live where she provides daily laughs to her adoring fans.
Usain Bolt: Virgin Mobile
The world's fastest man apparently also has the knack when it comes to appearing in commercials, and Richard Branson made sure that he got Bolt to depict the focal point of the commercial: internet speed. For Branson, part of his brand management strategy is to market his internet speed as "the fastest internet available that would certainly match the fastest man alive" and show the world what they're missing out on. Virgin Mobile certainly made the right call on this one.
Laurel Coppock: Toyota Jan Commercial
Laurel Coppock has certainly made waves when she played the role of Toyota Jan for the car manufacturer's commercial. With her character, she was able to showcase her comedic chops with her saleswoman pitch. In real life, however, Jan is only half of how funny Coppock really is. Her several comedic projects include Modern Family, Hot In Cleveland, 2 Broke Girls, Crazy Stupid Love, The Office, and Arrested Development. Her spot-on facial expressions and comedic timing made her perfect for the role and for her other sketch comedy shows as well.
Gilbert Gottfried: Aflac Duck Commercial
Gilbert Gottfried is not selfish when some company is in dire need of his legendary voice, which was why he was more than happy to lend it to the famous Aflac duck. Prior to voicing yet another iconic character, Gottfried takes credit for voicing several iconic cartoon characters such Iago, the parrot from Disney's Aladdin. In addition to that, he has also contributed to several other shows such as Transformers, The Fairly OddParents, Saturday Night Live, and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Vince Offer: Mop Commercial
Although it has been the subject of much ridicule and parody, it still can't be denied that Sham Wow has been widely regarded as one of the most amazing mops that can do it all - even create a great commercial! Thankfully, we have Vince Offer behind and onscreen to perfectly showcase the product. However, don't take Offer lightly as he's more than a TV sales ad actor; his portfolio also says director, actor, and writer. Also, it may surprise a lot of people because he may look eccentric but every product he advertises on TV is actually owned by him.
Jennifer Aniston: Smartwater
Being an A-list actress with numerous awards to her credit, it was only a matter of time before Jennifer Aniston would endorse a product for an equally amazing brand. Luckily, for Aniston, she was able to land the role of spokesperson for Smartwater. In return, Smartwater made a brilliant move of getting her, adding more flair to their already delicious water and beautifully designed bottle (the dividends must be great, too). Today, Aniston remains active in the limelight with films such as Horrible Bosses and We Are the Millers, among other things.
Jared Fogle: Subway Sandwich
Never in his wildest dreams did Jared Fogle think that he would become the spokesperson for Subway (fast-food restaurant company) - let alone have the role for a whopping 15 years! Well, it can't be stressed enough that Fogle deserved it after his tear-jerker of a story of how he lost weight by eating Subway sandwiches. However, his sentence in prison is just as long as his tenure in Subway when he pleaded guilty to possessing underage obscene entertainment material as well as traveling to other places to have unspeakable acts with minors.
Eric Violette: FreeCreditReport.com Commercial
Today, commercials for websites are simply the norm. However, during the infancy stage of the internet business back then, only those websites that are legitimately making money can do it. At the rise of it, FreeCreditReport.com had one thing in mind: commercials that catered to their audience on another platform. Cue in Eric Viollette who played the character of a singer struggling with life because of his credit score and you got a blockbuster commercial. Today, he remains active in the music industry with his band, God Against God.
Jake Stone: Jake From State Farm
It's actually safe to say the Jake Stone was destined for his role in the TV commercial for State Farm (a group of insurance and financial services companies). Well, for one thing, he actually worked there even before landing the commercial role. Only when his roommate urged him to audition for the role did Jake had the idea to do so. When his time to shine came up, he didn't waste a single second of it and surely nailed the role of Jake from State Farm. Today, he remains seriously active on Twitter.
John Moschitta Jr.: Micro Machines
Finally, we have John Moschitta Jr. aka "Motormouth". Aside from landing a lot of roles in several commercials, Moschitta also holds the Guinness Book of World Records for being the world's fastest talking man. However, despite the number of commercials he's done, nothing comes close to his association with Micro Machines where he had made over 100 commercials, to the delight of his bank account. It's recorded that Moschitta articulates 586 words per minute. These days, you can catch Moschitta guest-starring on TV shows like Oddities and Robot Chicken.
Milana Vayntrub: Lily from AT&T Commercials
Again, AT&T adds another entry into the list with Milana Vayntrub, the Soviet-born American actress who played Lily in one of their commercials. However, her acting chops are certainly not limited to commercials as she's also appeared in numerous short films. In addition to that, she's also famous in the Internet business for her number of web series such as Let's Talk About Something More Interesting and Other Space, the Yahoo! screen sci-fi/comedy series.