Not all action actors were known for kicking ass, before their career started making sense. Some started out in adult movies, others in goofy TV shows, but there are a few world-renowned big names, who actually began their journey in romantic comedies, or romcoms for short. Their very first roles weren’t necessarily in romcoms per se, but they did dip their toes in this genre quite early, before becoming huge action stars.
1. Channing Tatum
Today Mr. I’ll-be-playing-Gambit-soon-but-not-really is best known for his hilarious 22 Jump Street movies, and just a tiny bit for that male stripper role in the movie you’ve probably not seen like 10 times. But things weren’t always as action-packed. Before all the neck-breaking scenes he appeared alongside Amanda Bynes in the Shakespeare-inspired She’s the Man, which definitely wasn’t the most macho flick to start with.
2. Robert Downey Jr.
I don’t think I need to point out who RDJ is known for today, but for the sake of consistency, I’m willing to let you know that Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark, and Sherlock Holmes, and many-many other characters. But mostly Tony Stark. He was born to play that role, and it’s going to be a sad day for all the Marvel fans, when Iron Man retires. Either way, RDJ’s early movie career wasn’t made of money and CGI. In the movie The Pick-Up Artist we saw him as a sad conman, while in Chances Are, Downey was trying to figure out Cybill Shepherd and Mary Stuart Masterson. Oh, and let’s not forget Only You, where he starred alongside the future Aunt May – Marisa Tomei.
3. Chris Pratt
Ah, it’s mah boi Andy, I mean, Chris Pratt! You may have seen his face plastered all over the city, and rightfully so! His Star Lord is handsome AF. Of course, aside from Guardians of the Galaxy, Chris was the best part of the Magnificent Seven, and he knew how to handle a pack of ferocious velociraptors in Jurassic World. Let’s face it, he’s the Sylvester Stallone of this decade. As you may have guessed, his first movies were not as epic. In fact, before wrangling dinosaurs and saving galaxies, he was getting caught between Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway in Bride Wars!
4. Ryan Reynolds
Handsome, funny, has a thing for plush unicorns – how can you not like this guy? Of course, this is exactly why Ryan Reynolds has starred in a whole bunch of romcoms throughout the years. Remember Just Friends, or The Proposal? Yeah not the best movies ever made, but hey, it’s a living! No matter how bad those early roles were, I’m thankful for his Deadpool and Green Lantern. Haha, just kidding, only Deadpool.
5. Chris Evans
Yet another hunk of a man on this list, Chris Evans is best known for his amazing role as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four… Naaah, he’s Captain America! He was also in romcoms like What’s Your Number?, and Playing It Cool, but those roles were quickly forgotten after such incredible movies like Snowpiercer and The Winter Solider. Sadly, his contract with Marvel is running out, so we may very well see the last of Steve Rogers next year in the Infinity War.
6. Bruce Willis
And lastly, we got the good old Bruce Willis. Yippi-ki-yay, motherf~ oops, sorry, force of habit. Before we saw officer John McClane and his bare-footed adventures in the Nakatomi Plaza in Die Hard, Willis was in Blind Date! The name itself gives you all the information you may need, but it did have Kim Basinger in it, so that’s nice. After this fiasco of a movie, Willis showed some outstanding performances in Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Jackal, and Armageddon, and by now, I’m pretty sure he’s over romcoms anyway, so who cares!
