After getting her start in pageantry, Kim Basinger snagged a modeling contract and appeared in hundreds of ads. Despite making an average of $1,000 a day, Basinger didn’t enjoy modeling. She was exhausted by the constant focus on her appearance and quit after just five years. It was then that she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting.
After making small appearances in shows like “McMillan & Wife” and “Charlie’s Angels,” Basinger got roles in “Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold,” “9 ½ Weeks,” “Batman” and even became a Bond Girl in “Never Say Never Again.”
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron was discovered through a modeling contest. The South African actress wound up traveling to Milan to model at just 16-years-old. After winning the International New Model Today competition, her career expanded into dance. Unfortunately, a knee injury ended her dream of becoming a dancer and she fell into acting.
Theron was approached by talent agent John Crosby after he overheard a theatrical argument between her and a bank teller. Crosby got her into acting school. From there, her career took off and she went on to appear in films including “Monster,” “North Country,” and “Mad Max: Thunder Road.”
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields started her modeling career when she was still in diapers. Over the years she appeared in Got Milk? ads as well as spreads for Calvin Klein, Colgate, and Ivory Soap. At 14 years old, Shields became the youngest model to be featured on the cover of Vogue. As she got older, she became one of the most recognized faces in the modeling industry.
Shields was only 12 years old during her first film role in the controversial “Pretty Baby.” In fact, she was often cast to portray sensual, older characters, and raise further debates and controversies.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston is known for her incredible voice, but few know she got her start as a model. In the early ‘80s, she appeared in teen magazines like Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Young Miss. Houston made history when she appeared on the cover of Seventeen. Eventually, she began singing backup and lead vocals on tracks for other artists, and as they say, the rest is history.
Houston’s first recorded song was a duet with Teddy Pendergrass titled "Hold Me." Her debut album was released the following year. She soon became an international household name. Years after her death, Houston remains an idol.
Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis first started acting in commercials and print ads. Despite her modeling career being short-lived, her commercial work helped her to land her first big acting gig. She made appearances in shows like “Days of Our Lives,” “Baywatch” and “7th Heaven” before making the transition into film.
At just 14 years old, Kunis landed the role of Jacki Burkhart on “That ‘70s Show,” changing her life forever. Since then she has become a major celebrity, starring in films like “Bad Moms,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” and “Black Swan.”