Take 5: Before they were nominees
Michelle Williams attends the premiere of her new movie, "Blue Valentine," hosted by Quintessentially at The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. Williams wore a demure Azzaro sparkling and tiered mini with a black clutch and heels for event. (Dec. 7, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
Whether to pay the bills between movie gigs or before their movie careers took off, five of this year's Oscar nominees had key roles in TV series:
1. MICHELLE WILLIAMS (best actress, "Blue Valentine")
She co-starred on "Dawson's Creek" (1998-2003) as hot teen Jen Lindley, who had just moved to Capeside from New York.
2. JESSE EISENBERG (best actor, "The Social Network")
In "Get Real" (1999), a largely forgotten drama about a troubled L.A. family, 16-year-old Eisenberg played the youngest and most insecure of three siblings. His older sister was played by this year's Oscar co-host Anne Hathaway.
3. JAMES FRANCO (best actor, "127 Hours")
Played cool Dan, one of the "Freaks" in the high-school dramedy "Freaks and Geeks" (1999-2000). Even though it aired for only one season, the show has achieved cultlike status: Judd Apatow was its executive producer, and the cast included Seth Rogen and Jason Segel.
4. MELISSA LEO (supporting actress, "The Fighter")
From 1993 to 1997, she played Det. Kay Howard, one of the acclaimed ensemble on the Baltimore-set "Homicide: Life on the Street."
5. JEREMY RENNER (supporting actor, "The Town")
In between a string of indie films and the Oscar-nominated "The Hurt Locker," Renner found work as NYPD Det. Jason Walsh in "The Unusuals" (2009), a short-lived cop dramedy.
Most Popular
Top Stories
