From runways and photo shoots to "lights, camera, action!," find out which celebrities began their careers as models only to make their way to the big screen.

Hollywood&#39;s model to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/actresses-over-50-awards-nominations" target="_blank">actress</a> pipeline has produced some of the industry&#39;s greatest talent. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/angelina-jolie-opens-up-about-the-struggles-of-motherhood-children-movies" target="_blank">Angelina Jolie</a>, <a href="https://lofficielbaltics.com/en/lifestyle/demi-moore-releases-a-shocking-memoir" target="_blank">Demi Moore</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/emily-ratajkowski-preganant-announcement-instagram-nude-lena-dunham" target="_blank">Emily&nbsp;Ratajkowski</a> are just a few notable models that made the natural step towards acting. For years, beautiful&nbsp;models have&nbsp;taken on complex and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/actresses-who-played-princess-diana-kristen-stewart-the-crown" target="_blank">award-winning roles</a>, proving that skills and good looks are not mutually exclusive. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/twiggy-model-makeup-hair-mod-60s" target="_blank">Twiggy</a> and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/sienna-miller-movie-wander-darkly-interview-twiggy" target="_blank">Sienna Miller</a> are two major faces within the modeling world&nbsp;that entered the film realm despite their immense editorial&nbsp;success. After appearing in movies such as American Sniper and The Boy Friend, respectively,&nbsp;Miller and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/london-fashion-1960s-mod-style-twiggy" target="_blank">Twiggy</a> reached new heights of fame and acclaim. They set the precedent that models&nbsp;should never be limited by conventional standards or industry rules.&nbsp;

Explore&nbsp;the origins of your favorite women in Hollywood with L&#39;OFFICIEL&#39;s round-up of models turned actresses. You&#39;re bound to recognize some familiar faces.&nbsp;

Actress Sharon Stone once won the title of Miss Crawford County and was later on signed by Ford Modeling Agency in 1977. As a model, she appeared in both TV commercials and print ads. Stone had several small roles before her breakout role in "Total Recall," followed two years later by her 1992 steamy role in "Basic Instinct."

Sixties icon Twiggy is recognized for her large strides within the fashion industry, but she too dipped her toes into the film world. Twiggy dominated the big screen in “The Boy Friend,” "Club Paradise," and "Something Borrowed, Something Blue." 

Jennifer Connelly went from modeling for top agency Ford, to acting in movies like "Labyrinth," "Once Upon a Time in America,” and "Of Love and Shadows."

Julia Roberts became a movie star in the early ‘90s, but took some modeling gigs in New York City when she was first starting out.

Demi Moore dropped out of high school at age 16 and shortly after started her modeling career. The actress' first film role was in 1981's "Choices." By 1995, she was considered the highest-paid actress in Hollywood.

Brooke Shields got an early start in both modeling and acting. She was just 11 months old when she appeared in an Ivory Soap commercial, and went on to do some other child modeling. She then switched to acting, her breakout role being in "Pretty Baby" (1978).

Cameron Diaz was a model for Elite Model Management. Under Elite's contract, she modeled for brands like Calvin Klein and Levi's. Her acting career took off in the ‘90s, and Diaz is still well known for her roles in "Charlie's Angels," "There's Something About Mary,” and "My Sister's Keeper," among others.

Before becoming an actress, Milla Jovovich spent her days walking the runway for Marc Jacobs and posing for the covers of major magazines. She then pursued acting and modeling simultaneously, appearing in films such as "The Blue Lagoon" and "The Fifth Element,” before focusing on her acting career.

Halle Berry became the first African-American to win a Best Actress Oscar for "Monster's Ball” and dominated  the screen as “Catwoman.” But prior to her on-screen accolades, the actress took part in beauty pageant contests, and was crowned 1985 Miss Teen All American and 1986 Miss Ohio USA.

Australian model Elle Macpherson has adorned five covers of the infamous Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue throughout her career. However, her success doesn't end there, Macpherson made the move to the big screen in 1994 and has appeared in a number of films since then.

Uma Thurman began her career as a model at age 15, first appearing on the covers of magazines. She then starred in movies including "Johnny Be Good,”  "Kiss Daddy Goodnight,” "Pulp Fiction,” and the "Kill Bill" franchise.

Angelina Jolie was a young model before she went on to become an award-winning actress. In 2000, Jolie won the Oscar for her role in "Girl, Interrupted." This major accolade was just the beginning of Jolie's bustling career.

Tyra Banks started as a model at the age of 15. Throughout her career, she's modeled for Victoria's Secret, Chanel, Christian Dior, and more. She's walked the runway during Paris Fashion Week, and has appeared on the covers of prominent fashion magazines. By the early '90s, Banks appeared in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." She's also starred in "Life-Size" and "Coyote Ugly,” and of course, become a TV personality on “America’s Next Top Model.”

At age 16, Devon Aoki became the face of Versace. She then went on to star in "2 Fast 2 Furious," "Sin City," and other popular films that captured her badass energy. 

Sienna Miller is a model turned actress power house. While standing her ground as a style icon, Miller has starred in a number of acclaimed movies such as "Alfie," "American Sniper," and "Layer Cake."

South African beauty Charlize Theron kicked off her ultra successful career after winning a modeling competition in Italy that earned her a one year contract. However, after coming to the United States in 1994 and establishing herself within the film industry, Theron became a force within Hollywood.  

A successful model at age 14, Jaime King appeared on several fashion magazine covers and walked the runway for designers such as Chanel and Christian Dior. She then appeared in “Pearl Harbor," "White Chicks,” and "Happy Campers," among other acting credits.

Before becoming a Victoria's Secret angel in 2006, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley modeled for Levi's and Abercrombie & Fitch. Since then, she's graced the covers of a number of magazines, and has walked runways for Givenchy, Burberry, Valentino, Michael Kors, and Versace, to name a few. She then took it to the big screen, starring in movies including "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and "Mad Max: Fury Road."

Emily Ratajkowski, who gained popularity after her appearance in Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" music video, was a teenage model. She has been featured in magazines like Sports Illustrated and also walked the runway for big-name designers like Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu. She's had minor roles in a few movies but her big break came when she played Andie Fitzgerald in "Gone Girl."

Cara Delevingne is a seasoned supermodel. She has appeared on a number of major runways and was a favorite of Chanel's Karl Largerfeld. However, in 2012 the young model took on her first role in the newest adaption of "Anna Karenina." Delevinge has since stepped back from modeling and starred in a number of films since then such as "Paper Towns" and "Suicide Squad."

Bella Hadid has dominated the modeling world, but now she's turning her attention to the silver screen. Although Hadid has had cameos on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," her upcoming role in Season 3 of the Hulu show "Ramy" is her first acting gig. 

21 Models Who Became Actresses

L'OFFICIEL USA September 2024 - Fall Fashion Cover Featuring Supermodel Sasha Pivovarova

21 Models Who Became Actresses

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