12 Oscar Winners Who Began Their Careers in Sitcoms - MovieMaker Magazine

      Do you believe there's a significant divide between sitcoms and the Academy Awards?

      These 12 Oscar winners, who began their careers in sitcoms, would disagree.

      **Sally Field**

      Sally Field rose to fame on television with the sitcom *Gidget* (1965-67), followed by *The Flying Nun* (1967-70). Although she was known for her wholesome characters, she sought out more complex roles, notably winning an Emmy for her performance in the 1976 television film *Sybil*, where she portrayed a young woman with dissociative personality disorder.

      In 1977, she starred alongside Burt Reynolds in the popular *Smokey and the Bandit*, and in 1979, she won her first Best Actress Oscar for *Norma Rae*. She received another Oscar for *Places in the Heart* in 1984, delivering one of the most memorable acceptance speeches with her line, “You like me, right now — you like me!”

      She earned an additional Oscar nomination for her role in 2012’s *Lincoln* and remains a notable presence on our list of Stars of the 1970s Who Are Still Going Strong.

      **Tom Hanks**

      Tom Hanks began his career with the low-budget horror film *He Knows You’re Alone*, but his breakout role came in the sitcom *Bosom Buddies*, which aired for two seasons from 1980 and featured Hanks and Peter Scolari as two men disguising themselves as women to live in a female-only hotel.

      He swiftly transitioned to film stardom, securing leading roles in *Splash* and *Bachelor Party* in 1984. Over the next four decades, he has become one of the most cherished actors globally.

      In the 1990s, he won consecutive Best Actor Oscars for *Philadelphia* (1993) and *Forrest Gump* (1994). His most recent nomination occurred for his portrayal of Fred Rogers in the 2019 film *A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood*.

      His extensive collaborations with Steven Spielberg include a role in *Catch Me If You Can* (2002), alongside the next actor on our list.

      **Leonardo DiCaprio**

      Once featured on *Growing Pains* as Luke Brower, a homeless boy welcomed by the Seaver family, Leonardo DiCaprio is now one of the highest-earning and most sought-after actors. He initially gained recognition in 1991 with a role in *Critters 3* and soon left television for acclaim in *This Boy’s Life* (1993).

      His first Oscar nomination came for *What’s Eating Gilbert Grape* (1993), while the 1990s saw him celebrated for thrilling performances in *The Basketball Diaries* and *Romeo + Juliet*.

      His star skyrocketed with the leading role in *Titanic* (1997), which remains among the highest-grossing films ever. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in *The Revenant* (2015).

      His latest Oscar nomination was for his role in Quentin Tarantino’s *Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood* (2019), alongside the next Oscar-winning star in our feature.

      **Brad Pitt**

      Brad Pitt's career gained momentum in 1987 with uncredited roles in *No Way Out*, *No Man’s Land*, and *Less Than Zero*, in addition to roles on the soap *Another World* and sitcoms *Head of the Class* and *Growing Pains* (before DiCaprio's arrival).

      He became a household name through a significant role in *Thelma & Louise* (1991) and earned a reputation for his blend of leading-man appeal and commitment to character acting. Additionally, he became a prominent film producer through Plan B Entertainment.

      Pitt has received seven Oscar nominations, with his first win being for producing *12 Years a Slave* (2013), alongside director Steve McQueen. He later won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for *Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood*, the 2019 film featuring fellow *Growing Pains* alum DiCaprio.

      Did we mention the director of that film is also an Oscar winner with sitcom roots? Read on:

      **Quentin Tarantino**

      Before becoming an iconic film director, Quentin Tarantino was an aspiring actor-screenwriter-director who made a guest appearance as an Elvis impersonator on the classic sitcom *The Golden Girls*. As he shared on *The Tonight Show* with Jimmy Fallon, this role was pivotal in helping him get his first film, *Reservoir Dogs*, produced.

      Tarantino revealed, “Before I did *Reservoir Dogs*, I had a very unsuccessful acting career.” He landed the role as an Elvis impersonator simply because casting decided, “He’s got it.”

      His Elvis fandom extended beyond the show, having dressed as Elvis throughout the '80s. The episodic