11 Celebrities Who Were Doubted Early in Their Careers — See How They Proved Naysayers Wrong
It's hard to believe, but Kate Winslet, Sally Field, Meryl Streep and more were told they'd never make it
Few things feel worse than being underestimated and having people try to make you doubt yourself. This experience is depressingly common for women — even celebrities. From Kate Winslet to Sally Field to Meryl Streep, countless celebrities who are now household names once struggled with rejection and naysayers.
Next time you’re feeling down about yourself, take a look at this list and see what negative things these talented women were once told — and the amazing things they went on to do! All these stars proved the haters wrong, and we love them for it.
1. Kate Winslet
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “When I was younger, when I was 14, I was told by a drama teacher that I might do OK if I was happy to settle for the fat girl parts.”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Titanic (1997), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), The Reader (2008), Revolutionary Road (2008), Mare of Easttown (2021)
2. Sally Field
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “When I decided I needed to back out of TV altogether, I told [my agent], ‘I’m not going do any more TV’ and he said, ‘Well that’s ridiculous. You can’t do that, you can’t get into film. You’re not pretty enough. You’re not good enough.'”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: The Flying Nun (1967-1970), Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Norma Rae (1979), Steel Magnolias (1989), Forrest Gump (1994)
3. Reese Witherspoon
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “All I heard was, ‘No, not right — not tall enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough.’ But I didn’t really care about their opinions. I’m stubborn.”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Election (1999), Legally Blonde (2001), Walk the Line (2005), Wild (2014), Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
4. Oprah Winfrey
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: After being fired as a news anchor for being “too emotionally invested” in her stories, she was called “unfit for TV news” by her boss.
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: As the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show from 1986 to 2011, Oprah became a TV icon and one of the most powerful women in media.
5. Meryl Streep
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: When Streep was on an early audition for King Kong, the producer asked his son in Italian, “Why do you bring me this ugly thing?” Streep replied in Italian, “I’m sorry I’m not beautiful enough to be in King Kong.”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Sophie’s Choice (1982), Out of Africa (1985), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Doubt (2008) — to name just a few titles. She also holds the distinction of being the most Oscar-nominated performer in history, with 21 nominations and three wins.
6. Nia Vardalos
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “This agent I was once working with said, ‘You are not fat enough to be a character actress, and you’re not pretty enough to be a leading lady.'”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Starring in and writing the blockbuster rom-com My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) and its two sequels.
7. Maggie Gyllenhaal
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “When I was starting out, I used to hear ‘no’ a lot and still do. And, ‘You’re not sexy enough. You’re not pretty enough.'”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Secretary (2002), Stranger Than Fiction (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), Crazy Heart (2009), Frank (2014)
8. Winona Ryder
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “I was mid-sentence when the casting director said, ‘Listen, kid. You should not be an actress. You are not pretty enough. You should go back.'”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Beetlejuice (1988), Heathers (1988), Mermaids (1990), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Stranger Things (2016-2022)
9. Gisele Bundchen
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “I remember some people telling me my nose was too big or my eyes were too small, that I could never be on a magazine cover.”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Gisele Bundchen became one of the highest-paid and most recognizable supermodels of the late ’90s and early ’00s.
10. Shakira
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: Her music teacher said she sounded “like a goat.” “He thought it was too much. Some people still think that it’s too much,” she said.
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Shakira became one of the bestselling Latina artists of all time, with hits like “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes“
11. Pink
WHAT SHE WAS TOLD: “Magazines have told me in the past, ‘We don’t want you on the cover. You’re not pretty enough.'”
WHAT SHE BECAME KNOWN FOR: Hit singles like “Get the Party Started” and “Don’t Let Me Get Me”
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