Hollywood Stars Who Got Their Start on Soap Operas

Just a week before her fear of the show's cancellation became a reality, Kelly Ripa revealed just how important "All My Children" has been to her.

The 40-year-old, who met hubby Mark Consuelos on the set back in 1995, told press she would be "sick to [her] stomach" if the show came to an end, adding, "I can't even think about  that."

The "Live With Regis and Kelly" host discussed the show's pivotal role in her life, saying, "All My Children means so much more to me than any place, because [Mark and I] met there, we had our children there, it was a big part of our lives."

Kelly continued, "I think that to cancel a show that has been on television for so many years, what are you going to replace it with? I mean I just don't know. I just feel like it's such a training ground for so many actors."

In addition to "All My Children" getting the axe, ABC also announced that "One Life to Live" will be going off the air in January of 2012.

Given what Kelly Ripa said about her experience on "All My Children", it's become apparent that some of Hollywood's biggest stars are likely to feel the same way. This is because many of them got their first big break on ABC and/or CBS.

The following are just a few examples of actors and actresses who appeared on soap operas prior to their movie careers taking off.

Demi Moore

The NY Daily News reveals that Moore first came onto the acting scene in 1982 with a role on ABC's "General Hospital". Then 20 years old, Demi played a tenacious and attractive investigative reporter named Jackie Templeton.

Following her stint on G.H., Demi Moore became one of Hollywood's leading ladies. During the early 90's she appeared in Ghost and Indecent Proposal (1990 and 1993, respectively) before starring alongside Michael Douglas in 1994's erotic mystery thriller Disclosure.

Meg Ryan

The queen of 90's "rom-coms", Meg Ryan become a household name after starring in the 1989 classic When Harry Met Sally.... Her performance in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy brought her widespread attention an actress and also earned her her first Golden Globe nomination. Ryan then went on to star in serious flicks such as Courage Under Fire and Proof of Life. Before all of this, though, she was a daytime TV actress on a well-known soap opera.

Between 1982 and 1984, the fresh-faced Meg started building her fan base through her portrayal of Betsy Stewart on CBS' "As The World Turns". It was after this run on the soap opera that she started appearing in big screen films, albeit in supporting roles. Along the way Ryan earned some acclaim and recognition as she waited for the chance to really break out as a movie star. This opportunity came in 1989 when she was cast as the female lead in Reiner's hit classic When Harry Met Sally....

Brad Pitt

Often referred to as the sexiest man in the world, Brad Pitt first appeared onscreen in a soap opera! According to Yahoo!'s bio, the hunky star first took on television guest spots, nabbing a recurring role on the CBS prime time soap "Dallas" in 1987. The program followed the tangled life of the wealthy Ewing family. For his part, Pitt played Randy, the boyfriend of Priscilla Presley's daughter (Shalane McCall).

Just before getting his five guest spots on "Dallas", a 24-year-old Pitt had moved to Los Angeles with $300 in his pocket. Now a bonafide movie star and sex symbol since the mid-1990's, Brad Pitt is the most sought after actor in America and possibly the world.

Julianne Moore

ABC reveals that the beautiful red-head entered the acting world with dual roles on "As the World Turns". Julianne Moore was cast as both Frannie and Sabrina Hughes in 1985. She would continue to play the half-sister roles for three years, winning a Daytime Emmy for her performances in 1988.

Like most of the other actresses mentioned in this article, Moore began to appear in films during the early 1990s though only through supporting roles. Her early movie work can be seen in pictures like The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and The Fugitive. Then, a standout performance in 1993's Short Cuts won Julianne and the rest of the cast a Golden Globe for their ensemble performance. Four years later, she was on her way as Boogie Nights (1997) brought the actress widespread attention as well as nominations for several major acting awards.

Julianne Moore most recently starred in the 2010 film The Kids Are All Right alongside Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Before she was starring in summer horror films, Sarah Michelle was busy playing the bad girl Kendall Hart on ABC's "All My Children." In fact she won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in a Drama Series in 1995, two years after she originated the role. Shortly after this Emmy win, Gellar left the daytime soap to star in the hit TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." The latter program gave her the platform to launch her movie career. At the same time, "Buffy" was possible because of Sarah Michelle's part on "All My Children." It was here on ABC that she first proved her acting potential.

Since then, the 34-year-old actress has starred as the iconic character of Daphne in two Scooby Doo movies and acted in blockbuster horror flicks such as Scream 2, I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Grudge.