Soap operas often have veteran actors who remain as their fan-favorite characters for years, sometimes decades. Even if they venture out of daytime to pursue other interests, actors like General Hospital's Genie Francis and Days of Our Lives' Deidre Hall always find their way back to the drama.
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But some actors move on after getting their start as memorable characters on notable soaps. From a beloved This Is Us actor to a Full House favorite to Hollywood's elite, plenty of actors got their big breaks on your favorite soaps.
Mila Kunis has become best known as _ from That '70s Show and one half of a Hollywood supercouple with her husband Ashton Kutcher. But long before she was living in the 70s, Kunis was spending some time in Salem in the 90s.
After scoring gigs in two commercials, Kunis' first major role was as a young Hope Williams on Days of Our Lives during a flashback in a 1994 episode.
Justin Hartley may be known on primetime as Kevin Pearson, but on daytime, the actor has been known for showing up in both Harmony and Genoa City.
Hartley's first-ever role was as Nicholas Foxworth Crane, a.k.a. Fox, on the NBC soap Passions from 2002 through 2006. The actor later portrayed Adam Newman on Young and the Restless for two years just before landing his This Is Us role.
Actress Amber Tamblyn has appeared in films like The Ring, Blackout, The Grudge 2, and most notably, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants alongside Blake Lively, America Ferrera and Alexis Bledel.
But a decade before she played Tibby Rollins, the actress made her television debut as Emily Quartermaine on General Hospital from 1995 until 2001 when the character left Port Charles to spend time in a rehabilitation center after becoming paralyzed.
Andrea Barber's resume was kept short after she decided to retire from acting after the major success of Full House, where she played the beloved Kimmy Gibbler for the show's nine seasons. While the actress reprised the memorable role on the show's reboot in 2015, her most memorable role wasn't her first.
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Barber's first role came a few years before Full House when she played a young Carrie Brady, the daughter of Marlena and Roman, on Days of Our Lives.
Lacey Chabert may be the Queen of Hallmark now, but her early career consisted of roles in the 2004 megahit Mean Girls and the 1994 drama series Party of Five, as well as a two-episode stint on All My Children at just 10 years old.
Chabert's time in Pine Valley consisted of playing Bianca Mongomery, the daughter of Erica Kane, for two episodes over a two-year period.
From Disney Channel to ABC's Nashville to the horror saga Scream, actress Hayden Panetierre has taken her career all over the map.
Panetierre made her soap debut on One Life To Live as Sarah Roberts, a role she held for three years before jumping networks and playing Lizzie Spaulding on CBS' Guiding Light for a nonconsecutive four years.
Mean Girls superstar Lindsay Lohan has wracked up a long resume, but it was just before her breakout role in The Parent Trap that Lohan appeared on Another World.
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Lohan held the recurring role of Alli Fowler from 1996 to 1997 alongside notable names like Linda Dano, Sarah Hyland and Days of Our Lives alum Judi Evans.
Kathie Lee Gifford is best known for hosting morning talk shows like Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and Kathie Lee and Hoda.
But long before her hosting jobs when she was trying to break out as an actress in Hollywood, Gifford held a gig as an extra on Days of Our Lives before being promoted to a six-liner in the role of Nurse Callahan for one episode in 1976.
Nathan Fillion has made a name for himself on ABC's primetime block, starring in hit shows like Desperate Housewives, Castle and The Rookie.
But long before primetime, Fillion spent some time on ABC's daytime block as Joey Buchanan on One Life To Live from 1994 to 1997, then reprised the role 10 years later in 2007 for the show's 9,999th and 10,000th episodes.
Household name Christina Applegate is remembered for her breakout role as Kelly Bundy on Married... with Children, and most recently her starring role on Netflix's Dead to Me, which the actress also executive produces.
But at just 3 months old, Applegate played an unknown role called "Baby" on Days of Our Lives alongside her real-life mother, actress Nancy Priddy, who played Mrs. Grizzell for one episode in 1972.
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