These actors have been waiting for fame for years. Alan Rickman and Morgan Freeman won it after the age of 50

Although their first professions were also often artistic, they decided to make acting a way of life later. They had to wait even longer for the roles of life and world popularity. The presence of some actors on this list may surprise you.

Samuel L. Jackson

Known from “Pulp Fiction”, the actor initially intended to connect his life with architecture. However, he dropped out of his studies when he successfully auditioned for a musical staged at the university. He bet everything on one card, but although he was successful as a theater actor and found his way to Broadway, he had to wait a long time for success in the film industry. In 1994, there was a breakthrough – as a 40-year-old Jackson received one of the most important roles in Quentin Tarantino’s most famous film. The character of Jules Winnfield was written especially for him. Fans of the director may associate him with another well-known production for which he wrote the screenplay – “True Romance”, where he played Big Don. Today, he also plays in super productions from the Marvel and Star Wars universes.

Steve Carell

The role of Michael Scott in the beloved comedy series “The Office” gave him worldwide recognition, and also brought him a Golden Globe statuette in 2006. The American production was not predicted success from the beginning, but accepting the offer to play in it turned out to be a key decision for the career development of the then 43-year-old Carell. Today, he is one of the most loved comedians, but he does not limit himself to playing in series. He could be seen on the big screen, among others in Woody Allen’s “Cream of Society” or in a serious installment in Felix Van Groeningen’s drama “My Beautiful Son”. He was also a dubbing actor, lent his voice to the Mayor in the animation Horton Hears a Who and Gru in Despicable Me, as well as later Minions films.

Jane Lynch

Today, she is not only an actress, but also a comedian, singer and writer. Although she studied art at Illinois State University and Cornell University and acted in plays in her youth, she did not land her first starring role until she was 40. She played Christy Cummings in Christopher Guest’s mockumentary Miss Medal. She became famous on the musical series “Glee”, where she performed as Sue Sylvester. Earlier, however, she could be spotted in the cult comedy from the late 80s “Vice Versa”, where she played Mrs. Lindstrom. Interestingly, she is also a dubbing actress. She voiced one of the ogres in the English-language version of Shrek Forever.

Melissa McCarthy

Fans of the series will certainly associate her with Sookie St., endowed with a good sense of humor. James in “Gilmore Girls”, but the ticket to playing in productions shown on the big screen turned out to be her cooperation with director Paul Feig. When he offered her a role in “Bridesmaids” in 2011, the actress was 41 years old. Later, she played in his other famous productions – “The Heat”, the comedy “Agentka” or the new adaptation of “Ghostbusters” with the female cast in the lead roles.

Alan Rickman

Rickman was originally a successful graphic designer. He dealt with calligraphy and watercolor painting, and with his friends from college he opened the Graphiti graphic studio. He later stated that he wanted to make a future in acting – he was educated at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in the late 1980s he acted in Broadway musicals. However, he had to wait a long time for success. Although today he is mainly associated with the role of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series, his success in the industry was achieved years before the first adaptation of JK Rowling’s books was made. All thanks to the action movie – “Die Hard” from 1988, where he played the role of Hans Gruber. Some people believe that fame – although it came late – was always meant for him. All thanks to the characteristic, deep voice, the source of which was traced to the specific shape of his jaw.

Morgan Freeman

Today, many moviegoers cannot imagine the film industry without Freeman. However, the actor succeeded in it relatively late – when he received engagements in well-known productions, he was already in his fifties. Before he started getting the roles of spiritual sages, he moonlighted as a dancer and in the 1960s was a member of the Opera Ring group. By the end of the decade, he began to land roles in musicals, and appeared on television thanks to the soap opera “Another World”. Later, supporting roles in serious productions redefined the shape of his career. “Driving Miss Daisy”, “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Seven” gave him an established position in the history of cinema, although his youth was already behind him. He has also played the role of the narrator of famous films many times, e.g. in The War of the Worlds. He has won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe.