From soap stars to superstars: Actors who made the leap from daytime TV into the bigtime

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Before They Were Stars

You know them best from their appearances on the big screen, but some of Hollywood's hottest got their start in soaps. Find out who was working in day time before they made the leap into the big time.

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3. Morgan Freeman

Lauded American actor Morgan Freeman was one of many entertainers who took a spin in the world of soaps before hitting the Hollywood big time: Freeman played Dr Roy Bingham on "Another World" between 1982-1984.

Morgan Freeman's stretch in soaps would lend itself to an already extensive television resume that included the children's show "The Electric Company" and another, soap "Ryan's Hope."

With his distinctive voice and laid-back demeanor, Morgan Freeman would become one of America's most-beloved and respected film actors with starring roles in "Kiss the Girls," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Se7en" and Clint Eastwood's boxing saga, "Million Dollar Baby," for which he won a best supporting role Oscar.

Freeman also earned respect as a comedic actor in both "Bruce Almighty" and "Evan Almighty," where he was cast in the role of, yes, God. Quoted as gravitating toward gravitas, Freeman will play Nelson Mandela in the upcoming movie "The Human Factor."

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