Stars Who Pop Up All Over the Place After You See Them in Your Favorite Show

How little we pay attention to them when they are new, extras in the Hollywood industry. Then when they finally land that big part, we start noticing them in all the small roles they had throughout their career. Watching reruns and yesterday’s movies, they keep popping up all over the place.

I had no idea who Kathryn Morris was until she showed up in Cold Case. Her hair is distinct and from my little time in Pennsylvania, she actually puts me in the mind of some of the people I knew there. Characteristics and all, her smile has a touch of grace that knocks me dead the rare times she flashes it. But, I never watched one thing she was in throughout her entire career until Cold Case came along.

The other night, I was looking for something interesting to watch so I could wind down and I caught Kathryn Morris in a movie with Mark Harmon called And Never Let Her Go made in 2001. It drew my interest. I took a look at Kathryn’s career and I noticed a few other things I could have caught over the years. Paycheck (2003), Minority Report (2002), and one of my favorites As Good as It Gets (1997) are just a few of the credits to her name. But, I watched those movies and didn’t notice her until starting to watch Cold Case. Now, I’m seeing her more and more.

The same thing happened with Judy Greer. But, that was a few years ago when I watched her in 13 Going on 30. I thought she was great. Sexy and conniving, I fell in love with her and then I noticed her more and more in some of the older movies I had watched throughout the years. Kissing a Fool (1998) was such a small part for her, but she shined. Then, I noticed her in The Wedding Planner (2001) with Jennifer Lopez.

But, the one that really struck me was when I noticed her in What Women Want (2000) with Mel Gibson. In that movie as a simple file girl, she goes unnoticed until one day Mel Gibson notices her with his new abilities to read women’s minds. How ironic that she played that role. It seemed so surreal at the moment. But, there’s no need to worry about Judy Greer’s career now. She has been showing in an average of about six appearances a year since 2000 and has two coming in 2010 so far, Marmaduke and Love and Other Drugs.

In one of my favorite television shows of today, Tim Dekay keeps Matthew Bomer on a very short leash in White Collar. I had no idea who Tim Dekay had a past career until I saw him in the hospital room with Ross and Rachel in an old 2002 rerun of Friends. Now, I’m noticing him everywhere. He is in Cold Case, Numb3rs, Without a Trace, Seinfeld and NCIS. Those are just the shows I watch or have watched regularly. But, he has a very distinct list of appearances including Malcolm in the Middle, Ally McBeal, CSI, My Name is Earl and Scrubs just to name a few.

Jenna Fischer is one of my favorite characters in another of my favorite shows of today, The Office. But, I was sure this was her first gig. Then, I’m watching Blades of Glory (2007) with Will Ferrell the other night and I notice Jenna Fischer. That’s when it dawned on me that over the years, I had actually seen her in such productions as Employee of the Month (2004), The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005), and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) among a pretty decent list of other credits. Then BOOM, as hot as the sun and every other model who has graced the magazine, Jenna shows up on the cover of Shape looking better than every girlfriend I have ever tried to have.

Michael Weatherly is another actor I didn’t start following until his appearance in NCIS (2003). Then, I was watching an old rerun of The Cosby Show (1991) one day and there he was. He has appeared in other productions such as Ally McBeal, Charmed, Dark Angel and The Crow: Stairway to Heaven. But, I find it most interesting that he played the part of Robert Wagner in the 2004 made for television movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood. You may think that’s not interesting at all. But it is, when you learn that Robert Wagner is set to play Michael Weatherly’s father in upcoming episodes of NCIS.

I love it when I get to rediscover the productions of actors and actresses who only just became well-known. I know that it’s a shame they weren’t recognized earlier, when the productions first aired or when I first saw them. But, it is a significant mark that they are exactly where they want to be on their path to stardom. When they are recognized by people they don’t even know, other than the money they are making, that’s the mark that many of them set for themselves to know that they have finally arrived.

write by Kou Yang