If you're trying to break into the entertainment business in any way, shape, or form and haven't yet been discovered by a casting agent or been discovered by your friends and family, then chances are that you're still reading this. But if you're feeling particularly desperate for fame and fortune without putting in the hard work to achieve it on your own, then fear not! Because we have compiled a list of 29 celebrities, who were discovered in unexpected ways. None of these celebrities received formal acting training, as some people believe needed to be successful. They also didn't necessarily have an agent or manager looking out for them either! So without further delay...

1) Keanu Reeves

You probably know Keanu Reeves as the star of movies like The Matrix and John Wick. But did you know that he was actually discovered by a photographer while working as a busboy at a restaurant in Hollywood? The photographer thought he had potential and helped him get started in the business, and the rest is history!

2) Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Still, she was discovered by a talent scout while vacationing with her family in New York City. The scout approached her and asked if she was interested in acting. It was after Jennifer Lawrence won an Academy Award for her performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" that she was offered major roles like "American Hustle," "X-Men: First Class," and the movie "Joy." She never went through acting school or received any formal acting training. She gained exposure by taking classes at a local community college, doing stand-up at night, and bartending throughout the day.

3) Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher was actually discovered by a talent manager working as a model in his native Iowa. Ashton Kutcher's first role in a film was in a tiny part as Howard Heinz, one of Steve Jobs' best friends. This was his first real role, and he eventually went on to win a Golden Globe for the TV show "That '70s Show".

4) Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Leonardo DiCaprio was cast for his first movie - Critters 3 - after being spotted by a casting agent while swimming at a beach in LA. He then auditioned and got the role! The film only grossed $15 million, so it didn't make him very famous. It took him more than five years to get work again (he starred in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," which launched his career).

5) Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Still, she was discovered by a talent agent while working as a waitress in Los Angeles. Jennifer Aniston was cast in her first movie, "You've Got Mail," after her friend saw it and told her to watch it. She loved it, and the director of the movie saw her in the film, though she was pretty good, and then immediately cast her in "The Rachel Papers."

6) Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Still, he was actually discovered by a casting director while he was attending college in Texas. The director thought he had potential and helped him get started in the business, and the rest is history!

7) Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Still, he was actually discovered by a talent agent while working as a waiter in Los Angeles. The agent thought he had potential and helped him get started in the business, and the rest is history!

8) Brad Pitt

Probably one of the most famous people on this list, Brad Pitt was cast in Thelma &'' Louise after he was spotted dining at a restaurant in LA by director Ridley Scott. He initially turned down the role as he had plans to take a trip to Paris with his then-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow. After hearing that actors such as Sylvester Stallone, Richard Gere, and Mel Gibson were also interested in the role, Brad changed his mind and signed on to star alongside Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. This role catapulted him into fame after graduating from the University of Missouri a year before.

9) Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was cast in her first movie "Glitter" after she was discovered at a New York modeling convention by casting director Bob Case. The case was looking for models to appear in his music video for the song "Vision of Love." He noticed Carey amongst the other models and asked her to audition at another meeting. She then got cast in the role, which eventually earned her a Grammy Award and number 1 album.

10) Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson auditioned for his first movie - The Wiz - when he was 11 years old. He wasn't cast in the film, but he did get the attention of many directors and producers, who decided to send him on auditions again. A producer from Motown Records saw him perform at one of his auditions and signed him to a recording contract. The rest is history!

11) Freddie Prinze

Freddie Prinze made his first appearance on the big screen in 1974, when he was discovered through a newspaper ad. After reading that casting directors were looking for good-looking people with experience in modeling or television, he called them up and sent them a picture of himself. Although he was never a fish out of the water, the directors really liked his look and decided to cast him in a small role in the movie "The Lords of Flatbush." This was his first real role in the film. He later went on to star alongside Sean Penn in "She's Having A Baby".

12) Matt Damon

It wasn't until Matt Damon was cast for "The Talented Mr. Ripley" that he gained any recognition for his acting skills. He was originally auditioned for the male lead but didn't get it. After hearing about the female lead, Damon thought about it a bit more and decided to call her up and ask if she wanted to meet him at the hotel. She accepted, and the two of them hung out together for a week. That's when he decided to ask her to read his script for a movie he had written. She agreed, and that was how he became a successful screenwriter!

13) Michael J. Fox

At the age of 15, Michael J. Fox's valedictorian speech at his high school graduation was seen by a casting agent who invited him to start taking acting classes. The rest is history!

14) Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen auditioned for his first movie - "Lucas" - after he read an advertisement in a newspaper that said they were looking for an average-looking guy with no experience or training in acting. He then showed up to his audition and got the role! His screen debut was alongside Corey Haim and Kerri Green. He reportedly earned $112,000 for his work (allegedly earned $8 million for 'Two and a Half Men').

15) Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan was discovered by a French casting director while she was staying in Cannes. She accepted the offer to audition for an American agent when her career took off! Her acting debut was in "The Parent Trap," Her role was luckily enough for her to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

16) Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow was cast in her first movie, the romantic comedy "Emma," after her friend Robert De Niro asked her to come over and watch the film. After watching it, she got so excited that she sat down on De Niro's lap, and he said, "That's my girl." That's how she was cast in the role!

17) Idina Menzel

When Idina Menzel won "Rent" for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Tony Awards in 2004, casting directors were trying to get on board for their next project. Idina was eventually cast for Broadway's first official musical - Wicked.

18) Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx originally wanted to be a rapper but realized that he wasn't very good at it, so he decided to go into acting. He got his big break when Quentin Tarantino cast him in "Pulp Fiction."

19) Bradley Cooper

After working on the TV show "Sex and the City" for five years, Bradley Cooper was cast in the role of Sgt. James R. Francis for the movie "The A-Team." This was his first major role in a film.

20) Martin Lawrence

Martin Lawrence was initially cast for the movie "Bad Boys" as a stunt double for a guy shooting a scene. While he was getting changed and waiting to go back to set, the director made him do another scene as the lead actor, and then he remembered him immediately afterward. His name was Harvey Keitel. He got his first real role the following year.

21) Idris Elba

During a talent search in England, Idris Elba was discovered where his brother had auditioned. He ended up getting the role and even landed his first movie commercial.

22) Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez's first movie role was in "All About the Benjamins," and she received an Oscar nomination. She was then cast in the movie "The Wedding Planner," which turned out to be a huge hit!

23) Christian Bale

Christian Bale's first major acting job was in the film "Empire of the Sun." He initially signed up for 12 pages of character description but did all of them (and more). He was then cast in the movie "The Portrait of a Lady" and eventually won an Academy Award nomination for "American Psycho."

24) Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger's first big role in a film was as Roman Hercules in the movie "Hercules In New York." He filmed it after winning Mr. Universe, Mr. World, and Mr. Olympia, so he had already built up a good amount of muscle. The movie only grossed $400,000, so it didn't make him very famous. He ended up getting his first major acting job in "The Terminator," which turned out to be a huge success.

25) Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard was cast for her first movie, "Jurassic Park," after being spotted by the director while she was working at a Red Lobster restaurant. She ended up being chosen over around 1,200 other people for the role!

26) Michael Caine

Michael Caine's first acting job was in national touring production of "Hamlet." He eventually got a film called "Zulu." He met Laurence Olivier, who told him that he did an excellent job!

27) Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's first job as an actor was in a non-speaking role with Malcolm X. He then went on to star in "Street Smart" which won him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

28) Sean Connery

Sean Connery was originally going to be a cabinet maker, but he lied his way into drama school, thinking they didn't have any vacancies. He ended up getting the part of Sir Thomas More in "A Man For All Seasons" and starred alongside Richard Burton and Robert Shaw.

29) Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock's first role was as a model in the film "Falling From Grace," She appeared in half of the scenes. She was then cast as the lead actress in "Demolition Man." She also went on to win an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in "The Blind Side."

Takeaway

It's always interesting to learn about how different people became successful. The 29 celebrities we've mentioned in this post were all discovered in unique and unexpected ways. Some of them had no idea what they wanted to do with their lives before they stumbled upon their big break, while others worked hard for years before finally making it big. We hope you've enjoyed reading about these fascinating individuals and their stories. What's your favorite celebrity discovery story? Let us know in the comments below.