Famous Actors You Forgot Showed Up In Steven Spielberg Movies

Steven Spielberg is generally considered to be one of the most prolific directors of all time, and is responsible for some of pop culture's most enduring pieces of filmmaking such as "Indiana Jones," "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," and "Jurassic Park," just to name a few. Following the release of his first blockbuster, 1975's "Jaws," Spielberg has gone on to enjoy a prosperous career of both critical acclaim and financial success. In addition to directing, Spielberg has also produced countless films under the banners of Amblin and DreamWorks that have proven to be equally as popular with audiences, such as "Back to the Future" and "Shrek." There is a lot to know about Steven Spielberg that may come as a surprise, but it's hard to deny he's had one of the most successful careers in Hollywood.

One of the hallmarks of Steven Spielberg's filmography is that he consistently sports an impressive cast of actors who are given big and small parts alike. While some actors are easily remembered for their roles, such as Tom Hanks, others are more often forgotten in the sweeping narratives of his films. Whether it was before they became a household name, or their cameo was small enough that you might have missed them, here are famous actors that you may have forgotten showed up in Steven Spielberg movies.

Many fans will recognize Maggie Smith from her iconic role as Minerva McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" series, but it may come as a surprise to remember that she starred in Steven Spielberg's 1991 live-action sequel to the original Peter Pan story, "Hook." Smith plays the role of Granny Wendy, an older version of Wendy from the original story who long ago was whisked away by Peter Pan on an adventure to Neverland, but has since settled into a normal life in London. As Granny Wendy, Smith plays a critical role in the film's story by ensuring that Peter (played by the late Robin Williams) is sent to rescue her grandchildren from the fiendish Captain Hook (played by Dustin Hoffman).

Maggie Smith has had an extensive acting career both before and after "Hook," with two Academy Awards under her belt for Best Actress in 1969's "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and Best Supporting Actress in 1971's "California Suite." Additionally, Smith has been nominated for dozens of other awards throughout her long career and has received an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony (known as a Triple Crown of Acting). Her performance in "Hook" is one of the many that fills out her impressive filmography.

Award-winning actor Sarah Paulson has had starring roles in FX's "American Horror Story" and "American Crime Story," the latter of which earned her a Primetime Emmy. Paulson also boasts an extensive film career, with one highlight being her supporting role as Tony Bradlee in "The Post." Steven Spielberg's 2017 historical thriller tells the story of the Washington Post's hard-fought efforts in getting the notorious Pentagon Papers published against the wishes of the Nixon administration during the Vietnam War. The cast includes several acclaimed actors such as Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Carrie Coon, Bradley Whitford, Bob Odenkirk, and many more playing fictionalized versions of real journalists involved in the Pentagon Papers publication. As Tony Bradlee, Paulson plays the supportive wife of Ben Bradlee (played by Tom Hanks) as they navigate the personal stresses of her husband's work at the Post.

Paulson's acting career goes well beyond her appearance in "The Post," with several prominent roles in her filmography such as "Twelve Years A Slave," "Ocean's 8," and "Run" to name a few. The television role that won her a Primetime Emmy, however, was her portrayal of Marcia Clark in "The People vs. O.J. Simpson: An American Crime Story," a limited series that chronicled the entire O.J. Simpson murder trial from start to finish.

When fans think about Steven Spielberg's best movies, the odds are that one of them will be from the "Indiana Jones" series. With four films currently released and a fifth on the way, this franchise consistently makes big money at the box office. What you may not remember is that the villain of the most recent iteration, 2008's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," was none other than Cate Blanchett. The fourth film in the franchise takes Indiana Jones, played by 64-year-old Harrison Ford, on a race against the Soviet Union to find a psychically powered crystal skull and uncover the secrets of the lost city of Akator. 

Blanchett plays Irina Spalko, an ambitious KGB agent tasked with harnessing the power of the crystal skulls and obsessed with gathering that power for herself. As the main villain, Blanchett plays no small role in the story and manages to immerse herself perfectly into her character. It may be surprising for some to remember that the Russian-sounding, fencing, murderous Spalko is the same double Oscar winner from films such as the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "Thor: Ragnarok." These roles are only a sliver of her filmography, but it's clear that she threw herself wholeheartedly into the role of Irina Spalko since she apparently learned professional fencing for the part.

"Saving Private Ryan" is one of Steven Spielberg's most somber, intense, and dramatic films, and consistently ranked as one of the greatest films of all time. One of the things that makes it so memorable to audiences is the talented cast of actors including Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Barry Pepper, and many more, some of which were already household names and others who would become that. The film is also known for featuring countless actors in smaller roles who are easy to forget despite their fame and notoriety. One of these examples is Bryan Cranston in the role of the War Department Colonel.

Bryan Cranston is best-known for his Emmy-winning role as Walter White in the AMC series, "Breaking Bad." In the show, he portrayed the downward spiral of a cancer-diagnosed chemistry teacher on his descent to becoming a meth-cooking drug kingpin. Prior to that, Cranston was also celebrated for his role as the lovable goofball Hal in the Fox comedy "Malcolm in the Middle." His appearance in "Saving Private Ryan" is brief but essential, as he is the officer who passes on the information to General George C. Marshall that gets Private Ryan recalled from the frontlines after it becomes clear that all of his brothers have been killed in action.

"Catch Me if You Can" stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the infamous con man Frank Abagnale, with Tom Hanks playing Carl Hanratty, a federal agent who is hot on his tail. What seems to be often forgotten about this film — for good reason — is Jennifer Garner's performance as a call girl and her relationship with Abagnale.

Jennifer Garner plays Cheryl Ann, a model by day and call girl by night. In the film, she offers to sleep with Frank for $1,000 and he happily agrees. The problem is that Frank is a duplicitous con man who has been throwing around phony checks and fake names for years to get away with crimes, which he continues to do here. The two characters end up having sex but unsurprisingly Frank leaves her with a totally fraudulent and worthless $1,400 check. This scene is one of the many things in "Catch Me if You Can" that doesn't age well upon a rewatch.

But this isn't Jennifer Garner's fault, considering she is an incredibly talented actress with numerous roles in movies and TV series that include "Pearl Harbor," "Dallas Buyers Club," and "Alias." Garner was nominated for four Emmys and four Golden Globes (winning one) for her work as Sydney Bristow on "Alias," leaving her problematic appearance in "Catch Me If You Can" firmly in the rearview mirror.

Another historical drama from Steven Spielberg, "Amistad" focuses on the 19th century revolt on the Amistad, a Spanish slave ship. This film stars Djimon Hounsou, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, and Matthew McConaughey in various roles (based on real-life figures) as former slaves, Americans, and Spaniards, all dealing with the immorality of the transcontinental slave trade as encapsulated by the fate of these freed mutineers. Among the impressive cast of "Amistad" is Anna Paquin in her role as Queen Isabella II of Spain.

Paquin was only a teenager when she played the sovereign ruler of Spain, and is shown playing with dolls while being seemingly unaware of the conflict going on in her kingdom. Prior to this, Paquin won an Academy Award at 11 years old for her performance in Jane Champion's "The Piano," which made her the second youngest person to win an Oscar. Following this early role in "Amistad," Paquin would go on to star in films and television shows such as 1996's "Almost Famous," "X-Men," "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," and "True Blood."