Most Effective Film Acting Debut

Diana Ross — Lady Sings The Blues

Bugs Bunny. “What’s Up, Doc?”

Jamie Bell- Billy Elliott

Hailee Seinfeld- True Grit

Natalie Portman- The Professional

Great debuts from these kids.

I expected that Whoopi Goldberg would be one of the choices, but The Color Purple wasn't actually her screen debut. She was in a movie that premiered at Sundance in 1983 that may not have even been released in theaters. I'd probably still count TCP as her debut anyway.

Susan Swift in Audrey Rose. Duh.

The actors who won Oscars for their film debuts (besides the four already mentioned by OP):

Shirley Booth, Come Back Little Sheba

Marlee Matlin, Children of a Lesser God

Harold Russell, The Best Years of Our Lives

Timothy Hutton, Ordinary People

Haing S. Ngor, The Killing Fields

Gale Sondergaard, Anthony Adverse

Katina Paxinou, For Whom the Bell Tolls

Eva Marie Saint, On the Waterfront

Jo Van Fleet, East of Eden

Tatum O'Neal, Paper Moon

Anna Paquin, The Piano

Jessica Lange in King Kong

Beatty might win a Least Effective Debut poll, although, to his credit, he eventually improved.

If we're talking about people who actually became notable actors (ignoring your Klinton Spilsburys and the like), Kristin Scott Thomas would easily best Beatty for Least Effective Debut. Her first film was Under the Cherry Moon, which earned her a pair of Razzie nominations while the film itself won five. Even though Beatty wasn't very good in Splendor in the Grass, that film was at least a success.

Cher, Silkwood

Barbra was really good in "Funny Girl". Like she had been film acting for years.

Madonna looked like she had a promising film career ahead of her after "Desperately Seeking Susan". Alas, it was her best movie (besides the 2-hr. music video "Evita").

Gabourey Sidibe in Precious

R10, Silkwood wasn't Cher's film debut. She was in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean just a year before that (and she earned a Golden Globe nomination for that performance), and even before that she was in Chastity in 1969. (Do we have to call that one Chaz now, too?)

13 year old Christian Bale, Empire of the Sun. I saw the film once when it came out, and I still remember every scene of Bale's brilliant performance.

R13, I don't really count that as it was a filmed version of the play.

G. in The World According to Garp.

My man is Six Degrees.

R13, Cher's film debut was actually Good Times, directed by William Friedkin.

R17 His feature film debut was Where the Day Takes You (1992) you stupid self absorbed cunt Jada.

Sissy Spacek in Prime Cut (1972) where she spends most of her screen time topless and nude.

R15, Come Back to the Five and Dime might have the same cast and director as its theatrical version, but it's still a film. It was filmed separately from its theatrical version and released as a movie; it wasn't a recorded version of a theatrical performance like Hamilton on Disney+.

By your standards, A Streetcar Named Desire is only barely a movie, because it had the same director and mostly the same cast, with the exception of Jessica Tandy.

R21 don't out words in my mouth, you tedious cunt.

Edward Norton in Primal Fear should be on this poll - and winning.

Paris Hilton- One Night in Paris

Aidan Quinn, Reckless

Christopher Atkins from The Blue Lagoon - And I still make you homos hot and bothered after all these years.

From just a quick look at OP's list, I reckon she must be 80 years old.

Well, excuse me, while I'm fucking my lead actor for real!

Nothing's more effective than getting completely naked in your first film.

Rupert Graves - A Room with a View (1985)

Black African girls like Eddie Murphy are always stooooooooopendo!

R27, Nope, I'm in my 40s. I just happen to know a lot about film, which you obviously do not.

R15 would this count? Directed by William Freidkin

Lana Turner in They Won’t Forget (1937)

R10, Silkwood was Cher's fourth film.

Apparently Streep was so good in her screen debut "Julia" they cut most of her scenes so she wouldn't pull focus from Fonda and Redgrave

R31, I ❤️ you OP. You slay me.

Brad Pitt's bit part in Thelma and Louise made him a household name for under 10 minutes of screentime. I'd call that effective.

And it also wasnt his debut, R37. Keep.up, please.

Tippi Hedren, The Birds

Anne Hathaway - The Princess Diaries

Patty Duke The Goddess (1958)

Didn't Streisand do the play Funny Girl before the movie?

Yes I know they are different mediums but she did have a lot of time to hone that performance before committing it to celluloid.

In fact I'd disqualify any experienced stage actor making their first movie. Might be first movie but they are skilled performers and should be able to give a memorable performance.

Lauren Bacall. Thanks to her we all know how to put our lips together and blow.

R43, you must be in your 80s.

Mary Pickford stunned in her debut. Can't remember the short film's name.

Bacall TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT. Most stunning film debut ever

JINX R43

Christina RICCI killed it

[quote]Apparently Streep was so good in her screen debut "Julia" they cut most of her scenes so she wouldn't pull focus from Fonda and Redgrave

That never happened.

r49 She was so bad she barely managed to be in the movie, or even the frame. Fonda had to help the poor thing and tell her to hit her marks. She's so dumb and ugly.

R14 is correct. Christian Bale gave the greatest child actor performance ever. That entire movie rests on his performance and he killed it every single minute.

Any room for an 18 yo Oscar nominee?

Barbra wasn't just great in Funny Girl - she carried the entire fucking movie.

Diana in Lady Sings was nothing short of astonishing.

r51 = christian Bale

R51 Bale is a meh actor. He's more infamous for his horrible wart than his meh acting.

I only ever saw him in that video when he has an epic meltdown and goes ballistic at a poor crew guy . I thought THAT was his claim to fame. That, and the horrible "Michele Lee" nosejob

Thankfully we don't see Bale and his horrible wart much these days.

Streisand is superb in Funny Girl even if the film itself drags to a crawl in the middle. It's not the most engaging story and it's to Streisand's credit that she keeps our interest throughout. It's one of those rare roles that showcased every appealing part of an actor's personality. She never made another film that did that. She sort of peaked here.

Did Barbra ever show tits or ass in a movie?

No, but to her credit she forced Mandy to show his.

R60 thank the Lord, no.

She did in The Owl and the Pussycat, but the scene got cut, but stills somehow got released and ended up in some skin mag. She had great jugs.

Here's the goods

Gross. Why would you have a yuck like J Hud on this list with actual actors.

that's the worst photoshop ever

Natalie Schafer in "The Poor Fish" (1930).

I don't watch any movies younger than I am.

Shelley Duvall in Brewster McCloud

Danny Lloyd in "The Shining". His father took him to an open casting call and he eventually won the part. They had to move to England for a year.

[Quote]Apparently Streep was so good in her screen debut "Julia" they cut most of her scenes so she wouldn't pull focus from Fonda and Redgrave 🐂💩

That movie where Dominique Dunne got rightfully strangled by her bf was always my fave.

Huang S. Nor, Killing Fields; Angela Lansbury, Gaslight; The Deaf Actress, Children of a LesserGod; The homely little Lady, The Year of Living Dangerously.

I chose Leslie Caron because she had the biggest long term splash in A list classics than any of the other poll nominees. I think Grace Kelly should also have been included. She only landed one stinker (Green Fire) in her list of films, then became a real life Queen.

Ingrid Bergman WAS whatever that famous title song was in her 1939 American film debut.

Sorry, but Julie Andrews' first movie was NOT Mary Poppins. She was in The Americanization of Emily the year before. (and yes, she played Emily!)

Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves!

No, R76, The Americanization of Emily was released the same year as Mary Poppins. 1964. She filmed Poppins first (from May to September, 1963) and then Emily (the party scene in that movie was filmed on Nov. 22, the day that JFK was assassinated). Poppins was released first as well (August, 1964), while Emily was released two months later.

R76, Wrong! Both Mary Poppins and Americanization of Emily were released in 1964. Mary Poppins was filmed first and released first so it counts as her feature film debut any way you look at it.

R41 Patty Duke was amazing in that scene when she's talking to the kitty cat

Kyle McKenna - Das Butt

[quote] I don't watch any movies younger than I am.

How many times can you keep re-watching "Tillie's Punctured Romance"?

Jaye Davidson in the Crying Game.

Kathleen Turner. Body Heat.