If you haven't heard (pretty much impossible since the marketing is pervasive), there's a film out now called 'New Year's Eve,' which features every movie star ever. (Well, not really -- but it certainly feels that way; the stars not present here apparently signed up for 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' instead.) Before you get into the 2012 spirit, the good folks at Snakkle have put together an awesome before-they-were famous gallery for the sprawling cast of 'New Year's Eve,' from Halle Berry to Sarah Jessica Parker to Ashton Kutcher to Sofia Vegara, Hilary Swank, Zac Efron, Jessica Biel, Robert De Niro and -- deep inhale -- many more. A few Moviefone favorites are below; make sure to head to Snakkle to see all the stars' before-they-were-famous photos.
Sofia Vegara from an early Pepsi commercial
Michelle Pfeiffer as a high school freshman
Ashton Kutcher as a high school junior
[Tickets and Showtimes for 'New Year's Eve']
[via Snakkle]
[Photos: Seth Poppel/Yearbook Library, Andrew Schwartz/Warner Bros.]
Gallery | Too Many Stars: Hits and Misses
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Miss: 'New Year's Eve'
It's a good thing all of the faces in 'New Year's Eve' are familiar. We wouldn't have been able to keep up with the flurry of competing storylines (and who's who, for that matter) otherwise. More screen time for the hilarious Sofia Vergara would have helped this movie -- a lot.
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Hit: 'Love, Actually'
'Love, Actually' should be the model for how to do a film with multiple interrelated storylines. Sure, it has a lot of different stories to keep up with, with a bunch of big names like Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman jockeying for attention. But the stories are each properly fleshed out and beautifully interwoven, allowing the audience to become invested in all of the intersecting tales.
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Miss: 'He's Just Not That Into You'
We're just not that into having so many stars jostling for screen time. Just when you’re getting invested in the Jennifer Connelly/Bradley Cooper storyline, the movie jumps over to catch up with Jennifer Aniston and Ben Affleck’s troubled relationship. The result is a bunch of characters you don't reallllly care about (with the exception of the adorable Ginnifer Goodwin, who anchors the flick).
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Hit: 'Crash'
Even though 'Crash' boasts an array of stars ranging from Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon and Thandie Newton to Tony Danza and Brendan Fraser, the star power doesn't distract us from the compelling intersecting storylines.
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Miss: 'Nine'
We really thought this one could work. Even though it's packed with stars, they're talented A-listers who can actually act and/or sing, like Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard. Unfortunately, the movie winds up being a bit too busy. A-lister overload!
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Hit: 'Ocean's Eleven'
When it comes to star power, it's hard to beat this line-up that includes Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts. Yet the movie works, since all of the big names are focused on one, big over-arching goal that pulls the whole movie together: the big score.
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Miss: 'Ocean's Twelve'
The big screen just isn't big enough for Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones. While 'Ocean's Eleven' undeniably boasts mega-star power, it had just the right amount. Its successor, however, tipped that delicate balance with the addition of Zeta-Jones and Bruce Willis, when it diverted attention away from the core characters.
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Hit: 'Contagion'
'Contagion' doesn't lack A-list talent with the likes of Kate Winslet, Matt Damon and Jude Law on board. It's fast-paced and jumps quickly from one character to the next, but it doesn't feel jumpy, since all of the characters are focused on the film’s primary plot-point: battling the mysterious outbreak.
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Miss: 'Valentine's Day'
Oh, 'Valentine’s Day.' I think we have you to blame for 'New Year’s Eve.' Despite the jerky, lackluster plot, it performed well at the box office. We suppose people just like seeing big names like Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher and Jennifer Garner on the big screen. Which means there will probably be another one next year, too. 'Thanksgiving Weekend,' anyone?
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