Becoming a legendary actor usually requires a lifetime of hard work. Many actors have to start from the very bottom and work their way up, learning their craft, and honing their skills with years of experience. For the majority of actors, it can be years before their career takes off, and that's assuming it does. Yes, Hollywood is a tough place to make a name for yourself for sure.

But that's not to say that every actor needs dozens of films under their belt to be considered a legend. Sometimes that might just be a matter of landing the right role in the right movie at exactly the right time.

Today we're looking at actors who became legends thanks to just one movie. Some of them went on to have long successful careers while others bowed out of the acting world but they will always be remembered for their most iconic roles.

15 Daniel Radcliffe Beat Out 300 Other Boys For The Role Of Harry Potter

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Via bbcamerica.com

Finding the right boy to play Harry Potter was crucial, so over seven months more than 300 young hopefuls auditioned for the part. The stipulations were strict - he had to be the right age, and have blue or green eyes. Daniel Radcliffe fit the bill, beating out all the others for the coveted role (as per IMDb).

14 James Earl Jones Initially Received No Credit As The Voice Of Darth Vader

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Via independent.co.uk

Imagine being the voice of the most well-known villain in the galaxy, and no-one knowing your name! Believe it or not, James Earl Jones was actually okay with not receiving credit as the voice of Darth Vader when the first Star Wars film was first released as that was standard industry practice at the time (as per IMDb).

13 Linda Blair Needed Bodyguards After The Exorcist Was Released

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Via geektyrant.com

Linda Blair was an unknown child actress when she won the part of Regan in The Exorcist and she gained a lot of attention from the film, but not all of it was good. She had to hire bodyguards after receiving nasty threats from religious groups unhappy about the film's content.

12 The Crow Was Brandon Lee's Final Film Before His Untimely Death

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Via syfy.com

As a child, Brandon Lee would accompany his father, Bruce Lee, on film sets and this was where he developed a strong desire to be a movie star too. The Crow was meant to be his big breakout movie and ironically it was; because he was killed during an on-set accident, making it his last appearance.

11 Christopher Reeve Was An Unknown Actor When He Landed His Clark Kent/Superman Role

christopher reeves superman
Via washingtonpost.com

Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, and James Caan were all offered the leading role in Superman and they all turned it down. Caan said he couldn't see himself wearing "that silly suit" and Eastwood claimed he was too busy. Christopher Reeve, an unknown actor at the time, was chosen from a pool of 200 actors who tried out (as per IMDb).

10 Anthony Hopkins Was Not The First Choice To Play Hannibal Lecter

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Via gamesradar.com

Today it's hard to imagine any but Anthony Hopkins playing the legendary Hannibal Lecter but there could have easily been another actor in his place. You see Hopkins was not the first choice for this role. Initially, the director wanted Sean Connery for the lead, but he declined because of the film's subject matter.

9 Macaulay Culkin Improvised Many Of His Lines In Home Alone

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The cast of Home Alone was encouraged to ad-lib and came up with a few great lines that made it into the movie. According to IMDb, Macaulay Culkin came up with the line, "You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?" on the fly. That's pretty impressive for a ten-year-old!

8 Mark Hamill Did Almost All Of His Own Stunts As Luke Skywalker

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Via vanityfair.com

Mark Hamill is best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise and voicing The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series. Hamill was keen to make his performance as authentic as possible for both The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi and did almost all of his own stunts for the films (as per IMDb).

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7 Peter Ostrum Never Acted In Another Film After Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

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Via imdb.com

Before he was chosen to play Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Peter Ostrum had never been on a film set before. And even though he had a great time making the movie (and hanging out with Gene Wilder) it would be his first and last movie. He decided to become a vet rather than an actor.

6 13 Actresses Turned Down Basic Instinct Before Sharon Stone Got The Offer

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Via scribol.com

Michael Douglas was keen to share the screen with a well-known actress for Basic Instinct but the role was turned by everyone it was offered to. Douglas wasn't sold on Sharon Stone, an almost unknown actress, but the director knew she had talent after working with her on Total Recall (as per IMDb).

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5 Kate Winslet Pestered Titanic Director James Cameron To Cast Her As Rose

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Via ew.com

When Kate Winslet learned that James Cameron was looking for a female lead for his latest film, she set her heart on the role. According to IMDb, she pestered him for an audition for weeks, constantly sending him notes and calling him. He eventually relented and discovered she was perfect for the part.

4 Marlon Brando Stuffed His Cheeks With Cotton Wool For The Godfather

the godfather
Via mentalfloss.com

Marlon Brando wanted his character Don Corleone to "look like a bulldog" so when he auditioned for The Godfather he stuffed cotton wool in his mouth. When filming began, he wore a custom-made mouthpiece to get the same effect. This dental appliance can still be seen at the American Museum of the Moving Image in New York (as per IMDb).

RELATED: 15 Actors Who Weren’t The First Choice For Roles They Played

3 Robert Englund (AKA Freddy Krueger) Is A Classically Trained Actor

Robert-Englund
Via dreadcentral.com

Wes Craven initially thought he could get away with having a stuntman play the role of Freddy Krueger but it didn't take him long to realize that he needed a real actor who could follow directions. He approached Robert Englund, a classically trained actor struggling to break out, who keenly accepted the role (as per IMDb).

2 Heath Ledger Spent Weeks Alone Preparing To Play The Joker

heath ledger joker
Via medium.com

Heath Ledger went to great lengths to prepare his version of the Joker. He spent weeks alone in a hotel room, isolated from the world, working on his character traits, in particular, his iconic laugh. He even kept a diary with his thoughts as Joker. The Dark Knight would be his final and most celebrated film.

1 Michael J. Fox Replaced Eric Stoltz As Marty McFly

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Via pursuitofitall.com

Back to the Future was a pricey film to make, and not just because of all the special effects. What pushed up the cost was the fact the almost half the film was shot with Eric Stoltz playing Marty. When it became obvious that he was the wrong choice, Michael J. Fox replaced him (as per IMDb).

NEXT:15 Actors Who Hate The Roles They’re Known For