27 Rising Stars Who Got Their Start on 'ER'

In 1994, Hollywood witnessed a seismic shift with the debut of NBC's ER, catapulting George Clooney from a familiar face on shows like Roseanne, The Facts of Life, and the cult classic Return of the Killer Tomatoes! to global stardom. Though Clooney left the series in 1999 to focus on his film career, the medical drama—crafted by Michael Crichton—continued to thrive even without Dr. Doug Ross.

Spanning 15 remarkable seasons and earning 124 Emmy nods, ER boasted an exceptional cast of regulars like William H. Macy and Ving Rhames, alongside guest stars such as Ewan McGregor and Susan Sarandon. The show even enlisted Quentin Tarantino to direct an episode. Beyond its star power, ER served as a launching pad for numerous budding actors who later climbed the ranks of Hollywood fame.

1. Christina Hendricks

Three years after her debut in a four-episode stint on MTV’s Undressed, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) appeared in four episodes of ER, playing the neighbor of Dr. Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney) who had a knack for choosing the wrong men.

2. Matthew Settle

The man who captured Christina Hendricks’ heart? Matthew Settle, widely recognized as Rufus Humphrey, or simply “The Dad,” from Gossip Girl.

3. Zac Efron

Even the most cheerful musical number from High School Musical couldn’t save Bobby Neville, the character Zac Efron portrayed in ER’s 10th season (his second acting role). He arrived as a gunshot victim and tragically never made it out.

4. Eva Mendes

Before becoming a mother alongside Ryan Gosling in real life, Eva Mendes honed her skills by playing a parent on TV. Her first official acting role (excluding her appearance in Will Smith’s “Miami” video) was in ER’s fourth season, back when she spelled her name with a “z” instead of an “s.”

5. Nick Offerman

Long before his woodworking days and his role in Pawnee, Nick Offerman made his TV debut as a tough rocker in ER’s fourth season premiere. Sharing the screen with him was John Hawkes, a future Oscar nominee who, though not yet a household name, had been acting since 1985.

6. Adam Scott

Adam Scott, who later starred alongside Offerman in Parks and Recreation, earned one of his first paychecks on ER during its debut season, playing a pedestrian struck by a car. “It was the first season of ER, so it was a huge deal,” Scott told TVLine. “Everyone was tuning in, and George Clooney was on the cover of TV Guide as the next big thing. I remember sitting outside, waiting to film, and seeing him play basketball with some guys. I thought, ‘Wow, this guy’s on the cover of TV Guide, and he’s so casual about it.’ If I were on a magazine cover, I’d be over the moon.”

7. Amy Ryan

The same year she secured a lead role in the short-lived series The Naked Truth, and over a decade before her Oscar-nominated performance in Gone Baby Gone, Amy Ryan appeared on ER as a nun from a local Catholic school during a meningitis outbreak.

8. Emile Hirsch

Emile Hirsch appeared twice in ER’s sixth season as Chad Kottmeir, a teenager struggling with alcoholism.

9. Chris Pine

Chris Pine’s role on ER didn’t demand much complexity—he portrayed a drunk teen recovering from a wild Valentine’s Day party—but it marked his first official acting credit.

10. Dakota Fanning

At just six years old, Dakota Fanning made her acting debut as Delia Chandler, a young leukemia survivor injured in a car accident, only to discover her cancer had returned. The episode focused heavily on Dr. Abby Lockhart’s (Maura Tierney) efforts to save Fanning’s character.

11. Shia LaBeouf

Long before his “not famous anymore” phase, Shia LaBeouf was relatively unknown when he portrayed Darnel Smith, a wheelchair-bound teenager with muscular dystrophy, in a 2000 episode of ER.

12. Josh Radnor

Following a few uncredited roles and a typical appearance on Law & Order, Josh Radnor took on the role of a syphilis-stricken gay lover of a Chicago alderman in ER’s ninth season. Just two years later, he started filming How I Met Your Mother.

13. Lucy Liu

Three years before her rise to fame on Ally McBeal, Lucy Liu appeared in three episodes of ER as Mei-Sun Leow, the mother of a young boy battling AIDS.

14. Aaron Paul

Before his iconic role in Breaking Bad, Aaron Paul took on numerous guest spots in shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The X-Files, and NYPD Blue. In 2003, the future Golden Globe nominee added ER to his impressive list of credits.

15. Josh Hutcherson

At just 11 years old, Josh Hutcherson landed his third professional role in 2002, appearing in an episode titled “First Snowfall.” He played a member of a family struck by a drunk driver while building a snowman. Yes, a snowman.

16. Lake Bell

Lake Bell struck gold with her first credited role, securing a two-episode appearance in ER’s ninth season.

17. Wentworth Miller

Two years after his debut on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and five years before Prison Break catapulted him to fame, Wentworth Miller portrayed Mike Palmieri, a high school football player caught in a riot during a game.

18. Eric Stonestreet

A year after his first credited role on Dharma & Greg, Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) ended up in the ER—and on ER—after a botched attempt to reshape his ears to resemble Spock’s.

19. Octavia Spencer

Fourteen years before her Oscar-winning performance in The Help, and just two years into her acting career, Octavia Spencer made a brief appearance in a 1998 episode of ER.

20. Anton Yelchin

Long before his roles in blockbusters like Star Trek, the late Anton Yelchin landed his first acting job at just 11 years old, playing Robbie Edelstein, a child who tragically learns his parents died in a car crash.

21. Taraji P. Henson

Over a decade before her Oscar-nominated performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Taraji P. Henson caught the attention of ER’s producers, leading to her casting in two 1998 episodes—as two distinct characters.

22. Jake Lloyd

Three years before his iconic role as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Jake Lloyd made his acting debut with a four-episode arc on ER, playing Jimmy Sweet, the son of a prostitute.

23. Mena Suvari

Three years before her breakout roles in American Pie and American Beauty, Mena Suvari appeared in ER’s third season as Laura-Lee Armitage, a hesitant teenage patient.

24. Gabrielle Union

The same year she starred in Bring It On, Gabrielle Union added to her acting credits with a guest spot on ER.

25. Kristin Davis

Just one month before joining Melrose Place as the eccentric Brooke Armstrong, Kristin Davis portrayed the mother of an ER patient in 1995.

26. George Eads

Before his role in CSI, George Eads appeared as paramedic Greg Powell in several episodes of ER between 1997 and 1998, coinciding with his future CSI co-star Jorja Fox’s stint as a doctor.

27. Janel Moloney

Four years before her breakout role as Donna on The West Wing, Janel Moloney starred in a 1995 ER episode titled “The Birthday Party.” Her future West Wing co-star Bradley Whitford also appeared in two episodes that same year.