Every actor has to start somewhere. Brad Pitt hasn't always been able to demand $25 million paychecks, as in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". His first movie paycheck paid only $38. Following are a few romantic film favorites and interesting facts about their early careers, as well as their breakout romantic movie.

Meg Ryan's first film role was in "Rich and Famous" with Jacqueline Bissett and Candice Bergen in 1981. She was cast as Candice Bergen's daughter, Debby. Prior to that, Meg was cast in an antiperspirant commercial in 1979. The product was Tickle; she was unrecognizable to me in the spot. If you have a chance to see it, she's doing a chin up in the commercial. Meg moved into a role in the soap opera As The World Turns next. Her romantic movie debut was in "When Harry Met Sally" in 1989.

Kate Hudson's first role was a guest appearance on Party of Five in 1997. In 1998 she was cast in the movie "Desert Blue". This film grossed a mere $99,147 in the U.S. The other cast members make this movie a curiosity to seek out - Casey Affleck, Christine Ricci, Sara Gilbert, John Heard, and Liev Schreiber. Hudson's first romantic movie success at the box office was "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" opposite Matthew McConaughey(2003).

Matthew McConaughey was cast as murder victim, Larry Dickens in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries in 1992. He then appeared in "Dazed and Confused" in 1993, a movie about the shenanigans of students on the last day of school in 1976. Matthew played the slightly older guy preying on the high school girls. This movie made early career news for these actors as well: Ben Affleck, Milla Jojovich, Jason London, Adam Goldberg, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, and Rene Zelwegger had a non speaking role. Vince Vaughan was turned down for a role in this film because he too closely resembled Cole Hauser. Matthew burst into the romantic comedy scene with his role in "The Wedding Planner" opposite Jennifer Lopez in 2001.

Anne Hathaway was cast in a Better Homes and Garden Real Estate commercial in 1997. She was just 14. Romantically enough – she played the heartbroken teenager whose boyfriend was moving away. In 1999 she played Meghan Green in Get Real, a series which aired only 20 episodes on the FOX Network. Her big break was "The Princess Diaries", but her first romance movie lead was in "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006).

It's difficult to nail down Brad Pitt's first work, however, early in his career he plays his pretty looks to the max in a Pringles commercial. Raised in Missouri, it's hard to believe he isn't a California boy, and apparently Pringles agreed. Brad is the foreground for surf boards and palm trees. As for movies, Brad earned $38 for his uncredited part in "Less Than Zero" (1987). Brad has continued to do commercials, and usually appears to be having fun in them. Commercials for Roots coffee, Rolex, and Heineken have all featured Mr. Pitt. Edwin jeans commercials, broadcast only in Japan, feature the most comical side of Brad. They include odd dance moves, bouncing a soccer ball off various body parts for 25 seconds, and Brad riding a segway. "Legends of the Fall" (1994) gave Brad his first significant romantic role.

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