Justin Bieber to Johnny Depp: Celebrities who were discovered by pure accident

Success stories in Hollywood and the music industry often come with a twist of fate. 

For some of today’s biggest stars, their careers were launched by chance encounters, happy accidents, or being in the right place at the right time. 

Here are five celebrities who prove that destiny sometimes has its own casting director.

Justin Bieber’s YouTube Chance

Before becoming one of the world’s biggest pop stars, Justin Bieber was simply uploading videos on YouTube.

Music executive Scooter Braun stumbled upon one of Bieber’s videos while searching for another artist.

Intrigued, he tracked down Bieber’s mother by calling local school districts in Ontario until she finally responded.

Johnny Depp’s Horror Movie Twist

Before becoming one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood, Johnny Depp had no plans to pursue acting.

His dream was music, and he moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s with his band. But fate had other plans.

Depp along when his friend Jackie Earle Haley auditioned for A Nightmare on Elm Street, and director Wes Craven decided to cast him instead.

Pamela Anderson’s Jumbotron Moment

In 1989, Pamela Anderson was a fitness instructor in Vancouver, far from the red swimsuits of Baywatch.

During a British Columbia Lions CFL game, she appeared on the stadium’s Jumbotron, and the crowd’s enthusiastic reaction made her an overnight sensation.

By October, she was on the cover of Playboy, and soon after, she booked her first television role on Charles in Charge.

Mandy Moore’s FedEx Delivery Discovery

For Mandy Moore, the road to stardom started in Orlando, where she saved up enough money before high school to record in a local studio. 

A FedEx delivery man overheard her singing and decided to pass her tape along to a friend, who just happened to be the head of Urban A&R at Epic Records.

Soon after, Moore was meeting with music executives.

Natalie Portman’s Pizza Shop Encounter

Sometimes a slice of pizza can change your life! Natalie Portman was just 10 years old when she was approached by a modeling agent while eating with her mom after dance class.