The Double Life of Commercial Actors

Friday, 18 February 2011 | by Pat's Picks

You always recognize them—kind of. The Wall Street Journal an interesting article on the double life of actors who’ve rammed themselves into our subconscious with their parts in high-profile commercials but still struggle for “recognition, roles, and a living wage"in their day jobs as actors or stand-up comics. Like the guy who voices the eTrade baby. Or the “hapless cable guy” in a slew of Verizon FiOS commercials. Comics say they turned to commercial work because there’s “no defined path anymore.” As Pete Holmes, otherwise known as the eTrade baby, puts it: “There’s no difference between commercial and sketch as long as it’s funny.” Plus, the money’s not bad.

The Journal put together this cool video of famous actors and the commercials they did before they were famous. Remember Brad Pitt stumping for Pringles? Or Leonardo DiCaprio’s BubbleYum commercial?

Here’s Pete Holmes doing his eTrade thing. Scroll all the way down to see some of his stand up: