Throughout the cinematic history of DC movies, there has been a wide range of actors who have portrayed some of the most powerful superheroes in existence. From highly regarded "serious" actors to some who were not widely known at the time of casting, it has been a very diverse field. Fans usually like to focus on the acting history of the actors when they hear news of who will be the live-action version of their favorite heroes (or villains) and then decide if they think it's a good choice (and sometimes have a meltdown when they disagree). Social media has become an often raucous platform for debates about who should be cast and whether they will be able to do justice to a particular role.

It is also fun to see what these actors were doing before they got into Hollywood and what "real life" roles they have performed once they became stars. Sometimes, it's just a case of someone who had a normal life and then got a break and became an actor. However, as we'll see, there are instances where the jobs these actors had before and after they joined the DC Universe were truly bizarre. Some were even closely related to the characters that they would eventually become. Let's take a look at the real life alter-egos these actors had.

15 MICHAEL KEATON: GOTHAM COMEDY CLUB

Before he landed the iconic role of Batman, Michael Keaton tried his hand as a stand-up comic. One of the more fascinating aspects about this was that he actually performed at the famous Gotham Comedy Club in New York. Talk about a sign of things to come! Ironically, this background was one of the reasons fans were not happy with him being cast as Batman, and that's putting it mildly. Had there been social media in the '80's, the internet would pretty much have broken upon the news of Keaton being cast as the Dark Knight. Fans thought this was an indication that the movie would be comedic and corny in the Adam West Batman tv series mold.

Of course, the reality turned out to be much different and both the movie and actor were enthusiastically embraced by fandom. The movie introduced "darkness" to the superhero movie genre and its effect still resonates in film adaptations to this day. Keaton's performance has become legendary and this was the first case of an actor proving the doubters wrong in terms of superhero roles. His stand-up comedy career never really took off, but it's good to see he handled it better than Joker did in The Killing Joke. 

14 MARGOT ROBBIE: WORKED AT SUBWAY

Margot Robbie Before She Was Famous

Suicide Squad is arguably the most intriguing DCEU movie to date. It was hammered by critics, but made a lot of money. It generated plenty of buzz prior to its release thanks to having some name actors, a new Joker, and trailers which were very well-received. Fans were divided once they saw the movie; many were let down by what they thought was a confusing, weirdly-edited mess. One thing that was agreed upon was that Robbie absolutely delivered in the role of Harley Quinn. In many ways, she became bigger than Suicide Squad and the speculation nowadays is about movies focused on her rather than a Suicide Squad sequel.

Her background is interesting in that it is far removed from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. She was working at a restaurant at the young age of 10 and in her teens was working three jobs, including making sandwiches at Subway. Her official title was "Sandwich Artist," which seems like something Joker came up with. She probably did not come across anybody quite as disturbed as you would find at Arkham Asylum, but her path to stardom was just as improbable as anyone thinking Harley Quinn would become a major character when she debuted in the cartoon Batman: The Animated Series. 

13 JASON MOMOA: LIFEGUARD

Jason Momoa worked as a lifeguard. He also worked at a surf shop selling surfboards. He also studied marine biology in school. Is the upcoming Aquaman movie just a story of his real life and/or is he actually the real Aquaman? He was not just any lifeguard either; he was the youngest lifeguard in the history of the Gulf Coast! And this is how he was first spotted and considered for another water-related role, being cast on the show Baywatch: Hawaii. There are things in some people's past that they can look back on as a coincidence and then there is this next-level craziness.

All this coincidence aside, Aquaman will be the only DC movie releasing in 2018 and there is a lot riding on it, considering the performance of Justice League. The film was the theatrical debut of Aquaman and his portrayal was generally received positively. There was an obvious attempt to modernize the character and reverse the perception of him being kind of a joke, and this seems to be the direction in which the solo film will continue. We'll see how the full-length feature does but if his past is any indication, Momoa should be in familiar waters.

12 STEPHEN AMELL: WWE WRESTLER

There's always been an overlap between the worlds of comics books and professional wrestling. Both feature good vs evil, colorful characters, and fake fights. So, it was cool to see the two merge fully as Amell not only made a guest appearance for WWE but actually wrestled at one of its major pay-per-view events, SummerSlam. He didn't just just go through the motions either, performing some high-flying maneuvers which are usually done by wrestlers who have trained for years. He and his tag-team partner wound up winning the match. Not only that, Amell also wrestled for the smaller, not as well-known Ring of Honor wrestling organization.

Small and not well-known could also be applied to Arrow when it first began, but its success in not only having a hit show but creating an entire TV universe is not something which could have been foreseen.The show has received mixed reviews as it has gone on, and the ratings dipped for this last season, but it has been renewed once more and fans can look forward to the debut of Batwoman for the upcoming season. We'll see how long the show will go on and if there are any more crossovers for Amell from the Arrowverse to the WWE universe.

11 CHRISTIAN BALE: CHILD ACTOR

Bruce Wayne's past influenced what he would ultimately become and this is the case for Bale as well. He was only eight years old when he started appearing in TV ads and this is when he first crossed paths with a popular pop culture character as he was in a commercial for Pac-Man cereal. His first breakthrough role was only a few years later in Empire of the Sun. He received a lot of praise for this, so much that it made him uncomfortable and he wanted to quit acting because of all the attention he was getting. He was convinced to continue acting and ultimately decided to stay the course.

Years later he would bring Batman back to the screens and currently holds the title for most appearances as Batman on film, with three credits to his name.  Those movies were critical and financial successes and wiped out the memories fans had of Batman and Robin. His performance was also considered good, although many did criticize his bat-voice (if only he had done tv ads for cough drops in his childhood). He's been on screen pretty much his whole life and as the Joker said, he seems destined to do this forever.

10 MARLON BRANDO: ELEVATOR OPERATOR

The legendary Brando was the first actor to bring Superman's father, Jor-El, to the big screen. This was the start of a trend in comic book movies to bring a big name veteran actor on-board in a side role, something which continues to this day. The most amazing aspect of this casting choice was his salary; he received $3.7 million plus 11.75% of the total box office gross which wound up being $19 million for about 10 minutes of screen time! His farewell speech to Kal-El before sending him to Earth is his best remembered scene and moving people to different locations was something he had done before he became an actor. For a short time, he held a job as an elevator operator, manually moving shoppers to different floors in a department store. It probably didn't pay as well as his Superman role.

Brando actually had no interest in the movie and would admit it was purely for the money that he agreed to do it. In fact, he refused to have his footage used for the intro of Superman 2 (which showed flashbacks of the original movie) unless the producers paid him.  Troubles aside, there is no doubting the impact and effect his casting would have on future superhero movies.

9 DANNY DEVITO: CORPSE HAIRDRESSER

In Batman Returns, Devito played the role of Penguin, a goo spewing half-man, half-beast who grew up in the sewers with actual penguins. Turns out this was only his second weirdest role. Prior to becoming an actor, he was a hairdresser for dead people. The only positive thing that can be said for this job is that the people can't really complain that you did a bad job.  This kind of bizarreness is exactly what the director of Batman Returns, Tim Burton, is known for. In fact, it's kind of surprising that he did not direct a trilogy involving a character who is a corpse hairdresser.

DeVito's portrayal of Penguin has a mixed legacy. Some relished the unusual take, while others complained that it was way too different (and weird) from the Penguin of the comics. There were reports that parents had to escort their crying kids from the theaters and McDonald's cancelled its promotion of the movie products. The tone of the movie was the reason Warner Bros. decided to switch gears to more lighthearted Batman movies. Judging from his past employment, DeVito likely felt right at home playing such an eccentric character in a strange setting.

8 BRANDON ROUTH: BOLLYWOOD ACTOR

When Brandon Routh was first cast as Superman, fans immediately noticed the physical similarity to Christopher Reeve, who was thought of highly for his take on Superman. It was going to be a tough act to follow, but for the most part Routh was regarded as having done a good job. Although a hit with critics, it was not enthusiastically embraced by fans or the public and wound up under-performing financially. Shortly after Superman Returns, Routh went to India and had a small role in a Bollywood movie entitled Kambakkht Ishq. Finding a new home is not something new for Superman, but this seemed a bit odd. The film was a moderate hit, but it turned out to be a one-time deal for Routh who would not act in any more Indian films.

Routh has since returned to the DC universe playing the role of The Atom on DC'S Legends of Tomorrow. The show has done well enough to be renewed for a fourth season and Routh is the only actor to have played two different live-action DC heroes. It's a nice little "coming home" story, but it does feel like an opportunity was missed for Routh to have made a bigger impact as Superman.

7 MICHELLE PFEIFFER: CHECKOUT GIRL

The character of Catwoman is one of the most enduring and long-lasting on screen, going back all the way to the Batman tv show of the '60s. The fact that a female anti-hero has been able to thrive this long with many different actresses in the role is a testament to the character. Batman Returns generates many diverse opinions, but one aspect which was almost universally praised was Pfeiffer as Catwoman. There were even plans for her to have her own spin-off solo movie but that never came to fruition.

Much like Selina Kyle in the film, Pfeiffer also had an unremarkable job in her youth working as a checkout girl at a grocery store. Hopefully her boss there treated her better than Max Shreck did in Batman Returns because Miss Kyle does not react well to an abusive boss. From all the iterations we have seen of Catwoman, Pfeiffer's portrayal is the one that still stands out. There is no doubt that the character will be back on the big screen, whether it's in a new Batman movie or in a Birds of Prey film as has been rumored. Whatever the future holds, one hopes that someone can deliver a performance as worthy as the one Pfeiffer gave.

6 HENRY CAVILL: BARTENDER

Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill's history as Superman has been one of the most interesting aspects of the DCEU. A lot of what has been criticized about this version of Superman has been about things out of his control; whether it's the tone of his movies or bad CGI. His performance has been praised, but these external factors have overshadowed it. In an interesting twist, Cavill was considered for Superman Returns before nabbing the role for Man of Steel. During the time he was in consideration for Superman Returns, he worked as a bartender and has revealed that the DJ of the club would routinely play the Superman theme as a good luck charm! It didn't work right away as he was passed over until Man of Steel. 

The future of Cavill as Superman is very much up in the air. The three movies he has appeared in all have under-performed financially, especially Justice League. There is speculation that he will cameo in the upcoming Shazam movie, but a pure sequel to Man of Steel has yet to be announced. If his future as Superman is coming to an end, perhaps a return to the bar scene and opening up an establishment called Kal-cohol would lure DC fans.

5 WONDER WOMAN: UN HONORARY AMBASSADOR

This title technically did not go to Gal Gadot but to the Wonder Woman character. However, she was certainly very much part of the proceedings and gave a speech as a representative highlighting the need for women's empowerment. The official title was "Honorary Ambassador For The Empowerment Of Women And Girls" and it certainly fit with the character of Wonder Woman in terms of fighting for humanity worldwide. There was just one problem; while most people applauded the distinction, there was a large group which felt the recognition was undeserved; in their view, the character is demeaning to women.

Whatever one's opinion is on this, there's no denying it was a huge accomplishment for a fictional character to even get consideration by an international body as symbolic as the UN. The character has always been popular, but it really was the movie which gave it the extra exposure for this kind of achievement to be realized. We'll see how much the sequel adds to the visibility of Wonder Woman, especially overseas as she is not as popular there as in North America. What is undeniable is that DC has a breakout hit movie character and Gadot is a large reason why.

4 MARGOT KIDDER: DEMOCRATIC PARTY COORDINATOR

The late Margot Kidder will always be remembered for her portrayal of Lois Lane. There was something about her performance that has yet to be replicated, despite many different actresses having played the role of the journalist. And it seems politics was not just limited to the Metropolis newsroom for her; in fact, her whole life has been intertwined with politics in some form. She dated the father (Pierre Trudeau) of the current Canadian Prime Minister, and had been very active politically. She was an avid anti-war activist and was even arrested while protesting an oil pipeline.

She also held the position of the State Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America in the state of Montana. The same spunk and quest for headlines that she showed as Lois Lane seemed to spill over into her personal life as well. As State Coordinator, she wrote numerous articles expressing her views on how government should be run and why she opposed certain government initiatives both at a national and state level. It was definitely an example of life imitating art. Fans will forever appreciate her contribution to Superman lore, and  some in the public will remember her for showing the same tenacity towards real life events.

3 LYNDA CARTER: BAND MEMBER

Before the current resurgence of Wonder Woman into the mainstream sphere, the character had another surge in popularity due to the '70's tv show Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter. The show remained popular and talked about long after its run ended, although it's interesting to note that it only lasted four seasons. Carter was Wonder Woman for a generation of fans and the public alike. Prior to her breakthrough role, she was a member of a band called The Relatives which toured the U.S. and performed in places like Las Vegas. The band was called that due to the fact that two of Carter's cousins were part of it.

Carter had a musical background and incorporated some of that on her show. The famous spin that she did when transforming from Diana into Wonder Woman was her idea and she mentioned it was her dancing background which inspired the thought to do it. The spin became so famous that some Wonder Woman comics started using it, as well. Nowadays, there is some speculation that she will have a role in the upcoming Wonder Woman sequel. Whether she does or not, Carter's place in Wonder Woman history is secure and her contributions helped in making the character a mainstream icon.

2 MELISSA BENOIST: SINGER AT DISNEYLAND

Supergirl has had an intriguing history as a character. Although she starred in the first (and at the time only) female-led superhero movie, the character never seemed to reach the heights of popularity of other DC female characters. Part of the reason may be that the Supergirl was a major box office misfire, and it also seemed DC was never quite sure what to do with her in comic books (she was even killed off at one point). So, when the announcement was made that a Supergirl series was in the works, it got people interested to see how it would play out.

After the first season, the show would move to the CW network, which is home to most of the DC shows. The show is generally positively regarded among fans, and Benoist in particular has been praised. Prior to landing the role, Benoist was a singer for a couple of years at Disneyland in her teens. It would be huge news if we were to discover that this was all a plot to infiltrate Disney on behalf of rival studio Warner Bros. , but that does not seem to be the case. As for the show, it has been renewed for a fourth season so we'll see how it progresses and if any more "Arrowverse" crossovers occur.

1 BEN AFFLECK: CHILD ACTOR

Here is another Batman who was a child actor. If you are placing bets on who will be the next on-screen Batman it's probably a good idea to choose someone who was an actor in his youth. Affleck was on an educational show for kids entitled "The Voyage of the Mimi," which attempted to teach kids about science and math. Perhaps this is where he first learned how to design the Batsuit and incorporate science into his crime-fighting. Other early roles included being in a Burger King commercial.

As for his current situation, whether or not he will continue as the cinematic Batman is one of the most talked about things in the DCEU. He's already dropped out of directing a Batman movie and there has been speculation for a while that his days as Batman might be ending soon, too. His version of the Dark Knight is the only one thus far to have been in movies with other DC superheroes not in the "Bat-family" and might end up being the only one without a focus on him and his villains. It's definitely a story that will keep leading to rumors until a decision is made one way or the other.