Matt Dillon was a typical middle school student in Westchester, New York when he was discovered in 1978. Casting directors were visiting local middle schools, looking for fresh-faced talent to star in a new movie. They would go from one classroom to another, asking questions to any student who they felt seemed interesting or had the look they were seeking. At Hommocks Middle School, Matt Dillon was cutting class, walking through the hallways, trying to put out a tough-guy image. The talent scout who first met him commented that he was trying hard to seem like a bad kid from the wrong side of town, and eventually found out he was from a middle-class family in a great area.
The film he was cast for? Over the Edge, a drama about teenagers in the 1970s. Dillon received a positive response, which led to him being cast in My Bodyguard, another film that got great reviews and solidified his reputation as a teen icon. He starred in over five major films in the five years following his initial discovery. Dillon has gone on to star in popular movies like There’s Something About Mary and Beautiful Girls and was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for his role in Crash. Imagine if he had decided to go to class that day in middle school.