The red carpets weren’t always rolling out for this year’s batch of Academy Award nominees.

Before the big screen roles, seven-figure salaries and fawning fans, movie stars started out as ordinary people. Sure, after decades in the spotlight, Oscar hopefuls like Robert De Niro, Sally Field, Steven Spielberg and Denzel Washington are some of the most familiar faces in the industry.

But that wasn’t always true.

Before bursting into the spotlight, their now-famous mugs might not have caught so much as a singular glance amongst a crowd on Hollywood Boulevard.

So as we count down the final hours to the award season’s most-anticipated ceremony, Celebuzz takes a trip back in time to see what this year’s crop of nominees looked like before they scored their 2013 Oscar nomination.

Was Bradley Cooper just as eye-catching before hitting it big? Was Denzel Washington distinguished even decades before becoming the most-nominated African American in the history of the Oscars? And was Anne Hathawayalways big-screen beautiful?

Find out by taking a peek at our blast-from-the-past the gallery. Scroll through to see if you can guess the Oscar nominee from their pre-fame photos.

Many of this year’s Oscar nominees have been in the business for a very, very, very long time.

Just look at Lincoln star Sally Field, who had to fight her way through the studio systems in the ’60s before she could ever hope of winning two Oscars and an additional third nomination.

Then there’s Denzel Washington, who spent much of the ’80s on the small screen, and Jacki Weaver, who sang (quite beautifully, we might add) on Australian television the ’60s.

But what did they actually look like when they were just starting out?

Celebuzz has pulled together some images of Field, Washington, Weaver and more of Oscar’s latest batch of nominees as they were just getting their foots in the door.

See the highlights, below.

Sally Field, 1965

Robert De Niro, 1977

Denzel Washington, 1986

Emmanuelle Riva, 1965

Naomi Watts, 1993

Alan Arkin, 1972

Helen Hunt, 1987

Ben Affleck, 1997

Steven Spielberg, 1979

Joaquin Phoenix, 1984

Daniel Day-Lewis, 1989

Philip Seymour Hoffman, 1991

Hugh Jackman, 1997

Anne Hathaway, 1999

Jacki Weaver, 1966

All images courtesy of Getty Images

Before the red carpets, big screen roles and seven-figure salaries, movie stars started out as ordinary people.

And this year’s batch of Academy Award nominees are no exception. Sure, after decades in the spotlight, A-list acting nominees like Robert De Niro, Sally Field and Denzel Washington are so recognizable that they might stop traffic a mile away.

But before bursting onto the scene, their now-famous mugs would have blended right in with a crowd on Hollywood Boulevard.

So as the countdown to the Oscars ceremony (five weeks!) continues, Celebuzz takes a trip back in time to see what this year’s crop of nominees looked like before they hit the big time.

Was Tommy Lee Jones just as distinguished decades before Lincoln? Was Jennifer Lawrence already breaking hearts as a pre-teen? Did Anne Hathaway always have her movie star good looks?

For a blast from the past, take a gander at the gallery and see if you can guess the Oscar nominee from their pre-fame photos.

The upcoming Spider-Man reboot is about to acquire a little sheen. Martin Sheen, that is.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Apocalypse Now actor (and father to recently embattled actor Charlie) Sheen is in final talks to play “Uncle” Ben Parker in Spider-Man 4, inheriting a role that was portrayed by Cliff Robertson in earlier installments of the superhero series. Meanwhile, Sally Field is in talks to assume the role of “Aunt” May Parker, who had been played previously by Rosemary Harris.

In other news, the upcoming four-quel—which will see Andrew Garfield playing the titular web-slinger—will not include his love interest Mary Jane Watson, made famous by Kirsten Dunst in the first three Spider-Man movies. While, as previously reported, Emma Stone will play Spidey/Peter Parker’s earlier flame Gwen Stacy, earlier reports suggested, and fans had hoped, that the film—which will chronicle the hero’s formative years as a high-schooll student—would include both Stacy and Watson.

Sorry, cinematic love-triangle fans; you might be better off sitting this one out.

Do you think the Spider-Man reboot will be successful? Let us know in the comments section.

Before the madness of the VMAs, celebs like Vanessa Hudgens, Kelly Osbourne and breast cancer survivor Christina Applegate used their starpower for a good cause: raising money at Friday night’s Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon.

Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross (whose husband suffered from cancer) and former American Idol singer David Archuleta also turned up for the star-studded charity event. Officials said they would announce the fundraising total this week. The 2008 Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon raised more than $100 million.

Click here for more photos from Stand Up 2 Cancer. Who’s your favorite celeb fundraiser? Let us know in the comments!