Sam Elliott is the deep-voiced actor that has appeared in many beloved films throughout his illustrious career. He has gotten to the A-List but it took a lot of struggle and sacrifice to get him there.

Even though his father once said about his acting career “That kid doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell,” the actor perservered. Elliott started off in construction just to be able to make money while he was working on getting acting jobs. He eventually got a gig working on the house of an assistant director who would then introduce him to higher-ups at Universal Pictures. This would kick start his acting career, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

He landed his first role as a small part in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” and from then he began picking up TV roles. His movie breakthrough was in 1978’s “Lifeguard” and led him to a role in “The Legacy.” This was a pivotal moment for Elliott because he met his wife Katherine Ross, who is his partner to this day.

The couple welcomed their child Cleo Rose to the world and Sam had to juggle family life with his career. It was in 1985 when he appeared in the Cher movie “The Mask” where he played her biker boyfriend. From then on he frequently appeared in Westerns or as a cowboy such as “Tombstone” and “The Big Lebowski.”

Then came 2019 when the 74-year-old was recognized for his work in “A Star Is Born” by being nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar. He didn’t take the prize that night but spoke to Deadline saying, “…it’s really about the work; it’s just about the creative process. It’s great to be recognized for that, that’s really all it’s about.”

From starting off in construction all the way up to an Oscar nomination. Sam Elliott might have struggled in his long career in Hollywood but the work has certainly paid off.

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