Soap operas are the crazy TV shows your mom was hooked on for years. Many of today's most famous actors got their start on soaps before moving on to mega stardom. Here they are:

1. Leonardo DiCaprio

Leo was a typical child actor making guest starring rounds on a regular sitcom called Growing Pains from 1991-1992. But before that, he was in an NBC soap called Santa Barbara.

2. James Franco

James was a big star already when he decided to do General Hospital in 2009. He shot twenty episodes in three days, and even returned for stints in 2010 and 2011.

3. John Stamos

From 1982-1984, John Stamos played Blackie Parish on General Hospital, all that before he became Uncle Jesse on Full House.

4. Kelly Ripa

Kelly Ripa played Haley Vaughan on All My Children from 1990 to 2002. She left the soap when she replaced Kathie Lee on the morning talk show.

5. Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin played Billy Aldridch on "The Doctors" from 1980-1982. The show was supposed to be the rival for ABC's General Hospital.

6. Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan made her rounds as a child actor in a re-occuring role of Alexandra Ali Fowler on the soap - Another World. She got her breakout role in Disney's Parent Trap.

7. Sarah Michelle Gellar

Before she was slaying vampires, Sarah Michelle Gellar played Kendall Hart in ABC's soap All My Children from 1993-1995.

8. Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore impressed audiences for her portrayal of Frannie Hughes from 1985 to 19988 on As The World Turns.

9. Meg Ryan

Meg was already popular as a soap star on As The World Turns, but better things happened for her after that as we know it.

10. Demi Moore

Before she had a great movie career, Demi Moore played Jackie Templeton on General Hospital from 1981 to 1984.