Lots of big-name guests appeared on Tales from the Crypt, including some who would become future stars. The iconic show, which originally ran from 1989 to 1996, set itself apart from many other anthology horror options of its day with its relatively explicit contents and unorthodox storytelling. This allowed it to attract some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, as well as become a breeding ground for rising stars
Part of what allowed Tales from the Crypt to stand apart was its home on HBO. This allowed the show which was inspired by the controversially violent EC horror comics of the 1950s, to indulge in R-rated levels of blood and gore, nudity, sex, and foul language. That was unusual, especially at a time, when premium cable original programming was still in its early stages. That lack of creative restriction enabled Tales from the Crypt to almost feel like a weekly mini horror movie, with all the trappings most would expect to see on the big screen. This extended to the casting, which saw A-listers like Tom Hanks - who also directed a Crypt episode - Michael J. Fox, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Pesci, Demi Moore, and Martin Sheen all stop by at one time or another. Some big-name directors also took part, including Robert Zemeckis, Richard Donner, William Friedkin, and more.
As great as it was for fans to have all that top talent on Tales from the Crypt, it turns out they were also bearing witness to the rise of several notable guest stars who would go on to become recognizable faces. Some would go on to star in TV shows, while others became big screen leads. Here's every future star featured on Tales from the Crypt.
Benicio del Toro
Benicio del Toro appears in Tales from the Crypt season 6, episode 6, "The Bribe." Terry O'Quinn (Lost's John Locke) stars as a fire inspector trying to shut down the strip club his daughter works at, only for things to go horribly awry. For his part, del Toro plays Bill, the manager of the club, who's carrying on a secret affair with the daughter. His big cinematic breakthrough would come later, thanks to the 1995 hit The Usual Suspects.
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt plays the main villain in "King of the Road," Tales from the Crypt season 4, episode 9. The story concerns a street racing legend turned small-town sheriff, and Pitt's dangerously cocky criminal who wants nothing more than to prove himself by beating the former champion in a race. Pitt had first gained fame via his brief but memorable turn in Thelma and Louise, but it was the 1994 Anne Rice book adaptation Interview with the Vampire and 1995's Seven that really made him a star.
Brad Garrett
Brad Garrett holds the distinction of appearing in the final episode ever of Tales from the Crypt, albeit not in live-action form. "The Third Pig," season 7, episode 13, was Tales from the Crypt's only animated outing, and put a demented spin on the classic Three Little Pigs story. Garrett voiced Drinky Pig, a pig that, naturally, enjoyed his booze. Garrett would of course gain widespread fame playing Robert Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig appeared in "Smoke Wrings," Tales from the Crypt season 7, episode 9. Season 7 had moved production to the U.K. to try and save money, leading to a different feel for the show, but also some new talent from the area participating. Craig plays a slick ex-con who ends up working at an ad agency after showing off a device he claims can hypnotize people into buying their products. Craig's character thinks he's playing his boss like a fiddle, but he might be the one getting played. Craig's five-movie tenure as James Bond would go on to make him a household name and span 15 years.
Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor made his Tales from the Crypt appearance not long before Craig's, in "Cold War," season 7, episode 6. McGregor stars as Ford, one-half of an inept pair of criminals that can't seem to get anything going their way. Ford's girlfriend Cammy leaves him for a handsome stranger named Jimmy, and before long, it's revealed that Ford and Cammy are zombies, and Jimmy is a vampire, leading to fantastical racism. McGregor would soon breakout thanks to Trainspotting, and be cast as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels.
Jada Pinkett Smith
One year after The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air almost cast Jada Pinkett, she played the major role of Jeryline in Demon Knight, Tales from the Crypt's first theatrical movie. Jeryline is a bit of a surprise protagonist, as she's forced to step up and fend off the titular creature after original hero Frank Brayker gets killed off. Pinkett's star would soon rise thanks to roles in The Nutty Professor, Set It Off, and the Matrix sequels.
Patricia Arquette
Patricia Arquette showed up in "Four-Sided Triangle," Tales from the Crypt season 2, episode 9. She plays Mary Jo, a young fugitive who gets sheltered by an old couple on their farm, only to find out that shelter comes with abuse. To top things off, she falls in love with a scarecrow. While horror fans knew Arquette thanks to her work as Kristen in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, she would get her first big leading role in 1993's True Romance, then rise further thanks to Ed Wood and Lost Highway.
Teri Hatcher
Teri Hatcher played a damsel in distress in "The Thing from the Grave," Tales from the Crypt season 2, episode 6. Hatcher's character is named Stacy, and she's a fashion model who falls in love with Devlin, her new photographer. The problem is, Stacy has a boyfriend named Mitch (played by the late Miguel Ferrer, always great in the role of intimidating villain) an obsessively jealous and violent man willing to do anything to keep the woman he feels belongs to him. Mitch murders Devlin, then targets Stacy, only to find out that love extends beyond death. Hatcher would break out a few years later as co-lead of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and later star in the long-running Desperate Housewives.