Lady Gaga is globally renowned as a pop sensation and performer, an Academy Award recipient, and a cover icon for Vogue, yet she possesses an extensive understanding of humble origins. Growing up in the vibrant city of New York, the 38-year-old celebrity has been captivating audiences both on stage and in films since her adolescence. Not every one of her initial acting parts and music concerts were particularly glamorous, but now that she’s triumphed in both Hollywood and the music realm, they’re a joy to look back on.
Below, explore our compilation of Lady Gaga’s finest early and pre-Gaga-name appearances:
Year unrecorded: Participated in an anti-harassment video
Throughout her journey, Gaga has consistently voiced opposition to sexism, misogyny, and rape culture, but this easily-missed role in a classic anti-harassment educational clip often shown to secondary school pupils about consent illustrates her principles truly extend far back. (To catch a glimpse of young Gaga resisting the inappropriate advances of an unsettling individual, navigate to 0:40.)