Kudos to Veronica Mars’ casting agents, because they knew talent when they saw it. Not only did they cast Kristen Bell as the namesake of the UPN-turned-CW-turned-Hulu show, but they also populated the fictional town of Neptune, California, with a slew of future Hollywood stars.
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Veronica Mars made her debut 20 years ago — on September 22, 2004 — with a compelling mystery surrounding the murder of Veronica's best friend, played by Amanda Seyfried, at a time when she was still far removed from her silver screen fame.
And Seyfried wasn’t the only Veronica Mars player on the cusp of major stardom. The show also featured guest appearances from Jessica Chastain, Melissa Leo, and JK Simmons before they won their Academy Awards, and Taylor Sheridan before he created the most-watched scripted show on linear television. (That all changed when Veronica Mars returned for a season on Hulu in 2019.)
Read more about their roles and those of other famous names below as we celebrate 20 big Veronica Mars guest stars in honor of the show's 20th anniversary.
