Nicholas Sparks Movies Are A Superstar Factory

Has it really been five years since The Last Song was released and, subsequently, since Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth first started dating? Even though they broke their engagement in 2013, I'm still not over it. And even though they decided their relationship wasn't for them, I doubt they regret playing Ronnie and Will in the big screen adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' best seller, because it did amazing things for both of their careers. While Cyrus had been known from Hannah Montana long before The Last Song, Hemsworth was virtually unknown and now has a huge career, including starring in The Hunger Games, which is obviously a big deal. And Hemsworth isn't the first person to benefit from taking one of these romantic roles, either. Since his books first started becoming movies, Nicholas Sparks' films have basically become a factory for superstars.

Because while some call Sparks-penned movies "chick flicks," I call them the perfect jumping off point for starting a ridiculously successful career. Not only are they perfect to watch during a girl's night with your friends — or, to be honest, with a huge bottle of wine by yourself on a Friday night — but they've also served as a springboard for way more actors and actresses than you might think.

A Walk to Remember — Mandy Moore & Shane West

Although Moore had a pretty successful pop career, A Walk to Remember was her earliest major movie role, and if she didn't make you cry in this movie, you're totally lying. Also, I have to thank Sparks and the casting director behind this movie for giving us the beauty that is Shane West. He'd been in movies before, but this one made him pretty huge — and by huge, I mean there were posters of him in my favorite teenie magazine that I got to rip out and tape to my wall.

The Notebook— Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams

This role came after Mean Girls, true, but it was what proved McAdams could play any role. And could you imagine a world where Ryan Gosling had never played the Noah to McAdams' Allie? Not only would we have never seen their adorable, real life relationship that unfortunately didn't last, but maybe Gosling never would've been propelled to superstardom. I don't know about you, but that's not a world I would want to live in.

Dear John — Channing Tatum

Before Dear John, Tatum was simply known as "that guy from Step Up"and "the hot dude in She's The Man." After letting Sparks' movie work its magic, Channing was on a winning streak — less than two years later, he starred in 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike, both of which would be huge for his career.

The Lucky One — Taylor Schilling

When I saw Schilling star in this movie with Zac Efron — who, admittedly, was the reason I saw the movie in the first place — I had no idea who she was. Soon, she'd go on to star as Piper in my new favorite show, Orange is The New Black, which has obviously become quite a phenomenon since.

Images: Touchstone Pictures, Giphy (4)