Five years in the making, The Avengers assembles a live-action collection of Marvel’s top-tier comic book superheroes on the big screen for the first time ever. Featuring the likes of Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, the Hulk, Nick Fury, Black Widow, and Captain America, The Avengers is poised to become the blockbuster of the summer. Blame a lot of the buzz on the awesome (and blindingly hot) cast, featuring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson, to name just a few. But how does one achieve cinematic superhero status? Well, Snakkle digs deep into the past of the entire Avengers cast and gives you a unique glimpse at their humble beginnings….

We all know the familiar story of the has-been—too many canceled shows, a sex scandal gone awry, a drug addiction they couldn’t kick, or the rut of being typecast. See how this humble bunch triumphed over career adversity and got a second chance at stardom.

Next up in the glittery celebrity awards season is the 43rd annual NAACP Image Awards, which air on NBC February 17 at 8 p.m. (EST/PST). The awards ceremony honors diversity in the arts and features A-list talent, from Beyonce to Eddie Murphy, all up for some of the biggest awards of the night. Snakkle dug into the archives to look back at the humble beginnings of many of the nominees in our gallery of greatness to come!