Early in her career, Hollywood called Kristen Bell's talent ''the Bell Spell''

Kristen Bell's first acting role was a banana at age 12 in a production of Raggedy Ann and Andy at a local Stagecrafters community theater in Royal Oak. To the audience, it might've been minor, but to the actress, it was more than that.

"It was a complex dual role actually," she told the Detroit Free Press in 2004. "I played a banana in the first act, and I played a tree in the second act. I know what you're thinking, how could I balance two characters like that? But somehow I did it." She took pride in playing both parts, which eventually gave her the confidence to become the next young star. This early experience helped launch a career that Hollywood would soon call "the Bell Spell."

Dawn Ostroff, who led UPN Entertainment at the time, was also impressed when Bell auditioned for Veronica Mars. "Kristen is one of those young actors who walked in the room and knocked our socks off. She just exuded the character. So, when somebody walks into an audition and really exhibits a command of the part in that way, you recognize real talent."

After spending two years at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and before landing the role of Veronica Mars, Bell played Becky Thatcher in Tom Sawyer on Broadway. That role led to more opportunities. When she moved to Los Angeles, she continued to find success, appearing on shows like Everwood, American Dreams, and The Shield. Early on, it was clear she had a special impact on the industry.