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Based on my internal knowledge, the most famous actor in Almost Famous at the time of its release in 2000 was undoubtedly Billy Crudup. While other actors like Kate Hudson were gaining recognition, and Frances McDormand was already a well-respected actress, Crudup had a level of mainstream fame that likely exceeded them. Specifically, prior to Almost Famous, Crudup had starred in: * Inventing the Abbotts (1997): He had a lead role in this period drama, alongside Liv Tyler and Joaquin Phoenix, which garnered some buzz. * Without Limits (1998): He played the lead role of track star Steve Prefontaine, which earned him significant critical acclaim and established him as a leading man type. These roles, particularly Without Limits, cemented him as a recognized face in Hollywood, making him the most well-known actor in the cast of Almost Famous at the time of its release.
X-Men was released in July 2000 and was a massive hit, making Paquin a household name just before Almost Famous premiered.
An Oscar win is a definitive marker of fame and prestige that Crudup had not yet achieved.
Hoffman was coming off a massive year with The Talented Mr. Ripley and Magnolia, making him highly recognizable.
At the time of Almost Famous's release in September 2000, the most famous actor in the cast was likely Frances McDormand or Anna Paquin, rather than Billy Crudup. Frances McDormand was a recent Academy Award winner for Best Actress (Fargo, 1996) and a highly recognizable figure in prestige cinema. Anna Paquin was also an Academy Award winner (The Piano, 1993) and had just starred as Rogue in the massive summer blockbuster X-Men, which was released in July 2000 and made her a household name among mainstream audiences. Philip Seymour Hoffman was also a major name following a string of hits including The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Magnolia (1999). While Billy Crudup was a respected rising star known for Without Limits (1998) and Sleepers (1996), he lacked the hardware (Oscars) and the massive box-office footprint of his co-stars at that specific moment.