Lively started his career by appearing in the pilot episode of The Dukes of Hazzard when he was 10 years old. His first film appearance was four years later in the 1983 film Brainstorm. That same year he also had another appearance in The Dukes of Hazzard.
Lively started his professional journey by appearing in the pilot episode of The Dukes of Hazzard at a young age. He made his first on-screen presence four years later in the 1983 film Brainstorm, and he also had another role in The Dukes of Hazzard that same year.