Film director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg is one of the most popular directors and producers in film history. A pioneer of the New Hollywood era, he popularized the genre of escapist films. As of 2020, he is the highest-grossing film director in history. He has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice.
Retired basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a legendary NBA champion and its all-time leading scorer. Known for his trademark skyhook shot, he achieved remarkable feats during his career. Later, he pursued a successful writing and acting career and was even selected U.S. global cultural ambassador. The NBA star is also the proud recipient of the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Queen guitarist and singer-songwriter Brian May is also a PhD in astrophysics. One of Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and Guitar World’s second-greatest guitarist, he received a CBE. He was a Chancellor of Liverpool at John Moores University, has worked with NASA, and fights for animal rights.
Veteran actor and filmmaker, Tommy Lee Jones, has had a career spanning over half a century. he has played many notable roles onscreen and is especially known for portraying real-life characters like businessman Howard Hughes. He has won an Academy Award for his performance in the movie, The Fugitive. Tommy Lee Jones is an inductee to the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
An acclaimed American actress, Sally Field has won prestigious awards, such as Academy Awards and Emmy Awards. Apart from being a popular actress, Sally Field has also played an important role as an activist, advocating for gay rights and women's rights. She has been part of the board of directors of an international women's NGO called Vital Voices Global Partnership.
Mainly known for his comic roles, Canadian actor Eugene Levy has had a career spanning over six decades, with Splash, Father of the Bride, Waiting for Guffman, American Pie and American Pie 2 being some of his memorable films. He has also acted in television and found success with the hit series, Schitt's Creek. He is also a writer and director.
Susan Sarandon is hailed as one of the best actresses of her time. She has starred in many acclaimed Hollywood films like Bull Durham, Thelma and Louise, Atlantic City and Lorenzo's Oil. In 1995 she won an Oscar for Dead Man Walking. She’s also a political activist and has often protested against issues like war, gun violence and migrant separation policy.
A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees is known for his versatility. Barry ranks second on the Guinness World Records list of successful songwriters and has gifted his fans cult classics of pop/disco music of the 1960s and 1970s, such as Stayin’ Alive.
Starting off as a radio weatherman, David Letterman has come a long way. He has been the longest-serving American late-night talk-show host and ranked 45th on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list. He later dabbled in production, with hit sitcoms such as Everybody Loves Raymond.
Guitarist Carlos Santana rose to fame in the late 1960s and 1970s with his rock band Santana. He introduced elements of Latin American jazz in his rock music to create unique songs. He is the recipient of ten Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone magazine listed him on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists in 2015.
Comedian, writer, actor, director, and television producer Larry David is best known as the co-creator of the television series Seinfeld. He discovered his talent for comedy as a college student and began his career as a stand-up performer. After a few years of struggle, he achieved success and went on to become an accomplished actor, director, and producer.
Jonathan Banks became the first actor to receive nominations for Primetime Emmy Award under the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category for three different shows, all of which feature him in the main cast. He has also made contributions to a couple of video games, namely Batman: Arkham Knight and Lego The Incredibles.
Bill Cinton was the 42nd president of the United States who served for two terms from 1993 to 2001. He was the third-youngest president in the American history and presided over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history. The second-term of his presidency was rocked by the infamous Monica Lewinsky sex-scandal for which he was impeached and later acquitted.
The celebrated former baseball player whose Major League career spanned 27 years, retired with record 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. Nicknamed Ryan Express, Nolan Ryan played as a pitcher and had long stints with Houston Astros and California Angels. A member of the American National Baseball Hall of Fame, he is the principal owner of Ryan Sanders Sports and Entertainment.
Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, Glenn Close holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations without a win for a female actor. Also an activist, she has campaigned for issues like mental health, women's rights, and gay marriage. In 2019, she was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list.
Mostly known for playing real-life characters, Emmy Award-winner James Woods began his career on stage. Fans adore him for his performances in the play Moonchildren, the series Holocaust, and the TV movie Too Big to Fail. He also played a significant voice role in the animated feature Hercules.
Iggy Pop is an American singer-songwriter, actor, musician, and record producer. Nicknamed the Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop was an important member of the proto-punk band Iggy and the Stooges. One of the first singers to perform stage-dive, Pop is credited with popularizing the activity. A culture icon, Iggy Pop has had a major influence on musicians of various genres.
One of the highest-earning authors in the contemporary world, James Patterson is the writer of many mystery fictions which sold records copie globally. Born to working-class parents of Irish-origin, the American writer whose thriller novels include Alex Cross and Michael Bennett series is also a philanthropist and contributes to promoting reading. He founded the James Patterson PageTurner Awards.
Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist whose work Midnight's Children is widely considered the best novel of all Booker Prize winners. In 2007, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature. In 2008, he was ranked 13th in the 50 greatest British writers since 1945 list published by The Times.
![Don Henley Don Henley](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/don-henley-4741-1.jpg)
Don Henley is an American record producer, singer, songwriter, and musician. A founding member of Eagles, Henley contributed immensely to the success of the band. Don Henley has also been successful as a solo artist, selling more than 10 million albums and winning two Grammy Awards. In 2008, Rolling Stone magazine named him among the greatest singers of all time.
Jonathan Pryce is one of the most popular Welsh actors of all time. Renowned for his versatility, Pryce has contributed immensely across all the three major acting mediums: movies, television and theatre. Best known for his work in theatre, Pryce is a two-time winner of the prestigious Tony Award. In the 2009 Birthday Honours, Jonathan Pryce was appointed a CBE for services to drama.
Emmylou Harris is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. Apart from being a bandleader, a solo artist, and an interpreter of other artists' works, Harris is also an activist; since 1999, she has been conducting Concerts for a Landmine Free World, an annual benefit tour. She is also an ardent supporter of animal rights organizations, such as PETA.
![Mick Fleetwood Mick Fleetwood](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/mick-fleetwood-1.jpg)
![John Ratzenberger John Ratzenberger](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/john-ratzenberger-30397-1.jpg)
Alan Sugar is a British business magnate, politician, author, and media personality. He is credited with founding the popular electronics company, Amstrad. He also co-owned the English football club Tottenham Hotspur from 1991 to 2001. Also a well-known philanthropist, Sugar donated £200,000 to the Labour Party in 2001. He has also donated for charities, such as Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Laura Bush is an American educator. She served as the First Lady of the US from 2001 to 2009, during which she encouraged education and helped advance women's causes through non-profit organizations. Regarded as one of the most famous American First Ladies, Laura Bush focused on raising awareness about malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Mike Krzyzewski is a men's basketball coach currently affiliated with Duke University. He played basketball in the United States Military Academy and served as an officer in the United States Army for a few years. He later joined the coaching staff at the Indiana Hoosiers. He has been with Duke University since 1980 and plans to retire soon.
![Robert Englund Robert Englund](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/robert-englund-30703-1.jpg)
![Edward James Olmos Edward James Olmos](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/edward-james-olmos-1.jpg)
Edward James Olmos is an American actor, activist, director, and producer. Over the course of his career, Olmos has won several prestigious awards like the Golden Globe Award, Primetime Emmy Award, and Saturn Award. Edward James Olmos is credited with contributing positively to the image of the Hispanics in the US.
James Dyson is a British industrial designer, inventor, entrepreneur, and landowner. He is credited with founding the popular technology company, Dyson Ltd. He is also credited with inventing the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner. Also known for his philanthropic activities, Dyson established the James Dyson Foundation to support engineering education and to inspire young people.
![Benny Andersson Benny Andersson](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/benny-andersson-31769-1.jpg)
Born into a family of accordion players, Benny Andersson grew up to become a member of the iconic Swedish band ABBA, known for legendary chartbusting tracks such as Dancing Queen and Mamma Mia. Even after ABBA disbanded, he continued working on projects such as the musical Chess.
Ronnie Wood is a musician and songwriter. Over the years, Wood has been an important member of popular rock bands like the Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck Group, and Faces. He is one of the few musicians to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A cancer survivor, Wood serves as an inspiration to those fighting cancer.
![Michio Kaku Michio Kaku](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/michio-kaku-1.jpg)
Apart from teaching at the City College of New York, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku also often pens his thoughts in blogs and has written several bestselling books, such as The God Equation. His research is focused on the string theory. He also believes in the existence of aliens.
Albert Brooks is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. Best known for his portrayal of a Jewish mobster in the action drama film Drive, Brooks has also played important roles in films like Broadcast News and Taxi Driver. Over the years, he has been honored with awards, such as the American Comedy Award and Boston Society of Film Critics Award.
![Daryl Hall Daryl Hall](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/daryl-hall-47701-1.jpg)
Oliver Stone is a filmmaker best known for his trilogy of war films, which he made based on his own experience in the Vietnam War, where he served as an infantry soldier. Known for making controversial films based on political issues, he is often criticized for misrepresenting real-world events and promoting conspiracy theories in his films.
Robert Kiyosaki is an American author and businessman known for his internationally acclaimed book Rich Dad Poor Dad; his Rich Dad Poor Dad book series has sold more than 41 million copies worldwide after having been translated into 51 languages. Kiyosaki is also credited with founding the Rich Dad Company and Rich Global LLC, which filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
Patti Smith is an American singer-songwriter. Referred to as the punk poet laureate, Smith became an influential figure of the punk rock movement with the release of her album Horses. Many world-renowned musicians, such as Madonna and Michael Stipe, have cited Smith as their inspiration. Even actresses like Ellen Page and Maria Doyle Kennedy have called Smith a major influence.
![Rob Reiner Rob Reiner](http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thumbs/rob-reiner-1.jpg)