Famous Canadian Men

Entrepreneur, engineer and industrial designer, Elon Musk, is famous as founder of the electronic payment firm PayPal, and the SpaceX spacecraft company. He is also the CEO of Tesla Motors. Elon Musk has plans to revolutionize transportation on earth as well as to space through futuristic technology.

The star of John Wick, Speed and The Matrix films, Keanu Reeves has displayed his wide range as an actor, time and again. The humble Canadian actor has also famously given away his money to recognise the work of crew and to enable the production team to hire good actors.

One of the most successful Canadian recording artists, singer-songwriter, the Weeknd, holds several chart records and has won numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards. Despite a difficult childhood marred by drug abuse and violence, he persevered and worked hard to emerge as a beloved music star. He is actively involved in philanthropy.

Drake soared to fame with his performance as Jimmy Brooks in the series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He then became a rap sensation with his platinum album Thank Me Later and his Grammy-winning quadruple platinum album Take Care. His track In My Feelings went viral with the global Kiki Challenge.

Canadian American actor, Jim Carrey worked as a janitor and a stand-up comedian at club and on stage before entering films and television. His big Hollywood break came with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective which catapulted him to comedy star status. His later films like The Truman Show and Bruce Almighty proved his versatility and won him critical and commercial success.

Canadian singer and songwriter Justin Bieber was discovered via YouTube and subsequently went on to become a teen pop sensation. By age 25 he became the youngest solo artist to achieve seven number-one albums in the US. Bieber has received many accolades, including a Grammy Award. He’s also had his share of controversies and run-in with the law.

Canadian pop singer Shawn Mendes is known for catchy and soulful folk-pop songs. Stitches, Treat You Better, There's Nothing Holding Me Back, In My Blood, If I Can't Have You and Senorita are some of his popular and chartbuster songs. He was named by the Time Magazine in 2018 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Ryan Gosling began his career as a child actor and gained recognition as an adult after starring in the commercially successful film, The Notebook, in 2004. Half Nelson, The Ides of March, The Big Short, La La Land and Blade Runner are some of his other popular films. He is also a musician and his band is called Dead Man's Bones.

Beginning his career as a child star, actor Michael J. Fox went on to play more mature roles as a young adult and established himself firmly in Hollywood. His thriving career suffered a setback when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at just 29. Despite his health issues, he continues to act and advocates for Parkinson's disease research.

Brendan Fraser is the quintessential comical action hero of Hollywood. As a result of the stunts performed by him in movies, he has had to undergo many surgeries, including a laminectomy and partial knee replacement. He is also a successful amateur photographer and serves on the board of directors for a non-profit humanitarian organization called FilmAid International.

John Candy was an important Canadian comedian and actor. In 2006, he was honored by Canada Post as he was featured on a postage stamp. Also a sports enthusiast, Candy was the co-owner of Toronto Argonauts, a football team that participates in the Canadian Football League. Under his ownership, the team won the 1991 Grey Cup.

Canadian actor, Hayden Christensen, is best known for his role of Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. However, many critics panned his acting in both the films. Shattered Glass, Awake, Jumper, Outcast, First Kill and The Last Man are some of his other notable films.

An eminent television personality, Alex Trebek is best known for hosting the popular game show Jeopardy since it was revived in 1984. He has also hosted many other game shows, both in America and Canada. In February 1991, he became the first person to host three American game shows at the same time. He is currently undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Canadian actor, William Shatner, is best known for his roles in the television series Boston Legal, a legal drama for which he won two Emmy Awards and Star Trek, a science fiction adventure. He has also worked in many other sitcoms and films and has authored a number of science fiction novels. He is a singer and a spoken-word artist too.

Canadian film director, producer, and screenwriter James Cameron is best known for making science fiction and epic films. He is the co-founder of the production companies Lightstorm Entertainment and Digital Domain. Time magazine named him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012. He is also an environmentalist.

Arguably the best Canadian actor of all time, Christopher Plummer is the only Canadian and one of the few actors to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting (winning Emmy, Tony, and Academy Award). He won the Academy Award at the age of 82, becoming the oldest person to do so. Not surprisingly, he is the most respected actor in Canada.

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.

Will Arnett is widely regarded as one of the most handsome and best-looking comedians of all time; he has been named in lists like Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys and The 20 Hottest New Faces in Comedy. Famous for his smooth baritone voice, Will is also a popular voice actor. In 2019, he became a Canada Walk of Fame inductee.

Nathan Fillion is a Canadian-American actor who came into prominence after playing Malcolm Reynolds in the TV series Firefly. His popularity and style prompted public artist, Martin Firrell, to choose Fillion as his subject for two works of public art. Fillion is also credited with co-founding a non-profit organization, Kids Need to Read, along with author PJ Haarsma.

Canadian actor Seth Rogen established himself as a bankable and popular comic actor when he starred in Hollywood films Knocked Up in 2007 and Funny People in 2009. His other notable films are Steve Jobs, The Interview, Like Father, Long Shot and An American Pickle. He is active in raising awareness about Alzheimer's disease and is an open marijuana user.

Leonard Cohen was one of the most popular Canadian celebrities of all time. After starting his career as a poet and novelist, Leonard went on to become a famous singer-songwriter, exploring themes like sexuality, religion, depression, and romantic relationships in his work. Leonard Cohen was one of the inspirations for Steven Clark and Matthew Bissonnette's 2002 film Looking for Leonard.

Michael Bublé is a Canadian record producer, singer, and songwriter. He gained international recognition after releasing his fourth studio album It's Time. Also known for his charity work, Michael Bublé was part of a charity concert where he pledged a donation of A$50,000 to those affected by the Black Saturday bushfires in Australia.

The son of famous Canadian actors, Shirley Douglas and Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland followed in his parents' footsteps to become a famous actor. Apart from being a respected and decorated actor, Kiefer is also one of the controversy's favorite children, having been on the wrong side of the law several times.

Phil Hartman was a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He is credited with helping Paul Reubens develop his famous character, Pee-wee Herman, as part of his contribution to the popular comedy group The Groundlings. After he was murdered in 1998, Hartman was honored with several awards. In 2015, Rolling Stone named him one of the greatest Saturday Night Live cast members.

One of rock and roll’s greatest songwriters and performers of all time, Neil Young has worked both solo as well with bands like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The Grammy award winning musician’s notable albums include After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Harvest Moon and Ragged Glory. He strongly backs environmental and disability issues too.

The father of former WWE wrestler and actor Dwayne Johnson, Rocky Johnson was a popular Canadian professional wrestler. He was the first black wrestler to win the Georgia Heavyweight Championship. He inspired several popular wrestlers, such as The Rock. He is also credited with helping wrestlers like Hulk Hogan establish themselves in the wrestling world.

Donald Sutherland is arguably the greatest Canadian actor of all time. In an illustrious career, that spans over more than five decades, Sutherland has played an influential role in both Canadian and American entertainment industries. He won an Academy Honorary Award in 2017 for his immense contribution to cinema. He is the father of actors Kiefer, Rossif, and Angus Sutherland.

A talented young man whose life was snatched away too soon, Cory Monteith was a Canadian actor, singer, and musician who rose to fame after playing a role in the TV show ‘Glee.’ Despite being a great actor, he had a troubled life involving substance abuse and alcoholism that eventually caused his death at the age of 31.

Stephen Amell is a Canadian actor who contributed to the commencement of the popular American media franchise The Arrowverse by portraying Oliver Queen / Green Arrow on the superhero television series Arrow. Also a well-known philanthropist, Stephen Amell has hosted several fundraising campaigns to benefit charity organizations, such as Fuck Cancer, Stand For The Silent, and Paws and Stripes.

Rick Moranis is one of the most popular Canadian artists to make it big in the American film industry. Best known for playing father characters in children's films like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Rick proved to be a great father off-screen as he took a long break from his career to take care of his children, after the death of his wife.

Michael Cera is best known for his award-winning roles in Arrested Development, Superbad, and Juno. He has played voice roles, too. His work in theater earned him a Tony nomination. He has also toured as a bassist with an indie rock group and has released an album, True That.

Considered one of the greatest fighters in MMA history, Georges St-Pierre is a former professional mixed martial artist. Starting from 2008, he was named by Rogers Sportsnet as the Canadian Athlete of the Year for three consecutive years. When he defeated Michael Bisping at UFC 217, he became only the fourth fighter to be a multi-division champion in UFC history.

Matthew Perry gained worldwide popularity for playing the character of Chandler Bing on the television sitcom Friends. The sitcom ran from 1994 to 2004 and remains one of the most popular ones till date. He also starred in other television series and a number of films. He had issued with vicodin, methadone, amphetamines and alcohol addiction.

Canadian professional wrestler, amateur boxer, and actor, Roddy Piper, is best remembered for his work with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).  He headlined multiple PPV events and hosted the popular WWF interview segment Piper's Pit. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He also appeared in a few films and TV shows.

Canadian national Steve Nash is a basketball coach and a former player. Known for his playmaking skills, he played for Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers in America’s coveted National Basketball Association. He also played for the Canadian national men’s team from 1991 to 2003. He became the head coach of Brooklyn Nets of NBA in September 2020.

Leslie Nielsen was a Canadian actor who played more than 220 characters, appearing in over 150 television programs and 100 films in a career that spanned 60 years. In the latter part of his career, he gained recognition as a comedian and went on to become one of the most popular Canadian comedians of his generation.

Best known as Mike Wheeler from Stranger Things, SAG Award-winner Finn Wolfhard has also appeared in It and its sequel. He was a vocalist and guitarist for the band Calpurnia and formed the indie-pop duo The Aubreys. Named to Forbes 30 under 30, he has also directed a short film.

Canadian clinical psychologist, writer and YouTuber, Jordan Peterson became internationally known in the 2010s for his views on cultural and political issues. He propogates his views and ideas primarily through YouTube and podcasts. He has shared many videos and podcasts that have received millions of views.

Canadian professional ice hockey player Sidney Crosby is the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, he made his professional debut in 2005. Immediately rising to stardom, he has continued to impress the audience with his powerful gameplay.

Paul Anka is a Canadian-American actor and singer-songwriter. As a songwriter, he has contributed to the success of popular musicians, such as Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Jackson. He has also contributed to the theme of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Also known for his business ventures, Anka is credited with opening the popular restaurant and club, Jubilation.

Pierre Trudeau was a Canadian politician who served as the 15th prime minister of the country. His personality generated excitement within Canada's mass media, which gave rise to the term Trudeaumania. The effects of Trudeau's contribution to Canadian nationalism can still be felt in Canada. 

Taylor Kitsch is a Canadian model and actor. Having played important roles in popular films like Battleship and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Taylor Kitsch serves as an inspiration to many aspiring actors as he managed to establish himself despite suffering from childhood problems, such as the separation of his parents at the age of one.

Chris Jericho is a professional wrestler, entrepreneur, actor, and musician. Widely regarded as one of the greatest pro wrestlers ever, Jericho is also one of the most recognized WWE superstars in the history of the wrestling promotion. Apart from wrestling, Jericho is a also famous singer, currently serving as the lead singer for Fozzy, a heavy metal band.

Best known for his star role in the television sitcom Growing Pains, Alan Thicke was a Canadian actor, songwriter and television host, who began his career as a series regular in It's Our Stuff, eventually appearing in numerous films and television productions. Also a popular game and talk show host, he patronized many NGOs including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.