Famous Canadian Film & Theater Personalities

Best known for her comedic and romantic film roles, Canadian actress Rachel McAdams is a very popular figure in Hollywood. Rising to fame in the 2000s, she has worked in many critically acclaimed movies. A socially responsible person, she believes in leading a lifestyle that is eco-friendly and sustainable. She is actively involved with several charities.

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.

Nina Dobrev is one of the most popular Canadian actresses. Apart from her acting career, she is also known for her activism and charity work. She uses her fame to support several charitable causes, such as Puma’s Project Pink. Also an enthusiastic volunteer, Dobrev takes part in social movements like WE movement, Me to We, and We Day.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cobie Smulders is one of the most recognized celebrities across the world, thanks to her role as Robin Scherbatsky in one of the most popular TV series of all time - How I Met Your Mother. She also serves as an inspiration to people suffering from cancer as she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 25 years old.

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.

Primetime Emmy-winning Canadian-American actor and comedian Catherine O'Hara soared to fame with the sketch-comedy show SCTV. She is known for her frequent appearances in the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Guest. She is the sister of singer Mary Margaret O'Hara and is herself a fairly decent singer.

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.

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.

A Canadian-American actress of Asian descent, Sandra Oh became the first Asian actress to win two Golden Globe awards and the first Asian woman to host the award ceremony. She is also the third actress of Asian origin to host the TV show, Saturday Night Live. In 2019, she was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list.

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.

Evangeline Lilly is a Canadian actress who has played prominent roles in films like Ant-Man and the Wasp. Also a well-known humanitarian, Lilly has made numerous trips to Rwanda, where she has touched the lives of many, as part of her charity work. She has also worked with nonprofit organizations like GO Campaign and supports Task Brasil and Sierra Club.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Shay Mitchell is a Canadian actress, entrepreneur, model, and author. She came into prominence after portraying Emily Fields in the teen drama TV series Pretty Little Liars. Also a philanthropist, Mitchell was an ardent supporter of the Somaly Mam Foundation until the non-profit organization ended its operations in 2014. She also works closely with organizations, such as The Trevor Project.

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.

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.

Neve Campbell impressed fans with her performance as Sidney in the Scream franchise. She is also known for her roles in the series Party of Five and House of Cards and the film Wild Things. A trained ballerina, Neve is mostly seen in films of the thriller or horror genre.

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.

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.

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.

Emily VanCamp is a Canadian actress best known for playing Sharon Carter / Agent 13 in superhero films like Captain America. Trained in tap dance, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, VanCamp believes that she would have continued dancing had she not gone into acting. She also credits her training in dance with helping her through her action sequences in films.

Canadian actor Katheryn Winnick is best known for her multiple award-nominated performance as Lagertha in Vikings. Fans also loved her as Hannah Burley in Bones and as Christine "C.G." Gavin in Wu Assassins. She has guest-starred in numerous projects and has also appeared in many short films.

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.

Popular as Samantha Jones from the hit series Sex and the City, Golden Globe-winning actor Kim Cattrall found it difficult to recreate the same magic on screen, barring her performance in the 2014 comedy Sensitive Skin. Her comeback with the Fox series Filthy Rich in 2020 was commendable.

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.

Kristin Kreuk is one of the most popular actresses from Canada. After establishing herself as a successful actress in both American and Canadian entertainment industries, Kristin Kreuk was made the spokesmodel for Neutrogena's new worldwide advertising campaign.

Jennifer Tilly is an American actress whose performance as Tiffany Valentine in the popular horror slasher film series, Child's Play, established her as an icon within the horror film community. Also a popular poker player, Jennifer Tilly became the first celebrity to triumph in a World Series when she won the World Series of Poker bracelet.

Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and filmmaker. He is credited with co-founding the popular blues and soul revivalist band The Blues Brothers along with legendary comedian John Belushi. The Blues Brothers was conceived as a musical sketch for Saturday Night Live; its popularity turned it into an actual band and was later made into a film.

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.

Joshua Jackson is a popular Canadian-American actor who was inspired and influenced by comedian Jon Stewart during his childhood. Acting soon became his passion and he started playing prominent roles on stage, films, and TV series. Also known for his good looks, Joshua Jackson was ranked ninth in BuddyTV's list of TV's 100 Sexiest Men of 2010.

Despite not being from a family of actors, Ellen Page was exposed to the entertainment industry at a young age. Beginning her acting career at the age of ten, she quickly became a popular performer and went on to appear in many critically acclaimed films and TV shows. A feminist, she also identifies as an atheist. She is a vegan.

Actress and model, Pamela Anderson, is known as a sex symbol. She featured regularly in the Playboy magazine and acted in television series Home Improvement, Baywatch and VIP. Baywatch was hugely popular and gave her international recognition. Pamela Anderson has also acted in several films. She is an active member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the animal rights organisation.

Jacob Tremblay has gained considerable fame as a child actor for his award-winning performance as Jack Newsome in the Academy Award-nominated film Room. He has also appeared in in Before I Wake, Wonder, and Good Boys. He voiced Flounder in The Little Mermaid and Blue Winslow in The Smurfs 2.

Margot Kidder is best remembered for her roles as Lois Lane in the Superman movie franchise and as Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror. Fans also loved her in the hit Broadway play The Vagina Monologues. She was a vocal anti-war and pro-environment activist. She eventually died by suicide.