Famous Romanian Film & Theater Personalities

Sebastian Stan serves as an inspiration to many youngsters as he overcame his difficult beginnings to become a popular actor in the American film industry. A self-made man, he learned the art of acting at the prestigious Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London and went on to star in hit films like Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame.

Romanian-born US actor and producer John Houseman is remembered for his Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning role in The Paper Chase. Primarily a character actor, he also gained fame as a theater director and producer and collaborated with director Orson Welles on many projects.

Ana Ularu is a Romanian actress best known for playing the role of Matilda in the action film Outbound. She began her acting career in the mid-1990s and appeared in a handful of minor roles in TV shows. As her career progressed, she started acting in films as well. She has received a Locarno International Film Festival Award.

Mădălina Diana Ghenea is a Romanian model and actress. Apart from acting and modeling, Ghenea also participates in fashion shows around the world. She achieved international fame in 2016, when she became the face of a luxury brand called Vanitas.

Romanian actor Ingrid Bisu is best known for playing Anca in the Palme d'Or-nominated comedy-drama Toni Erdmann. She made her debut with one of Romania’s first sitcoms, Casatorie de proba. She has also appeared in the horror films The Nun and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and has co-written Malignant.

Alec Secareanu is a Romanian actor who achieved international fame in 2017, when he played Gheorghe Ionescu in the British romantic drama film God's Own Country. In the same year, he received a nomination for Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards for his performance in the film.

Romanian actor Maia Morgenstern is best known to fans as the Virgin Mary from the 2004 biblical drama The Passion of the Christ. She has also appeared in series such as Aniela and Las Fierbinți. She has also won multiple awards for her role in Balanța, or The Oak.

Best known for her BAFTA-winning debut performance in Sex Traffic, Romanian actor Anamaria Marinca later won more awards for films such as Boogie and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Born to a violinist mother and a theater professor father, she is well-trained in the violin, too.

Alexandra Dinu is a Romanian actress and television presenter. She came into prominence as an actress in 2005, when she portrayed Andreea in the Dan Pița-directed Romanian film Second Hand. Since then, Alexandra Dinu has played important roles in films like Final Score, Bullet Head, and 211.

Delia Matache is a Romanian singer-songwriter. Over the years, she has released several hit singles, establishing herself as one of the most popular and successful Romanian singers. Delia Matache has also won several prestigious awards, such as Media Music Awards and Radio România Actualități Awards.

Prince Radu of Romania is the husband of Margareta of Romania, the eldest daughter of former Romanian king, Michael I. He met Margareta at an orphanage where he worked using art therapy. He has penned several books and has also helped integrate Romania into NATO.

With 15 albums that have topped the German music charts, Romanian-born German musician Peter Maffay, holds the German record for the highest number of no. 1 albums. He excelled in both rock and schlager and created the media franchise Tabaluga that featured a green dragon. He also launched a foundation for abused children.

Best remembered for reinventing the film noir genre, director Jean Negulesco earned the tag of "the first real master of CinemaScope.” Born in Romania, he later moved to Paris, where he worked as a stage designer and painter. His Oscar-nominated direction in Johnny Belinda made him popular in Hollywood.

Loredana Groza is a Romanian singer best known for trying her hand at various music styles and genres. She came into prominence in 1987, when she released her controversial debut single Bună seara, iubito. Although the song was banned in Romania for its controversial lyrics, it became one of her signature songs.

Romanian actor Florin Piersic is best known for his Margelatu series films. Known for his masculine characters, he was also the star of the fantasy film The White Moor. In 2006, he was named to the 100 Greatest Romanians list. He voiced Mack in the Romanian dubbed version of Cars.

Maria Tanase was a Romanian actress and singer. A versatile singer, Tănase's music ranged from operetta to traditional Romanian music. During her long and illustrious career, Maria Tănase became known as Romania's national diva. She was admired for her voice, charisma, originality, and good looks. She is widely regarded as one of the 20th century's major cultural icons.

Popular Romanian actor Nadia Gray fled to Paris in the 1940s, along with her aviator husband, to escape the Communist takeover of Romania. Starting her movie career with L'inconnu d'un soir, she later soared to fame with Frederico Fellini’s classic film La dolce vita.

Oana Gregory is a Romanian actress best known for her performance in Disney productions such as Crash & Bernstein, Lab Rats, and Kickin' It. Oana Gregory achieved international fame after playing Amanda Bernstein in the popular sitcom Crash & Bernstein.

One of Romania’s best-known film and stage actors, Marcel Iureș currently presides over the Anonimul International Film Festival and the Ideo Ideis Festival. He has also appeared in Hollywood movies such as Mission: Impossible and Interview with the Vampire. He has also voiced characters in several Disney dubbed films.

Joana Benedek is a Romanian-born Mexican actress best known for playing prominent roles in telenovelas. She came into prominence in 2001, when she was cast to play the main antagonist in a telenovela titled Amigas y Rivales. Joana Benedek's performance in the telenovela earned her a nomination for the prestigious Premios TVyNovelas under the Best Female Antagonist category.

Cabral Ibacka is a Romanian actor, television personality, Tae Bo coach, and philanthropist. After starting his career in kickboxing and Muay Thai, Ibacka went on to establish himself as a TV host. He then gravitated towards acting and achieved popularity as an actor in 2005, when he portrayed Eduard Bălan in the popular miniseries Băieți buni. 

Vlad Ivanov is a Romanian actor best known for playing Mr. Bebe in the 2007 art film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. His performance in the film earned him the Gopo Award under the Best Supporting Actor category in 2008. In 2010, Vlad Ivanov received another Gopo Award for playing Anghelache in the 2009 drama film Police, Adjective. 

Tudor Chirilă is a Romanian actor, composer, musician, and producer. He achieved popularity as the lead singer of a band named Vama Veche. Apart from his work as an actor and singer, Tudor Chirilă is also known for his social work. In 2005, he initiated a campaign called Live pentru viață, which aimed at gathering donations for flood victims.

Stela Popescu was a Romanian TV personality and actress. She is widely regarded as the greatest comedienne and one of the best actresses of all time in Romania. Stela Popescu is also remembered for her skills as a voice actress. In 2006, 2011, and 2017, Popescu voiced Flo in the Romanian version of the Cars trilogy.

Alina Plugaru is a Romanian former pornographic actress. Nicknamed The Queen of Porn, Plugaru started her career as a stripper before achieving fame as a porn star. Alina Plugaru announced her retirement from the porn industry in 2009 and then went on to establish herself as an entrepreneur. 

Madalina Manole was a Romanian singer and actress. A pop recording artist, Manole has been associated with various labels throughout her career. Some of her best known albums include Fată dragă, Happy New Year, Trăiesc pentru tine, and 09 Mădălina Manole.

Ștefan Bănică, Jr. is a Romanian TV presenter and entertainer. He is best known for presenting the popular TV show, Dansez pentru tine, the Romanian version of Dancing with the Stars. In addition to appearing on TV shows, Ștefan Bănică Jr. has also released rock music albums.

Monica Birladeanu is a Romanian model and actress. She started her career as a TV host before establishing herself as a popular actress. Also known for her good looks, Monica Bîrlădeanu was adjudged The Most Beautiful Romanian Woman by the VIVA magazine in 2003. The same year, she was named Sexiest Woman by FHM.

Romanian stage and film actor Dem Rădulescu is remembered for his roles in films such as Brigada Diverse în alertă! and The Lace Wars. He also taught at Bucharest’s National University of Theater and Cinematographic Art. He was later awarded the Order of Cultural Merit for his contribution to cinema and theater.

Alina Eremia is a Romanian TV personality and singer. She is best known for her association with the LaLa band. In 2005, she took part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest as part of the band. Alina Eremia is widely regarded as one of the most popular Romanian singers of her generation.

Widely remembered as the co-inventor of Dadaism and a pioneering figure of Constructivism, Marcel Janco was a Romanian-Israeli visual artist and architect. He is also said to have contributed to the "bishop dress" characteristic of Dadaism. He also established the Israeli art colony Ein Hod and founded the avant-garde magazine Contimporanul.

Elizabeth Bibesco was an English actress, socialite, and writer. From 1921 to 1940, Bibesco published a book of poetry, two plays, four novels, and three collections of short stories. Elizabeth Bibesco is perhaps best remembered as the daughter of former British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith.

Joseph Schmidt was a Romanian and Austro-Hungarian Jewish actor and tenor. At the peak of his career, Schmidt came up with several best-selling recordings. His records were sold in many European countries and also in the English-speaking world. As an actor, Schmidt played important roles in films like My Song Goes Round the World and A Star Fell from Heaven.

Amza Pellea was a Romanian actor best remembered for his portrayal of Romanian national heroes in films. He started his career as a theatre actor before establishing himself as a film actor, playing historical Romanian leaders. Amza Pellea also worked as a professor at the Caragiale National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest.

Fatma Mohamed is a Romanian actress best known for playing important roles in films like Katalin Varga, The Duke of Burgundy, and Berberian Sound Studio. In 2018, Fatma Mohamed played Miss Luckmoore in the British horror comedy film In Fabric, which earned her a nomination for the International Cinephile Society's best supporting actress award.

Raul Cristian is a Romanian pornographic film actor and director. He is best known for directing more than 150 porn films. Apart from working as a director and actor, Raul Cristian has also worked as a cinematographer in few pornographic films.

Dragoș Bucur is a Romanian actor and TV presenter. He came into prominence in 2009, when he played Cristi in the drama film Police, Adjective, which earned him critical acclaim. In addition to being an actor, Dragoș Bucur is also a popular TV host. He has hosted several shows like Câștigi fără să știi, Marfă, and Jurnal de călătorie.

Sergiu Nicolaescu was a Romanian actor, film director, and politician. He is best remembered for his historical films like Mihai Viteazul and Dacii. After starting his career in Romania, Nicolaescu eventually moved to the USA, where he had a successful career. As a politician, Sergiu Nicolaescu played an important role in the 1989 Romanian Revolution.

Steve Holmes is a Romanian-born German pornographic actor, director, and producer. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, such as AVN Awards, XBIZ Awards, and XRCO Awards. Steve Holmes was made an inductee of the AVN Hall of Fame in 2017.

Horia Brenciu is a Romanian singer, entertainer, television host, and philanthropist. He is best known as the host of the Romanian version of the popular TV show, Dancing with the Stars. Over the course of his career, Horia Brenciu has established himself as a popular TV host of children's shows, such as Kiki Riki Miki and Tip Top Minitop.

Silent-film actor Maria Corda began her career with the films of director Alexander Korda, whom she married later. After fleeing a political-conflict-ridden Hungary, she and her husband collaborated on numerous hits in Austria, such as Samson und Delila. In her final years in the US, she penned several novels.

Bernard Natan was a French-Romanian actor, director, and film entrepreneur. He achieved popularity during the 1920s and 1930s. After starting his career as a projectionist, Natan worked his way up to establish himself as a cinematographer and producer. Bernard Natan helped revolutionize the technological aspect of filmmaking around the world.

Romanian-American singer, actor, director, and producer Margareta Pâslaru is an icon of Romanian light pop music. She is also well-versed in the piano and ballet and is a trained painter, too. She has appeared in movies such as Veronica and Melodii, melodii and is also an honorary member of UNICEF and UNESCO Romania.

Romanian singer, presenter, and actor Dan Bittman has been the lead vocalist for the groups Holograf and IRIS. The hard rock and pop rock musician has also represented Romania in the Eurovision contest and has hosted the show Dănutz SRL. He is also a recipient of the Order of Cultural Merit.

Romanian-born Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri is best known for creating snare-pictures, which consist of object bits, usually tableware, attached to a board and put up on the wall. Interestingly, he had initially studied classical dance and had even been the State Opera of Bern’s lead dancer. He is associated with the Fluxus movement.

Legendary Romanian actor Draga Olteanu Matei is remembered for her films such as The Famous Paparazzo and Uncle Marin, the Billionaire. She was later awarded the Order of the Star of Romania and the Order of the Crown of Romania and also earned a star on the Romanian Walk of Fame.

Alina Pușcău is a Romanian actress, singer, and model. She came into prominence in 1998, when she won the Elite Model Look event. Subsequently, she was offered modeling assignments and worked for brands like Victoria's Secret, Pepe Jeans, and GAP. Alina Pușcău has also appeared on the cover page of popular magazines like Playboy.

Romanian musician and actor Tudor Gheorghe is also one of the finest 20th-century poets from his country. Born to an Iron Guard member, he gained fame for his anti-communist activism and was later forced to take a 4-year hiatus by the Communist authorities. He later received the Order of the Star of Romania.

Romanian singer, actor, and TV star Răzvan Fodor has been the lead vocalist of the Romania rock band Krypton. His track Lasa-mi speranta became a European hit. He has also hosted MasterChef România and been part of movies such as Milionari de weekend and series such as Pacatele Evei.