Actors From California

Leonardo DiCaprio is a name every movie lover reveres. An Oscar, a BAFTA, and 3 Golden Globes does not do justice to DiCaprio’s immensely skilful performances and his top-notch portrayals of addicts, historical figures and business tycoons. From epic dramas and romances to crime and political thrillers, DiCaprio has constantly left a mark in each of his films.

Beginning his career as a child star, actor Jake Gyllenhaal has been active in the entertainment industry for almost three decades. The son of a director and screenwriter, he inherited his parents’ love for Hollywood. His career progressed in the 2000s as he proved his mettle by taking up versatile roles. He is considered a male sex symbol.

Charles Robert Redford Jr. is a retired actor, activist, and director. He is credited with founding the Sundance Film Festival and was named in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2014. For his contributions to arts, Charles Robert Redford Jr. was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

Actor, film director, and producer, Kevin Costner, is a much-decorated Hollywood with two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards to his name. Even though he never dreamed of a career in films as a youngster, fate ultimately led him to Hollywood where he made a successful career. He is also a singer in a country rock band.

Considered one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, Jeff Bridges is known for his natural acting and his versatility. He has starred in acclaimed films like Fat City, Starman, Tron, Jagged Edge, Fearless, Against All Odds, The Big Lebowski, True Grit and Hell or High Water. He received a Best Actor Oscar for the 2009 film Crazy Heart.

One of the most respected and decorated actors of his generation, Dustin Hoffman is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors Award and AFI Life Achievement Award among many other prestigious awards. As a cancer survivor, Dustin Hoffman also serves as an inspiration to many people suffering from cancer.

American actor Gregory Peck was one of the most famous movie stars between the 1940s and the 1960s. In 1999, Gregory Peck was ranked 12th in the Greatest Male Stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema list published by the American Film Institute. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Gregory Peck was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.

Academy Award winner actor, Sean Penn, is known for his powerful and passionate performances. His work in Mystic River and Milk won him tremendous appreciation as an actor while Into the Wild and The Crossing Guard earned him positive review as a director. Sean Penn has also attracted media attention for his personal life, political views and humanitarian work.

A renowned former wrestler with numerous titles under his belt, Dwayne Johnson initially wanted to be a football player but an injury turned him towards wrestling. He soon entered the world of acting, experienced phenomenal success in television and films and became the highest earning male actor in the world.

An iconic actor and martial artist, Bruce Lee, in his short life, gained international fame and developed his own form of martial arts, Jeet Kune Do. In films, he debuted as a child actor and became a huge Hollywood star after the release of his last film Enter the Dragon.

An actor who rose to prominence in the late 2000s, Zac Efron is a teen heartthrob and a fan favorite who has acted in many romantic films. He is equally popular for his roles in comedy films and has won several awards. Also a singer, he has contributed to the soundtracks of numerous films.

Actor Paul Walker is remembered for his role as Brian O'Conner in the Fast & Furious franchise. A talented star who made his debut as a child actor, he was known for taking up challenging roles, especially in action films. Besides acting, he had a keen interest in marine biology. He was killed in a tragic car accident in 2013.

American actor Cameron Boyce achieved stardom as a teenager when he played one of the leads in the television show, Jessie. His role in the Descendants television film catapulted him to bigger heights. He also starred in a number of successful feature films like Grown Ups. He died in July 2019, at a young age of 20, due to epilepsy.

For someone who was voted by his acting school peers as 'The Least Likely To Succeed', Gene Hackman went on to have a remarkable acting career spanning around half a century with multiple prestigious awards. His notable films include Bonnie and Clyde, The French Connection, Unforgiven, Mississippi Burning and The Royal Tenenbaums. Apart from acting, Gene Hackman is also a novelist and has written six books.

Counted among the top movie stars in the late 1990s, actor Nicolas Cage continues to be a key figure in Hollywood. In a career spanning around four decades, he has appeared in a variety of mainstream films. The recipient of numerous awards, he has won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe among others. He often donates to charities.

Rami Malek became the first actor of Egyptian origin to receive the prestigious Oscar for Best Actor, which he earned for playing British singer, Freddie Mercury, in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. In 2019, he was named in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world. He also has a philanthropic side and supports various charities..

From supporting roles to starring in the legendary Star Wars franchise, Adam Driver is hailed as much for his unique talent as for his unconventional looks. He has gained popularity over the recent years to become one of the sought-after actors in Hollywood, thanks to his noteworthy performances.

The actor, rapper, writer and director, Donald Glover Jr became famous after playing the role of a college student In the sitcom, Community, from 2009 to 2013. He also stars in the FX series Atlanta. He has also acted in a number of commercially successful films. His albums have done well and he won a Grammy award for the single Redbone.

Mainly known for portraying villainous roles, Josh Brolin has worked with a number of big directors like Woody Allen, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone. No Country for Old Men, Milk, Gangster Squad, W and Deadpool 2 are some of his notable movies. The role of the warlord Thanos in the Avengers film series made him an international star.

Actor, director, and comedian, James Franco, has been active in the entertainment industry for over two decades. He was studious as a child and wanted to become a marine biologist. However, fate had other plans and he became an actor instead. In addition to acting, he teaches film classes at many universities, including New York University.

After gaining worldwide recognition for his performance in the movie Star Trek, Chris Pine went on to play prominent roles in popular films. Also known for voicing his opinion on politics, Pine endorsed the Trek Against Trump movement during the 2016 presidential campaign. In 2020, he acted in Home Movie: The Princess Bride to raise fund for World Central Kitchen.

American Actor, Jack Black is known for his comedic performances. His notable films include High Fidelity, Shallow Hal, School of Rock and Bernie. His voice acting in animated film series Kung Fu Panda and video game Brütal Legend have also earned him accolades. Additionally, he has co-founded Grammy Award winning rock band, Tenacious D and launched his You Tube channel.

A popular American actor, Mark Hamill became a teen idol after playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movie series. He then went on to become a prolific voice actor, contributing immensely to animated films by voicing such characters as The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Skips in Regular Show, and Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Jeremy Renner is one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. Apart from appearing in the Avengers and Mission: Impossible franchises, he has also performed songs for the soundtracks of several films. He also plays the guitar, drums, and keyboard and practices Arnis and Muay Thai.

Will Ferrell rose to fame in the mid-1990s when he acted in a comedy show Saturday Night Live. He then went on to act in a series of comedy films such as Talladega Nights, Step Brothers and The Other Guys.  He’s considered part of the ‘Frat Pack’, essentially meaning Hollywood comic actors who emerged in the late 1990s and 2000s.

Born into a family of poets and authors, Dave Franco was encouraged to pursue acting by his brother James. After appearing in minor roles, he played a prominent role in the comedy film 21 Jump Street, which proved to be a turning point in his career. He then went on to try his hand at writing, producing, and directing.

Drag queen, actor, model, singer, and songwriter RuPaul is best known for hosting the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race. Considered the most commercially successful drag queen in the United States, he is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards. As an actor, he has appeared in many TV shows and films, often playing himself.

Milo Ventimiglia is best known for acting in American television series Gilmore Girls, Heroes and This Is Us. His role in This is Us has been critically acclaimed and he has won three Emmy awards for it. He has also acted in films like The Art of Racing in the Rain, Devil’s Gate, Gamer, The Divide, Rocky 6 and Pathology.

Popular American actor, Tobey Maguire, gained fame playing the titular character in the Spider-Man film trilogy. The versatile actor began his career on television and later shifted to films. In between, he also struggled with alcohol issues. His other significant films include The Cider House Rules, Brothers and The Great Gatsby. Maguire has also produced numerous films including Pawn Sacrifice.

Ben Affleck is actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He started as a child actor and attained fame after winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for writing ‘Good Will Hunting’ in 1997. He has been involved in a number of successful and critically acclaimed films. He’s had issues with alcoholism and has been accused by women of inappropriate behaviour.

Actor, director, and screenwriter, Liev Schreiber, is mainly known for his appearances in independent films. He had a difficult childhood and struggled a lot as a young man before destiny led him to the world of entertainment. Besides his work on the screen, Liev Schreiber has appeared in many Shakespearean plays.

A multitalented personality, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a versatile actor, a recognised director and the founder of HitRecord, a collaborative platform for creative artist. Debuting as a child actor, he won fame and awards with the television series 3rd Rock from the Sun. Later, as an adult, he acted in films like The Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Don Jon.

Versatile stage and screen actor Mark Harmon is best known for his work in television series, St. Elsewhere and NCIS, and television film, The Deliberate Stranger. Initially a footballer, Harmon considered a career in law and advertising before eventually entering the world of acting. His big break came with the television movie, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years. 

The son of the legendary martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee followed in his father’s footsteps. Trained in martial arts, he made his film debut in the 1980s and became a successful star in his own right. He was accidentally wounded while filming The Crow and died. The film, dedicated to him, became a hit.

Aspiring to become a writer since his early days, Jonah Hill went on to establish himself as an actor, comedian, filmmaker, and screenwriter. He also serves as an inspiration to many as he lost a significant amount of weight in order to land serious roles. He practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as part of his fitness routine.

From working as a construction foreman to a regular visitor to the state prisons in California, Danny Trejo's future looked bleak. However, his boxing skills came to his rescue as he landed the job of training Eric Roberts for a boxing scene in one of his movies. Eventually, Trejo became a film star and part of an incredible rags-to-riches story.

Sean Astin became a widely recognized actor after portraying Samwise Gamgee in one of the most popular film trilogies of all time - The Lord of the Rings. The film series played such an important role in his life that Sean decided to get a tattoo of the word nine in the Tengwar script, commemorating his involvement in the series.

A big fan of Elvis Presley, it was only natural for John Stamos to become a musician and actor. Though he is best known for his work as an actor, there is no denying the fact that he is also a skilled musician; he has performed with The Beach Boys in concerts. He is also known for his charity work.

American actor and comedian, John Ritter is best remembered for playing Jack Tripper in sitcom Three’s Company, a work that earned him both the Golden Globe and Emmy Award. His work in television show Hooperman and animated children's series Clifford the Big Red Dog was also appreciated tremendously. John Ritter has also appeared in numerous films and Broadway productions too.

A fashion model turned actor, Shemar Moore is known for his rugged good looks and raw sex appeal. He started modeling in college and soon moved to act in TV shows. After having a successful stint in the TV series The Young and the Restless, he became a popular name in the show business.

American actor, voice actor, and comedian, Pat Morita first gained recognition with drama series Happy Days, though it was his inspiring performance as Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid film series that really skyrocketed his fame. The Asian-American actor was also known for his TV movie Amos and animated movie Mulan and Mulan II where he voiced the Chinese Emperor.

One half of the popular actor duo The Two Coreys, Corey Feldman started out as a child actor before establishing himself as a popular star in the American film industry. An ardent advocate against child molestation, Feldman was summoned to testify against Michael Jackson in the latter's child molestation trial; being Jackson's close friend, he did not testify against Jackson.

A multifaceted personality, Rob Schneider is an actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. Beginning his career with the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, he proceeded to act in films, first appearing in supporting roles and then graduating to starring roles. He is an outspoken critic of childhood vaccinations. His daughter, Elle King, is a popular musician.