Actors From Wisconsin

One of the most popular actors of classical Hollywood cinema, Spencer Tracy was known for his versatility, which helped him win two successive Oscars for Best Actor. In 1999, he was ranked the ninth greatest male star of Hollywood's Golden Age by the American Film Institute. Tracy is widely regarded as one of the finest actors of the 20th century.

An actor best known for playing Bruce Banner / Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films, Mark Ruffalo has been active in Hollywood for over three decades. Even though he began acting in the late 1980s, he started getting noticed for his skills only in the 2000s. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including an Academy Award.

Perhaps the most loved Willy Wonka of them all, Gene Wilder was one of the main reasons for the popularity of the iconic character, which he played in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Apart from acting and writing, Gene was also instrumental in promoting cancer awareness through his organization Gilda Radner Ovarian Cancer Detection Center.

Much loved for his distinct gravelly voice, Willem Dafoe is one of the most popular American actors. Thanks to his incredible performance as Norman Osborn in Spider-Man (2002), Willem instilled fear in the hearts of many Spider-Man fans, especially children. Willem, who holds American and Italian citizenship, is a pescatarian and practices ashtanga yoga.

A popular actor and comedian, Chris Farley's struggle with alcohol and drug addiction led to his suspension from the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL) on many occasions. He eventually died of a drug overdose at the age of 33, much like his idol John Belushi, who too died of a drug overdose at the same age!

American filmmaker, Orson Welles, acted in and directed the 1941 film, Citizen Kane, which is considered to be one the greatest movies ever made. Though hailed as a genius, many of his films didn’t work at the box office. The Stranger, Macbeth, Chimes at Midnight, Touch of Evil and The Trial are some of the other films that he directed.

Best known as Josh Lyman from The West Wing, Bradley Whitford is a Juilliard-trained and Primetime Emmy-winning actor. Also known for his roles in series such as The Mentalist and movies such as Billy Madison, he also launched the charity Clothes off Our Back, which mostly donates to children’s non-profits.

Chris Noth is best known as Mike Logan from Law & Order. Fans also loved him in his Golden Globe-nominated roles in Sex and the City and The Good Wife. He co-owns the New York music venue The Cutting Room. He has also been part of Broadway and off-Broadway plays.

Kurtwood Smith is an American actor known for playing important roles in popular films and TV series, such as RoboCop and That '70s Show. Also known for his work on stage, Smith has won three Drama-Logue Awards. Also a renowned voice actor, Kurtwood Smith has voiced popular characters in TV series like Men in Black: The Series and Batman Beyond.

Former actor and comedian Ross Bagley is best known for his role as Nicky Banks in the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Beginning his career as a child, he started acting when he was just five years old. A popular child actor during the mid-1990s, he appeared in many hit TV shows and received three Young Artist Awards.  

Fredric March was an American actor best remembered for his versatility. One of the most celebrated actors during the 1930s and 1940s, Fredric March won two Academy Awards for Best Actor and two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play; he is one of two actors to have received both the Tony Award and Academy Award twice.

Gus Mercurio was an actor best remembered for his energetic personality and raspy voice. Mercurio contributed to Australian radio and also appeared in many TV series like Cash and Company, Matlock Police, and Homicide. Mercurio was also a professional boxer and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2008, he was inducted into the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame.