Top 50 Most Popular Actors from 80s [2024]
This week we were feeling a little nostalgic, so let us look back at the decade of the 80s, which was a formative decade for Hollywood.
This decade saw the emergence of many successful movie franchises and filmmakers that displayed Oscar-winning talent for years to come.
Hollywood gave us movie franchises in all genres, like science-fiction, horror, adventure, comedy, crime, sports, and more.
With these franchises, we saw the growth of several iconic actors and actresses as well.
Some of these stars shone brighter with each passing decade, and some dimmed after the turn of the century.
However, one thing is for sure, Hollywood had more stars than ever, and they carved out their niche.
The decade of the 80s was busy, not just for movies but also fashion and music.
All these industries leaned on one another to give each other a much-needed boost. While movie stars and the fashion industry have helped fashion houses like Valentino, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, etc., gain prominence.
On the other hand, we saw the rise of accessible styles in Star Wars, Working Girls, Scarface, etc.
Many music artists included their hit singles in the original soundtrack of films. They wrote and sang songs for movies and won awards for them.
Who doesn’t remember the OST for Dirty dancing? It featured many rock ballads and love songs that topped music charts.
Top Gun was another such movie, which had a very successful music album attached to it.
Let us take a close look at the stars of Hollywood from the 1980s who have given us memorable films, redefined star power, and became benchmarks of coolness across the world.
We are looking at stars from all genres like drama, action, comedy, horror, and more.
Just as varied as the movies of the 80s were, so were the stars from that decade.
Come and join ENTOIN on a fun ride down memory lane with a look at all the stars who made the 80s iconic.
You might know many of these big names even to this day, but they are a few forgotten heroes that need to be remembered too.
Without any further delay, hop on and have fun.
Recommended:
1. Harrison Ford
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 13th July 1942 |
Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut year | 1966 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round |
Harrison is arguably the biggest star during the decade of the 80s. He delivered multiple money-making movies and major blockbuster franchises.
Although he continued to work for the next few decades, his magic from the 80s was difficult to surpass.
He was also one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, with his movies making over $9 billion worldwide.
Harrison appeared in blockbuster movie franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones during the 80s.
His other hit films include Blade Runner, Witness, Working Girl, The Mosquito Coast, etc. He also worked on the spy thriller Jack Ryan in Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger.
He also starred in the hugely successful The Fugitive and Air Force One. Ford is also remembered for his romantic comedies like Heroes, Working Girl, Sabrina, Six Days, Seven Nights, Random Hearts, Morning Glory, The Age of Adaline, etc.
His other films are Presumed Innocent, What Lies Beneath, 42, Ender’s Game, The Conversation, etc.
Recommended:
2. Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood is an American actor, director, and producer, born on May 31, 1930. He is best known for his many westerns, some of which are Rawhide, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, etc.
In the 1980s, he continued to establish himself as a Hollywood icon. Eastwood directed and starred in the critically acclaimed “Unforgiven” (1992), though it’s worth noting that this film falls just outside the 1980s. In the 1980s, some of his notable films include “Bronco Billy” (1980), “Firefox” (1982), “Sudden Impact” (1983), and “Pale Rider” (1985).
Throughout his career, he won four Oscar awards for acting, directing, and producing films. Eastwood’s career extends far beyond the 1980s, and his impact on the industry is exemplified by his diverse roles, directorial achievements, and his significant contributions to the Western genre.
Recommended:
3. Anthony Hopkins
Sir Anthony Hopkins is a renowned Welsh actor born on December 31, 1937. He is known for his contributions to both stage and film industry. He won two Oscar awards and has multiple Oscar nominations to his name.
In the 1980s, he delivered compelling performances across various genres. Notably, he portrayed the iconic Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), but his notable 1980s films include “The Elephant Man” (1980), where he played Dr. Frederick Treves, and “The Bounty” (1984), portraying Admiral Bligh.
Hopkins’ versatility shone in “The Dresser” (1983), earning him an Oscar nomination. His nuanced portrayals and powerful screen presence marked an illustrious career that extended far beyond the 1980s, solidifying him as one of the most respected actors in the industry.
Recommended:
4. Tom Cruise
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 3rd July 1962 |
Place of Birth | Syracuse, New York, United States |
Height | 1.7 m |
Debut year | 1981 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Endless Love |
Tom Cruise is an actor and producer. He is one of the biggest Hollywood stars who started in the 80s, and his films have grossed over $10.1 billion worldwide.
This makes him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He also won critical acclaim for his work with three Academy Award nominations, three Golden Globes, and a British Academy of Film Awards nomination.
Tom Cruise got his breakthrough with Risky Business in 1983. He gave more strong performances in Top Gun, Color of Money, Rain Man, Days of Thunder, Cocktail, Born on the Fourth of July, etc.
For the latter, he got his first Academy Award nomination, and he won a Golden Globe Award.
In the following decades, he continued to give mesmerizing performances in A Few Good Men, The Mission Impossible franchise, Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, Minority Report, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky, The Last Samurai, and more.
Tom is extremely talented and has been cherished by his fans for doing his dangerous stunts on his own and pumping out such action-filled movies for his audience.
5. Eddie Murphy
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 3rd April 1961 |
Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York City, USA |
Height | 1.75 m |
Debut year | 1980 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Saturday Night Live |
Eddie Murphy is a stand-up comedian, actor, director, and producer. He started his career with stand-up comedy and performed in front of sellout audiences.
After gaining fame in the comedy circuits, he also worked on sketch comedy with Saturday Night Live.
This only solidified his popularity with his fans. Eddie Murphy debuted in films with 48 hrs.
He continued his comedy run with the Beverly Hills Cop series, Trading Places, Coming To America, Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor, and its sequels, Vampire in Brooklyn, Boomerang, etc.
He also did voice acting for Mulan as Mushu and as Donkey in the Shrek franchise.
For his turn as the singer James Thunder Early in Dreamgirls, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
His other prominent films are Dr. DoLittle, and its sequels, Norbit, Dolemite is My Name, The Haunted Mansion, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, etc.
6. Sylvester Stallone
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 6th July 1946 |
Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
Height | 1.77 m |
Debut year | 1969 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | The Square Root |
Sylvester Stallone is an actor, screenwriter, director, and producer of one of the best sports dramas in Hollywood.
Stallone struggled to get his foothold in Hollywood for many years and did uncredited work in several movies before gaining fame and recognition. This is a reality for a lot of upcoming actors but this is what one has to do to get noticed in Hollywood and to gain experience.
And, he got this fame with the iconic boxing movie Rocky and its sequels. In the initial days, Sylvester had a speech impediment, and many directors refused to work with him or found it difficult to record his words correctly.
But Stallone persevered as he had many stories in his head that he wanted to present and perform.
He wrote the screenplay for the Rocky franchise, the Rambo franchise, The Expendables franchise, F. I. S. T, Lords of the Flatbush, Paradise Alley, etc. Some of the best works of Sylvester Stallone are action movies and comedies.
They include Cliffhanger, Shoot or My Mother Will Shoot, Cobra, Tango & Cash, The Demolition Man, The Specialist, Escape Plan, Creed, and more.
7. Jack Nicholson
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 22nd April 1937 |
Place of Birth | Neptune City, New Jersey, USA |
Height | 1.78 m |
Debut year | 1956 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | NBC Matinee Theater |
Jack Nicholson is a retired American actor and filmmaker with an experience of five decades in Hollywood.
He worked as an actor in all capacities like the lead actor, supporting actor, villain, comedian, etc., and excelled in all levels.
He is also the most nominated male actor with twelve Academy Award nominations, and he won three Oscars too.
Jack debuted in 1956 on television shows and worked in small roles in films. He first gained recognition for his role in the drama Easy Rider.
He followed it up with more dramas, comedy-dramas like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Terms of Endearment, Five Easy Pieces, Broadcast News, The Witches of Eastwick, etc.
He also amazed the audiences with his roles in psychological thrillers and crime thrillers like Chinatown, The Pledge, The Shining, A Few Good Men, The Departed, The Two Jakes, etc.
He was surprisingly good in comedies as well. He worked in As Good as it Gets, About Schmidt, Anger Management, Something’s Gotta Give, etc.
8. Bill Murray
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 21st September 1950 |
Place of Birth | Evanston, Illinois, U.S |
Height | 1.87 m |
Debut year | 1975 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell |
Bill Murray is a comedian and actor whose comic genius was well exploited in the 1980s.
He often collaborated with directors like Ivan Reitman, Harold Rams, Farrelly Brothers, Wes Anderson, Sofia Coppola, etc., to churn out hits.
Bill Murray had his breakout role in the TV show Saturday Night Live! Where he starred and co-wrote sketch comedies.
With an enormous fan base from SNL days, he starred in comedies like Meatballs, Caddyshack, Stripes, Tootsie, Ghostbusters, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, etc.
He continued his comedy into the 90s with What About Bob?, Groundhog Day, Kingpin, The Man Who Knew Too Little, Rushmore, Hyde Park on Hudson, St. Vincent, Lost in Translation, Garfield: The Movie, and its sequel, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc.
9. Robert De Niro
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 17th August 1943 |
Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
Height | 1.75 m |
Debut Year | 1965 |
Debut Movie | Three Rooms in Manhattan |
Robert De Niro is a highly acclaimed actor, director, and producer. He has collaborated with the renowned filmmaker Martin Scorcese and made memorable films.
De Niro garnered Oscar nominations too. De Niro was nominated for an Academy Award for six other films, and he won the award for Godfather II and Raging Bull.
Robert De Niro for his first starring role in Hollywood with Greetings, but his breakout role was in Francs Ford Coppola’s Godfather II, as young Vito Corleone.
He followed up this fabulous performance with Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull, etc.
In the 1980s, De Niro slightly shifted his course and tried comedy movies. He was successful in comedies too.
Some of them are King of Comedy, Brazil, Midnight Run, Wag the Dog, Analyze This, Meet The Parents, Silver Linings Playbook, etc.
The other critically acclaimed films of Robert De Niro include Goodfellas, The Mission, Cape Fear, Heat, Awakenings, Once Upon a Time in America, This Boy’s Life, Joker, The Irishmen, etc.
10. William Shatner
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 22nd March 1931 |
Place of Birth | Montréal, Québec, Canada |
Height | 1.77 m |
Debut year | 1951 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | The Butler’s Night Off |
William Shatner is a name synonymous with Star Trek. He is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise, and he praised the same role in all the Star Trek movies, animated series, and Tv series.
This Canadian actor came to Los Angeles in the 50s and appeared in supporting roles in pictures and TV shows before becoming Captain Kirk in the 60s.
Apart from the Trekkie role, he also acted like a veteran police sergeant in T.J. Hooker, Rescue 911, Columbo, etc. He also had a music band and released his debut album, The Transformed Man, in 1968.
His TV work did not end there as he appeared in recurring roles in The Practice, Boston Legal, Better Late Than Never, 3rd Rock From The Sun, etc.
In 2021, William Shatner became the oldest man to travel to space. He made his trip in the sub-orbital capsule, Blue Origin.
He was 90 years old when he took the flight and described it as experiencing an overview effect.
11. Robin Williams
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 21st July 1951 |
Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
Height | 1.7 m |
Debut year | 1977 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Can I Do It… ‘Til I Need Glasses? |
Robin Williams is arguably one of the best comedians that Hollywood has witnessed. While at Juilliard School of Arts in his third year, his drama teachers remarked that there was nothing more Juilliard could teach him.
He stepped out onto the stage and won the hearts of his critics and audiences.
Robin got his breakthrough with the TV series, The Mork and Mindy Show, where he played an alien.
After that, he continued churning out hits like The World According to Garp, Moscow on the Hudson, Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Awakenings, The Fisher King, Patch Adams, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Bird Cage, etc. He excelled in voice acting as Genie in Aladdin and its sequel, Happy Feet, and its sequel, etc.
He won an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting and had four other nominations at the Academy Awards for acting.
His list of accolades also includes two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and five Grammy Awards.
12. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 30th July 1947 |
Place of Birth | Thal, Styria, Allied-occupied Austria |
Height | 1.88 m |
Debut year | 1970 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Hercules in New York |
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, politician, and businessman. He was born in Austria and trained as a weightlifter and bodybuilder.
He is not just a great actor, but also a politician. Many fans don’t know, but Arnold was Governor of California from 2003 to 2007.
His football coach encouraged him to take up bodybuilding professionally, so Arnold started participating in events.
After winning multiple bodybuilding championships and Mr. Universe titles, he set his sights on Hollywood.
Initially, Arnold Schwarzenegger had to get his lines dubbed as his dialect was heavily accented in Hercules in New York.
His next venture was that of a deaf and mute hitman. But, he did not give up and worked on his speech.
He gave his breakthrough performance in 1982 in Conan the Barbarian and its sequel, Conan the Destroyer.
In the 80s, he also appeared in the hit sci-fi film series, The Terminator and its sequels.
His other prominent works include Commando, Predator, Total Recall, Twins, The Kindergarten Cop, True Lies, Junior, Jingle All The Way, etc.
13. Michael J. Fox
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 9th June 1961 |
Place of Birth | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
Height | 1.63 m |
Debut year | 1978 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | The Magic Lie (TV Series) |
Michael J Fox is a Canadian-American actor from the 80s. He was a teenage heartthrob who steadily worked his way up from television roles to film roles until 1998.
Michael disclosed his health problem and his struggles with Parkinson’s disease. After this, he reduced his film appearances and worked to create awareness for the condition.
The first significant role of Michael was in the TV series Family Ties, where he played Alex Keaton.
Simultaneously, he appeared in the sci-fi film trilogy, Back to the Future. With this role, he cemented his position as a heartthrob.
He followed it up with appearances in The Secret of My Success, Casualties of War, Doc Hollywood, The Frighteners, etc.
In 1998, Fox reduced the number of film and TV roles dramatically. He worked in the ABC sitcom Spin City till 2002, and he also did voice acting in Stuart Little and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
His other works include The Michael J Fox Show, Rescue Me, The Good Wife, etc.
14. Danny DeVito
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 17th November 1944 |
Place of Birth | Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA |
Height | 1.47 m |
Debut year | 1970 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Dreams of Glass |
Danny DeVito is an actor, director, producer, and screenwriter who came to prominence in the 1980s.
His dream was to work as a makeup artist, and he attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts to learn the craft.
Yet after a while at the academy, he became more interested in acting and started participating in theater.
Danny DeVito rose to fame in the TV series Taxi as the dispatcher. He steadily gained more recognition with his satirical comedies and supporting roles in dramatic films.
His filmography includes Terms of Endearment, Romancing the Stone, Throw Momma from the Train, Twins, The War of the Roses, Jewel of the Nile, etc.
Over the years, DeVito has appeared in Junior, Get Shorty, Matilda, L. A. Confidential, The Big Kahuna, Big Fish, Deck the Halls, When in Rome, Solitary Man, Reno 911!, The Lorax, The Rainmaker, etc.
His recent film and television works are It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dumbo, Jumanji: The Next Level, etc. He is loved by thousands and has fans from not just the old but younger generations too.
15. Dan Aykroyd
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 1st July 1952 |
Place of Birth | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Height | 1.83 m |
Debut Year | 1974 |
Debut Movie | The Gift of Winter (TV Movie) |
Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian actor, musician, writer, comedian, and more. He was a part of the original team of Saturday Night Live!
Dan worked with the Second City comedy troupe, and he did stand-up comedy shows in Ottawa.
He briefly worked in the Canadian sketch comedy show The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour with Lorne Michaels of SNL.
Once SNL was created, Lorne invited Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi to audition and join the cast.
Rolling Stones Magazine voted Aykroyd as the fifth most iconic SNL cast member. The sketches he created and worked on became feature films, including The Coneheads, The Blues Brothers, etc.
He also created and co-wrote The Ghostbusters franchise along with Harold Ramis. Some of the iconic works of Dan Aykroyd are The Blues Brothers, Coneheads, Driving Miss Daisy, Nothing But Trouble, 1941, Ghostbusters franchise, Soul Man, Indiana Jones, and The Temple of Doom, The Great Outdoors, and more.
16. Leonard Nimoy
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 26th March 1931 |
Place of Birth | Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
Height | 1.82 m |
Debut Year | 1951 |
Debut Movie | Queen for a Day |
Leonard Nimoy is a beloved actor who has immortalized the character of Mr. Spock from the Star Trek franchise.
He left such an impact on his fans in the film fraternity, the scientific community, and the world at large that they named an asteroid 4864 Nimoy in his honor.
Leonard Nimoy was a small-time actor who taught acting in Hollywood before he auditioned for this part.
Nimoy had worked in B movies like Kid Monk Baroni and Tv series like Perry Mason and Dragnet.
After attaining fame with his role, Nimoy turned to filmmaking and directed and produced films and shows.
He also did voice acting for the Star Trek animated series as well. His most notable performances were in The Transformers: The Movie (voice of Galvatron), Halloween Tree, documentary film, Destiny in Space, etc.
He did audio work and narrated the books, The Time Machine, Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Lost World, The Invisible Man, and The First Men in the Moon for the Sci-fi channel.
17. Mark Hamill
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 25th September 1951 |
Place of Birth | Oakland, California, USA |
Height | 1.7 m |
Debut Year | 1963 |
Debut Movie | General Hospital (TV Series) |
Mark Hamill is an actor known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga.
His fame reached such meteoric heights that he actively avoided being typecast and moved to stage and voice acting.
As a result, Mark has worked on some of the most well-loved voice roles in Batman, Spiderman, Avatar: The Last Airbender, etc.
Mark Hamill appeared in the first Star Wars film in 1977. It was an unexpected and enormous success, and its sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, were equally successful.
Due to the pressure of the huge success, he shifted his work to Broadway and appeared in The Elephant Man, Amadeus, Harrigan ‘N Hart, Room Service, The Nerd, etc.
Mark Hamill did the voice of The Joker in many Batman animated series and DCEU animations.
He was also the voice of Hobgoblin in Spiderman, Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Skips in Regular Show, etc.
His other film works include Corvette Summer, The Big Red One, The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, Britannia Hospital, etc.
18. Christopher Reeve
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 25th September 1952 |
Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
Height | 1.93 m |
Debut Year | 1974 |
Debut Movie | Great Performances (TV Series) |
Christopher Reeve was the OG Superman in the DCEU franchise, and he was the most successful Superman actor.
He was a critically acclaimed actor before his equestrian accident. After Reeve broke his neck from the fall, he was paralyzed neck down.
He became confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Christopher Reeve graduated from Cornell University and Juilliard School of arts with Robin Williams.
While Christopher was inclined to take up theater, his mother and stepfather made him promise to finish college, so he persevered at Cornell University while working in the theater during his holidays and vacations.
Despite the limited scope, his talent was recognized by big producers. Apart from his work in the Superman franchise, Christopher also appeared in acclaimed films, including The Bostonians, Street Smart, Remains of The Day, etc.
He appeared on stage in Fifth of July, The Aspern Papers, etc. His TV works include The Rear Window, In The Gloaming, Smallville, etc.
19. Mel Gibson
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 3rd January 1956 |
Place of Birth | Peekskill, New York, USA |
Height | 1.77 m |
Debut Year | 1976 |
Debut Movie | The Sullivans |
Mel Gibson is an award-winning actor, director, and producer, known for such iconic roles as Max Rockatansky in Mad Max and Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon.
Mel Gibson was born in New York, but he shifted to Australia with his family.
Mel grew up in New South Wales. He debuted on the Australian television series The Sullivans.
He gained critical praise and wide acclaim for his role in the post-apocalyptic thriller Mad Max.
He also worked with Peter Weir in the World War I film Gallipoli, which earned him a reputation as a versatile and serious actor.
He followed it up with movies like the Mad Max series, Lethal Weapon series, A Year of Living Dangerously, Tequila Sunrise, A Bird on a Wire, Maverick, etc.
Mel Gibson ventured into the direction and production of films in 1993 with A Man Without a Face.
He also directed and produced Braveheart, for which he won two Academy Awards. His other ventures include The Passion of Christ, Apocalypto, Get The Gringo, The Singing Detective, Paparazzi, and more.
20. Tom Hanks
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 9th July 1956 |
Place of Birth | Concord, California, USA |
Height | 1.83 m |
Debut Year | 1980 |
Debut Movie | He Knows You’re Alone |
Tom Hanks is one of Hollywood’s most amiable actors and has a reputation for being a thorough gentleman with his fellow actors and crew members.
Hanks had a very religious upbringing, and he was a disciplined good child who never got into trouble.
While in college, Tom became interested in theater and acting. He did an internship for three years, at the Great Lakes Theater Festival, in Cleveland.
In 1980, Tom Hanks got his break into Hollywood and often worked in comedies for a few years.
His notable performances during the 80s include Splash, Bachelor Party, Big, Dragnet, Nothing in Common, Turner, Hooch, etc.
In the following decade, his films became major hits. They included A League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Cast Away, etc.
He appeared in many more memorable roles like Woody in the Toy Story franchise, Professor Robert Langdon in the Dan Brown franchise, Catch Me If You Can, Saving Private Ryan, Road to Perdition, The Green Mile, Bridge of Spies, Band of Brothers, etc.
21. Emilio Estevez
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 12th May, 1962 |
Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
Height | 1.69 m |
Debut Year | 1973 |
Debut Movie | Badlands |
Emilio Estevez’s rise to fame during the 1980s was marked by his notable performances and his association with the Brat Pack, a group of young actors who became synonymous with youth-oriented films of the era.
Estevez gained widespread recognition with his roles in iconic movies like “The Outsiders” and “Repo Man,” where his talent and charisma shone through.
However, it was his portrayal of Andrew Clark in the critically acclaimed coming-of-age film “The Breakfast Club” that solidified his status as a prominent member of the Brat Pack.
Estevez continued to impress audiences with memorable performances in films like “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Young Guns,” showcasing his versatility and establishing himself as a talented actor.
Throughout the 1980s, Estevez’s star continued to rise, leaving an indelible mark on the decade’s pop culture landscape.
22. Tom Berenger
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 31st May 1949 |
Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
Height | 1.8 m |
Debut Year | 1975 |
Debut Movie | One Life to Live (TV Series) |
Tom Berenger is the screen name of Thomas Michael Moore. At the University of Missouri, he graduated with journalism as his major.
Tom worked as a flight attendant with Eastern Airlines before realizing his calling to become an actor.
As there was an actor listed as Tom Moore, he chose to change his name to Tom Berenger.
He took up small roles in films like Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, One Life To Live, In Praise of Older Women, etc.
He got his first lead role in the film Rush it. In the 1980s, Tom Berenger’s work drew critical praise.
He worked in films like The Big Chill, Eddie, and the Cruisers, Rustlers’ Rhapsody, Platoon, Someone to Watch Over Me, Shoot to Kill, Major League, etc.
His work in Platoon was also nominated for Academy Award and Golden Globe Awards. Other notable performances of Berenger were Dogs of War, the Major League franchise, the Sniper franchise, Betrayed, The Field, Gettysburg, The Substitute, One Man’s Hero, Training Day, Inception, etc.
23. Christopher Lloyd
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 22nd October 1938 |
Place of Birth | Stamford, Connecticut, USA |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut Year | 1975 |
Debut Movie | One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest |
At the mention of Christopher Lloyd, everyone’s mind conjures up an image of an eccentric frazzled man with wild frizzy hair.
Owing to this persona from the Back to the Future franchise, and his character in Taxi, both these roles were an integral part of entertainment in the 80s.
Apart from the Back to the Future franchise and the TV series Taxi, Lloyd has also worked in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Adams Chronicles, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Clue, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and more.
Lloyd has also appeared in animated films and TV series like Road to Avonlea, Anastasia, Twenty Bucks, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, The Woodsman, Over the Garden Wall, Street Hawk, Amazing Stories, Spin City, My Favorite Martian, etc.
24. Willem Dafoe
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 22nd July 1955 |
Place of Birth | Appleton, Wisconsin, USA |
Height | 1.7 m |
Debut Year | 1980 |
Debut Movie | Heaven’s Gate |
William James ‘Willem’ Dafoe is an actor who has dabbled more in experimental films than his contemporaries and won acclaim.
He has four Academy Award nominations, four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, three Golden Globe nominations, and a BAFTA nomination.
At the start of his career, Dafoe worked with the experimental theater company, The Wooster Group.
Willem Dafoe’s filmography includes The Loveless, To Live and Die in LA, Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ, Mississippi Burning, Shadow of the Vampire, and more.
He has also worked with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spiderman franchise as The Green Goblin.
And the DCEU’s Aquaman franchise as Nuidis Vulko. Other popular projects of Dafoe are Mr. Bean’s Holiday, Antichrist, The Fault Is In Our Stars, John Wick, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Murder on the Orient Express, The Florida Project, The Lighthouse, At Eternity’s Gate, Togo, etc.
25. Alec Guinness
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 2nd April 1914 |
Place of Birth | Marylebone, London, England, UK |
Height | 1.76 m |
Debut Year | 1934 |
Debut Movie | Evensong |
Sir Alec Guinness was an English actor who worked extensively in British cinema, television, and theater.
In particular, his work with the Ealing comedies has garnered him a large fanbase. To the rest of the world, Sir Alec Guinness is famous for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars franchise.
Before starting the Star Wars saga, Sir Alec was renowned for his role in such films as, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Lavender Hill Mob, The LadyKillers, etc., from Ealing Studios.
He also appeared in great literary adaptations of The Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, The Bridge on River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, A Passage to India, Scrooge, etc.
This great actor has four Academy Award nominations, won the award once, and was honored with Academy Honorary Award for lifetime achievement.
Apart from this, he has multiple Tony Awards, BAFTA Awards, Golden Globes, and more.
26. Denzel Washington
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 28th December 1954 |
Place of Birth | Mount Vernon, New York, USA |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut Year | 1977 |
Debut Movie | Wilma (TV Movie) |
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an award-winning actor, director, and producer who has worked on stage, television, and films.
While studying at Texas Tech University, Washington had a quandary about which major to choose.
He took a semester off and worked as a stage director at a summer camp.
This experience opened his eyes to his love for acting. After graduation, he worked on stage in off-Broadway plays like Coriolanus, Wings of the Morning, a Soldier’s Play, etc.
He debuted in Hollywood with the film Carbon Copy in 1981. He worked as one of the few black actors on the hit NBC show St.
Elsewhere. At the same time, he also worked in the films A Soldier’s Story, Hard Lessons, Cry Freedom, The Mighty Quinn, Glory, For Queen and Country, etc.
By 1990, Denzel Washington had already won an Academy Award and was nominated for another.
He regularly worked with amazing directors like Antoine Fuqua, Spike Lee, Tony Scott, etc., to win more nominations and awards.
His filmography includes Much Ado About Nothing, Malcolm X, Pelican Brief, Philadelphia, The Hurricane, Training Day, Fences, and more.
27. Judge Reinhold
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 21st May 1957 |
Place of Birth | Wilmington, Delaware, USA |
Height | 1.88 m |
Debut Year | 1979 |
Debut Movie | Wonder Woman (TV Series) |
Edward Earnest ‘Judge’ Reinhold Jr. is a character actor, popular during the 1980s. Most of his appearances were in comedy films, and he was the supporting lead in many hit franchises.
He attended Mary Washington College and Palm Beach Community College to earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
After college, he started his acting career on television with the series Wonder Woman. On TV, he also worked in Magnum PI, Secret Service Guy, Saturday Night Live!, Seinfeld, Ellen, The King of Queens, National Lampoon’s Thanksgiving Family Reunion, Monk, Easy Money, etc.
In films, he appeared in supporting roles in hit comedies like Stripes, Pandemonium, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Gremlins, Beverly Hills Cop, Ruthless People, Santa Clause trilogy, Beverly Hill II, Beverly Cop III, etc.
28. Richard Pryor
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 1st December 1940 |
Place of Birth | Peoria, Illinois, USA |
Height | 1.78 m |
Debut Year | 1966 |
Debut Movie | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) |
Richard Pryor was America’s number one stand-up comedian of all time. He was ranked in the top spot by the Comedy Central channel and Rolling Stone magazine as the best stand-up comic.
He has inspired several future performers and is admired by his contemporaries as well. Pryor had a difficult childhood, and most of his jokes revolve around racism, race relations, and sexuality.
His jokes were tragi-comic and freely discussed many uncomfortable topics. Richard Pryor had a flourishing career doing stand-up shows and concerts.
They were released as records that won him 4 Grammy Awards too. Later, he collaborated with Paul Mooney, Gene Wilder, and Mel Brooks to appear in comedy films that were a roaring success as well.
His most memorable performances include Blue Collar, Bustin Loose, Superman III, Stir Crazy, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Silver Streak, and more.
He also worked on television shows like Pryor’s Place, Sesame Street, Chicago Hope, The Richard Pryor Show, Saturday Night Live!, etc.
29. Rick Moranis
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 18th April 1953 |
Place of Birth | Toronto, Canada |
Height | 1.68 m |
Debut year | 1980 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | SC TV |
Rick Moranis is a Canadian actor, comedian, and musician, known for his role in the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids franchise.
He was a prominent actor in the 80s and appeared in many comedies in lead and supporting roles.
He worked extensively with the Second City comedy troupe in Canada and their TV shows too.
In the 1980s, he started work in Hollywood and appeared in the hit films Strange Brew, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, Little Shop of Horrors, Spaceballs, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Parenthood, SC TV Network, Saturday Night Live!, etc.
After the death of his wife, Moranis reduced his television and film work to concentrate on his kids and be a single father.
His famous roles include Honey, I Blew Up The Kids, The Flintstones, Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, Splitting Heirs, Brother Bear, and the sequels, etc.
He is set to make a comeback in 2022 with another installment of Shrunk.
30. Sean Connery
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 25th August 1930 |
Place of Birth | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK |
Height | 1.88 m |
Debut Year | 1954 |
Debut Movie | Let’s Make Up |
Thomas Sean Connery was a Scottish actor and the first James Bond. He made the MI6 agent 007 famous across the world with quotes like, “My name is Bond, James Bond” and “I’d like a Martini, shaken not stirred”.
Connery worked in seven Bond films before he quit the franchise to work in other film roles Apart from James Bond, Sean Connery appeared in other successful films like Marnie, The Hill, Murder on the Orient Express, The Man Who Would Be King, A Bridge Too Far, Highlander, The Name of the Rose, The Untouchables, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusades, The Hunt For the Red October, The Rock, Finding Forrester, etc.
Sean Connery has been made the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in France and was also knighted by the British monarchy in the 2000 New Years’ Eve Honors.
31. Danny Glover
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 22nd July 1946 |
Place of Birth | San Francisco, California, USA |
Height | 1.92 m |
Debut Year | 1979 |
Debut Movie | B.J. and the Bear (TV Series) |
Donald ‘Danny’ Glover is an actor, director, and civil rights, activist. Before joining the acting profession, Danny worked at the city administration on community development.
However, his love for acting encouraged him to join acting classes at American Conservatory Theater.
In the 1980s, he appeared in a wide range of roles on television, on stage, and in films.
His most memorable roles were in the Lethal Weapon series of movies alongside Mel Gibson and Joe Pesci.
The Color Purple, Witness, To Sleep With Anger, Silverado, Witness, Hill Street Blues, Mandela, A Raisin in The Sun, etc.
Throughout his long and celebrated career, Danny Glover has worked in Predator 2, Angels in the Outfield, Operation Dumbo Drop, A Rage in Harlem, Dreamgirls, Shooter, Death at a Funeral, Beyond the Lights, Sorry to Bother You, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, The Dead Don’t Die, Lonesome Dove, Jumanji: The Next Level, etc.
32. James Earl Jones
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 17th January 1931 |
Place of Birth | Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA |
Height | 1.87 m |
Debut Year | 1952 |
Debut Movie | Guiding Light (TV Series) |
James Earl Jones is an iconic actor whose voice has lent life to many memorable characters.
He is the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars films, Mufasa in Lion King, Emperor of the night in Pinocchio, and the Emperor of the Night, etc.
With a deep gravelly voice, which is classed as Basso profundo, his voice can be soothing and terrifying at the same time.
There was a time when James Earl Jones had a stutter so profound that he refused to speak.
His English teacher used poetry to encourage him out of his shell. James Earl Jones debuted on-screen with a Stanley Kubrick film, Dr. Strangelove.
He also appeared in Claudine, the Star Wars franchise, Lion King, its sequel, and the live-action remake in 2019.
He was also active on the theater scene, with Tony Award-winning plays like The Great White Hope, Fences, Driving Miss Daisy, The Best Man, The Gin Game, You Can’t Take It With You, etc.
In the 1980s, Jones appeared in films including Conan The Barbarian, Matewan, Coming to America, and its sequel, Field of Dreams, Hunt For Red October, etc.
33. Steve Martin
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 14th August 1945 |
Place of Birth | Waco, Texas, USA |
Height | 1.82 m |
Debut Year | 1967 |
Debut Movie | Off to See the Wizard (TV Series) |
Steve Martin is Hollywood’s best funnyman. Starting his career as a stand-up comedian, he performed live shows for a long time.
Steve Martin worked in the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Saturday Night Live!, etc. He retired from his stand-up career to become an actor in the 1980s.
He carried on his tradition of slapstick comedy and physical comedy to his movies too.
He worked in super hit comedies like The Jerk, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, The Man with Two Brains, Three Amigos, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, etc.
He frequently collaborated with Rob Reiner, and his most acclaimed film, All of Me, was made by Reiner too.
Steve Martin has been honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and the AFI Life Achievement Award.
His other famous appearances are in Sgt. Bilko, Bowfinger, Parenthood, the Father of the Bride film, the Cheaper by the Dozen films, and most recently Only Murders in the Building.
His character in his recent show, Only Murder In The Building is named Charles Savage. Charles is an old TV actor who has been away from acting for a while now and the younger generation is forgetting about him.
But he starts an adventure with his neighbors and due to this his lonely dry life starts to get colorful.
The show is hilarious and his character is extremely wholesome.
34. Dustin Hoffman
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 8th August 1937 |
Place of Birth | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Height | 1.67 m |
Debut Year | 1961 |
Debut Movie | Naked City (TV Series) |
Dustin Hoffman is a much-celebrated actor and filmmaker. Robert DeNiro praised his ability to play any role and appear heartbreakingly human.
His versatility can be noticed in the wide range of roles he has played over the years.
He started playing major roles in films in the 70s, appearing in Oscar-nominated films like The Graduate, Midnight Cowboys, Kramer vs Kramer, Papillon, The Marathon Man, All The President’s Men, and more. In the 80s, he performed in films like Tootsie, Death of a Salesman, Ishtar, Rain Man, etc.
He also worked on stage in The Merchant of Venice, where he played Shylock. Hoffman won the Drama Desk Award for this role and was nominated for a Tony Award.
He appeared in many more successful and critically acclaimed films throughout his long career.
35. James Woods
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 18th April 1947 |
Place of Birth | Vernal, Utah, USA |
Height | 1.8 m |
Debut Year | 1971 |
Debut Movie | All the Way Home (TV Movie) |
James Woods is an Academy Award-nominated actor who almost became an eye surgeon. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology but quit one semester shy of graduation.
He decided to pursue his dream of acting and joined the theater group Dramashop. He acted in multiple Off-Broadway plays before stepping into Hollywood.
Before the 80s, James Wood appeared in acclaimed movies like The Onion Field, Holocaust, The Way We Were, and more.
On the back of his critical success, he worked with acclaimed directors like Sergio Leone, Oliver Stone, and more.
His critical successes in the 80s include Once Upon a Time in America, Against All Odds, Salvadore, etc.
Other notable works of Woods include Videodrome, Chaplin, Casino, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Any Given Sunday, Contact, True Crime, Virgin Suicides, My Names Bill W., Family Guy, The Simpsons, Start Little 2, Surfs Up, etc.
36. Michael Douglas
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 25th September 1944 |
Place of Birth | New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA |
Height | 1.73 m |
Debut Year | 1966 |
Debut Movie | Cast a Giant Shadow |
Michael Douglas is an Academy Award-winning actor and producer. He won his first Academy Award as a producer for the film One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
The film was based on a novel of the same name, and Kirk Douglas owned the rights to make the film.
He was the son of legendary actors Kirk Douglas and Diana Dill. Encouraged by the success of the film, Michael went on to produce and star in many more films in the 1980s, including The China Syndrome, Romancing the Stone, Jewel Of The Nile, etc.
Apart from these, he also acted in films like A Chorus Line, Fatal Attraction, Wall Street, The War of The Roses, Black Rain, The Streets of San Francisco, etc Throughout his career, Michael Douglas has won two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Cecil B.
DeMille Award, etc. His repertory of films included Basic Instinct, The Game, A Perfect Murder, Traffic, Solitary Man, Behind The Candelabra, The Ant-Man franchise, The Kominsky Method, etc.
37. Jeff Bridges
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 4th December, 1949 |
Place of Birth | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut Year | 1951 |
Debut Movie | The Company She Keeps |
Jeff Bridges experienced a meteoric rise to fame during the 1980s, establishing himself as a versatile and highly acclaimed actor.
Building on his early successes in the 1970s, Bridges captivated audiences with his captivating performances in iconic films.
His portrayal of the laid-back musician “The Dude” in the cult classic “The Big Lebowski” solidified his status as a pop culture icon.
Bridges also garnered critical acclaim for his roles in films such as “Starman,” which earned him an Academy Award nomination, and “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” for which he won the Best Actor Oscar.
Throughout the decade, Bridges demonstrated his ability to seamlessly transition between genres, captivating audiences with his magnetic presence and unparalleled acting talent.
His rise to fame during the 1980s marked a pivotal era in his illustrious career.
38. Mickey Rourke
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 16th September 1952 |
Place of Birth | Schenectady, New York, USA |
Height | 1.8 m |
Debut Year | 1976 |
Debut Movie | Love in the Hamptons (Video short) |
Philip Andre ‘Mickey’ Rourke Jr is an actor and a former boxer. While living in Miami with his mother and stepfather, he developed a keen interest in boxing and participated in sparring matches with middleweight champions.
He pursued boxing as a career from 1964 to 1973. Due to suffering concussions, Mickey took a break from boxing with a record of 27 wins.
While at the University of Miami, Mickey Rourke participated in a play for his friend.
After this, he developed a liking for art. He moved to New York and started to pursue acting as a career.
Despite a few small roles in films, Mickey got his breakthrough in Body Heat in 1981.
After that, he appeared in acclaimed roles in the films Diner, Rumble Fish, Pope of Greenwich Village, 91/2 Weeks, etc.
Mickey Rourke garnered maximum praise for his movies Barfly and Angel Heart, both of which were released in 1987.
Later, he went on to work in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, The Rainmaker, Buffalo 66, Get Carter, Sin City, The Wrestler, and more.
39. William Hurt
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 20th March 1950 |
Place of Birth | Washington, D.C., USA |
Height | 1.88 m |
Debut Year | 1977 |
Debut Movie | The Best Of Families |
William Hurt is an actor who has gained critical and commercial success in film, television, and theater roles.
He always harbored a love for acting throughout his schooling years and later joined the Juilliard School.
While he was at Juilliard, Hurt’s classmates were Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve. He stepped onto the stage right after graduation and won an Obie Award for his debut performance.
In 1980, William Hurt worked on a science-fiction body horror film, the Altered States, and won critical acclaim for it.
In the following years, he worked on more Lawrence Kasdan films like Body Heat, The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist, and I Love You to Death.
In the 80s, William Hurt worked in three major films that were all nominated for Academy Awards, Kiss From the Spider Woman, Children From a Lesser God, and Broadcast News.
Hurt acted in many more successful films throughout his career like Gorky Park, A History of Violence, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Syriana, The Good Shepherd, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, etc.
40. Rutger Hauer
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 23rd January 1944 |
Place of Birth | Breukelen, Netherlands |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut Year | 1969 |
Debut Movie | Monsieur Hawarden |
Rutger Hauer was a Dutch actor who debuted on the Dutch television series Floris. He acted in many Paul Verhoeven movies.
He gained international recognition with another Verhoeven movie, Soldier of Orange and Spetters. He was a major star in the Netherlands, and his picture was voted the Best Dutch Film of the Century in 1999.
In 1981, Rutger made his Hollywood debut with the movie Nighthawks with Sylvester Stallone. He followed it up with more roles in Inside the Third Reich, Blade Runner, Eureka, The Osterman Weekend, Flesh & Blood, Ladyhawke, etc.
He continued to play different kinds of roles without sticking to a genre, and he never shied away from controversial roles.
His most memorable performances have been in Blade Runner, Escape from Sobibor, Legend of the Holy Drinker, Wanted: Dead or Alive, etc.
Rutger Hauer appeared in critically praised films like Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Batman Begins, Sin City, The Rite, etc.
41. Daniel Day-Lewis
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 29th April 1957 |
Place of Birth | Kensington, London, United Kingdom |
Height | 1.87 m |
Debut Year | 1971 |
Debut Movie | Sunday Bloody Sunday |
Daniel Day-Lewis is considered one of the acting giants of Hollywood. This reclusive actor was born to Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis and Jill Balcon.
He mentioned in an interview that as a child, he was a troublemaker, prone to shoplifting and rebelling against authority.
However, he settled down by high school and concentrated on his great love for acting and woodworking.
Although he debuted in 1971 as a child actor in Sunday Bloody Sunday, he started acting in films only in the 1980s.
The movies he chose and appeared in were a testimony to his talent as an actor.
He worked in Gandhi, The Bounty, My Beautiful Laundrette, A Room with a View, Nanou, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, etc.
His performance in all the movies was critically acclaimed and appreciated. In 1989, he appeared in the film My Left Foot, about the Irish painter and author Christy Brown.
This role earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor. This began his long journey to come with one dazzling performance after another.
42. Al Pacino
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 25th April 1940 |
Place of Birth | East Harlem, New York, United States |
Height | 1.67 m |
Debut Year | 1968 |
Debut Movie | N.Y.P.D. |
Alfredo James ‘Al’ Pacino was born into an Italian-American family. When Al insisted on taking up acting as a career, his mother was against it.
He rebelled and moved out of the house to study drama at the HB Studio under Charlie Laughton.
After his mother and grandfather died in quick succession, Pacino was distraught. He immersed himself in the theater to get a grip on his feelings.
He struggled all through the 60s to get a foothold in movies. In the 1970s, Al Pacino starred in great Oscar-nominated films like The Godfather, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, …And Justice For All, etc.
After a very successful decade, the 80s saw a decline in his luck. Al Pacino starred in the critical and commercially successful Scarface.
It was followed by multiple failures. He appeared in Author!, Author!, Sea of Love, Revolution, and Cruising apart from Scarface.
His luck turned again in the 90s, and he went back to making hit films again.
43. Ben Kingsley
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 31st December 1943 |
Place of Birth | Snainton, United Kingdom |
Height | 1.73 m |
Debut Year | 1966 |
Debut Movie | Pardon the Expression |
Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Pandit Bhanji. His ancestors were Gujarati Indian spice traders who migrated to Kenya.
And from there to the UK before Ben was born. In the early part of his acting career, Ben found it difficult to find jobs with his uncommon name, so he changed it to Ben Kingsley and immediately saw the difference.
He worked extensively for 15 years with the Royal Shakespeare Company on many plays and West End roles.
In 1982, his career took a marked turn. Sir Richard Attenborough cast him as Mohandas Gandhi in his film, Gandhi.
This role won him an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA for Lead Actor.
After that, Kingsley appeared in many more acclaimed films like Turtle Diary, Maurice, Pascali’s Island, Without a Clue, etc., in the 80s.
Later he worked on other Academy Award-nominated films and roles like Schindler’s List, Bugsy, Sexy Beast, Shutter Island, House of Sand and Fog, etc.
44. Kevin Costner
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 18th January 1955 |
Place of Birth | Lynwood, California, United States |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut Year | 1981 |
Debut Movie | Sizzle Beach, U.S.A. |
Kevin Costner is a well-respected filmmaker, actor, and businessman in America. He began his film career in the 1980s.
Kevin was not an academically inclined child, but he was more interested in football, piano, and singing while in high school.
Yet he earned a degree in finance and marketing. While on a flight, Costner met the actor Richard Burton and spoke to him.
Burton commented that Costner could make it in Hollywood with his blue eyes. This was all the motivation Kevin Costner needed.
He debuted in 1981 and appeared in multiple roles in Fandango, American Flyers, Silverado, etc.
But in 1987, he appeared in the highly acclaimed films The Untouchables and No Way Out.
He followed these up with roles in Bull Durham and Field of Dreams and both of which were well received.
This formed the basis for very successful acting and directing career in the future. In 1990, Costner released the longtime project Dances With Wolves and won two Academy Awards for it.
He also worked on other prestigious projects like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, JFK, Bodyguard, etc., in the following years.
45. Alan Rickman
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 21st February 1946 |
Place of Birth | Hammersmith, London, England, UK |
Height | 1.85 m |
Debut Year | 1978 |
Debut Movie | Romeo and Juliet |
Alan Rickman is a gifted British actor famous for his unique style of speaking. He has a deep and resonant voice.
Alan was born with a tight jaw which attributes to his voice. As a child, he was talented with calligraphy and watercolor painting.
Alan and his friends formed Graphiti, a graphic design company. But, Alan’s real passion lay in acting, and he quit the company to join the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to learn drama.
He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and worked on many plays like As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, A View From The Bridge, The Seagull, etc.
In 1986, he performed Les Liaisons Dangereuse in the West End and 87, on Broadway.
It earned him a Tony nomination. Starting in 1980, he appeared in many television series and movies, chief of them being The Barchester Chronicles and Die Hard.
Alan Rickman went on to work in iconic films like the Harry Potter franchise, Love Actually, Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, etc.
46. Kevin Kline
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 24th October 1947 |
Place of Birth | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
Height | 1.87 m |
Debut Year | 1976 |
Debut Movie | Search for Tomorrow |
Kevin Kline was born in Missouri and spent his childhood steeped in the theater. In his high school, Kevin admittedly spent more time in school plays than in his classes.
His father was a music lover and an amateur opera singer, and this love for arts was passed on to him.
Kevin Kline attended the Juilliard School of arts and took up the theater after graduating from it.
Kevin spent the early part of his career winning awards for his theater performances. He debuted in films with Sophie’s Choice in 1982.
However, Kevin Kline had a natural talent for comedy. He appeared in The Big Chill and Silverado, which marked the start of his association with Lawrence Kasdan.
He worked with Kasdan on many more future projects like Grand Canyon, I Love You To Death and French Kiss.
Kline also appeared in other successful films like Pirates of Penzance, Cry Freedom, A Fish Called Wanda, etc.
He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the last one.
47. Billy Crystal
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 14th March 1948 |
Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
Height | 1.68 m |
Debut Year | 1975 |
Debut Movie | Keep on Truckin’ (TV Series) |
Billy Crystal was born William Edward Crystal into a family of art lovers. His dad and his uncle were jazz connoisseurs, and his uncle founded Commodore Records, which was known for its jazz records.
As a child, Billy’s house was frequented by many jazz musicians, and it laid the foundation for his love for performing arts.
After earning his BFA from the Tisch School of fine arts, Billy started work in the 70s with television series.
His biggest break came as Jodie Dallas in Soap. After the success of this role, Billy appeared in many movies and TV series in the 80s.
He substantiated his career as a comedian. He worked in movies like This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Throw Momma From The Train, Sesame Street, Running Scared, etc.
His most successful film of the 80s was When Harry Met Sally… This movie earned him a Golden Globe nomination and made him a name to watch out for.
He also appeared in Saturday Night Live! And displayed his talent for stand-up comedy. It could be said that his great work in the 80s laid the foundation for most of his future endeavors.
48. Kurt Russell
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 17th March 1951 |
Place of Birth | Springfield, Massachusetts, USA |
Height | 1.8 m |
Debut year | 1962 |
Debut Movie/ TV series | Dennis the Menace |
Kurt Russell is an actor and the son of Bing Russell. With Bing Russell being a minor league baseball player, even Kurt took up that sport in his high school.
However, acting proved to be a stronger attraction, and he appeared in television series from a young age.
He appeared in TV series like Our Man Higgins, The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, The Man from U.N. C. L. E, Daniel Boone, Gilligan’s Island, etc. Kurt Russell was a child actor who worked throughout the seventies, but he made his big transition to lead actor in the 1980s.
With the direction of John Carpenter, Kurt worked in the films Escape From New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China.
The latter two films gained cult status despite being a commercial flop at the start.
Kurt also starred in many comedies that bolstered his fame during that decade. His big hits include Best of Times, Overboard, Tango & Cash, Silkwood, Tequila Sunrise, Winter People, and more.
This decade also marked the start of his long and happy relationship with Goldie Hawn.
49. Morgan Freeman
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 1st June 1937 |
Place of Birth | Memphis, Tennessee, USA |
Height | 1.88 m |
Debut Year | 1964 |
Debut Movie | The Pawnbroker |
Morgan Freeman grew up with his grandmother in the southern state of Mississippi before he moved to Chicago.
He worked in plays all through childhood. He appeared in his first play when he was nine years.
Impressed by his theater work, Freeman was offered a partial scholarship to learn acting and drama at Jackson State University.
He turned it down to enlist in the United States Air Force. After serving till 1959, Morgan Freeman moved to Los Angeles and learned acting at the Pasadena Playhouse and the Los Angeles City College.
Morgan played different types of roles in films and television series. He got his breakthrough role in 1987 with Street Smart.
It also earned him his first Academy Award nomination. His other prominent roles in the 80s include Clean and Sober, Driving Miss Baker, Glory, and Lean On Me.
He earned his second of the five Oscar nominations for Driving Miss Daisy. Freeman went on to play many more iconic film roles in Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Se7en, Unforgiven, Amistad, etc.
50. Charlie Sheen
Entity | Detail |
---|---|
Date of Birth | 3rd September 1965 |
Place of Birth | New York, New York, United States |
Height | 1.78 m |
Debut Year | 1973 |
Debut Movie | Badlands |
Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Esteve to Martin Sheen and Janet Templeton. He comes from a family of actors, screenwriters, and filmmakers.
Charlie started young with small roles in his father’s movies. He also made Super 8 movies with his brother Emilio Estevez and high school friends Rob Lowe and Sean Penn.
In 1980, Charlie Sheen debuted in films with Grizzly II: Revenge. He acted alongside his dad in movies like Badlands, The Execution of Private Slovik, Wall Street, etc.
He also appeared in Young Guns, Men At Work, etc., with his brother, Emilio. Charlie was a part of such successful films as Platoon, Red Dawn, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Amazing Stories, Eight Men Out, Wisdom, Major League, etc.
Charlie Sheen also worked on the small screen with hit shows like Spin City, Two and a Half Men, Anger Management, etc.