Russian Americans

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.

The popular, award winning gorgeous artist, Scarlett Johansson is the highest paid actress in the world. With an interest in acting, Scarlett Johansson debuted in films at the young age of eight and went on to act in numerous films including Lost in Translation, The Avengers, Hitchcock and Marriage Story. She has also worked in television and released an album.

Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix is widely regarded as one of the most talented actors of his generation. In his career of four decades, he has starred in numerous films playing characters that have become memorable. These include movies like Gladiator, Joker, Walk the Line and Her. The acclaimed actor is also a social activist, environmentalist, animal rights activist and producer.

Carrie Fisher was an American actress best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars films. Some of her other films notable film wereShampoo, Soapdish, The Blues Brothers, When Harry Met Sally and The Women. She had issues with bipolar disorder and drug addiction and spoke publicly about it. She died after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while on a transatlantic flight.

Actor, comedian, and filmmaker, Adam Sandler, is best known for his comedic roles in Hollywood movies. Despite being a popular actor he also has the ignominious distinction of having appeared in numerous widely panned movies and is the holder of three Golden Raspberry Awards! He has released a few comedy albums as well.

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.

Film director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg is one of the most popular directors and producers in film history. A pioneer of the New Hollywood era, he popularized the genre of escapist films. As of 2020, he is the highest-grossing film director in history. He has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice.

Barbra Streisand is one of the most popular American entertainers and one of the few women to win four major entertainment awards - Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award (EGOT). Apart from being a great entertainer, she has also played a major role as a philanthropist; she has raised $25 million for charity organizations through live performances.

From being a child artist for various commercials to becoming one of the youngest actors to be nominated for the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actor, Timothée Chalamet has achieved much during his short career till now. He shot to fame with the movies Call Me by Your Name and Lady Bird; however, before these he also appeared in the TV series, Homeland, and  the movie, Interstellar.

Actress Winona Ryder is known for her roles in successful and critically acclaimed films such as Heathers, Edward Scissorhands, Girl, Interrupted, Little Women and The Age of Innocence. She also starred in the hit show Stranger Things. She has been in the news for her relationships, including that with superstar Johnny Depp and a 2001 arrest for shoplifting.  

Mel Brooks is the director of iconic comedy films and spoofs like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety and Spaceballs. He is also an actor and a writer and has written for many films. He has received many awards and accolades and won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film. The Producers, in 1969.

The first Jewish woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. An advocate for gender equality and women's rights, she spent the majority of her legal career championing these causes. She remained professionally active until her death in 2020.

Actress, singer, and model Zoë Kravitz first gained prominence for her role in the superhero film X-Men: First Class in the early 2010s. She is the daughter of actor parents and her entry into Hollywood is hardly surprising. Besides acting, she also works as a fashion model and musician. As a singer, she is involved with the band Lolawolf.

An actress who began her career as a child model, Jennifer Connelly appeared in magazine, newspaper, and television advertising prior to taking up acting roles. The winner of an Academy Award, she is an accomplished actress who has appeared in many critically acclaimed films. She has been included on the lists of the world's most beautiful women many times.

Known as the iconic founder of the popular rock band Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi is a record producer and singer-songwriter. In 2012, he was named in Billboard magazine's The Most Powerful and Influential People In The Music Business list. Also a well-known philanthropist, he founded the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation in an attempt to eradicate poverty and homelessness.

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.

Actor, musician, and activist, River Phoenix. was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor, Joaquin Phoenix. The child of “hippyish” parents, he had an unconventional upbringing. He began acting as a young boy and enjoyed a successful career. The promising young man died of a drug overdose when he was just 23.

Comedy films like This is 40, The 40-year-old virgin, Wanderlust and The object of my affection made Paul Rudd a bona fide comic actor. He has also acted in some serious films like The cider house rules and The great Gatsby and has been part of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s popular Ant-Man franchise and the highest-grossing film of all time Avengers: Endgame.

From hosting her comedy show The Sarah Silverman Program, to winning an Emmy and writing a best-selling autobiography, Sarah Silverman has done it all. The NYU drop-out started off as a writer for SNL. She has been an ardent Democratic supporter and often discusses controversial topics on her show.

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.

Bobby Fischer began as a chess prodigy in his teens and went on to become the youngest "grandmaster," at 15. His participation in a politically controversial match in Yugoslavia led to the revocation of his U.S. passport and his arrest. He spent the final years of his life in Iceland.

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.

Professional wrestler and former football player. Bill Goldberg, is currently signed to WWE on a part-time deal. A very popular figure in the late 1990s/early 2000s, he has wrestled for many promotions and is best known for his stint with World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Also an actor, he has appeared in numerous films and TV shows.  

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.

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

An actress, director, writer, and producer, Rashida Jones is a multi-talented woman who first gained prominence as a TV actress. A Harvard University graduate, the bright young woman entered the entertainment industry in the mid-1990s and has since made a name for herself. She is the recipient of several awards including a Grammy.

Best known for directing movies like the Iron Man, Chef, The Jungle Book and The Lion King, Jon Favreau began by performing at improvisational theatre and later made his acting debut with film Rudy. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous films and television shows but it is his work as a filmmaker that has brought him much fame.

Having starred in some of the highest-grossing films, such as Jurassic Park, Jeff Goldblum is one of the most bankable actors of his generation. He has also had an impact on the American TV and theatre scene. Also a musician, Goldblum has a couple of studio albums to his credit. He is married to Emilie Livingston, 30 years his junior.

Mandy Moore is a popular singer, songwriter, and actress who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Apart from her entertainment career, Moore is a known philanthropist who endorses the philosophy of effective altruism. In 2017, she was an active participant at the Los Angeles Women's March.

The actor, comedian, writer and musician, Andy Samberg, is a member of the comedy music group The Lonely Island and has also acted in several films like Hot Rod, That's My Boy and Palm Springs. Plus, he has starred in television sitcoms like the Brooklyn Nine-Nine and has been part of Saturday Night Live as a featured player.

An actress, writer, singer, and comedian, Lisa Kudrow gained international fame for portraying the iconic character Phoebe Buffay in one of the most popular American sitcoms of all time - Friends. She is also one of the highest-grossing film actresses as her movies have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide.

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.

Known for her sultry looks and distinctive voice, Lauren Bacall was an important actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood. As part of a publicity stunt, Bacall was asked to sit on the piano that was being played by Vice President Harry Truman at the National Press Club. The picture of Bacall sitting on the piano remains an iconic photograph.

The current junior US Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving nonpartisan politician in the history of the United States Congress. Sanders is an ardent advocate of progressive policies and is well-known for his opposition to neoliberalism and economic inequality. He also supports paid parental leave, universal and single-payer healthcare, and labor rights.

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.

Miles Teller is an American actor best known for his impressive performance as Andrew Neiman in the 2014 award-winning film Whiplash. A self-made man, Teller pursued acting out of his own interest; he even studied method acting before starting his acting career. Apart from acting, he can also play musical instruments, such as the piano, guitar, drums, and alto saxophone.

Isaac Asimov was an American writer. Best known for his science fiction works, Asimov was regarded as one of the Big Three writers along with Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein. Asimov is credited with influencing most sci-fi writers since the 1950s. Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman stated that one of Asimov's works inspired him to take up Economics.

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.

Dove Cameron is a popular actress and singer who mesmerized the audience with her performance as the eponymous characters in the famous comedy series, Liv and Maddie. As an openly bisexual artist, she also serves as an inspiration to the LGBTQ community all over the world.

A strong conservative political commentator, author, media host and lawyer, Ben Shapiro became the youngest nationally syndicated columnist in the US at the age of seventeen and at twenty published his first book. The host of a daily political podcast ,The Ben Shapiro Show, he has frequently invited criticism for his views on various issues like same-sex marriage and abortion.

Entrepreneur, television personality and media proprietor Mark Cuban is a prolific inventor. He is a named inventor of 11 patent families. He displayed an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age and started many business ventures while still in college. A sports fan, he is the owner of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Dallas Mavericks.

Actress and singer-songwriter, Emmy Rossum, is best known for her portrayal of Fiona Gallagher in the TV series Shameless. Beginning her career as a child actress in the 1990s, she began taking up more mature roles in her teens. As a singer, she has released two albums and an EP and has also provided vocals to many collaborative singles.

The quintessential action heroine of Hollywood, Milla Jovovich was rightly called the reigning queen of kick-butt by VH1 in 2006. Milla Jovovich is synonymous with the Resident Evil film series as the series revolves around its central character Alice, played by Milla. The Resident Evil film franchise is the highest-grossing movie series to be adapted from video games.

A well-known singer-songwriter, Lenny Kravitz won the Grammy Award for four consecutive years from 1999 to 2002 under the same category - Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. In 2003, he founded a New York City-based company called Kravitz Design Inc. From being an award-winning musician to a successful entrepreneur, Lenny Kravitz is truly a multi-talented individual.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki has been the longest-tenured CEO of the organization. She has earlier contributed to the formation of Google and has served them as their VP of product management. The Harvard alumnus was ranked 16 on Forbes’s list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women in 2011.