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One of the most successful Canadian recording artists, singer-songwriter, the Weeknd, holds several chart records and has won numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards. Despite a difficult childhood marred by drug abuse and violence, he persevered and worked hard to emerge as a beloved music star. He is actively involved in philanthropy.
Drake soared to fame with his performance as Jimmy Brooks in the series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He then became a rap sensation with his platinum album Thank Me Later and his Grammy-winning quadruple platinum album Take Care. His track In My Feelings went viral with the global Kiki Challenge.
Primetime Emmy-winning Canadian-American actor and comedian Catherine O'Hara soared to fame with the sketch-comedy show SCTV. She is known for her frequent appearances in the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Guest. She is the sister of singer Mary Margaret O'Hara and is herself a fairly decent singer.
Arguably the best Canadian actor of all time, Christopher Plummer is the only Canadian and one of the few actors to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting (winning Emmy, Tony, and Academy Award). He won the Academy Award at the age of 82, becoming the oldest person to do so. Not surprisingly, he is the most respected actor in Canada.
Will Arnett is widely regarded as one of the most handsome and best-looking comedians of all time; he has been named in lists like Top 15 Sexiest Nerd Boys and The 20 Hottest New Faces in Comedy. Famous for his smooth baritone voice, Will is also a popular voice actor. In 2019, he became a Canada Walk of Fame inductee.
Stephen Amell is a Canadian actor who contributed to the commencement of the popular American media franchise The Arrowverse by portraying Oliver Queen / Green Arrow on the superhero television series Arrow. Also a well-known philanthropist, Stephen Amell has hosted several fundraising campaigns to benefit charity organizations, such as Fuck Cancer, Stand For The Silent, and Paws and Stripes.
Rick Moranis is one of the most popular Canadian artists to make it big in the American film industry. Best known for playing father characters in children's films like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Rick proved to be a great father off-screen as he took a long break from his career to take care of his children, after the death of his wife.
One of rock and roll’s greatest songwriters and performers of all time, Neil Young has worked both solo as well with bands like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The Grammy award winning musician’s notable albums include After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Harvest Moon and Ragged Glory. He strongly backs environmental and disability issues too.
Corey Haim was one half of the popular duo The Two Coreys. He became an icon during the 1980s, thanks to his success as an actor. Despite achieving success early in his life, he was troubled by financial issues and drug addiction problems throughout his career. He eventually died of pneumonia at the age of 38.
Best known as David Rose from Schitt's Creek, Dan Levy, the son of actor Eugene Levy, is an Emmy-winning Canadian actor, who has also been a writer, producer, and director. He came out as gay at 18 but only made it known to the media in a 2020 interview.
Canadian fitness model and former wrestler Trish Stratus is known for her stint with WWF (later renamed WWE). The Diva of the Decade and three-time WWE Babe of the Year has also been a WWE Hardcore Champion. She also became the first female to earn the Lou Thesz Award.
Stephen Harper is a Canadian politician and economist. From 2006 to 2015, Harper served as the prime minister of Canada. In 2019, he was made the Companion of the Order of Canada for his service to the nation and for his illustrious career in politics.
Academy Award-winning Canadian-American actor Gladys Marie Smith, better known by her pseudonym, Mary Pickford, was also one of the co-founders of Pickford–Fairbanks Studios and United Artists. She and 35 others co-founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She was also known as "America's Sweetheart" of silent films.
Robbie Amell is a Canadian-American actor who became a US citizen, along with his wife Italia Ricci, after moving to Los Angeles. Also a producer, Robbie has played an important role in many Canadian film productions. An ice hockey enthusiast, Robbie is currently a fan of the Los Angeles Kings, although he supported the Toronto Maple Leafs while growing up.
Patrick J. Adams is a Canadian actor who has established himself as a celebrity in the United States. He befriended Meghan Markle while filming the legal drama series Suits and was included in the guest list at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. Adams is also a passionate photographer; many of his photographs were showcased at Suits' Behind the Lens event.
Canadian musician, songwriter, and film composer Robbie Robertson became popular following his association as lead guitarist and songwriter with the rock group, The Band. He is credited for playing a key role in popularizing the Americana music genre. He also had a successful career as a solo artist. As a film composer, he has often collaborated with director Martin Scorsese.
David Cronenberg is a Canadian actor, film director, and screenwriter. He is considered a pioneer in what is known as the body horror genre. His films have earned numerous awards, and he has both earned critical acclaim and sparked controversy due to the nature of his work. He often collaborates with fellow actor Viggo Mortensen.
Canadian-American journalist Peter Jennings is best remembered for his stint on ABC World News Tonight, as its sole anchor. A high-school drop-out, Jennings became one of the U.S.’s Big Three news anchors, along with Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather. He was known for his meticulous coverage of breaking news stories.
Rick Fox is a Canadian-Bahamian actor, businessman, former basketball player, and e-sports franchise owner. He is best known for representing the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After retiring from the sport, Rick Fox went on to establish himself as a media personality, appearing in TV shows like Dancing with the Stars.
Canadian-American actor-singer Eric McCormack is best known as Will Truman from Will & Grace, a role that earned him a Primetime Emmy. He has also appeared in lead roles in Lonesome Dove: The Series and Perception, and has delivered an award-winning performance in Here's to Life!
Nora Fatehi is a popular figure in the Indian film industry. Although born and raised in Canada. Nora has worked in Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi language films. She was part of one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever - Baahubali: The Beginning. Apart from appearing in films, she has also made a mark in the TV industry.
P.K. Subban is a Canadian ice hockey player who currently plays as a defenceman for the NHL's New Jersey Devils. In 2013, Subban was adjudged the NHL's top defenceman and was honored with the Norris Trophy. Also known for his philanthropic efforts, Subban promised in 2015 that he would help raise $10 million by 2022 for the Montreal Children's Hospital.
Navraj Singh Goraya, popularly known as Nav, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He achieved recognition when his song Myself went viral in 2016. Bad Habits, his second studio album, debuted at the top position on the US Billboard 200. He has also received criticism for using the word nigga in some of his songs like TTD.
Michael Ironside is a Canadian film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter. He achieved popularity in 1984, when he played a cynical anti-hero named Ham Tyler in the popular TV series, V: The Final Battle. Michael Ironside has also played important roles in popular films like Top Gun, Total Recall, and The Machinist.
Hilary Farr is a British-Canadian businesswoman, television host, designer, and former actress. Over the years, she has played an important role as a designer, renovating homes for celebrities like Jennifer Hudson and Jenna Elfman. In 2017, Hilary Farr co-founded a real estate investment seminar program called Rules of Renovation, which helps aspiring investors across North America.
Henry Lau is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor. Making his debut as a member of the boy band Super Junior-M, he became a popular figure in both China and South Korea. Since then, he has launched a successful solo career as well. He branched out into acting as well and made his Hollywood debut in 2019.
Glenn Gould was a Canadian classical pianist, counted among the most celebrated pianists of the 20th century. He was also an interpreter of the keyboard works of Johann Sebastian Bach. He was known for his remarkable technical proficiency and unorthodox musical interpretations. He was a writer and composer as well. The Glenn Gould Foundation was established in his honor.
Lorne Michaels is a Canadian-American television producer, comedian, and screenwriter. He is credited with creating and producing one of the most popular American TV sketch comedy and variety shows, Saturday Night Live. With 91 nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards under his belt, Lorne Michaels holds the record for having the most nominations by an individual in the award show's history.
World renowned stage magician James Randi, better known by his stage name, The Amazing Randi, had been drawn to magic while recovering from a bicycle accident. He later dropped out of high school to become a road magician. He is also fond of debunking theories of paranormal activity.
Lester B. Pearson was a Canadian statesman, scholar, diplomat, and soldier. He is best remembered for organizing the first United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) in an attempt to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis, for which he was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957. From 1963 to 1968, Lester B. Pearson served as the prime minister of Canada.
Tamara Taylor is a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Camille Saroyan in the popular crime procedural comedy-drama TV series, Bones. Taylor dropped out of high school in order to pursue modeling and travel around the world. Her mother's decision to support her daughter's choice of career proved to be fruitful as Taylor became a successful actress.
Megan Follows is a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal of Anne Shirley in the miniseries Anne of Green Gables, for which she won a Gemini Award in 1986. Also known for her humanitarian work, Megan Follows travelled to Tanzania and Rwanda as a spokeswoman for World Vision Canada, a relief, advocacy, and development organization.
Best known for her Grammy-winning and Billboard-charting single Black Velvet, written in memory of Elvis Presley, Alannah Myles is the daughter of legendary Canadian broadcaster William Douglas Byles. She was later seen in Eurovision and also sang the Canadian national anthem at Toronto All-Star Game in 1991.
Canadian-American actor and stand-up comedian Harland Williams was initially interested in drawing, painting, and poetry and had also worked briefly as a forest ranger. Apart from appearing in minor roles in movies such as Dumb and Dumber, he has been a voice actor and a children’s book author, too.
Renee Paquette is a Canadian television personality and host. She is best known for appearing in WWE, where she worked as an interviewer, presenter, and commentator from 2012 to 2020. In 2013, Renee Paquette received the Slammy Award for her work in The JBL and Cole Show. In 2020, she started hosting Oral Sessions, her own podcast.
Raymond Massey was a Canadian actor best remembered for his stage-trained voice. Massey earned an Academy Award nomination under the Best Actor category for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the 1940 biographical historical drama film Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Massey has two stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the film and TV industries.
