Actors From New Jersey

From being a stage and B movie actor, Jack Nicholson went on to become one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors and a huge star. The three time Academy award winning legendary actor has, in his six decades career, delivered performances that have become iconic. His notable performances include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and As Good as It Gets.

An award-winning actor, Danny DeVito overcame a rare genetic disorder called Fairbank's disease to become an influential figure in the American film industry. Along with Michael Shamberg, he founded a production company called Jersey Films, which went on to produce films like Pulp Fiction. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.

One of the most decorated American actors, Michael Douglas is popular for playing a variety of roles. Apart from acting, Michael Douglas has received attention for his political activism and humanitarianism. A cancer survivor, Douglas serves as an inspiration to those suffering from the disease; he recovered from stage IV tongue cancer.

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.

Peter Dinklage is an American actor who gained international recognition after playing Tyrion Lannister in one of the most popular TV series of all time, Game of Thrones. Over the years, Peter Dinklage has portrayed important characters in popular films, serving as an inspiration to those suffering from dwarfism, a condition which caused his short stature.

Ray Liotta was an American actor who voiced the central character, Tommy Vercetti, in one of the most popular video games of all time, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Ray Liotta's incredible journey from being an abandoned child, who was adopted from an orphanage, to becoming a popular actor is a ray of hope for many people.

Actor John Travolta’s career has seen significant ups and down. Starting with minor roles, he shot to international fame with Saturday Night Fever and Grease. For the cultural icon of the 1970s, the 80s and early 90s were disappointing, but an impressive comeback with Tarantino's Pulp Fiction resurrected his career.

James Gandolfini was an American actor who achieved the rare feat of being identified more as the character he performed rather than as himself. Years of immaculately performing the role of a powerful crime boss for the TV series, The Sopranos, defined Gandolfini’s legacy forever as a character actor, a legacy he gracefully carried over to the big screen.

One half of the popular American comedy duo Martin & Lewis, Jerry Lewis was nicknamed The King of Comedy for his comedic skills. Also a filmmaker, Jerry Lewis helped develop video assist and went on to popularize the system, which is widely used today. Also a humanitarian, Lewis worked closely with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, raising awareness about muscular dystrophy.

American actor Zachary Braff made his mark in the entertainment industry with the long running television series Scrubs and later with Alex, Inc. As a director and scriptwriter, his first movie Garden State was critically acclaimed and won numerous awards including a Grammy. The popular actor has done theatres and also voiced for many commercials and Disney animations like Chicken Little.

Paul Wesley is an American actor and filmmaker. The Vampire Diaries star has had significant roles in the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and the 2020 Mastercard Off Camera film festival, serving as a jury member on both occasions. Also a well-known humanitarian, Wesley was honored with the Humane Generation Award for his contribution to the Humane Society.

Despite being born with conditions like microcephaly and dwarfism, Beetlejuice went on to become a popular film, radio, and TV personality. A prominent member of Wack Pack, which is part of The Howard Stern Show, Beetlejuice was named the greatest Wack Packer ever by Howard Stern in 2015.

From stage to top grossing movies to critically acclaimed shows, Kevin Spacey Fowler has won hearts of his viewers in every format. He is a versatile actor, especially known for performing multidimensional, dark and intense characters with absolute precision. Honoured KBE by the Queen, Spacey was a well-respected actor until allegations of sexual assault rocked his film career in 2018.

Kal Penn is an actor and former White House staff member. Apart from being a popular American actor of Indian origin, Kal Penn has also contributed as a visiting lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has taught courses, such as 'Images of Asian Americans in the Media'.

Filmmaker, actor, and comedian Kevin Smith first came to prominence in the mid-1990s with his low-budget comedy film Clerks. His unique style of comedy appealed to the audience, and he was able to establish himself in Hollywood within a few years. He also operates a website, an online blog, and a comic book store. 

Taye Diggs is a popular American actor and singer. Such is his popularity that he is often mentioned in several TV series that has nothing to do with him. Video footage of him slipping off a chair became a popular internet meme, making him famous worldwide.

Lee Van Cleef was an American actor popular for playing important roles in many Spaghetti Westerns. Since his physical appearance often overshadowed his acting skills, Lee Van Cleef is regarded by some as the unsung hero of the Western films of the 1950s. Ironically, his appearance served as an inspiration for characters in the Metal Gear Solid video game series.

Joe Pantoliano is an American actor known for his work across all three major acting mediums. Also a published author, Joe Pantoliano works towards raising awareness about mental health. He is credited with founding No Kidding, Me Too!, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing the disgrace usually associated with mental illness.

Known for his multiple-award-winning performance as Patrick in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Ezra Miller is also a queer icon who prefers the pronoun “they/them.” Fans also loved Miller as Credence Barebone in two Fantastic Beasts films and as Barry Allen/The Flash in the DC Extended Universe.

Actor and director Tate Donovan is best known for portraying Tom Shayes in the film Damages. Active in the entertainment industry for over 35 years, he began his career as an actor in his teens. After appearing in many TV shows, he made his film debut. He is also active in the Broadway theater.

Actor, model, and musician Michael Pitt began his career with small roles in TV shows. He impressed the audiences with his work and was soon able to enter films as well. As a musician, he was involved with the band Pagoda. Besides acting and music, he has been active as a model and has modeled for numerous designer campaigns.  

Jimmi Simpson is an American actor whose performances in TV series like House of Cards, Black Mirror, and Westworld have earned him nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, BAFTA TV Awards, and Primetime Emmy Awards. He is also known for portraying Philo T. Farnsworth on Broadway, for which he won the Theatre World Award in 2008.

Frank Langella is an actor most revered in the American theatre industry where he has won four Tony Awards. He then replicated his success in the film and TV industry, appearing in popular movies and TV series. His memoir, Dropped Names, attracted critical appreciation, with some even calling it a celebration of sluttiness as a noble way of life.

Richard Kind is an American actor who has played important roles in TV series like Mad About You, Spin City, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Also known for his voice acting skills, Kind has voiced prominent characters in popular animation films, such as A Bug's Life, Cars, Toy Story 3, Cars 2, and Inside Out.

Jay Mohr gained fame with films such as Jerry Maguire and Paulie, and series such as Action, Ghost Whisperer, and Gary Unmarried. He later launched the podcast Mohr Stories. He also hosted the Fox Sports show Jay Mohr Sports and earned an Emmy nomination for Last Comic Standing.

Mel Ferrer is best known for his role in War and Peace, in which he co-starred with his fourth wife, Audrey Hepburn. He had also delivered hits such as Scaramouche and Knights of the Round Table. He also produced and played the titular role in the biopic El Greco.

Lou Costello was a comedian best known for his comedy routine Who's on First?, which he performed alongside Bud Abbott. During the Second World War, the comedy duo was one of the highest-paid and most popular entertainers in the world. In 2009, he was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Actor, producer, narrator, and drama teacher, John Forsythe, began his six-decade-long career in the entertainment industry in the 1940s. Initially a small-time actor, he built a strong reputation as a character actor over the years and branched out into teaching and production as well. He also appeared as a panelist on numerous game shows.