New York is home to many talented male actors who have left an indelible mark on Hollywood. Be it through acting skills or personal lives, these guys have left an imprintful presence within the industry.
Are the cream of the crop and have been hailed by both critics and audiences as masterful performances. Let’s explore their journey to success in such an elite field.
1. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio is renowned actor who has appeared in dozens of iconic films. As one of today’s most sought-after actors, he has received several prestigious honors and nominations throughout his career, such as winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.
His journey began as a child growing up in Los Angeles. He attended Seeds Elementary School (now UCLA Lab School) and John Marshall High School before dropping out to pursue acting professionally.
At five, he was fired from his first acting job due to his disruptive nature; but soon rebounded to prove his talent on screen with notable roles like This Boy’s Life and Gangs of New York.
2. Christopher Jackson
Jackson is one of Hollywood’s most versatile stars, appearing in an impressive range of films that span comedy thrillers like Snakes on a Plane to horror flicks such as 1408. His performances in these projects have always left lasting impressions.
Jackson stands out in an industry known for its fierce competition by virtue of his work ethic and all-roundness. He constantly challenges himself to improve and keep abreast with industry trends.
He has also expanded his business empire as a music investor. His portfolio contains 4,000 songs that he owns as investments for Sly and the Family Stone, among others. Furthermore, his keen interest in art allows him to turn photos taken during his travels into works of art that have been sold at major galleries and museums worldwide.
3. Aaron Lazar
Lazar never abandoned his childhood dream of becoming a famous YouTuber despite his success, even as an adult. After beginning as a construction worker, Lazar eventually found more enjoyment creating video games and videos than doing physical labor.
His YouTube channel quickly attracted an enormous following and provided him with an income. Today he boasts more than 15 million subscribers to his channel and more than 4 billion views to date.
He has amassed an ardent fan following across all social media platforms and recently launched his own clothing line and workout app.
He is known to be extremely warm and affectionate towards his co-stars on set, always willing to take care of their wellbeing on set. For instance, in Taxi Driver, he often comforted Esom when she became nervous or ensured Tomorrow With You co-star Shin Min Ah was covered against cold.
4. Hoon Lee
Hoon Lee (also known as Lee Je Hoon) began as a model and secured his first TV job in 2003. Since then he has transitioned into film acting and won multiple awards for his performances.
He achieved fame through an array of noteworthy movies and dramas in which he has starred, which convey meaningful messages, raise awareness about societal issues or pay homage to real people.
He has voiced many characters on television, such as Job on Cinemax’s Banshee and The Shredder in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As an immensely versatile actor he can seamlessly move between different roles while providing them all with his signature twist.
5. David Burnham
While studying architecture at McGill University, David discovered his love for the arts. He took electives in literature and theatre while enjoying sketch comedy as part of his studies.
After beginning his performance career at local clubs, he eventually gained the opportunity to act in plays by Shakespeare, Moliere and Gilbert and Sullivan.
Burnham’s breakthrough role marked him on the path to fame, leading him to star in many TV shows and movies including The Invisible Man and The King and I.
Burnham is an actor known for his keen sense of humor and talent for improvisation. Additionally, he stands out in Hollywood due to his hard-working ethics and remarkable versatility – playing various roles makes him stand out amongst a highly competitive industry and makes him one of the most well-known actors today.
6. Jonathan Cake
Jonathan Cake, born in Britain and currently based in America, has experienced considerable success throughout his career. He has played roles in many movies such as The Loss of Sexual Innocence and Bend It Like Beckham.
He maintains an active social media presence on Instagram with over 57,000 followers.
As well as acting, he also enjoys baking – something he learned on his own through trial-and-error! He takes great pleasure in creating stunning and intricate cakes.
He is well known in the baking community and has even competed on popular challenge shows on Food Network. Additionally, he co-produced exclusive baking retreats.
7. Daniel Reichard
At 15 years old, he began his acting career. Despite experiencing homelessness and dropping out of high school, he was determined to turn his life around and become successful as an actor.
Daniel eventually found success through an afterschool program and Capital One’s Catapult Program. Today, Daniel serves as Fraud & Disputes Intake Coordinator at this financial institution and acts as an example to those facing similar obstacles in his community.
As an actor, he has appeared in a variety of popular films such as Good Bye Lenin! which earned him Best Actor awards at both European Film Awards and German Film Awards. Furthermore, he is fluent in multiple languages and boasts an enormous fan base as a major force on social media.
8. Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Groff is a gifted American actor and singer. His talents can be seen across film, stage and television industries and have won him several accolades, such as a Grammy Award.
Starting his acting career in 2005 with Fame at North Shore Music Theatre – earning him his Actor’s Equity Association card – he then appeared in Spring Awakening alongside Lea Michele on Broadway where his performance garnered wide acclaim and even earned him a Tony nomination.
He has become known as an internationally acclaimed singer as well as an actor. He voiced Kristoff in Disney’s Academy Award-winning animated movie Frozen and King George III in Broadway’s Hamilton. Additionally, he appeared in both HBO series Looking and Netflix’s Mindhunter before embarking on his current project: the live-action/animation hybrid Lost Ollie.
9. David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce is best-known for playing Niles Crane on Frasier. In addition, he starred in multiple movies and was nominated for an Emmy Award.
Since leaving Frasier, he has found success both onstage and as an animator voicing animated characters, narrating several live action films.
As part of his passions outside work, he devotes much of his free time to caring for his family; born to a single mother with eight siblings.
10. James McAvoy
James McAvoy is one of the most versatile actors working today, appearing in everything from romantic comedies such as Atonement to thrilling thrillers such as Split.
His career has garnered numerous awards and is becoming an icon of Hollywood. Known for his ability to convey emotions onscreen, each performance proves himself.
McAvoy remains gracious despite his immense net worth, striving to uphold his integrity with each performance such as Atonement and The Last King of Scotland that have made an impressionful mark on audiences around the globe.
He boasts an extensive range of stage credits. As an admirer of Shakespeare, he has performed several classic plays like Cyrano de Bergerac and Macbeth onstage.