Top 25 Famous Canadian people

Top 25 Famous Canadian people

Originally published by Lilian in November 2020 and Updated by Ruth in August 2022 and Updated by Vanessa R on June 2023 and by Vanessa M in Februaryy 2024.

So many Canadians have made their mark on the world through their craft, words or just by being their awesome selves.

Some of the top Canadian names that come to mind are Justin Bieber, Drake, The Weeknd, Justine Trudeau, Ryan Gosling just to mention but a few.

There is no industry that a Canadian has not been featured in or prospered in. Canadians have especially become a favourite of many when it comes to movies, television shows and music too.

Here are the top 25 famous Canadian People.

1. Justin Trudeau – Canadian Prime Minister

By Justin Trudeau – Wikimedia

Justin Trudeau is Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister. He grew up under the great influence of his father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, and his mother Margret Trudeau.

He is the oldest of three boys and speaks both French and English. This background sparked his passion for public service and shaped his belief that diversity is Canada’s strength.

Before diving into politics, Justin served as the Chair of Katimavik, on the board for the Canadian Avalanche Foundation. He was also an advocate for young people and the environment.

Since his early youth, he has been encouraging young people to engage with the issues important to them and participate as active citizens.

2. Michael Cera – Actor

Michael was born in Brampton, Canada. His first role was in 1999 when he played Larrabe Hicks in the Canadian children’s show I Was a Sixth Grade Alien.

Later on, he moved to the United States where he starred in the sitcom Arrested Development. He also has excelled in the theatre where he made his Broadway debut in 2014 in This Is Our Youth.

Cera was nominated for the Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a play. This was for his performance in the 2018 production of Lonergan’s Lobby Hero.

3. Seth Rogen – Actor and Filmmaker

By Philkon – Wikimedia

Seth Aaron Rogen is an actor, comedian, writer, producer, and director. He started off as a stand-up comedian in Vancouver before moving to Los Angeles, California.

Rogen featured in Judd Apatow’s series Freaks and Geeks. He also got a role in the sitcom Undeclared where he doubled as a writer.

As a staff writer, Rogen was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.

His first movie appearance was in Donnie Darko with a minor role in 2001. He was later given a supporting and co-producing role in The 40-Year-Old-Virgin.

Rogen took up leading roles in the Universal Pictures films Knocked Up and Funny People.

4. Wayne Gretzky – Athlete

If there is one sport that is synonymous with Canada, it is Ice Hockey. One athlete that made a name for himself in this sport is Wayne Gretzky.

He is the most famous and successful hockey player of all time. Wayne holds forty regular-season records, fifteen playoff records, and six All-Star records.

Not only was he the leading point-scorer in NHL history, but also the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season.

He accomplished this four times while tallying over 100 points in 16 professional seasons.

Wayne was nicknamed The Great One, by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL itself. He actively played hockey from 1979 to 1999.

5. Neil Young – Singer and Songwriter

By Kymi – Wikimedia

He was born in Toronto and is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation.  Young began his career as a solo artist in 1960. A few years later he moved to California where he co-founded Buffalo Springfield in 1966.

Young had a successful and commendable solo career that span for more than 50 years and 34 albums to his name.

He has received several Grammy and Juno Awards as well as getting an induction to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

6. Shania Twain – Singer

Shania may be confused to be from one of the southern state churning country singers. Well, she is a Canadian born singer and songwriter.

She came into the limelight in the mid-1990s and went on to produce the best-selling album of all time by a female artist.

This country album sold over 40 million copies worldwide. She won 5 Grammy Awards and 27 BMI Songwriter Awards.

Her success garnered her several honorific titles including the Queen of Country Pop.

7. Pamela Anderson – Actress

Pamela Denise Anderson is an actress, model, television personality, and activist. She is best known for her appearances in Playboy magazine and for her work on the television.

Pamela rose to fame after being selected as the February 1990 Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine. She also made frequent appearances on the magazine’s cover.

She received international recognition for her role in the action-drama series Baywatch, this role further reinforced her status as a sex symbol.

Pamela is known for her activism for animal rights and endorsing PETA activities. She has released four autobiography books and two novels.

8. Emily VanCamp – Actress

By Gage Skidmore – Wikimedia

You may remember her from the television series Revenge, Brothers and Sisters, and Everwood. She has had roles in other films such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and The Falcon and Winter Soldier.

She speaks French fluently and is a trained dancer in ballet, jazz, hip-hop and tap.

9. Sandra Oh – Actress

Sandra Oh is best known for her starring roles as Cristina Yang on the ABC medical drama series Grey’s Anatomy and as Eve Polastri in the spy thriller series Killing Eve.

She has won two Genie Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for Last Night and Double Happiness.

Sandra also won a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for The Diary of Evelyn Lau.

She was the first Asian woman to host the Golden Globe Awards in 2019 and to win 2 Golden Globes. Sandra Oh was also the first actress of Asian descent to be nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

10. Celine Dion – Singer

By Anirudh Koul – Wikimedia

 Finally, we have Celine Dion who became a worldwide sensation in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Her best-selling English-language albums were Falling into You released in 1996 and Let’s Talk About Love released in 1997. These two albums were certified diamond in the United States.

Celine’s music has been influenced by genres such as rock, R&B, and classical. She has won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) honoured her for selling over 50 million albums in Europe.

11. Wayne Gretzky – Athlete

Wayne Douglas Gretzky is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. 

Wayne has been nicknamed the Great One and been called the greatest hockey player ever by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL itself.

Gretzky is the leading goal scorer, assist producer and point scorer in NHL history, and has more assists in his career than any other player who scored total points. He is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season, a feat he accomplished four times. 

12. Ryan Gosling – Actor

Ryan Gosling speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International by Gage Skidmore – Wikimedia Commons

Ryan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor. Prominent in independent film, he has also worked in blockbuster films of varying genres and has accrued a worldwide box office gross of over 1.9 billion USD. 

Gosling gained wider recognition and stardom for the 2004 romance film The Notebook. This was followed by starring roles in a string of critically acclaimed independent dramas.

 He has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards and a BAFTA Award.

13. Nina Dobrev – Actress

Nikolina Kamenova Dobreva, known professionally as Nina Dobrev, is a Canadian actress. Her first acting role was as Mia Jones in the CTV drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. She later became known for portraying Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce on The CW’s supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries.

Dobrev is a dual citizen of Canada and Bulgaria.  She speaks fluent English and Bulgarian and is conversant in French. While filming The Vampire Diaries, she lived in Atlanta but moved to Los Angeles after leaving the series in 2015.

Dobrev has also appeared in several feature films, including the 2012 coming-of-age drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the 2014 action comedy Let’s Be Cops, the 2015 horror comedy The Final Girls, the 2017 action thriller XXX: Return of Xander Cage, and the 2017 science-fiction drama Flatliners.

14. Justin Bieber – Musician 

Justin Bieber in 2015 by Lou Stejskal – Wikimedia Commons

Justin Bieber is a Canadian singer. Bieber is widely recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music.

He was discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun and signed with RBMG Records in 2008, gaining recognition with the release of his debut seven-track EP My World in 2009 and soon established himself as a teen idol.

Time named Bieber one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, and he was included on Forbes’ list of the top ten most powerful celebrities in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

15. Winnie Harlow – Fashion Model 

Winnie Harlow au festival de Cannes by Georges Biard – Wikimedia Commons

Winnie Harlow is a Canadian fashion model and public spokesperson for the skin condition vitiligo. She gained prominence in 2014 as a contestant on the 21st cycle of the U.S. television series America’s Next Top Model.

In July 2011, Harlow posted a video titled Vitiligo: A Skin Condition, not a Life Changer on YouTube. She talked about the condition and answered questions about her life living with vitiligo. In November 2014, Harlow spoke in a TEDx presentation, recalling her experience with it. She was presented with the Role Model award at the 2015 Portuguese GQ Men of The Year event.

16. Avril Lavigne

Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Avril Lavigne is known for her dance-pop music and the “skater-punk” trend of the early 2000s because of her trademark design sense.

Almost 15 million copies of her new album (“Let Go”) have been sold globally since its 2002 release. More than 30 million albums and more than 50 million singles have been sold worldwide by her.  She has achieved success with the songs “Complicated,” “Sk8er Boi,” and “Girlfriend.”

17. Alex Trebek

The quiz programme “Jeopardy!” was hosted by Canadian-American Alex Trebek for 37 seasons (1984-2020). 

The Wizard of Odds, Double Dare, and To Tell the Truth were just a few of the game programmes that Trebek hosted. In addition to this, he frequently appeared in cameo roles in films and TV shows.

18. Alanis Morissette

Before releasing Jagged Little Pill (1995), which went on to sell 33 million copies worldwide, Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette started out in Canada. She received a Grammy Award in 1996 for this record, and in 2017 a rock musical was created from it.

Since then, she has had many albums released as well as hit singles like “You Oughta Know,” “Hand in My Pocket,” and “Thank You.” She holds the record for the most No. 1 singles by a female artist on the Billboard Alternative Songs list. Morrissette has amassed a career-long record-breaking 75 million record sales and seven Grammy Awards.

19. The Weeknd

Brian Ziff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Since 2012, the Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and R&B and pop artist known as “The Weeknd” has sold or streamed over 12 million albums and 83 million singles. He’s also got 19 Billboard Music Awards, 15 Juno Awards, and 3 Grammy Awards.

The song “Blinding Lights” (from his album “After Hours”), which was released in late 2019, was the first to spend more than 90 weeks on the Hot 100 list while staying in the top 10 on Billboard’s charts for a whole year. The Weeknd performed as the half-time show’s featured performer in 2021. With around 85.6 million Spotify subscribers, he surpassed all other artists in January 2022 in terms of monthly listens.

20. Neve Campbell

The two most well-known personalities that Neve Campbell has played are Sidney Prescott in the horror movie series “Scream” and Julia Salinger in the TV drama series “Party of Five.”

Prior to having to give up on her training as a ballerina, Campbell started her career in show business. She drew inspiration from her love of ballets when she wrote and played the lead role in Robert Altman’s ballet film “The Company” in 2003.

21. Drake (Aubrey Graham) – Rapper, singer, and actor

The Come Up Show, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Drake is a Canadian rapper, singer, and actor who has risen to global popularity. He first rose to prominence as an actor in the television series “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” before transitioning to music and becoming a chart-topping sensation. Drake, known for his versatile style, has released numerous hits, including “Hotline Bling” and “God’s Plan.”

His rap prowess, emotional lyricism, and ability to seamlessly blend genres all add to his widespread appeal. In addition to his musical success, Drake has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, cementing his position as one of Canada’s most influential and accomplished artists.

22. Margaret Atwood – Author

Atwood is a Canadian author renowned for her literary contributions. She was widely acclaimed for her speculative fiction and rose to international prominence with “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian masterpiece about societal oppression and female subjugation.

Atwood’s prolific career has included novels, poetry, and essays, earning her numerous awards, including the Booker Prize for “The Blind Assassin.” Her writing is thought-provoking, with a focus on feminist and environmental issues. Aside from her literary impact, she is a cultural figure who has influenced contemporary debates about gender, politics, and the human condition.

23. David Suzuki – Environmental activist, scientist, and TV personality

Joshua Sherurcij, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

David Suzuki (born March 24, 1936) is a well-known Canadian environmental activist, scientist, and television personality. He was trained as a geneticist and became well-known for his efforts to raise awareness about environmental issues. Suzuki co-founded the David Suzuki Foundation, which works to promote sustainability and biodiversity.

His television shows, such as “The Nature of Things,” made complex scientific topics understandable to a large audience. Suzuki’s passionate environmental advocacy, combined with his engaging communication style, has earned him numerous awards, including the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science. He is still widely respected in the scientific and environmental communities.

24. Ellen Page (Elliot Page) – Actor 

Elliot Page (formerly Ellen Page) is a talented Canadian actor born on February 21, 1987. Page received widespread acclaim for their breakthrough performance in “Juno” (2007), earning an Academy Award nomination. They further demonstrated their versatility in films such as “Inception” (2010) and “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

Beyond acting, Page is a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality. In December 2020, Page publicly came out as transgender, contributing to a watershed moment in Hollywood and using their platform to raise awareness about trans issues. Elliot Page is still celebrated for his acting abilities and advocacy work.

25. Christopher Plummer – Actor

MiamiFilmFestival, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Christopher Plummer was a renowned Canadian actor who had a successful career spanning six decades. He was known for his versatility and rose to international prominence as Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” (1965).

Plummer’s impressive stage and screen performances earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in “Beginners” (2011), making him the oldest Oscar winner at the age of 82.

His impressive body of work includes classics such as “The Man Who Would Be Queen” and “The Insider.” Plummer’s talent, sophistication, and long-lasting impact on the acting world cement his reputation as one of the industry’s most respected figures.

Canada’s cultural tapestry is woven with the radiance of its iconic figures. Their accomplishments encompass music, literature, activism, sports, and entertainment, demonstrating the diverse talent that thrives in the Great White North. They embody the nation’s spirit and help to build its reputation as a breeding ground for excellence in a variety of fields.