50 Most Influential Black Actors of All Time

50 Most Influential Black Actors of All Time

For a long time, Hollywood has been dominated by white actors. However, these days things a different, many black actors are taking over Hollywood and influencing a new generation of Hollywood positively.

In this article, we have discussed the 50 most influential black actors of all time. It is good to note the list is not in any particular order and we have many other influential black actors in the industry.

Some of the most influential Black actors include Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Louis Gossett Jr., Terrence Howard, and Forest Whitaker among others.

Journey with us as we discuss the remarkable works of the actors over the years and the achievements they have attained. Here are the most influential black actors of all time;

1. Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is a famous actor, producer, and director of the United States of America. He has received several acclaims throughout his career such as a Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Academy Awards among others.

The New York Times named Danzel as one of the greatest actors of the 21^st century in 2020. The actor gained prominence after starring in the NBC medical drama series known as St. Elsewhere in 1982-1988 and A Soldier’s Story film in 1984. Other of his notable works include Training Day, Glory, Roman J. Israel, Esq, and Fences among others.

Get to know more about Denzel Washington in this article.

2. Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker is one of the influential actors in the entertainment industry. He is an actor, producer, and director from America. He is the son of Laura Francis, a special teacher, and Forest E. Whitaker, an insurance salesman.

Throughout his career, he has received several awards such as the Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, an Academy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards among others.

He has been active in the entertainment field since 1981 and is active to date. Apart from acting, Forest is also known for his humanitarian work and activism.

3. Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman is one of the most popular black actors in the industry well-known for his remarkable work. He has been in the industry since 1964 and he is still pushing and doing amazing work.

The actor was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but was raised in Mississippi where he started his acting career in school plays. He gained prominence in the 1970s for his role in The Electric Company. Since then, he started appearing in successful plays such as Coriolanus and Julius Caesar, which earned him an Obie Award.

Find more about the Morgan Freeman here.

4. Will Smith

Will Smith was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. He is a well-known actor, rapper, and film producer in America. Will is a rich actor, as of 2023, his films have grossed over $9.3 billion globally hence making him one of the bankable stars in Hollywood.

He has been lucky to receive several accolades for his work such as a BAFTA Award, Academy Award, and four Grammy Awards among others. He rose to fame worldwide for his leading role in the film Bad Boys in 1995 and the comedy Men in Black in 1997.

5. Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburne is a black actor doing amazing work in the industry. He began acting in 1972, when he was only 11 years old and he is still pushing on to date. Fishburne was born on July 30, 1961, to Hattie Bell and Laurence John Fishburne, Jr.

He rose to fame after acting in several notable films such as The Matrix series, Boyz n the Hood, Apocalypse Now, and the John Wick film series.

Here is more about the actor.

6. Mekhi Phifer

Mekhi Phifer is a well-known American actor born on December 29, 1974. He was raised by a single parent, his mother Rhoda Phifer a high school teacher. He has taken roles in several dramas and films such as ER on NBC’s, 8 Mile where he co-starred role opposite rapper Eminem, and Lie to Me among others.

Phifer joined the entertainment industry in 1995 and is still active to date. He is one of the influential actors in the field of entertainment and acts as a role model to upcoming actors.

Read more information about the actor here.

7. Wesley Snipes

Wesley Snipes is a prominent actor from Orlando, Florida, U.S. He has appeared in many films which are notable and successful in the field of entertainment. Sniper featured in The Waterdance film in 1992 which earned him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male and won Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in the One Night Stand film in 1997.

He formed a production company known as Amen-Ra Films in 1991 as well as a subsidiary, Black Dot Media to help develop projects for film and television.

Read more about the actor here.

8. Danny Glover

Danny Glover was born on July 22, 1946, in San Francisco, California, U.S. He is the son of Carrie and James Glover. The interesting part is that both of his parents were postal workers.

In 1978, Glover joined the entertainment industry and started acting. He has featured in many leading roles and is widely recognized for them such as Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film series.

Apart from acting, he is also a politician and producer. Throughout his career, he has received several awards such as four Grammy Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, and Daytime Emmy Awards among others.

Find more about the actor.

9. Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson is a famous black actor of all time. He is a well-known actor of his generation. He joined the acting field in 1972 and is still active. Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., U.S. on December 21, 1948.

His breakthrough role was in Quentin Tarantino’s crime drama Pulp Fiction in 1994 in which he received a BAFTA Award and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination.

Jackson later joined worldwide recognition for his roles in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Iron Man and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D among others.

10. Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx also known as Eric Marlon Bishop was born on December 13, 1967, in Terrell, Texas, U.S. He is an influential black actor of the time. Apart from acting, he is also a comedian and singer.

In 2004 he featured in the film Ray, which was a success and won him several acclaims such as the Screen Actors Guild Award, Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.

Foxx gained his career breakthrough after featuring in In Living Color a Sketch comedy. It made him gain recognition worldwide.

You can read more about Jamie Foxx here.

11. Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby is an American actor, comedian, media personality, and spokesman. He is a black actor and he made positive contributions to American and African-American culture.

Bill started his career as a stand-up comic during the 1960s. He later joined the acting and had a starring role in the television show I Spy. Other of his acting works include The Bill Cosby Show, The New Bill Cosby Show, The Electric Company, and Cosby among others.

Find more information about Bill here.

12. Clifton Powell

Clifton Powell is a popular actor from the United States of America, well-known for playing supporting roles in films, including Ray which earned him the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture nomination.

The actor has appeared in more than 100 films throughout his career. He joined the industry in 1981 and has been doing amazing works such as Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Friday After Next, Woman Thou Art Loosed, Dead Presidents, and Menace II Society among others.

Read more about Clifton here.

13. Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard is one of the black influential actors from the United States of America. He started acting in 1990 and he secured his first major role in the 1995 films Mr. Holland’s Opus and Dead Presidents.

He gained fame worldwide for his prominent roles in several movies such as Four Brothers, Big Momma’s House, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Idlewild, Winnie Mandela, Ray, Lackawanna Blues, Crash, and Prisoners among others.

14. Michael Clarke Duncan

Michael Clarke Duncan was a prominent and influential black actor from America. He died back on September 3, 2012, leaving a positive legacy behind. His role as John Coffey in The Green Mile in 1999 made him popular widely and earned him nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He was in the industry from 1994 till 2012 when he passed out. Michael also voice acted in many films such as Kung Fu Panda, Green Lantern, and Brother Bear among others.

Here is more about Michael Clarke Duncan.

15. Billy Dee Williams

Billy Dee Williams is an American actor, painter, and novelist, born on April 6, 1937. He is the son of Loretta Anne and William December Williams Sr.

He was born on April 6, 1937, in New York City, U.S but raised in Harlem together with his siblings. At the age of 7, Dee made his Broadway theatre debut in The Firebrand of Florence.

He received several awards and honors throughout his career such as Primetime Emmy, Film Independent Spirit Awards, Saturn Award, and NAACP Image Awards among others.

Get more information about actor in this article.

16. Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier was a Bahamian and American actor, diplomat, and film director. It is interesting to note that Poitier was the first Black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1964.

Other awards he has received include Golden Globe Awards, Grammy Awards, and BAFTA Awards among others. He was also ranked as one of the “American Film Institute’s 100 Stars” in 1999. The actor is remembered to date for his successful work.

Read more amazing things about Sidney Poitier.

17. Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy is an actor well-known for Saturday Night Live a sketch comedy show which made him popular worldwide. For his remarkable work, Murphy received several awards such as an Emmy Award, and a Grammy Award among others.

Since he joined the entertainment industry in 1976, the actor has been featured in many successful films such as Trading Places, The Nutty Professor, and Dolemite Is My Name among others.

18. Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle is one of the most popularly known American actors. He was born on November 29, 1964, in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. Don was one of the lucky actors to receive several accolades such as two Golden Globe Awards, Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

When we talk of influential black actors, we can’t leave Don Cheadle behind, he has done a lot of amazing work in the acting industry and is one of the role models to upcoming actors.

Some of his works include Out of Sight, The Ocean’s Trilogy, No Sudden Move, Rosewood, and Devil in a Blue Dress among others.

Find more about the actor here.

19. Larenz Tate

Larenz Tate is an influential black actor and many upcoming actors look up to him. He is best known for his roles in Menace II Society as O-Dog and in Power as Councilman Rashad Tate.

He has also been featured in other notable films such as Love Jones, A Man Apart, Wait Deep, Dead Presidents, and Ray among others.

The interesting part is that Tate comes from a family of actors, he is the lastborn in a family of three siblings including Larron and Lahmard and they are all actors.

20. Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte was born in New York City, U.S. on March 1, 1927. He was a well-known actor, singer, and civil rights activist. He first gained prominence as a singer after realizing the Calypso album in 1956.

Later he starred in notable films such as Island in the Sun (1957), Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Carmen Jones (1954), Buck and the Preacher (1972), and Uptown Saturday Night (1974) among others.

For his amazing work in the entertainment industry, Harry won several acclaims including Emmy Award, Tony Award, and Grammy Award among others. He left a legacy behind and his work is remembered to date.

21. Boris Kodjoe

Boris Kodjoe is a well-known actor and former model from Germany. He is the son of Ursula, a German psychologist, and Eric Kodjoe, a Ghanaian physician. He is well-known for his roles in the 2002 film Brown Sugar which he took the role of Kelby.

He joined the entertainment industry in 1994 and is still active to date. He is doing remarkable work in the field and some of his notable work include Love & Basketball, Doing Hard Time, Madea’s Family Reunion, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, and Resident Evil: Afterlife among others.

22. Omar Epps

Omar Epps is one of the black influential actors doing fascinating work in the field of acting. Apart from acting he is also the rapper and producer. Epps was born in Brooklyn, New York, and his parents divorced when he was still a child. After her parents’ divorce, he was raised by a single parent his mother, Bonnie Maria Epps.

Epps received several awards for his remarkable work such as two Teen Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, one Black Reel Award, one MTV Movie Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award among others.

23. Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs is a prominent actor born on January 2, 1971. He has been in the acting industry since 1994 and is well-known for his roles in Broadway musicals including Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Rent.

 His official name is Scott Leo Diggs, and Taye is his nickname. His mother Marcia was an actress and he followed his mother’s footsteps and became an actor.

Apart from Broadway, he has featured in Television series such as Murder in the First, All American, and Private Practice etc.

Here is more to know about the actor.

24. Marlon Wayans

When we talk of influential black actors, we can’t leave Marlon Wayans behind. He is also a screenwriter, producer, and comedian. Wayans worked with his brother Shawn Wayans in The Wayans Bros, Don’t Be a Menace, Scary Movie, Little Man, Dance Flick, etc. His work with his brother made him best known and became popular.

Marlon is part of the Wayans family, an American show business family. He joined the entertainment industry in 1988 and he is still pushing on to date.

Here is more to know about Marlon.

25. Ice-T

Ice-T also known as Tracy Lauren Marrow is a rapper, songwriter, actor, and producer from the United States of America. In the 1980s, Ice-T began his career as a rapper and later was signed to Sire Records in 1987.

Still, in the 1980s, the actor appeared in small parts of films before he secured his first major role in New Jack City in 1991.

26. Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor also known as Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. was an actor and stand-up comedian. He did fascinating work in the industry and is remembered to date.

He was born in Peoria, Illinois, U.S. on December 1, 1940, and died December 10, 2005. Some of his works include See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Silver Streak, and Another You.

Pryor throughout his career, he received several awards such as Primetime Emmy Award and Five Grammy Awards.

27. Ice Cube

Ice Cube is also known as O’Shea Jackson Sr., however, Ice Cube is the popularly known name. The name Ice Cube came from his brother who threatened to slam him into a freezer and pull him out when he was in the form of Ice Cube. Ice is a famous actor, songwriter, rapper, and film producer in America.

Cube was born in Los Angeles, California to Doris and Hosea Jackson. He had an older brother and half-sister who was killed when Cube was 12 years old.

He became active in a film career in the early 1990s and has featured in several films such as Friday, which he co-wrote and starred in, and Boyz n the Hood.

28. Morris Chestnut

Morris Chestnut is a black influential actor who has featured in notable films. He first gained fame in the entertainment field for his role in the 1991 film Boys n the Hood for his role as Ricky.

He studied drama and finance at California State University, Northridge. Before he settled to specialize in acting, he worked as a bank teller. He joined the acting in 1990 and it did not take long for him to be known, in 1991 he rose to fame for his work in Boyz n the Hood.

29. Idris Elba

Idris Elba is one of the famous black England actors. He was born on September 6, 1972, in London, England. Some of his film roles made him prominent such as in The Wire, Luther, and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

The Luther film was a success and earned him four nominations each for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor.

30. Ron O’Neal

Ron O’Neal was an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He was born on September 1, 1937, and died on January 14, 2004. He was in the entertainment industry from 1969 to 2002. Ron did fascinating work in the industry and many upcoming actors look up to him.

His role as Youngblood Priest in Super Fly film made him gain fame widely for the film’s success. Other of his works include Red Dawn, The Sophisticated Gents, When a Stranger Calls, As Summers Die, Hero and the Terror, and A Force of One.

31. Louis Gossett Jr.

Louis Gossett Jr. is a popular American actor, born on May 27, 1936. It is interesting to see he knew what he wanted and at the age of 17 years, Louis made his first stage appearance in You Can’t Take It with You, a school production.

The actor rose to fame in 1977, for his role in the miniseries Roots as Fiddler, which earned him Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series during the Emmy Awards.

32. Harold Perrineau

Harold Perrineau is an American actor, born on August 7, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. Harold gained fame after starring in his role as Michael Dawson in Lost, a television series.

He joined the entertainment in 1987 and has been doing fascinating work in the field. Harold is a role model to many. Other notable works he has featured in include Augustus Hill, Oz, From, Smoke, The Edge, and Woman on Top.

After starring in the Smoke film in 1995, it was a success and he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.

33. Charles S. Dutton

Charles S. Dutton is a black influential actor, popularly known for his remarkable work in the acting field. He is a retired actor from the United States of America and his work is remembered to date.

Dutton rose to prominence after starring in the television series Roc from 1991-1994 and The Piano Lesson in 1995. Other of his works include Cookie’s Fortune, Menace II Society, Alien 3, A Time to Kill, and Gothika among others.

The actor won several accolades such as three NAACP Image Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award nomination.

34. Wood Harris

Wood Harris also known as Sherwin David Harris, was born on October 17, 1969. He is a well-known American actor of all time. When he acted in Above the Rim in 1994 as Motaw, he became famous worldwide and it was his career breakthrough film. He later gained further recognition for his role in The Wire in 2002 -2008.

Harris is one of the influential actors in the acting field and he joined the industry back in 1993. He has been doing amazing work which is remarkable to date.

He is the son of Mattie and John Harris, and is famously known by his nickname ‘Wood’. The nickname he was given by his neighborhood friend because his name Sherwin was hard to pronounce for many.

35. Martin Lawrence

We can not leave Martin Lawrence behind when we talk of influential black actors in the industry. He is an American comedian and actor born in Frankfurt a. M., Hesse, West Germany on April 16, 1965. Despite being born in Germany, Martin was raised in the U.S., his father left the military, since he served in the U.S. Military and they relocated to United States Washington D.C.

In the 1990s, Lawrence rose to fame and established his Hollywood career as a leading actor. He has been a leading actor in many films such as Bad Boys, Nothing to Lose, Blue Streak, Big Momma’s House, Open Season, Wild Hogs, and Black Knight among others.

Get to know more about Martin Lawrence in this article.

36. Ving Rhames

Ving Rhames also known by his official name as Irving Rameses Rhames was born on May 12, 1959. He is one of the American black actors we have in the industry. Rhames is best known for his voicing of the Arby’s commercials and his supporting roles in Mission: Impossible films, and Pulp Fiction.

He went to the High School of Performing Arts in New York where he developed his love of acting. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Juilliard School’s Drama Division in 1983.

Rhames has done notable work throughout his career such as Dave, Only in America, Out of Sight and Rosewood, Jamesy Boy, Bringing Out the Dead, and Jacob’s Ladder among others.

37. Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou is a Beninese-born actor and model, born on April 24, 1964. He started his career by appearing in music videos. Djimon made his first appearance in the film known as Without You I’m Nothing in 1990.

 Later, the actor gained recognition worldwide after starring in Amistad film as Cinqué, and he received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. Other acclaims he received include Nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in Blood Diamond and In America.

38. Clifton Powell

Clifton Powell was born on March 16, 1956. He is a famous black American actor, known for his work in the acting field. Clifton primarily plays supporting roles in films including Ray of 2004, which earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture nomination.

Powell has featured in more than 100 films which are remarkable and successful. Some of his film and television works include Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Friday After Next, Woman Thou Art Loosed, Next Friday, and Menace II Society among others.

39. Spike Lee

The actor is famously known as Spike Lee, but his official name is Shelton Jackson Lee. He is the son of Jacqueline Carroll and Willian James Edward Lee III, a composer and musician.

The actor joined the acting industry in 1977 and is still pushing to date. Throughout his career, Lee has done amazing work. Due to his remarkable work, he has won several awards such as an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and two Peabody Awards etc.

Spike’s notable works include School Daze, Jungle Fever, Do the Right Thing, Inside Man, Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, Chi-Raq, Da 5 Bloods, and Crooklyn among others.

40. Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. He is one of the well-known black actors from America. Kevin is also a comedian. Initially, he was known as a stand-up comedian and later he joined Hollywood and was featured in many Televisions and films.

His first breakthrough in Hollywood was in 2001 when he was featured in the Television series Undeclared. Since then, he has been featured in many other films such as Scary Movie, Soul Plane, Ride Along, About Last Night, Paper Soldiers, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, and In the Mix.

Read more about Kevin Hart here.

41. Fred Williamson

Fred Williamson is also known as ‘The Hammer’. Fred Williamson is a former professional footballer and an actor. He is the son of Frank and Lydia Williamson, and the only child of his parents.

In his acting career, Fred has done and still doing amazing work. He has been featured in many films such as That Man Bolt, Three Tough Guys, Black Eye, Black Caesar, The Legend of Nigger Charley, and Ironside among others.

42. Mario Van Peebles

Mario Van Peebles is a popular Mexican-born American actor and film director. He is the son of Melvin Van Peebles, an actor, filmmaker, and composer from the United States of America. Mario followed his father’s footsteps and he became one of the prominent black actors just like his father.

Van is best known for his role in Heartbreak Ridge in 1986 and New Jack City in 1991, a film he directed and starred in. He has been in the industry for years and he has done fascinating projects such as The Cotton Club, The Facts of Life Down Under, South Bronx Heroes, Children of the Night, A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, and In the Line of Duty: Street War among others.

43. Keith David

Keith David is one of the most influential black actors of all time. David comes from New York City, New York, U.S., born to Dolores (mother) and Lester Williams (Father). The actor was raised in Corona, Queens.

David is famously known for his deep voice and screen presence. He has featured in over 300 roles in films, television, and stage.

Some of his film work include There’s Something About Mary, Pitch Black, Requiem for a Dream, The Chronicles of Riddick, Dead Presidents, and Cloud Atlas among others.

44. James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931, and has been in the Hollywood field since 1953 more than 6 decades and still pushing on. He has excellent acting performances on stage and screen hence described as ‘One of the greatest actors in American history’.

Jones has a deep voice which makes him stand out in any film he features in. Throughout his Hollywood career, Jones has received several acclaims such as three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and A Grammy Award among others.

James is also a Broadway actor and has performed in many Broadway performances such as You Can’t Take It with You, Driving Miss Daisy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Gin Game among others.

45. Mike Epps

Mike Epps is a well-known actor and stand-up comedian. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. to Mary Reed (Mother) and Tommie Epps (Father) in 1970. When we talk of influential black actors of all time, we can’t leave Mike behind, he has done a fascinating job in the Hollywood field.

Some of Mike’s work in the acting field includes Resident Evil: Apocalypse, The Fighting Temptations, All About the Benjamins, Letter to the President, Malibu’s Most Wanted, The Honeymooners, and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins among others.

46. Shad Moss

Shad Moss is popularly known by his stage name Bow Wow. Moss is an actor and rapper from the United States of America. He first came to fame as a rapper, and by 13 years old, Shad released his first album, Beware of Dog.

In 2002, Shad Moss made his first appearance in the movie known as All About the Benjamins. The actor was so lucky in the same year he made his first lead role in the comedy film Like Mike. Other movies he took lead roles include Roll Bounce in 2005 and Johnson Family Vacation in 2004 among others.

47. Tyrese Gibson

Tyrese Gibson is a prominent actor and one of the black influential actors of all time. He was born in Los Angeles, California, U.S. to Priscilla Murray Gibson and Tyrone Gibson. His father left and his mother raised him together with his siblings alone.

Gibson had his first starring role in John Singleton’s Baby Boy film in 2001. Since then, he appeared in other notable films such as Fast & Furious franchise, Four Brothers, Ride Along 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Flight of the Phoenix, and Black Nativity among others.

48. Redd Foxx

Redd Foxx was an American actor and stand-up comedian. He was born on December 9, 1922, in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., and died on October 11, 1991, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. The actor is still remembered to date for the legacy he left behind.

Redd Foxx is his stage name which is mostly known; however, his official name is John Elroy Sanford. Redd influenced many comedians and actors throughout his career period.

His film work and Television work includes All the Fine Young Cannibals, The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, Dolemite Is My Name, HBO On Location with Redd Foxx, Cotton Comes to Harlem, The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour, and Redd Foxx: Video in a Plain Brown Wrapper among others.

49. Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy Davis Jr. is one of the remembered actors in the Hollywood field for the good work he did in the acting field while alive. Apart from acting, he was also a comedian, singer, and dancer.

Davis started his acting career when he was only 8 years old. In 1966, he had his TV variety show known as The Sammy Davis Jr. Some of his films Rufus Jones for President, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Sweet and Low, Nightmare in the Sun, A Man Called Adam, and Johnny Cool among others. He has received several awards and honors including NAACP Image Award.

50. Chris Tucker

Chris Tucker is a prominent actor and stand-up comedian from the United States of America. He was born on August 31, 1971, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Tucker made his first appearance in the television series Def Comedy Jam.

Chris gained worldwide fame in the 2000s after featuring in the Rush Hour series as Detective James Carter.  Other films he featured in include Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, The Meteor Man, Silver Linings Playbook, The Fifth Element, Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, and Jackie Brown among others.