This Easy Name The Actor Quiz Will Stump Most People
- by Robert Marvi
- – on
- in Movies and TV
It's funny how many of us have seen many, many movies over the years, but when it comes to remembering who played what character in which movie or TV show, we may draw a blank. After all, unless somebody is a big movie buff with a photographic memory, memorizing all those names, roles and appearance is hard, right?
Hollywood has given us some of the most iconic and down-right beautiful works of art that have ever captivated audiences of millions, whether they were on the silver screen or the tube. Showbiz has made some men and women into legends that are still remembered decades after their time has ended, while it has also crushed the dreams of countless others who at least dared to dream and put in the work to make them come true.
We are all only as good as the last movie we made, the last TV show we were in, or for the rest of us who aren't exactly stars, maybe the last job we had. Take a trip down recent memory lane and try to remember these superstar actors and actresses and the TV show or blockbuster movie they are or were known for. It may seem easy at first glance, but it will be more challenging that it may seem.
What actor had a breakout role in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"?
This man is a household name in the world of movies. He has always made us laugh through the decades not just with his words, but sometimes with a mere flailing of his limbs or by making seemingly incoherent sounds. The same year he starred in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", he also was the main man in "The Mask" and "Dumb and Dumber", all of which established him as a big name Hollywood comedy player. The next year he did the sequel to "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective": "Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls". Before his A-list days, he was on the TV show "In Living Color".
What actor starred in "Top Gun" and "Jerry Maguire"?
This man is another household name. In fact, he is a household name among household names. He has always been known as an action movie hero through the decades. In recent years his off the screen persona has taken a strange turn, due to some strange beliefs he has, not to mention the time he jumped on a couch while appearing on an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Across the globe, his movies have taken in more than $10 billion, and he has also been the recipient of three Golden Globe awards while being nominated for three Academy Awards.
What actor starred in the 2012 movie "21 Jump Street"?
He has been one of the hottest and more popular actors in Hollywood over the past decade or so. He broke through by appearing in the 2005 movie "Coach Carter" and the 2006 flick "Step Up". In 2009 he was in " G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra", which took in over $300 million across the globe in box office revenue. He is perhaps best known, though, for starring in the 2012 hit movie "Magic Mike". He has won two Teen Choice Awards and two MTV Movie Awards, and for over a decade he was married to actress Jenna Dewan.
What actor portrayed Batman in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy?
This man has also been one of the more popular and sought-after actors in recent memory. Originally born and raised in the United Kingdom, he moved to Los Angeles in high school to go after his dream of being a big movie star. After slowing building up his resume on the silver screen and on the stage throughout the 90s, he got his big breakthrough role playing Patrick Bateman, the uber-ambitious New York City stockbroker who was a huge fan of Phil Collins but had a strong dark side. To date he has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globes.
What actor rose to fame thanks to the "Indiana Jones" series in the 1980s?
This one should be super easy for just about anymore, even if you're not a movie buff. Before he starred in all three Indiana Jones movies (including reprising his role in the fourth installment in the series in 2008), he played Hans Solo in the first three Star Wars movies in the late 70s and early 80s. Also before his Indiana Jones fame, he was cast in "Apocolypse Now". You may also remember this movie legend from "Air Force One", "Clear and Present Danger" and "Sabrina" in the mid 90s. He has won two People's Choice Awards to date, and is married to actress Calista Flockhart.
What actor starred in "Men In Black" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air"?
This one also should be a gimme for most people. This titan was named the most bankable star in Hollywood by Forbes magazine (Wikipedia), and his movies have banked more than $7 billion dollars across the globe to date. He got his start with the rap group "DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince" in the late 80s, which led to his breakthrough role in the early 90s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air", where he played a wayward kid from the projects of Philadelphia who was sent to live with a relative in the posh hills of Los Angeles.
Who played "George Costanza" on the hit sitcom "Seinfeld"?
You remember Seinfeld, right? If not, you have probably seen reruns of it on cable. At the very least, you have heard of it and know what it is. The Writers Guild of America, Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and TV Guide all called this sitcom one of the greatest TV shows of all time. This man in question was the title characters best friend who could always been seen either at his apartment or around Manhattan with him, kvetching about his past relationships or family. Although, to his credit, he was somehow able to pull off getting hired as the Assistant to the Traveling Secretary for the New York Yankees.
What actress made her movie debut in "The Mask" and later starred in both "Charlie's Angels" movies?
This woman has become a pretty big deal in Hollywood over the last couple of decades. Her movies have brought in more than $7 billion worldwide, and she has been rated one of the highest paid and most bankable actresses in all of Hollywood. After "The Mask", she was part of the supporting cast in "My Best Friend's Wedding", then played the lead role in " There's Something About Mary" where she was the lifelong love object of Ben Stiller's character. More recently she was in the 2014 adaption of "Annie", a role that led to two Nickelodeon Kid's Choice awards nominations.
Who became well known on the sitcom "Married With Children" and later was in "Anchorman" and "Anchorman 2"?
The sitcom "Married With Children" broke barriers and really pushed the envelope when it premiered on the fledgling Fox network in 1987 and continued to run for nine years. This actress played Kelly, Al Bundy's high school-age daughter who would quickly move from one fruitless relationship to another. Later she moved to the silver screen and started playing some more mature roles. Towards the end of the run of the sitcom Friends, she guest-starred in an episode, a role that earned her a prime time Emmy award in 2004. In the late 90s she played the title role in the TV series Jesse, which earned her a People's Choice Award.
Who played "Forrest Gump"?
If you can't get this one right, you should just quit watching movies. If the answer to question number six is not the most bankable star in Hollywood as Forbes magazine asserted, then this man is. In addition to playing the title role in "Forrest Gump", he also played big roles in "Sleepless in Seattle", "Apollo 13", "Saving Private Ryan", "The Green Mile" and "Captain Phillips", just to name a few. All of his work has generated over $9 billion across the world to date, as well as two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and even seven Emmys in a writing or executive producer capacity.
Who played the lead character in the 90s sitcom "Seinfeld"?
Here is yet another one that everyone should get, period. His sitcom premiered in 1989 as "The Seinfeld Chronicles" and it toiled in mediocrity during its first few seasons. By 1994, however, it was a big time hit and a cultural phenomenon that would define the entire decade. His character was a stand-up comedian who was a huge fan of Superman and the New York Mets even though his best friend, George Costanza, was the Assistant to the Traveling Secretary for the New York Yankees. The series finale was the most watched TV show of all time, and years later this man and a few other characters had a reunion of sorts on "Curb Your Enthusiasm".
Who starred in the sitcom "Home Improvement" and now stars in "Last Man Standing"?
This actor was known on "Home Improvement" for playing Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, a husband and father who had his own TV show named "Tool Time" that he hosted with Al Borland. While Borland had a wealth of knowledge about power tools and how to properly use them, Allen was always getting into hilarious mishaps, which prevented his show from getting good ratings. He also starred as Santa Claus in all three Santa Clause movies, and was also in the 1997 film "Jungle 2 Jungle". On "Home Improvement" and "Last Man Standing", he is known for his old school alpha male persona and being a huge football fan.
Who stars in "Curb Your Enthusiasm"?
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" has consistently been a hit for HBO since the early 2000s, and this man has been its linchpin by playing the lead role. His character always seems to kvetch when someone else does not conform to his own social conventions and expectations, and he himself commits plenty of social faux-pas. Back in the day he was the co-creator of the sitcom Seinfeld, and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" has the same loose premise: it follows its characters around as they live their everyday lives, and the actors are given a loose script, and within that they improvise plenty of the content.
Who starred in "Family Ties", "Back to the Future" and "Spin City"?
The gentleman was not the tallest man around, but he packed plenty of star power into his compact 5-foot-4 frame. On "Family Ties", he played Alex P Keaton, the precocious teen who was super-ambitious, as his main ambition in life was to become a stockbroker in New York City. He also made a huge name for himself by starring as Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" series. He even appeared in several Pepsi commercials as part of their "Choice of a New Generation" marketing campaign in the mid 80s. Later he would do voice-over work in childrens movies like Stuart Little and Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
What SNL alum starred in "Black Sheep" and "Tommy Boy"?
Here is one from back in the day. On Saturday Night Live he appeared in several iconic skits, including the one where he played "Jack Foley", a 35-year-old motivational speaker who was mired in mediocrity and made no bones about the fact that he lived in a "van down by the river". He made appearances in the movies "Wayne's World" and "Coneheads", which themselves were based upon SNL skits of the same name. This comedian also appeared in the 1997 movie "Beverly Hills Ninja", which earned the top spot at the box office on its very first weekend in theaters (Wikipedia).
Who got his big break in the 1993 movie "Dazed and Confused"?
This actor is known for his slow and lovable Southern accent, his youthful looks and down-home personality. After "Dazed and Confused", he appeared in hit movies such as "Contact", "The Wedding Planner", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "The Wolf of Wall Street", among many others. His work has earned him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, an MTV Movie Award and a People's Choice Award. He became somewhat typecast into roles that called for a laid-back dude who loves to spend all of his time at the beach. You may think he lacks tremendous acting skills, but you cant deny that hes been successful..
Who starred in "Good Will Hunting" and directed "Gone Baby Gone"?
Although this big name actor is known for being a Boston native and a huge Boston Red Sox fan, it may surprise you to know that he was actually born in the San Francisco Bay Area, as his family moved to greater Boston when he was three years old. In addition to playing the role of Chuckie Sullivan in the well-received and hugely successful "Good Will Hunting", which earned him an Academy Award, he was in "Armageddon" and "Hollywoodland". In recent years he has gone into directing, a second life that has earned him a second Academy Award and two Golden Globes.
Who played Jason Bourne in "The Bourne Identity"?
This man is also a native of the Greater Boston area, and is known for being BFFs with the answer to the previous question. This man played the lead role in "Good Will Hunting", who was a troubled janitor who happened to be a genius. He was lukewarm to say the least about seeing a shrink, but then they bonded over their memories of the walk-off home run by Carlton Fisk in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. He was also in "Ocean's Eleven", "Ocean's Twelve", "Ocean's Thirteen and "The Martian", and he produced the 2016 movie "Manchester by the Sea".
Who starred in "The Waterboy", "Happy Gilmore" and "Mr. Deeds"?
Originally from the borough of Brooklyn, He graduated from New York University in 1988. Before he even graduated from college, he played a small role on The Cosby Show as Smitty, who was Theo Huxtable's friend. He also was an actor on the late 80s MTV game show Remote Control. He then moved on the Saturday Night Live in the early 90s where he made a name for himself with his own brand of goofy, almost sophomoric comedy. In 1995 he starred in the movie "Billy Madison", which helped him break through as an A list actor. In more recent years he has branched out and played more versatile roles.
Who experienced a resurgence with a lead role in "Pulp Fiction", then starred in "Face/Off"?
This man was quite a heartthrob in his early years all the way back in the 1970s. He played a huge role in the 1977 hits "Grease" and "Saturday Night Fever", and he was also in the hit TV series "Welcome Back, Kotter". Things didn't go so well for him in the 80s, but "Pulp Fiction" firmly put him back on the map in 1994. Since then he has been in "Get Shorty" and "Hairspray", and to date has won two Academy Awards and one Golden Globe. In 2016 he played lawyer Robert Shapiro in "The People v. O. J. Simpson".
Who became big time as a child actor in "E.T.", and was also in "50 First Dates" and "He's Just Not That into You"?
This actress was only seven years old when "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" came out, a movie that made her a well-known child actress. Her biggest and most successful roles and movies have come more recently though, as she won a People's Choice Award for "50 First Dates", and another one for being in "Herself" in the mid 2000s. She was also in the 1998 hit movie "The Wedding Singer", which earned her an MTV Movie Award. "50 First Dates" also earned her another MTV Movie Award. In 2004 her hard work and longevity was rewarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Who was in "Coming to America" and "The Nutty Professor"?
He started out on Saturday Night Live in the 80s and was mostly known as a successful stand-up comedian back in those days. Later in that decade he moved onto the silver screen by starring in the Beverly Hills Cop series, "Trading Places" and "Coming to America". These roles made him a big time success in Hollywood and earned him several Golden Globe nominations. In more recent years he has done voiceover work for children;s movies such as the Shrek series and Disney's "Mulan". In all, all of his movies have brought in well over $6 billion in revenue across the globe.
Who played Ron Burgundy in "Anchorman"?
You are probably familiar with this big name actor and comedian. He is super energetic and super funny. A native Irvine, California, which is about an hour south of Los Angeles, he went to college at USC, then started out on Saturday Night Live in the mid 90s. At USC he was known for pulling plenty of pranks, which was something that would become a theme in some of his movies. You may remember the SNL skit from the early 2000s where he played a fictional member of Blue Oyster Cult who kept wanting "more cowbell!" while rehearsing "Don't Fear The Reaper", as well as when he portrayed Alex Trebek in a series of "Celebrity Jeopardy" skits.
Who was perhaps best known for playing Austin Powers?
Everyone knows Austin Powers, right? All three movies in the series only brought in about half a billion dollars in box office revenue and won this man four MTV Movie Awards. He not only played the title character in these movies, but he also portrayed "Dr. Evil", who was the villain in them. Way back in the day he made a name for himself as a member of the cast of Saturday Night Live. Then in the early 90s he played a big role in the movie "Wayne's World". Later he was the voice of Shrek in five movies from thar franchise.
Who played a huge role on the TV series "E.R.", then starred in the 2011 movie "The Descendants"?
This man is extremely well-known, loved and respected in the world of Hollywood. He is also very well known for his philanthropic work. The series "E.R." made him who he is in terms of fame, and he quickly took his talents to the silver screen, playing big roles in hits such as "Three Kings", "Ocean's Eleven", "Up in the Air" and "The Descendants". He has also tried his hand at directing movies like the 2005 hit "Good Night, and Good Luck". In all he has won two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes, and in 2009 Time magazine named him one of the "Most Influential People in the World" (Wikipedia).
Who co-starred in the sitcom "30 Rock" and the 2018 movie "Mission: Impossible – Fallout"?
Here is another big time Hollywood heavyweight. Not only is he kind of a big deal, he has three younger brothers who are also actors. A native of the New York City area (he still lives there), in the 80s he got his acting start on Broadway. He then appeared in movies such as "Beetlejuice", "The Hunt For Red October", "The Departed" and "It's Complicated". He made an appearance on the hit sitcoms Friends and "Will & Grace". Recently he has also been on Saturday Night Live, where he has played a well-known world leader who I won't mention here.
Which comedian was in the movies "Think Like A Man" and "Ride Along"?
He is mostly known as a very high energy stand up comedian whose specials have aired really often on Comedy Central. His stand up specials include "I'm a Grown Little Man" and "Seriously Funny". Back in the day he got his start on the silver screen by making appearances in "Scary Movie 3" and "Scary Movie 4", and more recently he was in the blockbuster hits "Ride Along", "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" and "The Wedding Ringer". He is originally from the Philadelphia area and has been known to show his passionate fandom for teams like the Eagles and 76ers.
What actor pictured below starred in "School of Rock" and "Tropic Thunder"?
You may know this man not as much as an actor, but as more of a wanna-be rock star. In fact, he is a musician, as he formed the comedy rock group Tenacious D along with his friend Kyle Gass all the way back in 1994, a group that has released four albums. You may also know this actor from the role he played in the 2002 movie "Orange County", where he portrayed the lazy brother of the lead character who was played by Colin Hanks, the son of Tom Hanks. This actor in question also made an appearance in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy".
Who was in the hit 1980s movies "The Goonies" and "The Lost Boys"?
This gent is a legend and teen icon of the 1980s. In addition to the two movies named above, he was also in the 1986 hit movie "Stand By Me", which was an adaptation of a Stephen King novel that was released a few years earlier. This man is BFFs with Corey Haim, and both of them starred in "License to Drive" and "Dream A Little Dream" in the late 80s. This actor also did the voice of Dontello in the movies "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III". He has also been in music videos for New Found Glory, Moby and Neon Trees.
Who played "Rachel" on Friends?
Everyone knows Friends, right? It was the mega hit sitcom from the 90s and early 2000s that got this actress her big break, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe and four People's Choice Awards. She went on to some big performances on the silver screen in movies such as "He's Just Not That Into You", "Just Go With It", "We're the Millers" and "Mother's Day". More recently she has branched out into production by starting the production company Echo Films in 2008 (Wikipedia). She was also famously married to superstar actor Brad Pitt for five years.
Who starred in "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Good Will Hunting" and the first "Jumanji" movie in 1995?
He may have passed away a few years ago, but none of us will ever forget his manic, comedic energy that graced the silver screen for many, many years. He started out doing stand up comedy in the 70s, then created some attention for himself by co-starring in the sitcom "Mork and Mindy" in the late 70s and early 80s. He then starred in a huge number of successful and memorable movies, such as "Patch Adams", "The Birdcage", "Hook", "What Dreams May Come", "Good Will Hunting" and even did the voice of the genie in "Aladdin". He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards and seven Golden Globe Awards (Wikipedia).
Who played the Joker in the first Batman movie?
He has one of the most recognizable faces in the history of Hollywood, from his beard to his unmistakable smile. If you dont' recognize him right away, remember that he also starred in "Terms of Endearment", "Chinatown", "As Good As It Gets", "About Schmidt", "Something's Gotta Give" and "Anger Management". Over the decades, he has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, which is a record for a male actor, and he has won two of them. Some will also know him as the biggest Los Angeles Lakers fan around, and he can be seen sitting at courtside of each Laker home game.
Who starred in "The Social Network" and played Lex Luthor in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"?
He is a rising young actor who is originally from the borough of Queens. He had some bit roles in the 2000s, starting out with the TV series "Get Real" and the movies "The Emperor's Club", "The Village", "The Squid and the Whale" and "The Education of Charlie Banks". In 2009 he had his breakout role when he starred in "Zombieland", which led to his big role in "The Social Network", a role that got him nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe. He has also appeared in skits on Saturday Night Live, and he has even written stage plays, short stories and articles that have been published in The New Yorker.
Who was in both "Spin City" and "Two and a Half Men"?
He is from a famous acting family that includes his dad Martin and his brothers Ramon and Emilio. He was born in New York City, but the family moved to the Los Angeles area shortly after he was born. He then attended high school in Santa Monica along with fellow stars Robert Downey Jr., Rob Lowe and Sean Penn, with whom he made some amateur films. He has appeared or starred in "Wall Street", "Major League" and "Young Guns". This work earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994 when he was only in his late 20s.
Who played Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times At Ridgemont High"?
Every knows the character Jeff Spicoli, the spacey surfer-skater who was one of the most, if not the most memorable character from "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" who only needed some "tasty waves and a cool buzz" to feel fine. He later played more serious roles, such as in the movies "Milk" and "Mystic River". Both movies earned him Academy Awards. He has also directed movies like "The Indian Runner", "The Crossing Guard" and "The Pledge". He also narrated the 2001 documentary "Dogtown and Z-Boys", which was about the legendary skating/surfing team from Santa Monica, California that was directed by former Z-Boy Stacy Peralta.