You Don't Have To Live In Hollywood To Name These Famous Actors, But It Helps
- by Dylan Dembrow
- – on
- in Movies and TV
If you grew up in or around Los Angeles, you definitely learn from a young age that you should play it cool whenever you happen to cross paths with a movie star. They’re still people, after all — who enjoy getting out for a day or night on the town without constantly being asked to stop and make small talk or take a picture. But for those who live in any other part of the country, it can be quite the shock when you suddenly see someone in the flesh who you’ve only ever watched up on the big screen.
While we’re sure you could name a dozen or more A-list celebrities off the top of your head, these days, there are a lot more outlets for people to make movies and TV shows. Which also means there are a lot more stars that you need to keep track of. Maybe you’re someone who likes to stay on top of the Hollywood beat and follow these actor’s personal lives and upcoming projects. Or maybe you’re someone who’s fallen a bit behind on keeping up with who the latest superhero and Netflix stars are.
So let's take a look at some of the hottest actors and actresses working today and see how many you can name!
Name this actress.
This Israeli actress seemingly came out of nowhere in just the past few years after she was cast to play Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe. However, she has actualy been stealing the spotlight since she was 18, winning the Miss Israel beauty pageant in 2004 and going on to compete in the Miss Universe contest. She also had the role of Gisele Yashar in the extremely popular Fast and Furious franchise before becoming a leading lady of her own.
Name this actor.
Some of the most iconic American superheroes have been played by foreign actors, including Christina Bale as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Henry Cavill as Superman. Now, you can add Spider-Man to that list, as this British actor suited up to play the web-slinger in 2016, and it looks like he’s going to be around to stay for quite a while. Though he may only be 21, this Brit has been acting for years, beginning his career in theater before jumping to films in 2011.
Name this actress.
It’s amazing what some people accomplish before they’re even legally allowed to drive. Such is the case with this English actress, who achieved widespread recognition after appearing as the mysterious character Eleven on Netflix’s Stranger Things. As a result of her captivating performance, this actress even earned an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress when she was just barely a teenager. She is set to reprise her role in the third season of the show, as well as appear in the 2019 film Godzilla: King of Monsters.
Name this actor.
Plenty of actors only play tough on screen, but this Boston-born actor had a rough upbringing which found him spending time in the slammer before he was ever up on the big screen. But before he became one of the biggest leading men in all of Hollywood, this actor began his career in show biz through modeling and music. Some of his biggest films to date include Boogie Nights, The Italian Job, and The Fighter — which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Name this actress.
Often cited as the greatest actress all time, there are very few award seasons that go by without this actress’s name showing up in at least one category. Born in New Jersey in 1949, this actress began her professional career working on the stage, where she was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in 27 Wagons Full of Cotton. Not long after she made her jump to the screen, staring in everything from the Deer Hunter to The Devil Wear’s Prada, to last year’s The Post.
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Most audiences probably got their first look at this Irish actor in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 fantasy-WWII film Inglourious Basterds, where he played Royal Marines Lieutenant Archie Hicox. Since then, he’s turned up in a number of critically acclaimed and often intense performances, appearing in everything to the X-Men and Alien franchise to more independent gritty films including Shame and 10 Years a Slave. Just last year, he married fellow actor Alicia Vikander, who starred in this year’s reboot of Tomb Raider.
Name this actress.
Though this actress has been working professionally for over a decade, she’s been in headlines lately not just for her career, but because she’s recently become engaged to Prince Harry of Wales. The two are set to marry on May 19th of this year, which will effectively make her a member of the royal family. The actress is probably best known for playing the character of Rachel Zane on the television drama Suits from 2011 to the present. She has also appeared in the films Remember Me and Horrible Bosses.
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Much like Michael Fassbender, here is another Irish actor who turns in one intense performance after the next. After working in TV and independent films throughout the late 1990s, this actor received his breakthrough role in the 2000 war film Tigerland. Then with his performances in Phone Booth, the Recruit, and Alexander, this actor was solidified as one of Hollywood’s few leading men. As of late, he’s been starring in more independent films that have earned him critical acclaim, including The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Name this actress.
After starring in a string of supporting roles in film and TV — including a few episodes of The Office — this American actress really broke onto the season with her 2007 performance as Giselle in Enchanted. Since then, she's become one of Hollywood’s biggest box-office stars who often headlines the most critically acclaimed movies of their respective years. Some of her biggest hits include The Fighter, The Master, American Hustle, and 2016’s Arrival. She currently plays Lois Lane in the DCEU.
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Though this actor may have ended his long run with the X-Men films in last year’s Logan, for many, he will always be synonymous with playing the beloved Marvel anti-hero Wolverine. But this buff Australian actor has a lot more range than just playing macho superheroes. Last year, he also appeared as P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman, which highlighted the actor's experience in song and dance. Later this year, the actor is also set to portray real like Senator Gary Hart in The Front Runner.
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Though she began her career as a model and a dancer, this South African actress actively tried to stay away from jobs that would cast her as nothing more than the film’s eye candy or love interest. As a result, she’s ended up playing some of the more tougher edged female protagonists of her generation. This includes her portrayal of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2004 film Monster — which just so happened to win her the Academy Award for Best Actress. More recently, she’s starred in Atomic Blonde and Mad Max: Fury Road.
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You may have first remember taking note of this Scottish actor when he showed up as Mr. Tumnus in 2005’s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Then in 2007 and 2008 he secured leading roles in the popular films Atonement and Wanted. But today, this actor is probably best known for playing the younger Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise, a role that he is set to reprise this year with X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Name this actress.
A favorite amongst fantasy nerds, this British actress first broke on the scene by landing the coveted role of Hermione Granger in the adaptation of the Harry Potter series. She appeared in the eight feature films over the course of the decade, while also popping up in a number of other films during that time. Since then, she’s starred in everything from The Perks of Being a Wallflower and This is the End before she revisited the fantasy genre with the massively successful live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.
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Yet another Brit who’s known for their role in fantasy films, this actor first broke on the scene by landing a supporting role in 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire before he went on to nab the starring role in the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s popular vampire series. Though the Twilight films certainly raked in boatloads of money, they weren’t exactly critical hits. But in recent years, a number of this actor’s movies/ performances have been received well by audiences and critics alike.
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One of the most critically acclaimed actresses of her generation, this Kentucky-born woman has gone on to win a slew of acting awards for her performances in such films as American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. She first broke big onto the scene by her starring role in 2011’s Winter Bone, for which she was nominated for Best Actress. On top of her critically acclaim, she’s starred in a number of blockbusters, including her role in the Hunger Game’s series as the story protagonist Katniss Everdeen.
Name this actor.
Though we’re sure you’re familiar with a number of this actor’s bigger films, who might be amazed at the sheer amount of projects he’s actually been a part of over the last few decades. Even though he’s appeared in a number of huge blockbusters, including the Spider-Man trilogy, apparently that doesn’t mean this actor is above acting in soap operas — which is exactly what he did from 2009 to 2012. His most recent hit was last year’s The Disaster Artist, which he also directed.
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After breaking on the scene in a big way with her performance in the 1994 action film Speed, this American actress, unfortunately, starred in a string of critical and commercial flops throughout the late ‘90s — including Speed 2: Cruise Control. Fortunately, she turned things around in the 2000s by appearing in a number of award-winning films, including Crash, The Blind Side, and Gravity. This year, she’s set to playing the lead in the female-led adaptation of the Ocean’s 11 series, titled Ocean’s 8.
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Within just the last few years, this British actor seems like he’s appeared in one hit film after the next. This arguably began with his performance in one episode of the anthology series Black Mirror, titled “Fifteen Million Merits.” Then in 2015, he nabbed a supporting role in Sicario, which centered around the drug trade over the United States/ Mexico boarder. Last year, he stole the show headlining the Oscar-winning horror film Get Out, and he’s even become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with this year’s Black Panther.
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It seems like it was only yesterday that this young actress was stealing the show with her breakout role in Superbad. And while this American-born actress has continued to prove that she still has comedic chops, she’s dipped into more dramatic film work as well, appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man, Birdman, and last year’s Battle of the Sexes. Not to mention that she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 2016’s La La Land.
Name this actor.
Speaking of Superbad, this Canadian actor/ writer/ director actually penned the script for that film when he was still a teenager alongside his friend and filmmaking partner Evan Goldberg. While that film was one of their biggest hits, it certainly wasn’t their last, as this entertainer has gone on to helm everything from the adult animated movie Sausage Party to the AMC series Preacher — which is adapted from the popular comic series. He most recently starred in last year’s The Disaster Artist which was directed by his friend James Franco.
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Though she’s been acting since before she was 10 and even ended up winning an Academy Award as Best Actress in 2015, many superhero fans are less excited about this actresses’s past accomplishments and more anxious over how her upcoming character in the MCU is going to possibly bring some of our beloved heroes back from the dead. Though her character was teased at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, it looks like we’re just going to have to wait until 2019 before we see her appear as Captain Marvel up on the big screen.
Name this actor.
There was a time when this American actor was most popular amongst females and those who were fans of the Disney High School Musical film series. But ever since he showed a more humorous and self-aware side of his perceived persona in the 2014 R-rated comedy Neighbors, this actor seems like he’s beloved by pretty much everyone across the board. While he started his career by singing and dancing, the actor has largely transitioned to comedic work in recent years.
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Much like Charlize Theron, this Israel-born actress seems like she’s actively avoided playing simply the film’s love interest in exchange for more challenging work. She began acting professionally when she was just barely a teenager in the action-drama Leon: The Professional. She went on to land the role of Padme in the Star Wars prequel series before tackling some more serious roles with her performances in Closer and V for Vendetta. This year, she headlined the massively under-seen sci-fi masterpiece, Annihilation.
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Though he began his career on the Disney Channel before making the jump to blockbuster films with the Transformers series, this actor has been openly distanced himself from such popcorn entertainment in the last few years in pursuit of more serious roles. While few can deny that this actor doesn’t fully commit or remain captivating in some fairly intense performances, his off screen antics and multiple run ins with law enforcement often end up overshadowing his acting achievements. This year, he is set to appear in The Peanut Butter Falcon.
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While plenty of British actors end up donning American accents in their Hollywood films, this London-born actress has the distinct advantage of getting to use her native accent in almost every film she’s appeared in. This includes her portrayal of Elizabeth Swan in the massively successful Pirates of the Caribbean film series and her performances in both Pride & Prejudice and Atonement. That being said, the actress can indeed pull off an American accent, as she did in 2005’s The Jacket.
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Though he is far from the only famous brother in this family of Australian actors, this 34-year-old thespian has easily achieved the most success thanks to his turn as The God of Thunder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor first debuted in the role with the 2011 Thor film and most recently reprised the part in this year’s Infinity War. But on top of these films, he’s still made time for a number of other big hits, including The Cabin in the Woods and Snow White and the Huntsman.
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If you continue to make this actress synonymous with the dim-witted Karen Smith from the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls, then you have clearly not been paying attention to her career since then. This actress has appeared in everything from TV shows to musicals to horror movies with the last decade, including the 2012 film Les Miserables, which was nominated for Best Picture of the Year. And she’s already set to star in not one, not two, but three feature films in 2018!
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This Canadian-born actor has been starring in feature films consistently since the early 2000s, but he seems to have reached a new level of fame and success with his updated version of the Merc with a Mouth in 2016’s Deadpool. Finally, a sequel for the film is expected to hit theaters later this month, which this actor also helped pen the script for. And next year, the actor will take on yet another nerd-favorite fictional character by providing the voice of Pikachu in the first live-action Pokemon movie.
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Easily one of the best child actors of her generation, many became familiar with this American actress before she was even ten years old. In 2001, she became the youngest nominee to receive a Screen Actors Guild nomination for her performance in I Am Sam. And in the following years, she starred in a string of other hits, including Man on Fire and War of the Worlds. Despite starring in some pretty heavy movies from an early age, this is one child star who seems to have emerged very well adjusted and down to earth, right alongside her younger sister.
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After having an accomplished career as a comedic actor and an action star after his turn as Batman, this actor has undergone a career revitalization in recent years, which largely began after he headlined the 2014 Best Picture of the Year winner, Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). As a matter of fact, he also ended up starring in the 2015 Best Picture winner with Spotlight before he took a villainous role in last year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, where he portrayed the Vulture.
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Best known for playing Bella Swan in the massively popular film adaptation of the Twilight series, this Los Angeles born and raised actress began working before she was even ten years old. Her first big film was starring as Jodie Foster’s daughter in the 2002 David Fincher movie Panic Room. She followed this up with performances in Zatura: A Space Adventure and Into the Wild before landing her leading role in the vampire series. Since then, she’s starred in a number of smaller films that have earned her critical acclaim.
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This A-lister began his career as a Mouseketeer on the Disney series The Mickey Mouse Club in 1993. He made his jump to the big screen a few years later, showing up in films including Remember the Titans and Murder by Numbers in the early 2000s. He achieved mainstream success with his performances in The Notebook and Half Nelson before films including Crazy, Stupid, Love and Drive made him an international star. He is set to portray Neil Armstrong in this year’s First Man.
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If you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it shouldn’t be hard to remember this actor’s name considering he and his character share the same first name. While the show made him popular amongst fans of dark comedy, the actor would enjoy mainstream success after the 2011 film Horrible Bosses hit theaters, where he played alongside the films two other leading men, Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis. Since then, he’s popped up in the sci-fi monster movie Pacific Rim, and provided his voice in the animated movies Monsters University and The Lego Movie.
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After a long career as a mostly dramatic actor, this Irish thespian underwent a career revitalization as an action star thanks to the 2008 underdog film Taken. He would go on to reprise that character in two sequels, as well as star in a number of other action films afterward, including Battleship, A Walk Among the Tombstones, and The Commuter — which came out on January 12th of this year. He is set to star in the upcoming heist thriller Windows, which will also be out in 2018.
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After starring as the president’s daughter on seven season of The West Wing, this American actress landed her first big role playing Peggy Olson on the critically acclaimed AMC series Mad Men. For her performance on the show, this American actress received a slew of nominations, winning many of them. This no doubt earned her her spot headlining the ongoing Hulu series, The Handmaid’s Tale, which she also serves as a producer on. The show is currently in its second season with a third on the way.
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After a number of supporting parts on hit shows including Sex and the City and Alias, this actor broke into the big time by starring in the comedy sleeper hit The Hangover in 2009. He popped up in two more sequels, and in between showed up in the sci-fi thriller Limitless and the independent drama The Place Beyond the Pines. Some of his biggest films since have including Silver Linings Playbook and American Sniper. You can also hear him voicing the hilarious Rocket Raccoon in the MCU.
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One of the biggest TV stars of today, this British-born actor plays Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. Though the role seemed minor at the onset of the series, over the past seven seasons the character has proven himself to be a true dark horse who is now not only the realms best chance of survival but the character who also happens to have one of the best claims to the Iron Throne. Since Thrones won’t be back until 2019, you can catch him on the big screen in this year's The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.
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Though this actor has been appearing on the stage and screen for nearly 60 years, most modern audience members first began to take note of him thanks to his outstanding portrayal as Gandalf the Grey in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Not to mention that he also plays the villainous Magneto in the popular X-Men film series. On top of his acting career, this Englishmen is also a knight and strong advocate for the LGBT community.
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After appearing on the soap opera As The World Turns for a number of seasons, this American actress made her jump to the big screen back in the early ‘90s. After a handful of supporting roles, the actress achieved widespread recognition for her performances in the P.T. Anderson films Boogie Nights and Magnolia, where she played two equally strong-willed though distinctly different characters. She’s only continued to gain more notoriety and acclaim since then, starring in everything from romantic comedies to gritty sci-fi films.
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Though this American actor is easily best known for playing Frodo Baggins in the epic Lord of the Rings fantasy trilogy, he was actually acting professionally for over a decade before he ever landed that part. As a child star, he showed up in Back to the Future Part II, The Adventures of Huck Finn, and The Good Son opposite Macaulay Culkin. On top of film acting, he’s also played a recurring role in the FX series Wilfred as well as founding his own record label, as the actor also works as a professional DJ.
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After training in improv and sketch comedian, this American actress first achieved widespread recognition when she landed the role of April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation. Throughout the seven seasons of this show, she also branches into film work, starring in Funny People, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and providing her voice for 2013’s Monsters University. She landed her first leading role in the low budget comedy Safety Not Guaranteed.You can currently find her on the FX superhero series Legion.
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This actor often finds himself on many of the “most difficult actors to work with” lists for reportedly being a bit of control freak when it comes to the films he stars in. But possibly as a result of this, the actor has turned out a number of excellent films, including Fight Club, American History X, and 25th Hour. He also starred as Bruce Banner/ the Hulk in the 2008 installment of the MCU. But apparently, the actor made too many demands and didn’t end up reprising the character in future Marvel films.
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While most mainstream audiences probably know this actress for her work in such blockbuster films including Jurassic Park and last year’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, she has long starred in lesser-known dark dramas. Many of these films have been written and directed by David Lynch, who is apparently a huge fan of the actress considering she’s appeared in three of his feature films, including Blue Velvet, Wild and Heart, and Inland Empire. She also popped up in Lynch’s Twin Peaks revival series, playing the character if Diane.
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After appearing as a drug addict in the darkly comedic 1996 film Trainspotting, this Scottish actor has appeared in everything from big-budget sci-fi films to lesser-known dramas, to even a hit TV series. In the last ‘90s and early 2000s, he appeared in the Star Wars prequel series playing a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also headlined Moulin Rouge! opposite Nicole Kidman and appeared in Tim Burton’s 2003 fantasy film Big Fish. More recently, he popped up in the third season of the anthology crime series Fargo.
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Often cast to play no-nonsense and tough-as-nails characters, many first caught this American actress when she showed up in the second season of the hit ABC series Lost. Here, she played Ana Lucia Cortez, the stubborn leader of the tail-end survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 who goes on to meet a tragic end. And though she may not often be a leading lady, this actress has appeared in an impressive number of hit film series, including The Fast and the Furious and the Resident Evil franchises.
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After a superb breakout role in the 1993 teen comedy Dazed and Confused, this American actor would eventually go on to fall into a pattern of starring in a string of bad rom-coms throughout the early 2000s. Luckily, he turned things around about eight years ago, popping up in one dramatic hit after the next, including Killer Joe, Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street and Dallas Buyers Club — which won him an Academy Award. And we can’t forget his amazing performance as Detective Rustin Cole on HBO’s True Detective.
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Although this actress has shown up in one blockbuster after the next, she’s one of those big actresses that doesn’t have the same name recognition as her contemporaries. But there’s a good chance that this Australian actress prefers it that way, as it allows her to float from one character and genre to the next. She’s starred in everything from the comedy film series Neighbors to the horror franchise Insidious, to the X-Men film series, where she plays Moira MacTaggert, a CIA agent.
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After appearing in a number of smaller dramatic thrillers, including American Psycho and The Machinist, this British actor achieved widespread recognition when he donned the cape and cowl to portray the Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. He would go on to reprise the character of Bruce Wayne in two sequels, and ever since he has been able to successfully toe the line between a movie star and serious actor. He’s more recently starred in The Big Short and Hostiles.
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One of Hollywood’s fastest rising stars, this Swedish actress first wowed audiences with her performance in 2015’s The Danish Girl. That same year, she appeared in writer Alex Garland directorial debut, Ex Machina, which went on to be deemed one of the best sci-fi films in recent decades by a number of critics. Most recently, she took over the role of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider reboot. But despite a well-received performance, the movie struggled to pull ahead at the box office.
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Though he was born in 1981, this American actor began working professionally just seven years later when he appeared as a child star in a number of films (Angels in the Outfield, The River Runs Through It) as well as a popular sitcom (3rd Rock from the Sun). He began to land leading roles regularly in the early 2000s, showing up in a number of wildly diverse films, including 10 Things I Hate About You, Brick, and The Lookout. And movies like Inception and Looper have also turned him into an international star.