List of Actor Politicians
by pgrass13 | created - 02 Feb 2011 | updated - 3 months ago | Publicthis is a list of actors turned politicians/ Politicians turned actors While I was initially focusing on American politicians, I have now included others as well. I am also now including actors who ran for office but didn't win, yet were notable. I am also only counting more people with more than 1 or 2 acting credits, so john McCain's appearance in 24 doesn't count. These are candidates both serious and not serious.
101. Kenneth Nwadike
Producer | Free Hugs
Ken E. Nwadike, Jr. is an American documentary filmmaker, motivational speaker, and peace activist popularly known as the Free Hugs Guy. Ken is the founder of the Free Hugs Project. His "Free Hugs" videos have reached hundreds of millions of views on Facebook and YouTube.
In 2014, Nwadike launched ...
Ran for US President 2020, Democrat
102. Gemma Garrett
Actress | Direct Contact
Stunning blonde Gemma Garrett was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and began her modelling career at 17 with Style Academy. She won Miss Ulster in 2008 and Miss Great Britain in 2008 and 2009. Gemma went on to become the face of the British Grand Prix and doubled for Sienna Miller on the key art ...
Ran for Parliament in 2008
103. Marina Baker
Actress | Man from China
Marina Baker was born on December 8, 1967 in Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Man from China (1990), Casanova (1987) and Playboy Video Playmate Calendar 1988 (1988). She has been married to Lee Pepper since 1997. They have two children.
served in several local offices in England
104. Eric Garcetti
Self | End of Watch
Eric Garcetti was born on February 4, 1971 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for End of Watch (2012), Major Crimes (2012) and The Closer (2005). He has been married to Amy Wakeland since January 4, 2009. They have one child.
Los Angeles City Council 2001-2013, Los Angeles Mayor 2013-2022, US Ambassador to India 2023-present ,Democrat
105. Eddie Izzard
Actor | Ocean's Thirteen
Best-known for her surreal and digressive stand-up, British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard was born on February 7, 1962, in Aden, Yemen, where her English parents -- Dorothy Ella, a nurse and midwife, and Harold John Izzard, an accountant -- worked for British Petroleum.
Izzard worked as a street ...
Labour Party, member of NEC in 2018
106. Bradford Lewis
Producer | Ratatouille
Bradford Lewis is known for Ratatouille (2007), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) and Minority Report (2002).
San Carlos City council from 2005-2010, Vice Mayor in 2006, Mayor in 2007.
107. Ye
Soundtrack | The Great Gatsby
Kanye Omari West (born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer. His musical career has been marked by dramatic changes in styles, incorporating an eclectic range of influences including soul, baroque pop, electro, indie rock, ...
Ran for Us President 2020 (Birthday Party). Declared that he will run in 2024
108. Sidney Poitier
Actor | In the Heat of the Night
Sidney Poitier was a native of Cat Island, Bahamas, although born, two months prematurely, in Miami during a visit by his parents, Evelyn (Outten) and Reginald James Poitier. He grew up in poverty as the son of farmers, with his father also driving a cab in Nassau. Sidney had little formal ...
Bahamian ambassador to Japan (1997-2007)
109. Aaron Russo
Producer | Trading Places
Although he never went beyond secondary school, Aaron Russo became a millionaire in show business. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943, he worked in his family's business and later managed the Chicago nightclub, the Kinetic Playground, from 1968 to 1973 (with a long hiatus due to a fire). There he ...
Ran for US president 2004 (Libertarian)
110. Brock Pierce
Actor | First Kid
Brock Pierce was born on November 14, 1980 in Minnesota, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for First Kid (1996), D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) and The Mighty Ducks (1992).
Ran For US President 2020 (Independent)
111. Patrick Kilpatrick
Actor | Minority Report
One of the finest screen/television character actors of his generation, playing against a spectrum of Hollywood's leading action heroes, Patrick Kilpatrick's entertainment career has spanned 200+ films and television shows as lead actor, producer, screenwriter, director, and global entertainment ...
Ran in 2021 California recall as Democrat
112. Cenk Uygur
Producer | The Young Turks
Cenk Uygur was born on March 21, 1970 in Istanbul, Turkey. He is a producer and writer, known for The Young Turks (2005), TYT Sports (2010) and TYT University (2011). He has been married to Wendy Lang since 2008. They have two children.
Ran for congress in California in 2019. Running for US President in 2024 despite not being constitutionally eligible. (Democrat)
113. Charles Farrell
Actor | Night and the City
Charles Farrell was born on August 6, 1900 in Dublin, Ireland. He was an actor, known for Night and the City (1950), The Crimson Pirate (1952) and Wall of Death (1951). He was married to Babbie McManus. He died on August 27, 1988 in London, England, UK.
City Council of Palm Springs (1940s) Mayor of Palm Springs (1948-1953)
114. Caitlyn Jenner
Actress | Can't Stop the Music
Caitlyn Marie Jenner was born William Bruce Jenner on October 28, 1949 in Mount Kisco, New York and raised in Sleepy Hollow, New York to Esther Jenner & William Jenner. Jenner played college football for the Graceland Yellowjackets before incurring a knee injury that required surgery. Convinced by ...
Ran in California Recall 2021 (Republican)
115. Larry Elder
Producer | Uncle Tom
Larry Elder was born on April 27, 1952 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Uncle Tom (2020), Spin City (1996) and The Larry Elder Podcast (2016).
Ran in California Recall 2021. Ran for US President 2024 but dropped out before the primaries. (Republican)
116. Joe Flynn
Actor | The Rescuers
Born on November 8, 1924, in Youngstown, Ohio and after attending Northwestern University, Flynn began his entertainment career as a ventriloquist and as a radio performer. During World War II, he served in the Army's Special Services Branch (formerly the Morale Branch) entertaining the troops in ...
Ran for Ohio State Senate (1950) Republican
117. Bob Mathias
Actor | Teseo contro il minotauro
Bob Mathias was born on November 17, 1930 in Tulare, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete (1960), The Bob Mathias Story (1954) and China Doll (1958). He was married to Gwen Alexander and Melba Wiser. He died on September 2, 2006 in Fresno, California, ...
Member of Congress from California (1967-1975) Republican
118. Richard Petty
Actor | Cars
The King of stock car racing, Richard Petty retired from NASCAR competition after the 1992 season. During his storied career, he won 200 Winston Cup race (a feat that will never be equaled), seven Winston Cup championships (tied by Dale Earnhardt in 1994), and seven Daytona 500's. His 200th win ...
Ran for Secretary of State of North Carolina (1996) Republican
119. Trey Radel
Actor | Fallaway
Trey Radel was born on April 20, 1976 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He is an actor, known for Fallaway, StartUp (2016) and Truth Is Stranger Than Florida (2016).
US Congress from Florida (2013-2014) Republican
120. Jackie Chan
Actor | Ngo si seoi
Hong Kong's cheeky, lovable and best-known film star, Jackie Chan endured many years of long, hard work and multiple injuries to establish international success after his start in Hong Kong's manic martial arts cinema industry.
Jackie was born Kong-sang Chan on April 7, 1954, on Hong Kong's famous ...
Hong Kong Election Committee (2021-) Communist
121. Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Writer | Svaty
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the 6th president of Ukraine. Before entering politics, he was a comedian, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director.
Prior to his political career, he obtained a degree in law and created a production company, Kvartal 95, which produces films, cartoons, TV comedy shows...
President of Ukraine. (2019-)
122. Ben Savage
Actor | Boy Meets World
Bennett "Ben" Joseph Savage was born on September 13th, 1980, in Chicago, Illinois. Ben got his start in acting when he appeared in his first commercial at the tender age of 5. From there, his first major speaking role was in the comedy series, Dear John (1988), opposite Judd Hirsch and fellow ...
Interned for Arlen Specter. Ran for West Hollywood City Council (2022) Is running for Congress in California (2023). Democrat
123. Chelene Nightingale
Actress | Girl Crazy
Chelene Nightingale is known for Girl Crazy (1994), Operation Terror (2012) and The Exotic Time Machine (1998).
Ran for Governor of California (2010) American Independent Party.
124. Joe Exotic
Soundtrack | Tiger King
Joe Exotic was born on March 5, 1963 in Garden City, Kansas, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Tiger King (2020), Joe Exotic: Tigers, Lies and Cover-Up (2020) and The Life Exotic: Or the Incredible True Story of Joe Schreibvogel. He was previously married to Dillon Passage and Travis ...
Ran for Us President in 2016 (Independent). Is Running for President in 2024 first as Libertarian than Democrat.
125. Cornel West
Actor | The Matrix Reloaded
Cornel West was born on June 2, 1953 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003) and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009).
Running for Us President in 2024 (People's Party/ Green Party then Independant)
126. Mehmet Oz
Mehmet Oz was born on June 11, 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for John Q (2002), Mom and Dad (2017) and The Dr. Oz Show (2009). He has been married to Lisa Oz since June 29, 1985. They have four children.
Ran for Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022 (Republican)
127. Kimberlin Brown
Actress | The Young and the Restless
Born in Hayward, California as Kimberlin Ann Brown, Brown made daytime television history by successfully crossing over her character from the number one daytime drama The Young and the Restless (1973) to The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) causing the latter show's ratings to skyrocket in the early ...
Ran for US House in California 2018 (Republican)
128. Cherie DeVille
Actress | Trans-Active
Comely, busty and shapely 5'3" blonde bombshell of French-Canadian descent, Cherie DeVille was born on August 30, 1978 in Durham, NC and lived there until she was three when her father graduated with his Ph.D. and relocated the family to Maryland where he worked for the National Institute of Health...
Candidate for US President 2020 (Democrat)
129. Hill Harper
Actor | CSI: NY
Hill Harper, an accomplished film, television and stage actor, stars in the hit CBS drama series, CSI: NY (2004). He portrays "Dr. Sheldon Hawkes", a reclusive coroner who walked away from a promising surgical career after the traumatic loss of two patients. This February, he will star in the HBO ...
Running for Senate in Michigan 2024 (Democrat)
130. Amanda Shatzko
Actress | Shoot Me Now
Amanda Shatzko is known for Shoot Me Now (2007), Hellcats (2010) and Marianas Trench: Ever After (2012).
Electoral Area Director (Mayor) of Silver Star Mountain Restort and Vice-Chair of Regional District of North Okanagan
131. Irma Serrano
Actress | Naná
Irma Serrano first made a name for herself as a singer, becoming one of the most popular ranchera performers of the 1960s. She became famous for her trademark roaring style which earned her the nickname "La Tigresa de la Canción Ranchera" (The Tigress of Ranchera Music). She was born in central ...
Member of Mexican Senate from 1994
132. Carmen Salinas
Actress | Man on Fire
Carmen Salinas was born on October 5, 1939 in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. She was an actress, known for Man on Fire (2004), Carnival Nights (1978) and Bellas de noche (1975). She was married to Pedro Plascencia and Carlos Paulín. She died on December 9, 2021 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Mexican Chamber of Deputies in 2015 (Institutional Revolutionary Party)
133. Hill Harper
Actor | CSI: NY
Hill Harper, an accomplished film, television and stage actor, stars in the hit CBS drama series, CSI: NY (2004). He portrays "Dr. Sheldon Hawkes", a reclusive coroner who walked away from a promising surgical career after the traumatic loss of two patients. This February, he will star in the HBO ...
Running for Senate in Michigan 2024 (Democrat)
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