Actors, HAW-JOH
Acting is a performing art that involves much more than just being able to cry on command. Actors exercise supreme control over their voice, body, and facial movements so as to effectively and believably convey the emotional experience of the characters they represent. Although theatrical productions, television, and movies each carry unique technical demands for the actor, skilled actors can move from one medium to another without a diminution of talent, as is borne out by celebrated actors such as Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Viola Davis.
Actors Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Hawthorne, Nigel
Nigel Hawthorne was a British actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of the cunning, manipulative civil servant......
Hayden, Melissa
Melissa Hayden was a Canadian-born ballet dancer, whose technical and dramatic skills shone in the many and various......
Hayek, Salma
Salma Hayek is a Mexican American actress, director, and producer who, at the end of the 20th century, broke barriers......
Hayes, Helen
Helen Hayes was an American actress who was widely considered to be the “First Lady of the American Theatre.” At......
Hayes, Isaac
Isaac Hayes was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor who was a pioneering figure in soul music. His......
Hayward, Susan
Susan Hayward was an American film actress who was a popular star during the 1940s and ’50s known for playing courageous......
Hayworth, Rita
Rita Hayworth was an American film actress and dancer who rose to glamorous stardom in the 1940s and ’50s. Hayworth......
Hedren, Tippi
Tippi Hedren is an American film actress best known for her role in the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds and......
Heiberg, Johanne Luise
Johanne Luise Heiberg was a Danish actress and manager, lionized by the intelligentsia of her day. Heiberg began......
Heigl, Katherine
Katherine Heigl is an American actress known for her work on the television series Grey’s Anatomy and for roles......
Hema Malini
Hema Malini is an Indian actress, bharatanatyam dancer, director, and politician recognized for her work in Bollywood......
Heminge, John
John Heminge was an English actor who, with Henry Condell, prepared and oversaw the First Folio (1623), a collection......
Hemsworth, Chris
Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor who came to fame for his role as Thor in several Marvel Cinematic Universe......
Henie, Sonja
Sonja Henie was a Norwegian-born American world champion figure skater and Olympic gold medalist who went on to......
Henreid, Paul
Paul Henreid was an Austrian-born actor whose elegant sophistication and middle-European accent made him ideal......
Henry, Lenny
Lenny Henry is a British comedian, actor, and writer who became one of Britain’s best known and most highly respected......
Henson, Taraji P.
Taraji P. Henson is an American actress who was best known for playing strong female characters, notably Loretha......
Hepburn, Audrey
Audrey Hepburn was a Belgian-born British actress known for her radiant beauty and style, her ability to project......
Hepburn, Katharine
Katharine Hepburn was an indomitable American stage and film actress, known as a spirited performer with a touch......
Heston, Charlton
Charlton Heston was an American actor who was known for his chiseled features and compelling speaking voice and......
Heywood, Thomas
Thomas Heywood was an English actor-playwright whose career spans the peak periods of Elizabethan and Jacobean......
Hiddleston, Tom
Tom Hiddleston is a classically trained English actor who became known for his performances as Loki in the Marvel......
Hill, Faith
Faith Hill is an American country music singer known for her commercial success on both the country and pop music......
Hill, Jonah
Jonah Hill is an American actor, director, and comedian who became known for locating a core of humanity inside......
Hill, Lauryn
Lauryn Hill is an American singer whose soulful voice and acclaimed album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)......
Hiller, Dame Wendy
Dame Wendy Hiller was an English stage and film actress known for her direct and unsentimental portrayals of intelligent......
Hines, Cheryl
Cheryl Hines is an American actress best known for playing the role of Cheryl David, the wife of comedian and writer......
Hines, Gregory
Gregory Hines was an American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer who was a major figure in the revitalization......
Hoffman, Dustin
Dustin Hoffman is an acclaimed American actor known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable types.......
Hoffman, Philip Seymour
Philip Seymour Hoffman was an American actor known for scene-stealing work in supporting roles and for his Academy......
Holbrook, Hal
Hal Holbrook was an American actor best known for his exacting portrayal of author Mark Twain in his one-man show,......
Holden, William
William Holden was an American film star who perfected the role of the cynic who acts heroically in spite of his......
Holland, Tom
Tom Holland is an English actor who began performing on the stage as a child before becoming a popular movie star......
Holliday, Judy
Judy Holliday was an American actress noted for her distinctive voice and her warm, intelligent portrayal of funny......
Homolka, Oscar
Oscar Homolka was an Austrian-born U.S. character actor of stage and screen, known for his memorable portrayals......
Hong, James
James Hong is an American actor and director who is one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history,......
Hope, Bob
Bob Hope was a British-born American entertainer and comic actor known for his rapid-fire delivery of jokes and......
Hopkins, Anthony
Anthony Hopkins is a Welsh stage and film actor of burning intensity, often seen at his best when playing pathetic......
Hopper, Dennis
Dennis Hopper was an American film actor, director, and writer who rose to fame as a countercultural icon in the......
Horne, Lena
Lena Horne was an American singer and actress who first came to fame in the 1940s. Horne left school at age 16......
Hoult, Nicholas
Nicholas Hoult is a British actor who is perhaps best known for playing Hank McCoy (“Beast”) in the X-Men series......
Houseman, John
John Houseman was an American stage, film, radio, and television producer who is perhaps best known for his later......
Houston, Whitney
Whitney Houston was an American singer and actress who was one of the best-selling musical performers of the 1980s......
Howard, Leslie
Leslie Howard was an English actor, producer, and film director whose acting had a quiet, persuasive English charm.......
Howard, Ron
Ron Howard is an American filmmaker who first achieved fame as a child actor and later became a respected director.......
Howard, Trevor
Trevor Howard was a British actor who was best known for his portrayal of a sensitive doctor in love with a married......
Hudson, Jennifer
Jennifer Hudson is an American actress and singer who first garnered attention on the reality television show American......
Hudson, Rock
Rock Hudson was an American actor noted for his good looks and movie roles during the 1950s and ’60s and popular......
Humphries, Barry
Barry Humphries was an Australian actor best known for his character Dame Edna Everage, a sharp-tongued housewife......
Hunnam, Charlie
Charlie Hunnam is an English actor known for playing alpha male roles, notably Jackson (“Jax”) Teller, a leader......
Hunt, Helen
Helen Hunt is an American actress known for her caustic wit and easy charm. Her popularity on the television series......
Hunt, Linda
Linda Hunt is an American stage, film, and television character actress known for her resonant voice, small stature,......
Hunter, Holly
Holly Hunter is an American actress with a talent for portraying intense, driven, and often offbeat characters......
Hunter, Kim
Kim Hunter was an American actress of stage, screen, and television who was perhaps best known for her portrayals......
Huppert, Isabelle
Isabelle Huppert is a French actress who was acclaimed for her versatility and for the subtle gestures and restrained......
Hurt, John
John Hurt was a British actor known for his insightful and sensitive portrayals of damaged or eccentric characters.......
Hurt, William
William Hurt was an American actor who transitioned from roles as a leading man to a series of distinctive character......
Huston, Anjelica
Anjelica Huston is an American actress noted for her coolly elegant portrayals of tough-minded self-sufficient......
Huston, John
John Huston was an American motion-picture director, writer, and actor whose taut dramas were among the most popular......
Huston, Walter
Walter Huston was a noted Canadian-born American character actor whose career in theatre and films ranged from......
Hutton, Betty
Betty Hutton was an American actress and singer who electrified audiences with her explosive personality and high-spirited......
Hutton, Timothy
Timothy Hutton is an American actor whose subtle portrayal of a young man’s psychological anguish in the film Ordinary......
Ice Cube
Ice Cube is an American rapper and actor whose membership in the seminal gangsta rap group N.W.A gained him acclaim......
Iffland, August Wilhelm
August Wilhelm Iffland was a German actor, dramatist, and manager, a major influence on German theatre. Destined......
Ilinsky, Igor
Igor Ilinsky was a Russian actor of stage and screen, especially well known for his comic portrayals of rogues......
Imperioli, Michael
Michael Imperioli is an American actor, writer, and musician who is best known for playing Christopher Moltisanti......
Ipsen, Bodil
Bodil Ipsen was a Danish actress who, with her frequent stage partner, the character actor Poul Reumert, reilluminated......
Irons, Jeremy
Jeremy Irons is a British actor whose performances are noted for their sophistication and gravitas. Irons made......
Irving, Sir Henry
Sir Henry Irving was one of the most famous of English actors, the first of his profession to be knighted (1895)......
Irwin, May
May Irwin was a Canadian-born American comedian and music-hall performer who popularized such songs as “After the......
Isaac, Oscar
Oscar Isaac is a Guatemalan-born American actor known for his versatility in roles, from Prince John in Robin Hood......
Itami Jūzō
Itami Jūzō was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He had a successful 20-year career as an actor in films......
Iturbi, José
José Iturbi was a Spanish-born pianist, conductor, and actor, known for his hectic concert schedule and for his......
Izzard, Eddie
Eddie Izzard is a British comedian and actor best known for her surreal, stream of consciousness stand-up comedy.......
Jackman, Hugh
Hugh Jackman is an Australian performer who is considered a “triple threat”—a successful actor, dancer, and singer.......
Jackson, Glenda
Glenda Jackson was a British actress and Labour Party politician who was a member of the House of Commons (1992–2015).......
Jackson, Janet
Janet Jackson is an American singer and actress and the youngest member of Motown’s famed Jackson family. Starting......
Jackson, Michael
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who was one of the most popular and influential......
Jackson, Samuel L.
Samuel L. Jackson is an American actor who was especially known for his work in action blockbusters and his films......
Jacobi, Derek
Derek Jacobi is an English actor whose shy, self-effacing private demeanour belied his forceful, commanding stage......
Jaffrey, Madhur
Madhur Jaffrey is an Indian-born actress, chef, and writer who parlayed movie stardom into culinary fame, both......
Jaggayya, Kongara
Kongara Jaggayya was an Indian actor, broadcaster, political leader, and poet who was a leading performer in Telugu-language......
James, Kevin
Kevin James is an American comedian and actor best known for playing affable working-class characters, most notably......
James, Lily
Lily James is an English screen and stage actress whose supporting role (2012–15) in the television series Downton......
Janney, Allison
Allison Janney is an American actress who won acclaim on stage, film, and television but is perhaps best known......
Jannings, Emil
Emil Jannings was a German actor who was internationally known for his tragic roles in motion pictures. He was......
Jay, Ricky
Ricky Jay was an American magician, actor, author, and historian, widely regarded as the most gifted sleight-of-hand......
Jaya Bachchan
Jaya Bachchan is an Indian actress and politician known for her significant contributions to Bollywood and her......
Jayalalithaa, Jayaram
Jayaram Jayalalithaa was an Indian film actress and politician who served as the leader of the All India Dravidian......
Jefferson, Joseph
Joseph Jefferson was an American actor who was best known for his portrayals of the character Rip Van Winkle. As......
Jenkins, Katherine
Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano with strong mainstream appeal. A highly versatile singer, Jenkins excels......
Jessel, George
George Jessel was an American comedian, actor, writer, composer, and producer, whose skill as a dinner speaker......
Johansson, Scarlett
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress who began her career as a child and later came into her own playing adult......
John Belushi: At a Glance
John Belushi was an American comic actor and musician best known as an original cast member of the groundbreaking......
John, Errol
Errol John was a Trinidadian-born actor and playwright who wrote Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (1958), for which he won......
Johnny Weissmuller: Before Tarzan
In the 1920s Johnny Weissmuller was celebrated as one of the United States’ greatest athletes and an Olympic champion.......
Johnson, Beverly
Beverly Johnson is an American model who in the 1970s was the first Black woman to appear on the cover of numerous......
Johnson, Dakota
Dakota Johnson is an American actress who first gained fame for her work in the erotic Fifty Shades film series......
Johnson, Dwayne
...
Johnson, Marsha P.
Marsha P. Johnson was a Black American drag queen and activist who was dedicated to social justice for the gay......