In Hollywood, famous black actors have often experienced discrimination and limited opportunities. Yet, due to their eminent charisma and hunger to win; the top black male actors made great names alongside celebrities from other races. Let’s dig into some brief stories about some of these great black actors in Hollywood and their journey toward stardom.
List of Top 10 Black Male Celebrities in Hollywood
1. Denzel Washington
Who doesn’t know about the great black actor who portrayed an iconic role in Malcolm X? Everyone does. This is why Denzel Washington is placed at the top of the list of famous black actors in Hollywood. He was born in Mount Vernon, New York in 1954 and with the distinct vision to become an inspiring artist, he made his debut in Hollywood with the movie Carbon Copy. Denzel also bagged two Academy Awards for the Best Actor role in his entire acting career.
2. Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker falls on the list of top black male actors in Hollywood, who have an African-American origin. He has been a talented and versatile actor due to which he won many awards during his film career. Forest is well-known for movies based on intense dramas and inspiring biopics. Some of the famous movies done by the particular black actor are Bird, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, The Last King of Scotland, and so on.
3. Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is among the well-known black actors in Hollywood. He not only excels in intense acting flair but also works as an exceptional narrator in several movies. Morgan started his acting career as a black actor and with time he started getting offers for narration in big projects because of his distinctive voice and commanding presence. Some of Morgan’s iconic roles like other black celebrities in Hollywood are in movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, The Dark Knight, and more.
4. Jamie Foxx
Jamie Fox has been a successful actor, singer, comedian, and producer in his entire career within the entertainment industry. He is among those black actors in films who had to face racism and gender bias while making it up in Hollywood. Jamie was formerly known as Eric Marlon Bishop however, he adopted his stage name due to discrimination within the film industry. Some of Jamie’s top-class movies being famous as other black male celebrities were Django Unchained, Day Shift, The Burial, and more.
5. Martin Lawerence
We know Martin Lawerance from the well-known action-comedy movie series, The Bad Boys. He has also produced some exceptional sitcom shows such as “Martin” which was aired during the 1990s. Martin is also among the top black actors in Hollywood who are capably strong writers and stand-up comedians. Some of the popular movies that starred top black male actors like Martin are Big Momma’s House, Blue Streak, and more.
6. Will Smith
The one-and-only partner in crime who did an exceptional role in The Bad Boys movie series alongside Martin Lawerence was Will Smith. Will is also on the list when people name the best black actors in Hollywood. He has been an inspiring actor, rapper, and producer in his entire film career, which is why he is also on the list of Hollywood’s highest-paid male actors. Will was already famous among big celebrities in Hollywood; even before his debut in the film industry. It was because he gained popularity as a part of the hip-hop duo – DJ Jazzy Jeyy and The Fresh Prince.
7. Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Godling Jr. is the next name on the list of famous black actors in films across Hollywood. Cuba’s name is acclaimed in the industry due to his strength in performing versatile roles across different forms and genres of movies. He had his breakthrough in the film industry like other black actors. It was because of the splendid acting that he did in one of the critically acclaimed movies, “Boyz n the Hood” that was released in 1991.
8. Wesley Snipes
Fans know Wesley Snipes as “Blade” from the famous Blade movie trilogy. He has lived an excellent acting career and has also been a successful film producer and a superb martial artist. He is also a black actor who bags inspiring stories about success despite hardships in life. Snipes has genuinely left a significant impact on the film industry through his charismatic screen presence and his action-packed roles across many movies.
9. Samuel L. Jackson
It is a pleasure to have Samuel L. Jackson’s name on Hollywood’s list of famous black celebrities. We all know him as the “Nick Fury” who played significant roles in almost every movie in the Marvel franchise. Samuel is among very few black male actors who have had a prolific career for decades.
10. Chadwick Boseman
Chadwick Boseman, our beloved “King T’Challa of Wakanda” from the Black Panther movie is no more. However, his name is still shiny high among the best-known black actors in Hollywood. Some of the iconic movies done by this great actor that let him change everyone’s perception of black actors in films were 21 Bridges, 42, Gods of Egypt, and many more.
Conclusion
It was genuinely inspiring to know about some of the exceptional artists such as Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Martin Lawerence, and so on. It can be said that they being the successful black actors in Hollywood; never let the views of societies and others from the industry impact their grind in attaining great fame as competent actors.
