Most Successful Black Actors
Hollywood has been known to marginalize Black actors. In spite of this, many Black actors have been able to leave their mark on the American film industry, with some even becoming billionaires. Black talent is so strong and powerful that these actors have become household names, leading in both film and TV and expanding into entrepreneurship and sponsorships from major brands. This article will discuss 6 of the most successful Black male actors in Hollywood today.
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Will Smith
Source: Will Smith by Gage Skidmore is Licensed by CC BY 2.0
Will Smith started off his career with his own sitcom called Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which is now being rebooted. Following his major TV role, Smith expanded into film, starring in many major motion pictures. Some of his most notable films include Independence Day and Men in Black. Smith’s most recent projects include Bad Boys For Life, Gemini Man, and Aladdin – all three of which were major blockbusters.
Tyler Perry
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Tyler Perry is an actor, writer, producer, playwright, and director. His impressive repertoire includes 30 movies, 20 plays, and eight TV shows. He is Hollywood’s highest-paid Black actor and built his entire wealth from scratch. He opened a fully Black film studio upon 330 acres of land in Atlanta and has helped to launch the careers of many Black actors and actresses in Hollywood.
Samuel L. Jackson
Source: Samuel L. Jackson by Nathan Congleton is Licensed by CC BY–NC-SA 2.0
Samuel L. Jackson has been a prominent actor in Hollywood for over 40 years. The actor has undertaken many versatile roles in over 100 movies. The total gross worth of all the movies he has led stands at over $4.3 billion as of now. Jackson, however, has only been recognized by the Academy Awards once, being nominated for his role in Pulp Fiction. This represents the constant marginalization of actors of color by the Oscar awards.
Denzel Washington
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Source: Denzel Washington by ElHormiguero is Licensed by CC BY–NC-SA 2.0
Denzel Washington is a huge star and has led a very distinguished career. Some of his notable films include Virtuosity, Safe House, and The Magnificent Seven. He tends to play characters with humility and grace and has been described as an actor who reconfigured “the concept of classic movie stardom”. His next release is a romantic drama called A Journal for Jordan, which also stars Michael B. Jordan.
Martin Lawrence
Source: Martin Lawrence by Angela George is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Martin Lawrence is a famous actor and comedian. His career began in the stand-up comedy scene in Washington. Shortly after that, he moved to New York and began to make a name for himself in comedy. His breakout role came in the comedy film Do the Right Thing, alongside Samuel L. Jackson. He is known for the film series Bad Boys, which also stars Will Smith, and the sitcom Martin, which he was the lead actor in.
Morgan Freeman
Source: Morgan Freeman by David Sifry is Licensed by CC BY–NC-SA 2.0
Morgan Freeman is one of Hollywood’s most respected actors. He has won an Oscar and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He has spent more than 50 years in the industry, paving the way for more Black actors to be taken seriously in Hollywood. Some of his most notable films include The Shawshank Redemption, Bruce Almighty, and Se7en.
There is so much Black talent out there, it is insane, yet Hollywood refuses to celebrate it. Very few big-name actors in Hollywood are Black; the names we discussed today are a select few Black male actors that managed to make it and rise above the racism of Hollywood. If you are interested in celebrating Black actors then you should read our article about the Best Black Netflix Shows to Stream Today.
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References:
afrotech.com | bbc.com | wikipedia.org | tuko.co.ke | the-numbers.com | thecine-files.com | imdb.com
