Actors, RUS-STE
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
Nipsey Russell was an American actor and comedian known for the clever impromptu verses that he created for his......
Rosalind Russell was an American actress who was best remembered for her film and stage portrayals of witty, assertive,......
Dame Margaret Rutherford was an actress who was popular on the British stage and screen from the 1930s in roles......
Robert Ryan was a U.S. film actor. He trained for the stage at Max Reinhardt’s workshop in Hollywood, and after......
Mark Rydell is an American actor and director who was best known for helming On Golden Pond (1981). Rydell trained......
Winona Ryder is an American actress who played prominent roles in such popular films as Beetlejuice (1988), Heathers......
Mark Rylance is a British theatre actor and director recognized not only for his period-specific enactments of......
Prov Sadovsky was a Russian character actor and patriarch of a three-generation theatrical family. He is regarded......
Bhisham Sahni was a Hindi writer, actor, teacher, translator, and polyglot who was especially known for his poignant......
Eva Marie Saint is an American film and television actress known for bringing emotional depth and complexity to......
Michel Saint-Denis was a French director, producer, teacher, and theatrical innovator who was influential in the......
Zoe Saldana is an American actress who found her greatest success performing in science-fiction and superhero movies.......
George Sanders was a Russian-born British actor who specialized in portraying elegant yet dissolute characters......
Adam Sandler is an American comedian known for his portrayal of infantile but endearing characters. Sandler was......
Diana Sands was an American stage and screen actress who won overnight acclaim for her portrayal of the younger......
Isabel Sanford was an American actress best known for her role as Louise (“Weezy”) Jefferson in the long-running......
Mallika Sarabhai is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer, actress, writer, and social activist known for......
Susan Sarandon is an American film actress who transcended the early roles of her career, in which she often played......
Jennifer Saunders is an English actress who was perhaps best known for creating and starring in the television......
John Sayles is an American motion-picture director, screenwriter, novelist, and actor who since the 1980s has been......
Maximilian Schell was an Austrian actor and filmmaker who was most closely associated with the post-World War II......
Emanuel Schikaneder was a prominent German actor, singer, playwright, and theatre manager now chiefly remembered......
Joseph Schildkraut was an Austrian-born American stage, television, and motion-picture actor. Schildkraut joined......
Romy Schneider was a German film actress. (Read Martin Scorsese’s Britannica essay on film preservation.) The popular......
Friedrich Ludwig Schröder was a German actor, theatrical manager, and playwright who introduced the plays of William......
Franz Schuch was a German comic actor and theatre manager who popularized a vernacular version of the commedia......
Amy Schumer is an American comedian and actress whose pointed self-deprecating humor brought her success on stage......
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-born American bodybuilder, film actor, and politician who rose to fame through......
David Schwimmer is an American actor and director who was perhaps best known for his role on the television sitcom......
Johann Friedrich Schönemann was an actor-manager who was influential in the development of Germany’s public theatre.......
Paul Scofield was an English actor noted for his powerful performances in Shakespearean and other stage roles.......
Andrew Scott is an Irish actor known for his carefully constructed performances on stage and screen. Critics and......
George C. Scott was an American actor whose dynamic presence and raspy voice suited him to a variety of intense......
Joan Sebastian was a Mexican singer and songwriter who wrote, performed, and recorded songs in regional Mexican......
Jerry Seinfeld is an American comedian whose television show Seinfeld (1989–98) was a landmark of American popular......
Peter Sellers was a versatile English comic actor whose astonishing range of characters earned him international......
Mack Sennett was the creator of the Keystone Kops and the father of American slapstick comedy in motion pictures.......
Delphine Seyrig was a French actress celebrated for her mysterious beauty and distinctive characterizations. Seyrig......
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian film and stage actor whose sensitive and subtle performances earned him critical......
Tupac Shakur was an influential American rapper and actor who was one of the leading names in 1990s gangsta rap.......
Tony Shalhoub is an American actor who was perhaps best known for his comedic roles, most notably the “defective......
Garry Shandling was an American actor, writer, and comedian who often incorporated his real life into his work,......
Born in Kentucky and trained in Chicago theater, Michael Shannon emerged in the early 21st century as a versatile......
Omar Sharif was an Egyptian actor of international acclaim, known for his dashing good looks and for iconic roles......
William Shatner is a Canadian actor whose prolific output and self-deprecating sense of humour secured him a place......
Robert Shaw was an English actor, novelist, and playwright who first garnered attention for his performances in......
Alia Shawkat is an American actress best known for portraying Maeby Fünke on the cult-classic television sitcom......
Wallace Shawn is an American playwright and character actor whose oft-surreal probing plays found favour in the......
Mikhail Semenovich Shchepkin was possibly the most influential actor of 19th-century Russia, known for his sensitive......
Boris Shchukin was a Russian stage and motion-picture actor, particularly well known for his portrayals of the......
Moira Shearer was a Scottish ballerina and actress best known for her performance as the suicidal ballerina in......
Norma Shearer was an American motion-picture actress known for her glamour, charm, sophistication, and versatility.......
Charlie Sheen is an American actor who became equally famous for his work in such films as Platoon (1986) and Major......
Martin Sheen is an American actor best known for playing Capt. Benjamin L. Willard in the epic Vietnam War film......
Norman Shelley was a British actor whose career in radio lasted more than five decades. Shelley started work as......
Sam Shepard was an American playwright and actor whose plays adroitly blend images of the American West, Pop motifs,......
Taylor Sheridan is an American actor, writer, and director who first garnered attention for his roles on the television......
Thomas Sheridan was an Irish-born actor and theatrical manager and father of the dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan.......
Martin Short is an Emmy- and Tony-winning Canadian actor, comedian, and writer known for his work on television......
Sarah Siddons was one of the greatest English tragic actresses. She was the eldest of 12 children of Roger and......
Simone Signoret was a French actress known for her portrayal of fallen romantic heroines and headstrong older women.......
Sarah Silverman is an American comedian, actress, and writer known for her subversive pointed commentaries on the......
Phil Silvers was an American actor and comedian who was best known for the TV series The Phil Silvers Show (1955–59).......
J.K. Simmons is an American character actor who had a wide-ranging and prolific career both before and after winning......
Jean Simmons was a British-born American actress who was known for her cool elegance. At age 14, soon after she......
Paul Simon is an American singer-songwriter who brought a highbrow sensibility to rock music. One of the most paradoxical......
Frank Sinatra was an American singer and motion-picture actor who, through a long career and a very public personal......
Nancy Sinatra is an American singer and actress who forged a successful music career separate from that of her......
Victor Sjöström was a motion-picture actor and director who contributed significantly to the international preeminence......
Red Skelton was an American pantomimist and radio and television comedian, host, and star performer of the popular......
Cornelia Otis Skinner was an American actress and author who, with satirical wit, wrote light verse, monologues,......
Otis Skinner was an American actor who played hundreds of roles in all parts of the world in a career extending......
Anna Deavere Smith is an American playwright, actress, author, journalist, and educator, who is best known for......
Maggie Smith was an English stage and motion-picture actress noted for her poignancy and wit in comic roles. Smith......
Will Smith is an American actor and musician whose charisma and quick wit helped him transition from rap music......
J.B. Smoove is an American actor and comedian best known for portraying the quick-witted and profane character......
Wesley Snipes is an American actor best known for his action films, many of which feature martial arts. Snipes......
Snoop Dogg is an American rapper and songwriter who became one of the best-known figures in gangsta rap in the......
Solange is an American multidisciplinary artist, perhaps best known as a singer, songwriter, choreographer, and......
Song Joong-Ki is a South Korean actor who established himself in the so-called K-drama genre with his performance......
Mira Sorvino is an American actress who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of a......
Edward Hugh Sothern was an American actor who was widely popular for his roles in romantic comedy and was noted......
Sissy Spacek is an American actress who is known for her ability to convey genuineness in a range of critically......
Kevin Spacey is an American actor on stage and screen, especially known for his dynamic roles in dark comedies.......
James Spader is an American actor known for playing morally ambiguous, deviant characters. Some of his best-known......
Octavia Spencer is an American actress who was known for her numerous small, generally comic roles before she shot......
Sylvester Stallone is an American actor, screenwriter, and director who was perhaps best known for creating and......
Sebastian Stan is a Romanian-born American actor best known for his role as James Buchanan (“Bucky”) Barnes/The......
Konstantin Stanislavsky was a Russian actor, director, and producer, founder of the Moscow Art Theatre (opened......
Barbara Stanwyck was an American motion-picture and television actress who played a wide variety of roles in more......
Ringo Starr is a British musician, singer, songwriter, and actor who was the drummer for the Beatles, one of the......
The 2000s brought a new kind of action movie—bigger and louder with more special effects—as well as a new action......
Mary Steenburgen is an American actress who is known for her charming and gentle demeanor in a wide variety of......
Rod Steiger was an American actor who used the techniques of method acting—enhanced by his powerful delivery and......
Howard Stern is an American radio show host known for his controversial broadcasts. Stern was introduced to radio......
Donald Ogden Stewart was an American humorist, actor, playwright, and screenwriter who won a 1940 Academy Award......
James Stewart was a major American motion-picture star who was known for his portrayals of diffident but morally......
Jon Stewart is an American comedian, writer, and director who is best known for hosting (1999–2015, 2024) the satiric......
Kristen Stewart is an Academy Award-nominated American actress who first received widespread recognition for her......
Patrick Stewart is a British actor of stage, screen, and television who is perhaps best known for his work on the......