Top 10 Johns of Hollywood

Top 10 Johns of Hollywood

One of the most common given names in English and European countries for centuries, it’s also the name of some of our favorite celebrities. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 Johns in Hollywood.

For this list, we’ve chosen some of the most popular, talented, and brilliant Hollywood personalities that share some variation of the same first name. Whether they are an actor, a director, or a composer, they are all welcome on our list.

#10: John C. Reilly

Ever since his breakout performance in the 1989 war drama “Casualties of War,” this loveable goofball from comedies like “Step Brothers” has been showing us that he’s more talented than many give him credit for. Known for his versatility, he has appeared on television, in theater, and recorded music, which has earned him Grammy and Tony award nominations. His acting chops can most clearly be seen on the big screen, however, as he has significantly contributed to films as diverse as “Walk Hard”, “The Hours” and “Chicago,” the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination.

#9: John Cusack

After becoming famous as a member of the Brat Pack in the 1980s with fluffy teen comedies, it was 1989’s “Say Anything” that demonstrated his ability as a film actor. His role in what’s been called the greatest modern movie romance combined comedy, romance, and drama. Taking on more diverse and meaty roles beginning in the 1990s, he brought life and depth to well-received hits like “Grosse Pointe Blank,” “Being John Malkovich,” and “High Fidelity.” Approaching middle age and still going strong, we can’t wait to see what Cusack has in store for us.

#8: John Carpenter

Although he’s also been a producer, screenwriter, and composer during his long career, it’s his direction of numerous hits and cult classics that cements his status on our list. With his best work coming out of the ‘70s and ‘80s, John Carpenter’s contributions to the horror genre with “Halloween” and the science fiction genre with “Starman” and “Escape from New York” triumphed both critically and commercially. Many of his other movies, such as “The Fog” and “The Thing,” though not initially as successful, later spawned devoted fan bases and inspired many other films and remakes.

#7: John Hughes

Actors like Michael Keaton, Matthew Broderick, and Bill Paxton have this illustrious director to thank for launching their careers, and we have John Hughes to thank for some of our favorite movies of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Known for his comedies and his ability to convey the feelings and thoughts of teens, his directorial debut “Sixteen Candles” blew America away. Hits like “The Breakfast Club,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” and “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” established him as a tour-de-force, and his work as a writer and producer is also legendary, making him responsible for classics like “Home Alone.”

#6: John Goodman

Few actors have been so acclaimed for so many diverse roles as the man who Vanity Fair called “among our very finest actors.” While his most award-winning one role and one of our favorites was as Dan Conner on the hit TV show “Roseanne,” kids loved him for his voice work in “Monsters, Inc.” and “The Emperor’s New Groove” film series. Although often a supporting actor, he’s the kind of guy that elevates the quality of each film he’s in, most notably with his exceptional performances in many of the Coen Brothers’ films.

#5: John Malkovich

With one of the most unique faces in Hollywood, he’s been a producer, director, and fashion designer, but we love him as the actor that has graced dozens of delightful films. From his very first Oscar-nominated feature film performance in “Places in the Heart,” John Malkovich’s career took off. Scaring us in films like “In the Line of Fire,” charming us in “Dangerous Liaisons,” making us laugh in “Being John Malkovich,” and making us cry in “Of Mice and Men,” Malkovich has demonstrated formidably that he can do it all.

#4: John Cleese

A British writer, actor, and producer, he is also undoubtedly one of England’s wittiest comedians ever. His first success at global acclaim was as one of the leading members of the “Monty Python” sketch show and film series. Proving that he was just as funny without his troupe, he co-wrote and starred in the successful series “Fawlty Towers”, and later won a BAFTA award for his performance in “A Fish Called Wanda.” Also appearing in the “Harry Potter,” “Shrek,” and “James Bond” series, it proves that everyone wants a piece of Cleese.

#3: John Travolta

He can sing, he can dance, and boy, can he act! Although he’s more recently in the news for his involvement with Scientology, nobody can deny that he’s been in some of the greatest classics of American cinema. Danny Zuko in “Grease,” Tony Manero in “Saturday Night Fever,” Vincent Vega in “Pulp Fiction”…Nearly everyone can quote Travolta as the characters that he made legendary. Winning awards for “Get Shorty” and most recently for “Hairspray,” who knows whether another famous character could be hiding up Travolta’s sleeve?

#2: Johnny Depp

It all started with a role on the TV series “21 Jump Street.” One of the biggest teen idols of the day, Johnny Depp’s real film breakthrough though was in 1990 with “Cry-Baby” and “Edward Scissorhands,” both of which demonstrated that he had incredible potential. With numerous Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe nominations to his name, it’s hard for Depp to do wrong; his versatility and eclectic film choices make him a pleasure to watch, from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series to “Finding Neverland” and many, many more.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Jon Hamm

- John Candy

- John Belushi

- John Turturro

- John Williams

#1: John Wayne

Love him or hate him, he is the biggest John ever to come out of Hollywood. A leading man and box-office draw for over 30 years, he rose to stardom with the western classic “Stagecoach” and kept up the momentum to his last film “The Shootist.” With countless memorable performances, including his Oscar-winning turn in “True Grit,” Wayne demonstrated time and again that he could be rough, tough, and funny all at the same time, and influenced his fans and countless films and actors to come after him.

Do you agree with our list? Which Johns of Hollywood do you think should’ve made our list? For more awesome top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.