12 Famous People Named Chris Who Are Hollywood Stars

During the 70s and 80s, the name Chris (also short for Christopher), was at its most popular. According to Behind the Name, Chris made up 3.3% of all names in the world. This might not seem like a lot, but considering there are now eight billion people in the world, that’s around 256 million people named Chris. That’s why there are so many famous people named Chris today. The majority were born during the period when the name was big with new parents. 

This has led to frequent debate about who the best Chris is in the movie industry. In 2014, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, and Chris Pratt all began to get noticed for their performances on the big screen. Fandom for the quartet exploded when Evans, Hemsworth, and Pratt entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Pine the Star Trek franchise.

As the internet waged war about the best Chris, The Ringer almost put the argument to bed in 2018 with their interesting but funny article, “The Chris Wars: The Final Verdict.” Devising a points system, they found Hemsworth to be the most well-liked and Pratt the least, which isn’t surprising as Pratt has copped the most heat for his problematic take on certain buzz-worthy issues. 

While the debate continues to rage about the best Chris, we thought we’d open up the floodgates and look at the most famous people named Chris in Hollywood. We know there are plenty of other famous Chrises from all walks of life, such as musicians Chris Martin and Chris Cornell, explorer Christopher Columbus, and basketballer Chris Paul, but we want to focus on those making an impact in the world of movies and TV.

Chrises who have the last name Evans, Hemsworth, Pine, and Pratt might be the front four, but there are plenty of other fantastic Chrises making their mark, as you will discover below. 

12 Famous People Named Chris Who Are Hollywood Stars

1. Chris Hemsworth

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Let’s kick things off with Aussie heartthrob Chris Hemsworth. The mountain of muscle got his start on the soap opera Home and Away before making his film debut as a small cameo in Star Trek, co-incidentally starring fellow Chris, Chris Pine. But it wasn’t until 2009 that Hemsworth became a household name in the role of Marvel hero Thor. 

Since then he’s reprised the character in eight other films while establishing himself as a Hollywood leading man. Roles in The Cabin in the Woods, Blackhat, 12 Strong, Men in Black: International, and Extraction have only increased his popularity with moviegoers. 

After spending the early part of his career living in Los Angeles, Hemsworth now resides in the coastal town of Byron Bay, Australia, with his wife, actress Elsa Pataky and their three children. 

2. Chris Evans

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Most people’s second favorite Chris has been acting for over 25 years. Chris Evans had a lot of small roles until landing his first superhero role, playing the Human Torch in two Fantastic Four movies. Neither did big business at the box office and Evans was relegated to mid-card status, appearing in the likes of The Losers, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Street Kings alongside Keanu Revees.

Evans got a second shot at playing a comic book character when cast as Captain America and hasn’t looked back. He’s appeared in 11 Marvel flicks as Steve Rogers while also having star turns in the murder mystery Knives Out, the science fiction movie Snowpiercer, and the action thriller The Gray Man. 

People magazine’s “2022 Sexiest Man Alive” also comes across as a great guy who is politically progressive and involved in several charities, making him a real-life superhero. 

3. Chris Pine

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Chris Pine has had an interesting career thus far. While he’s been in some mega blockbusters (Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Wonder Woman movies), he hasn’t quite hit the heights of his fellow Chrises. His best work has come in more underrated fair like the modern Western Hell or High Water and historical drama Outlaw King.

A versatile actor with movie star looks, Pine walks to the beat of his own drum, resulting in a career full of inspired choices. At least you know he’s never going to play the same character twice (unless it’s a sequel). 

4. Chris Pratt

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Some might say Chris Pratt has had a tough go of it, but considering the number of times he has put his foot in it, you can’t feel too sorry for the guy. Personal life aside, Pratt has been kicking ass in the entertainment world.

He first got noticed as the hilarious Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation. During his time on the show, Pratt also got a few decent movie roles in Moneyball, Zero Dark Thiry, and The Lego Movie until the one-two punch of Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World sent him to the top of the food chain. 

He’s now arguably one of the biggest stars in Hollywood who commands millions of dollars per movie. He is living proof that being problematic doesn’t always mean the end of your career. 

5. Chris Rock

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Now we get to the other Hollywood Chrises, with stand-up comedian turned actor Chris Rock one of the best. Honing his craft in comedy clubs during the 80s, Rock’s big break came when he became a member of Saturday Night Live in 1990. He spent three years on the show before leaving for greener pastures. 

In between worldwide comedy tours and specials, Rock became a bonafide movie star. The Madagascar franchise, Lethal Weapon 4, Pootie Tang,  Death at a Funeral, and The Longest Yard all helped contribute to Rock’s monster career. He’s also dabbled in television, having his own late-night talk show while also producing Everybody Hates Chris, a semi-autobiographical sitcom about his teenage years. 

6. Chris Noth

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Although he’s been acting for 40 years, Chris Noth is still best known for his role as Mr. Big on HBO hit Sex and the City. He was main character Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) on-again-off-again love interest throughout the series but was unceremoniously killed off in the 2021 spin-off And Just Like That…

Besides Sex and the City, you might remember Noth from roles in Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Good Wife, and The Equalizer. The American actor has also done quite a bit of theatre over the years and is co-owner of several other businesses, including nightclubs and the alcohol brand Ambhar Tequila.

7. Chris Messina

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Chris Messina doesn’t have the high profile of some of the Chrises on this list, but that doesn’t mean he is any less deserving of a mention. While he often plays a supporting role, he has made his presence felt in TV shows such as The Mindy Project, Six Feet Under, Damages, The Newsroom, and The Sinner.

The New York thespian walked the boards during his early years and has worked consistently since around 2005. He lives with his wife, producer Jennifer Todd, who he has two sons with. 

8. Chris Tucker 

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Chris Tucker is another Chris who got his start as a comic before moving into movies and TV. Def Comedy Jam exposed Tucker to comedy fans and helped him score roles in 90s cult flicks Friday, Dead Presidents, and The Fifth Element. Things went next level went he teamed with marital arts legend Jackie Chan for the movie Rush Hour.

Spawning two sequels, Tucker has seceded from the limelight, only appearing in two movies since Rush Hour 3 in 2007. While he still performs stand-up now and again, his routine is less raunchy these days due to his Christian faith. 

9. Christopher Walken

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The oldest Chris on this list is still out there getting it done at 79. Christopher Walken is a Hollywood icon whose unique voice and delivery and versatility have seen him dubbed as one of the “kings of cameos.” He rarely turns down a role, meaning his filmography is packed to the gills. 

Some of Walken’s most notable roles have come in the gangster picture King of New York, Bond film A View to a Kill, war classic The Deer Hunter, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Stephen King’s adaptation of The Dead Zone, and Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. 

10. Chris Colfer

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Unless you watched Glee, you probably aren’t that familiar with Chris Colfer. The actor, singer, writer, director, and producer got his big break playing Kurt Hummel on the hit series. He also wrote, produced, and starred in coming of age drama Stuck by Lightening in 2016 before going on to find success as an author. 

His The Land of Stories series of young adult fiction are big sellers, and since his first book was released in 2012, he has written a whopping 18. While writing has become his main focus, he still acts and has several projects on the horizon. 

11. Christopher Lloyd

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Another of the old guard still making movies, Christopher Lloyd has been acting for over six decades. Best known for portraying Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Lloyd has also starred in many more successful flicks during his career.

His performances in the films One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Clue, and The Addams Family movies, along with roles in TV shows Taxi, Deadly Games, and Granite Flats have resulted in Lloyd receiving much praise along with a few award wins along the way. 

Lloyd has also done a lot of voice-over work and is a lover of women based on his five marriages, with his latest coming in 2016. 

12. Chris O’Donnell

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Chris O’Donnell has had an “almost there” career. That’s not said in a disparaging way, as the actor has a stacked resume with some standout performances. It’s just that he never really crossed over from up-and-coming star to leading man.

Fried Green Tomatoes, Scent of a Woman, and The Three Musketeers had O’Donnell primed for stardom, then Batman Forever and Batman & Robin happened. Both movies were box office bombs and found O’Donnell slumming it in stuff like B-grade actioner Vertical Limit and below-par rom-com The Bachelor. 

He found a second life on TV in the long-running NCIS spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles. Since landing the role in 2009 he has only starred in two films, both of which came out in 2010. O’Donnell has found his niche and made it work and must be commended for his career as a TV regular.