Justin Bieber has had his ups and downs like most Americans – only he's not American; he's Canadian. But whether you personally love him or quite despise him, there's no doubting his success. The Canadian singer was discovered by an American record executive named Scooter Braun. The Bieb's first album, My World 2.0, debuted on top of the Billboard 200.
Before Bieber became an American sensation, he started out as a Youtube star. Even before the release of his first album, Justin Bieber's videos would gain millions of views. Born in London, Ontario in 1994, his father and mother, Jeremy Jack Bieber and Pattie Mallette, had not been married, so Bieber spent most of his childhood with his mother.
Drake is, unfortunately, one of the most popular musicians out there right now, particularly with the youth. He first gained popularity from the series Degrassi: The Next Generation and actually didn't start pursuing a music career until 2006. He released his debut studio album in 2010 and it debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
Born Aubrey Drake Graham in Toronto, Ontario in 1986, Drake had an African American father from Memphis, Tennessee and a Canadian mother of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. They divorced when Drake was just 5 years old. After the divorce, he remained in Canada with his mother. And while he should have stayed there, he didn't, but what can you do?
Michael Austin Cera is an actor, comedian, producer, singer, and a songwriter too! He's known for his deadpan, comedic relief. He has had numerous roles in United States television and film productions, including the character George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development and for his film roles in Superbad, Juno, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. He's even played a fictional version of himself in This Is the End.
What you might not know is that Cera was born in Brampton, Ontario, Canada in 1988. He has two siblings, a brother and sister. He made his big-screen debut in the 2000 movie Frequency as Gordy Jr. Michael Cera is currently working on the 2021 film Blazing Samurai, but mostly, America has grown tired of his dry humor - and roles are few and far in-between.
James Eugene Carrey was born in Newmarket, Ontario and would become an actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, the stand-up comic from the television series In Living Color turned into major motion picture actor with the hit role in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber, all in the span of one year.
Carrey was recently cast to play Dr. Robotnik, the main antagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, in a film based on the beloved video game franchise. Off-camera, these days he likes spending his days painting away in his home and spreading whimsy and joy to everyone. But he's also known for being quite eccentric, and not in the best way, thus putting him further down the list than he might have been 20 years ago.
Michael Steven Bublé born in Burnaby, British Columbia, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Michael McSweeney, an aide to former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, saw Bublé's performance at a business party and received a copy of Bublé's self-financed independent album. McSweeney showed the album to Mulroney and his wife, and as a result, Bublé was invited to sing at the wedding of Mulroney's daughter, Caroline, where he sang Kurt Weill's "Mack the Knife".
Bublé also took part in the torch relay in Vancouver before the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. He made a vow to himself to not only keep the flames of the great classics of the American Songbook alive and well - to not only breathe new life into them - but to bring his singular style, vocal power and passion to these timeless tunes that he loved.
Céline Marie Claudette Dion is from Charlemagne, Quebec. Noted for being the best-selling Canadian recording artist in history, her skilled technical vocal prowess first became widely recognized when she won the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival. In 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, she represented Switzerland all before learning how to speak English. Voicing "My Heart Will Go On" as the love theme for the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic, the song topped the charts across the world and became Dion's signature song.
Dion has actively supported many charity organizations, worldwide. She has promoted the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since 1982 and became the foundation's National Celebrity Patron in 1993. She has an emotional attachment to the foundation as her niece Karine succumbed to the disease at the age of 16.
Avril Lavigne was a hugely popular singer in the early-2000s, earning the title of "Pop Punk Queen" from numerous musical publications meanwhile playing an integral role in the development of pop punk music. Some of her most popular songs were "Complicated," Sk8er Boi" and "Girlfriend," the latter being her first single to reach the top of the charts on the Billboard Hot 100.
Avril Lavigne was born in Napanee, Ontario, Canada and was named after the French word for "April." When Avril was just two years old, her parents could tell right away, she was born to be a singer. But she didn't start out as a pop punk star. No, it was actually in country music where she found her footing.
Rachel McAdams is one of the hardest-working actresses in Hollywood. McAdams rose to fame in 2004 with the comedy Mean Girls and the romantic drama The Notebook. In 2005, she starred in the romantic comedy Wedding Crashers, the psychological thriller Red Eye, and the comedy-drama The Family Stone. Before she knew it, she was hailed by the media as Hollywood's new "it girl".
McAdams was born in London, Canada in 1978. She is the eldest of three siblings. In 2002, she made her Hollywood film debut in the comedy The Hot Chick. Fast forward to now and Rachel has a second child on the way with boyfriend Jamie Linden, a screenwriter behind films such as Dear John.
Matthew Perry is, of course, best known for his iconic role on the television series Friends in which he played Chandler Bing for 10 seasons. At the height of its popularity, the actor, along with his co-stars, was earning as much as $1 million per episode. On top of that, he has had notable film roles in Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards and 17 Again.
While born in Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1969, Perry's mother was a Canadian journalist and press secretary for former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. his father was an American actor and model. For most of his childhood, he was raised in Ottawa, Ontario. He moved to Los Angles when he was 15. Perry has long suffered from a drug and alcohol abuse problem and continues to suffer to this day.
William Emerson Arnett is an actor from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is one of the most talented comedic actors and has carved out quite a niche for himself in numerous films and television shows. Encouraged by his mother to pursue a career in acting at an early age, he made his film debut in 1996 for the movie Close Up. He started out his television career on the series "Sex and the City" and "The Mike O'Malley Show," but easily his most successful stint was on "Arrested Development."
Thereafter, he was cast in lead roles in various TV shows, including "Freak Show," "Up All Night," and "The Millers." He also landed prominent roles in several feature films, such as Let's Go to Prison, Blades of Glory, The Brothers Solomon, and Show Dogs. Additionally, he has lent his distinct voice for commercials, animated films, television cartoons, and even video games.
Michael J. Fox born June 1961 in Edmonton, Canada is a retired actor, author, film producer, and activist. He first rose to prominence for portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom Family Ties. Fox achieved further recognition as protagonist Marty McFly in the Back to the Future film trilogy.
In 1998, Fox announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease seven years earlier. Fox subsequently became an advocate for finding a cure and founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to help fund research. Fox has authored four books: Lucky Man: A Memoir, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned, and No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality.
Dwayne Douglas Johnson, aka “the Rock,” is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. The Rock was born in 1972 in Hayward, California was also referred to as “The Heart of the Garden of Eden.” Everyone true Rock fan knows about the Rock's connection to Canada through the CFL (Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League), but you may not know that his father Wayde 'Rocky' Jonson grew up on the east coast in Canada before moving to Toronto.
The Rock wrestled professionally for eight years prior to pursuing an acting career. His films have grossed over $10.5 billion globally, making him one of the world's highest-grossing actors. He made his film debut in The Mummy Returns, but many know him from the wildly popular, and highly memeable - Fast & Furious franchise.
Keanu Charles Reeves, whose first name means "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian, was born in 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon. However, his family soon moved to Toronto, Canada where he spent most of his life. He had his breakthrough role in the science fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and he later reprised his role in its sequels. Greater stardom came when he played Neo in the science fiction series The Matrix. Most recently known for playing the titular assassin in the John Wick film series, beginning in 2014.
Sadly, at the age of 50 Keanu’s life has been marred with more tragedy than most people would experience in a lifetime. When he was asked how it is that, through all of his pain, he has maintained his status as one of the nicest guys in the business and stayed so grounded he said: “It’s easy to stay grounded. The ground is very close. And we walk on it every day.”
Ryan Gosling has a diverse filmography with romantic lead roles in films like The Notebook and Lars and the Real Girl, as well as lead roles in action films like Drive and thrillers like Fracture. He's even done a musical, La La Land and a science fiction movie – Bladerunner 2049. Most recently he played Neil Armstrong in First Man.
Ryan Gosling is another Ryan not everyone knows is Canadian. And it's almost as if Canadians look just like us. Anyway, Ryan Gosling was born in London, Ontario in 1980. His parents were of French-Canadian descent and were Mormons, However, Ryan himself never really identified with the religion, particularly because he moved around a lot as a child.
Ryan Reynolds is one of Hollywood's hottest stars, known for his razor-sharp wit and good looks. He's the star of many successful comedy films like National Lampoon's Van Wilder and Detective Pikachu, but he's also starred in action films like Blade: Trinity and The Green Lantern. He's best known for these days as Deadpool in the franchise of the same name.
Not everyone knows, but Ryan Reynolds is actually Canadian. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1976. He was the youngest of four boys. He started acting after finishing secondary school, but he only took small TV roles. Trying to get better opportunities, a fellow actor convinced him to move to Los Angeles.
