Famous Canadians

Every nation has its share of notable natives. From astronauts to movie stars, Canada also has plenty of well-known people who were born and raised there that have contributed to our society. No need to perform an extensive people search; there are plenty of famous Canadians to be found. Here are some of Canada’s most well loved and widely recognized citizens:

Actors/Actresses

Jim Carrey – This famous Canadian actor has starred in tons of comedies including Bruce Almighty, The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, and many more.

Michael J. Fox – Perhaps one of the most famous Canadian actors, he starred in Back to the Future, Teen Wolf, and many more popular films.

Artists

Francine Bradette – Canadian artist who creates beautiful, modern abstracts and Inuit themed paintings

Joseph Giunta – Modernist painter who was born in 1911 and has hundreds of well-respected pieces of artwork

Astronauts

Chris Hadfield – This NASA astronaut has won several awards, and been on several space missions

Daffyd Williams – Another Canadian astronaut who has logged almost 400 hours in space

Athletes

Wayne Gretzky- Perhaps the most famous Canadian athlete of all time, this hockey player is known around the world for his amazing skills in the sport

Kurt Browning – A very personable ice skater, Kurt Browning has appeared with Stars on Ice and other events since the 1970s

Authors

Leonard Cohen – This singer, songwriter, and poet has been writing famous songs for decades. Many consider him to be a legend of his own time.

Margaret Atwood – Female author who has written many novels, short stories, and poetry

Business

Jack Kent Cooke – A well-known philanthropist and former owner of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Mr. Cooke has made a name for himself for owning several sports teams including the Baltimore Orioles and LA Lakers, to name a few

Tim Bray – Internet entrepreneur and creator of the XML application, Bray has also been credited as helping create the first search engine known as Open Text

Comedians

Tom Green – Goofy Canadian who was once married to Drew Barrymore, Tom Green now hosts his very own “live” web show with famous guests

Mike Myers – Born in Ontario, Myers was once an SNL cast member. He has since starred in the Austin Powers series as well as Wayne’s World and several other famous comedies

Directors/Producers

James Cameron – One of the world’s most famous film directors, Cameron has worked on movies like Titanic, Rambo, The Abyss, and True Lies

David Cronenberg – Horror film director who worked on movies like The Dead Zone, Dead Ringers, and many other gory films

Entertainers

Pamela Anderson – This blonde Canadian bombshell has been a model, actress, and PETA advocate who has often been controversial

Tommy Chong – Part of the infamous stoner duo Cheech and Chong, Tommy was born in Canada

Journalists

Peter Jennings – One of the world’s most famous journalists, Jennings died of lung cancer at the age of 67

Morley Safer – Canadian-born Safer has been on the news program 60 minutes since 1970

Miscellaneous

Avril Lavigne – Popular singer and performer who has had plenty of hit singles, and now has her own clothing line as well

Linda Evagelista – Linda is a word famous model who has been on the scene for decades. She was born in Ontario in 1965

Musicians

Sum 41 – An extremely popular punk rock music group from Canada, Sum 41 has had many hits and MTV videos

Bryan Adams – One of the most famous singers of the 1980s, Bryan Adams still sings, tours, and writes music today

Scientists

Sidney Altman – Born in Montreal, this Nobel Prize winner has been a pioneer in the field of chemistry

Sir William Osler – Known as one of the most influential physician in history, Osler became an expert in diagnosing problems with the heart, lungs, and blood