Though she had a few minor roles in other movies, Britney Spears had her one and only starring role in the 2002 feature “Crossroads,” written by Shonda Rimes and directed by Tamra Davis. “One and done” is not the kind of film career most aspiring actors dream of.
For most, the goal is more likely to be starring in many movies, taking on roles that show the range of their acting ability. And it certainly doesn’t hurt if they pick up a few awards, especially Oscars, along the way.
24/7 Tempo has assembled a list of some 65 actors who have starred in 25 movies or more. Most of them (54) are men, though 11 women also made the cut. Robert De Niro leads the list with 59 starring roles, followed by Nicolas Cage with 46. Tom Hanks and Samuel L. Jackson, who are the top-grossing box office stars worldwide, follow with 45 each. The top women on the list are Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, who have each had 35 starring roles. These are the movie roles that launched Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Click here to see 65 hardest working actors in hollywood.
For a role to count as a lead in our computations, the performer had to be listed among the top four stars in a movie, and only movies receiving at least 25,000 reviews on IMDb were considered. (Here are the 100 best movies of the last 100 years, according to movie critics.)
65. Kurt Russell
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $1.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Vanilla Sky (2001) ($100.6 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: The Thing (1982) (8.1/10)
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64. John Cusack
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $1.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: 2012 (2009) ($166.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.7/10
> Highest rated film: Being John Malkovich (1999) (7.7/10)
63. Sandra Bullock
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $2.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: Minions (2015) ($336.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.4/10
> Highest rated film: Gravity (2013) (7.7/10)
62. Hugh Jackman
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $2.7 billion
> Highest grossing film: X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) ($234.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: The Prestige (2006) (8.5/10)
61. Will Smith
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $3.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Aladdin (2019) ($355.6 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) (8.0/10)
60. Gene Hackman
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $1.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Firm (1993) ($158.3 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: Unforgiven (1992) (8.2/10)
59. Angelina Jolie
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $2.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: Maleficent (2014) ($241.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.5/10
> Highest rated film: Changeling (2008) (7.7/10)
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58. Steve Carell
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $2.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: Despicable Me 2 (2013) ($368.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.8/10
> Highest rated film: Little Miss Sunshine (2006) (7.8/10)
57. Anne Hathaway
> Career lead roles: 26
> Total domestic box office: $2.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Dark Knight Rises (2012) ($448.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: Interstellar (2014) (8.6/10)
56. Jake Gyllenhaal
> Career lead roles: 27
> Total domestic box office: $1.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) ($390.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.1/10
> Highest rated film: Prisoners (2013) (8.1/10)
55. Sean Connery
> Career lead roles: 27
> Total domestic box office: $1.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) ($197.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.8/10
> Highest rated film: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) (8.2/10)
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54. Antonio Banderas
> Career lead roles: 27
> Total domestic box office: $1.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Shrek the Third (2007) ($322.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.4/10
> Highest rated film: The Skin I Live In (2011) (7.6/10)
53. Robert Downey Jr.
> Career lead roles: 27
> Total domestic box office: $5.4 billion
> Highest grossing film: Avengers: Endgame (2019) ($858.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.2/10
> Highest rated film: Avengers: Infinity War (2018) (8.4/10)
52. Gary Oldman
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $1.9 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Dark Knight Rises (2012) ($448.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.8/10
> Highest rated film: Léon: The Professional (1994) (8.5/10)
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51. Gerard Butler
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $1.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: How to Train Your Dragon (2010) ($217.6 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.5/10
> Highest rated film: How to Train Your Dragon (2010) (8.1/10)
50. Michael Caine
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $1.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Dark Knight (2008) ($533.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.2/10
> Highest rated film: The Dark Knight (2008) (9.0/10)
49. Colin Farrell
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $1.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Minority Report (2002) ($132.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: In Bruges (2008) (7.9/10)
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48. Will Ferrell
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $2.2 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Lego Movie (2014) ($257.8 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.2/10
> Highest rated film: The Lego Movie (2014) (7.7/10)
47. Russell Crowe
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $1.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: Gladiator (2000) ($187.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: Gladiator (2000) (8.5/10)
46. Ben Stiller
> Career lead roles: 28
> Total domestic box office: $2.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Meet the Fockers (2004) ($279.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) (7.6/10)
45. Al Pacino
> Career lead roles: 29
> Total domestic box office: $1.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Godfather (1972) ($135.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.2/10
> Highest rated film: The Godfather (1972) (9.2/10)
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44. Woody Harrelson
> Career lead roles: 29
> Total domestic box office: $2.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) ($337.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) (8.1/10)
43. Ben Affleck
> Career lead roles: 29
> Total domestic box office: $2.2 billion
> Highest grossing film: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) ($330.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.5/10
> Highest rated film: Good Will Hunting (1997) (8.3/10)
42. Meryl Streep
> Career lead roles: 29
> Total domestic box office: $1.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Mamma Mia! (2008) ($144.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) (7.9/10)
41. Arnold Schwarzenegger
> Career lead roles: 29
> Total domestic box office: $1.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) ($203.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.2/10
> Highest rated film: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) (8.5/10)
40. Cameron Diaz
> Career lead roles: 29
> Total domestic box office: $3.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: Shrek 2 (2004) ($441.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: Shrek (2001) (7.8/10)
39. Ryan Reynolds
> Career lead roles: 30
> Total domestic box office: $2.2 billion
> Highest grossing film: Deadpool (2016) ($363.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: Deadpool (2016) (8.0/10)
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38. Cate Blanchett
> Career lead roles: 30
> Total domestic box office: $2.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) ($317.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: Thor: Ragnarok (2017) (7.9/10)
37. John Travolta
> Career lead roles: 30
> Total domestic box office: $2.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Grease (1978) ($181.8 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: Pulp Fiction (1994) (8.9/10)
36. Scarlett Johansson
> Career lead roles: 30
> Total domestic box office: $2.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Avengers (2012) ($623.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: The Prestige (2006) (8.5/10)
35. Owen Wilson
> Career lead roles: 30
> Total domestic box office: $2.4 billion
> Highest grossing film: Cars (2006) ($244.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: Wonder (2017) (8.0/10)
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34. Mel Gibson
> Career lead roles: 31
> Total domestic box office: $2.2 billion
> Highest grossing film: Signs (2002) ($228.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.7/10
> Highest rated film: Braveheart (1995) (8.3/10)
33. Clint Eastwood
> Career lead roles: 31
> Total domestic box office: $1.4 billion
> Highest grossing film: Gran Torino (2008) ($148.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.2/10
> Highest rated film: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) (8.8/10)
32. George Clooney
> Career lead roles: 31
> Total domestic box office: $2.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Gravity (2013) ($274.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.7/10
> Highest rated film: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) (7.9/10)
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31. Christian Bale
> Career lead roles: 31
> Total domestic box office: $2.4 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Dark Knight (2008) ($533.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.2/10
> Highest rated film: The Dark Knight (2008) (9.0/10)
30. Robin Williams
> Career lead roles: 31
> Total domestic box office: $2.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) ($219.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: Good Will Hunting (1997) (8.3/10)
29. Willem Dafoe
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $2.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: Spider-Man (2002) ($403.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: Platoon (1986) (8.1/10)
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28. Julianne Moore
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $1.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) ($229.1 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.8/10
> Highest rated film: The Big Lebowski (1998) (8.1/10)
27. Charlize Theron
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $1.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: Hancock (2008) ($227.9 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) (8.1/10)
26. Kevin Costner
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $1.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Dances with Wolves (1990) ($184.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: JFK (1991) (8.0/10)
25. Ewan McGregor
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $2.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) ($474.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: Trainspotting (1996) (8.1/10)
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24. Eddie Murphy
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $3.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: Shrek 2 (2004) ($441.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.1/10
> Highest rated film: Shrek (2001) (7.8/10)
23. Dwayne Johnson
> Career lead roles: 32
> Total domestic box office: $3.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) ($404.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: Moana (2016) (7.6/10)
22. Jason Statham
> Career lead roles: 33
> Total domestic box office: $1.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: Furious 7 (2015) ($353.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.4/10
> Highest rated film: Snatch (2000) (8.3/10)
21. Anthony Hopkins
> Career lead roles: 33
> Total domestic box office: $1.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: Thor (2011) ($181.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: The Silence of the Lambs (1991) (8.6/10)
20. Matthew McConaughey
> Career lead roles: 34
> Total domestic box office: $1.9 billion
> Highest grossing film: Sing (2016) ($270.3 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.7/10
> Highest rated film: Interstellar (2014) (8.6/10)
19. Harrison Ford
> Career lead roles: 34
> Total domestic box office: $4.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) ($461.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (8.7/10)
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18. Nicole Kidman
> Career lead roles: 35
> Total domestic box office: $1.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: Batman Forever (1995) ($184.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.5/10
> Highest rated film: Dogville (2003) (8.0/10)
17. Denzel Washington
> Career lead roles: 35
> Total domestic box office: $2.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: American Gangster (2007) ($130.2 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: Remember the Titans (2000) (7.8/10)
16. Julia Roberts
> Career lead roles: 35
> Total domestic box office: $2.7 billion
> Highest grossing film: Ocean’s Eleven (2001) ($183.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: Wonder (2017) (8.0/10)
15. Adam Sandler
> Career lead roles: 36
> Total domestic box office: $2.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) ($169.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.1/10
> Highest rated film: Reign Over Me (2007) (7.4/10)
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14. Keanu Reeves
> Career lead roles: 36
> Total domestic box office: $2.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Matrix Reloaded (2003) ($281.6 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: The Matrix (1999) (8.7/10)
13. Tom Cruise
> Career lead roles: 36
> Total domestic box office: $3.9 billion
> Highest grossing film: War of the Worlds (2005) ($234.3 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: Magnolia (1999) (8.0/10)
12. Morgan Freeman
> Career lead roles: 37
> Total domestic box office: $2.6 billion
> Highest grossing film: Bruce Almighty (2003) ($242.7 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.8/10
> Highest rated film: The Shawshank Redemption (1994) (9.3/10)
11. Sylvester Stallone
> Career lead roles: 37
> Total domestic box office: $2.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) ($150.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: Rocky (1976) (8.1/10)
10. Brad Pitt
> Career lead roles: 37
> Total domestic box office: $2.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: World War Z (2013) ($202.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.3/10
> Highest rated film: Fight Club (1999) (8.8/10)
9. Liam Neeson
> Career lead roles: 37
> Total domestic box office: $2.4 billion
> Highest grossing film: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) ($474.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.7/10
> Highest rated film: Schindler’s List (1993) (8.9/10)
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8. Mark Wahlberg
> Career lead roles: 38
> Total domestic box office: $3.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) ($245.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: The Departed (2006) (8.5/10)
7. Matt Damon
> Career lead roles: 38
> Total domestic box office: $3.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Martian (2015) ($228.4 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: Saving Private Ryan (1998) (8.6/10)
6. Johnny Depp
> Career lead roles: 41
> Total domestic box office: $3.5 billion
> Highest grossing film: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) ($423.3 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.9/10
> Highest rated film: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) (8.0/10)
5. Bruce Willis
> Career lead roles: 42
> Total domestic box office: $2.8 billion
> Highest grossing film: The Sixth Sense (1999) ($293.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.7/10
> Highest rated film: Pulp Fiction (1994) (8.9/10)
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4. Samuel L. Jackson
> Career lead roles: 45
> Total domestic box office: $4.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Captain Marvel (2019) ($426.8 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.6/10
> Highest rated film: Pulp Fiction (1994) (8.9/10)
3. Tom Hanks
> Career lead roles: 45
> Total domestic box office: $5.0 billion
> Highest grossing film: Toy Story 4 (2019) ($434.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.1/10
> Highest rated film: Forrest Gump (1994) (8.8/10)
2. Nicolas Cage
> Career lead roles: 46
> Total domestic box office: $2.3 billion
> Highest grossing film: National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) ($220.0 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 6.3/10
> Highest rated film: Adaptation. (2002) (7.7/10)
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1. Robert De Niro
> Career lead roles: 59
> Total domestic box office: $3.1 billion
> Highest grossing film: Joker (2019) ($335.5 million)
> Average film IMDb rating: 7.0/10
> Highest rated film: The Godfather: Part II (1974) (9.0/10)
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