14 Famous Canadians Who Made It Big in America 2023

It might be hard to believe but there are many famous Canadians in the world. While most people associate fame and fortune with the American dream, there are plenty of people from all walks of life who originate from the home of the Maple Leaf that have made it big in the Staes. Actors, musicians, talk show hosts, models, athletes, and an array of other famous celebrities with Canadian citizenship have become worldwide stars. 

Many famous Canadians won’t come as a surprise, such as singer Justin Bieber and actor Jim Carrey, but did you know Dawson’s Creek actor Joshua Jackson and Killing Eve star Sandra Oh also hail from across the border? 

Showcasing the talented individuals that hail from Canada, we’ve compiled a list of famous Canadians who have crossed over into the mainstream and are big-time stars getting it done in North America. 

14 Famous Canadians Who Made It Big in America

1. Mike Myers

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Michael John Myers (no, not that Michael Myers) is one of Canada’s great comics. Getting his start on Canadian television, it wasn’t until Myers jumped across the border, moved to New York, and began appearing on Saturday Night Live that he got noticed.

It was while on SNL that he developed the character Wayne Campbell, leading to the hugely successful Wayne’s World movies. He followed this up with the Austin Powers trilogy, a comedy series about a British spy, before raking in the cash voicing the green ogre in the Shrek franchise. 

Over the past decade, Myers has appeared sporadically on the big screen, preferring smaller roles and cameos in ensemble pictures, such as Inglorious Basterds and Amsterdam. His most recent work is the Netflix series The Pentaverate, a conspiracy-inspired comedy where Myers plays several different characters. 

2. William Shatner 

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He might be 91 years old but William Shatner is still out there getting it done. Most recognize him from his role as Captain Kirk in a variety of different Star Trek movies and TV series, but Shatner is also an accomplished author. His TekWar series of books are big with the sci-fi crowd while he’s also released over ten albums of cover songs, originals, and duets. 

Married four times, Shatner has never really been out of the spotlight, with recent shows such as Boston Legal and Better Late Than Never keeping him on TV screens and in viewer’s minds. 

3. Celine Dion

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When you talk about Canadian royalty, Celine Dion is at the top of the list. The accomplished singer songwriter is one of the great voices of her generation. She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide and is not only the best-selling Canadian artist of all time but also the best-selling French-language artist in history. Impressive. 

Some of Dion’s biggest hits include “The Power of Love,” “I’m Your Angel,” “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now,” and the monster Titanic theme, “My Heart Will Go On.” Despite all the success, the five-time Grammy Award winner has done it tough these past six years, with her husband and brother both passing away within days of each other and Dion going through her own health battles. While she still performs, usually in Las Vegas where she makes the big bucks, Dion spends most of her time with her children at her home in Nevada. 

4. Justin Bieber

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Justin Bieber’s remarkable rise to fame is one most people know about. Discovered on YouTube, signed Usher’s record label, and the rest, as they say, is history. Despite being a prick during his teen years, which, to be fair, most of us are, Bieber became a heartthrob for young girls and has slowly matured as an artist and person over the past decade.

Now married to the gorgeous Hailey Baldwin and positioned as one of the biggest pop stars in the world, Bieber has done it all and he’s not even 30. His career has a long way to go, something that will keep the Beliebers happy.

5. Alex Trebek

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Hailing from Ontario, Alex Trebek was one of the biggest names to come out of Canada in the 80s. The game show and talk show host became the face of Jeopardy! in 1984 and remained host until his tragic death from stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2020. During his 80 years on the planet, he also hosted shows such as The Wizard of Odds, Double Dare, and To Tell the Truth. 

6. Shania Twain

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Canadian singer Shania Twain is up there with Celine Dion when it comes to Canadian royalty. She might not have sold as many records (she’s still sold over 100 million albums), but she does have five Grammy Awards to her name along with the title the “Queen of Country Pop.”

Although her debut album was a failure, Twain followed it up with The Woman in Me, an album that went on to sell an incredible 20 million copies. Throughout her long and illustrious career, Twain has released dozens of hits, including fan favorites  “You’re Still the One,” “From This Moment On,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” While it’s been five years since her last release, Twain is gearing up for the release of her sixth album, Queen of Me, in early 2023. 

7. Ryan Gosling

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Canadian history will show that Ryan Gosling is one of the country’s great gifts to the movie industry. Beginning life as a child star on Disney’s The Mickey Mouse Show, Gosling starred in several indie flicks before gaining mainstream appeal with his role in the romantic drama The Notebook. 

Possessed with striking blue eyes and movie star good looks, Gosling is hard to look away from when on screen. Movies such as Drive, Crazy, Stupid, Love, La La Land, Blade Runner 2047, and The Nice Guys have established him as an A-lister. As well as flying the flag for Canada, Gosling does a lot of charity work and is the father of two children with long-time partner Eva Medes. 

8. Neil Young

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Writer and singer Neil Young has been rocking in the free world for decades. Although born a proud Canadian, Young has been living in the United States for years and recently got his American citizenship approved. For almost 60 years Young has been releasing music that speaks to people of all ages from around the globe. 

He’s won countless awards, sold millions of albums, and had countless number one singles and albums. Young’s impact on music is second to none, with many considering him one of the great songwriters. The man with a heart of gold currently resides in California with his third wife, actress Daryl Hannah.

9. Wayne Gretzky

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There is no better on the ice than Wayne Gretzky. “The Great One” has done it all, from setting records (he still holds or shares 60 records since retiring in 1999) to winning four Stanley Cups across his two-decade career. He is another proud Canadian citizen who has given much back to the sport that made him a star. There will never be another Wayne Gretzky. 

10. Anne Murray

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Born in Nova Scotia, Anne Murray is another Canadian musician with a wonderful voice. The first Canadian female solo singer to reach the top of the U.S. Billboard chart, Murray’s 40-year career helped pave the way for other Canadian artists. Murray released 32 studio albums during her time with the microphone, selling over 50 million records and becoming both a pop and country music star. 

After the release of her Christmas album in 2008, Murray announced she was retiring and has since managed to keep her word. “I did it for 40 years and that’s long enough to do anything… I wanted to go out still singing well, and not having to make excuses,” she said in an interview with CBC. 

11. Tim Horton

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Depending on your age will likely impact what images come to mind when you hear the name “Tim Horton.” Those who grew up in the 50s and 60s will remember him as one of ice hockey’s greatest players, while everyone else will be more familiar with his restaurant chain Tim Hortons. 

As a player, Horton was a defender for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. He won four Stanley Cups during his time on the ice. In the world of business, Horton started several ventures, his most famous being the coffeehouse Tim Hortons, which he got off the ground with help from Ron Joyce in 1964. Four years later and Horton was a multi-millionaire from the business. 

However you remember him, there is no denying Horton was a great Canadian whose legacy lives on today in the Horton franchise. 

12. Avril Lavigne 

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Avril Lavigne is more than just a skaterboy. The Canadian singer and songwriter is one of the country’s big musical exports. Signed at age 16, her debut album, Let Go, is the best-selling album of the 21st century by a Canadian artist. Lavigne has been championed as one of the few artists who helped make pop punk accessible for females. 

She has influenced a long list of contemporary artists who often pay tribute to Lavigne by covering her songs, such as Olivia Rodrigo having a crack at “Complicated” and Ashinko remixing “Sk8er Boi” into “L8r Boi.” Lavigne has consistently released music over the past two decades, with her 2022 album, Love Sux, a critical and commercial success. 

13. Seth Rogen

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Funnyman Seth Rogen hails from British Columbia but started his career as a stand-up comic in Vancouver. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 90s after securing a role in the underrated teen high school comedy series Freaks and Geeks. From there he blossomed into one of the great comedy writers and actors of the past two decades.

Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg co-write films such as Superbad, Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, and This Is the End, with Rogen also starring in them. Some of his other major roles come in Knocked Up, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, 50/50, and An American Pickle. 

14. James Cameron

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Here’s one person most people don’t realize is from Canada. Filmmaker extraordinaire James Cameron was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, and spent the first 17 years of his life there until moving to California with his parents. After finishing high school, Cameron tried community college but dropped out at the end of the year in 1974, taking odd jobs to earn a living. Everything changed in 1977 after he went and saw Star Wars: A New Hope, with Cameron quitting his job as a truck driver and deciding he wanted to be in the film industry. 

It took Cameron several years of grinding it out on film sets and learning new skills before he finally got the chance to direct Piranha II: The Spawning in 1982. A horrible movie, the experience was vital for Cameron, who would then get the chance to demonstrate his skills on his own production, a little movie known as The Terminator. 

The film was a monster success and Cameron was on his way to legendary status. Surprisingly Cameron has only made eight movies (that have been released). He followed up Piranha II: The Spawning and The Terminator with Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, True Lies, Titanic, and Avatar. In saying that, there are three Avatar sequels slated for release over the next couple of yeras, with the first getting a December 2022 release. 

Categories: Entertainment
Source: Tekmonk Famous Biography