30 Best 90s Actors: Where Are They Now?

The 1990s have been a great decade for Hollywood and have brought us numerous wonderful and unforgettable movies. They are some of the most fruitful for many actors and in this list, we are going to go over the 30 best 90s actors and see where they are now. It is a subjective list, with actors who really peaked in that decade or were noticed in some excellent performances that were only the beginning of their magnificent path later in the future.

Tom Cruise

Even though Tom Cruise filmed some important movies in the 1980s, it is the 90s that launched him into being one of the most lucrative actors of all time. He starred in The Mission Impossible, one of the most successful action movies ever, and expelled in one of his most memorable roles, Jerry Maguire

He is still extremely successful today and is making movies. His latest success is the sequel to one of his most famous movies, Top Gun. Top Gun: Maverick hit it big at the box office and Cruise is already working on another certain hit, Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning which will be filmed in two parts.

Will Smith

Will Smith starred in some of the best-grossing movies of the 90s, such s The Independence Day and Men in Black. But he got famous right at the beginning of the decade, playing the easy-going and rebellious Will Smith in the cult series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

He is extremely popular nowadays and hasn’t stopped filming for decades. He received an Oscar for his brilliant performance of Richard Williams, Serena and Venus’ Williams father. He has numerous announced projects, such as Hanock 2 and The Karate Kid 2. 

Jim Carrey

The 1990s were definitely his era, with some of the most influential and mind-blowing comedies where he showed all his comedic talent. Jim Carrey is one of a kind, an actor that is specific for his mimics and gestures and can always bring a smile to people’s faces.

We saw him then in The Mask, Ace Ventura, Cable Guy, Dumb and Dumber, and many more. He has recently announced that he is not going to be filming anymore. He stated that he has gotten tired of Hollywood and fame and decided to dedicate his time to his personal life.

Antonio Banderas

Antonio Banderas was extremely successful and famous in the 1990s, with movies such as Desperado, Interview wIth the Vampire, Evita, The Mask of Zorro, and The Mambo Kings. He was attractive, with a Spanish accent and a great choice of movies.

He is still filming and has many interesting projects announced, such as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish where he voices Puss in Boots, and Indiana Jones 5 which is greatly anticipated. 

Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins was one of the most pleasant surprises in the acting world in the 1990s. He has already shown his talent in the late 80s, but he really peaked in the next decade. He directed a few very well acclaimed dramas, such as Dead Man Walking and Cradle Will Rock, and starred in brilliant movies such as The Shawshank Redemption and Arlington Road.

He had further success in the 2010s but slowly started leaving movies and mostly starred in tv-series in the last decade and hasn’t been filming since 2019.

Bruce Willis

Even though he gained huge success already in the 1980s, the 1990s were Bruce Willis’ years. He played in some of the most beloved and successful movies of all time, such as Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, and The Sixth Sense.

He also had an excellent cameo role in The Friends. He has recently announced that he suffers from aphasia, a language disorder that can affect the person’s ability to speak, listen, read and write. He has slowed down with his acting career but has completed a few interesting new projects.

Keanu Reeves

One of the most successful and beloved actors of the 1990s is definitely Keanu Reeves who filmed some of the most important and influential action movies ever. He starred next to Patrick Swayze in the brilliant surfer drama Point Break, next to Sandra Bullock in the classic Speed, and finally in Matrix, one of the most intriguing Sci-fi movies ever.

He is a great mercenary, known for his simple way of living and a non-celebrity approach to life. He is very active and is constantly filming something and one of his most anticipated projects for the future is John Wick: Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 and it has been announced that he might be making the Constantine sequel. 

Wesley Snipes

Wesley Snipes was very popular in the 1990s, having filmed some of the most famous and beloved movies even nowadays,  such as White Men Can’t Jump, Demolition Man, and Blade. He won everyone’s hearts with his cool posture and charisma.

He hasn’t been very active in the last decade, with Expendables 3 being his only hit. There are not many announced projects in the recent future, besides an action drama tv-series Paper Empire in 2023.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is one of the greatest actors ever and it is really difficult to say which decade was more fruitful and successful for him. But the 1990s have made him one of the most wanted and delivered some of his most memorable performances.

He starred in Thelma & Louise, California, Interview With the Vampire, Legends of the Fall, Seven, 12 Monkeys, Seven Years in Tibet, and Fight Club, among many others. He is still extremely versatile and is constantly filming new movies and has even won an Oscar for his unforgettable role in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Leonardo Dicaprio

Another actor that had almost no unsuccessful movies and whose movies are instant hits when they get out. The 1990s were huge for him, with dramas like This Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Romeo and Juliet, and finally, his role in one of the most successful movies of all time, Titanic.

Since then he hasn’t stopped making unforgettable movies, with roles no one will ever forget. He has numerous projects ahead of him and some of his recent works include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Don’t Look Up.

Tim Roth

One of the greatest British actors is this charismatic Londoner who won our heart’s in some of the most beloved 1990s movies, such as Pulp Fiction, Rob Roy, Reservoir Dogs, and Four Rooms. He was one of Tarantino’s first choices at that time.

He hasn’t stopped filming since then and was featured in more excellent movies. He has a few interesting projects announced, such as Poison, Panzi and Come Together.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is one of the greatest and most beloved actors of all time, a 2 time Oscar winner, and a leading man in numerous unforgettable movies. Some of his most remarkable roles come from the 1900s, such as in Philadelphia, Sleepless in Seattle, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan and The Green Mile.

He is tireless and is making movie after movie and always excels in all of them. He has finished filming two anticipated movies, A Man Call Otto and Asteroid City which might become huge box office hits.

Liam Neeson

Even though we have recently been used to seeing him as an action hero in big hits such as Taken, Cold Pursuit, and The Commuter, we fell in love with his acting in the 1990s when he showed the greatness of his talent in movies such as The Schindler’s List, Michael Collins, Rob Roy and Star Wars.

He hasn’t stopped filming and has numerous projects ahead of him, such as Retribution, Tales of the Jedi, and Thug where he continues with his fighting and running skills.

Sean Penn

This charismatic and extremely talented actor was one of the biggest newcomers in the 1990s with his movies, such as Carlito’s Way, Dead Man Walking, and The Game. He had a few significant roles in the 1980s but this decade was huge for him.

Since then he has filmed many interesting movies, playing different types of characters and receiving two Oscars for his leading roles in Mystic River and Milk. His two most recent movies are the very well-accepted drama The Professor and the Madman and the romantic comedy-drama Licorice Pizza.

Robin Williams

Robin Williams is one of many people’s favorites, with his lovable smile, warm eyes, and brilliant choice of movie roles. He became famous in the 1980s but reached his golden status in the 1990s with movies such as Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Fisher King, Good Will Hunting, and What Dreams May Come.

He was nominated many times but received only one Oscar, for his wonderful role in the masterpiece Good Will Hunting. Unfortunately, he died in 2014 at the age of 63, leaving a big hole in everyone’s hearts. 

Viggo Mortensen

Born in 1958 in Manhattan, New York, Viggo is one of the most versatile actors of the last few decades. Even though the 2000s and the 2010s are his years, he had some interesting roles in the 1990s which caught the eye of the most famous movie directors and producers, such as Carlito’s Way, Crimson Tide, A Walk In the Moon, and A Perfect Murder.

He has since filmed numerous unforgettable movies, received an Oscar for his brilliant role in The Green Book, won our hearts as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings and we can’t wait to see him in some of the announced movies he is filming, such as Eureka and Two Wolves.

Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe was undoubtedly one of the greatest in the 1990s, with his fantastic performances in classics such as L.A.Confidential, A Beautiful Mind, and The Insider. It was just a glimpse of what we might expect in the future and he lived up to the expectations.

He is constantly filming, without any rest and his acting future and plans look more than promising. He has announced movies like The Georgetown Project and Poker Face and titles like American Son and Rothko are still in post-production.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman has delivered countless memorable performances that it is difficult to put him in a decade where he didn’t excel. But the 1990s were the one where he stepped out and showed his immense talent, with 1991 as the year he was first seen on screen.

Some of his most unforgettable movies from this decade are Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Happiness, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Magnolia where he played interesting and often word characters. Unfortunately, he died in 2014 at the age of 46, leaving a huge legacy behind.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman has filmed some of the most important and best movies of the 1990s and continued starring in brilliant stories and titles we will never forget. His roles in Fincher’s Seven, Eastwood’s Unforgiven, and Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption are some of the most quotable in movie history.

The next two decades have also been very fruitful for him and he hasn’t stopped filming and is still one of the most wanted actors from the older generation, making movies at the age of 85. Some of the most anticipated are A Good Person and Muti.

Harvey Keitel

Harvey Keitel is another unstoppable and tireless actor still filming in his eighties. He had a list of remarkable movies in the 1990s, some of which can most of the time be found on the list of the best or most important movies ever, such as Pulp Fiction, Thelma and Louise, and Piano.

We can get ready for the future with Keitel since he has announced numerous new movies, such as The Baker, Spread, and Hellfire.

Gary Oldman

One of the most successful British actors of all time and definitely a huge hit in the 1990s is this fantastic actor whose numerous performances have left us speechless so many times. Some of his most memorable movies from that decade are Dracula, True Romance, Leon: The Professional and The Fifth Element.

He is one of the most beloved movie magicians of all time, having played Sirius Black in Harry Potter, and has announced an interesting project in 2023. He will play Harry S.Truman in the movie Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson’s list of movies from the 1990s is full of gems and we always like to go back to this decade that launched him into stardom. From Spike Lee’s Jingle Fever, through Noyce’s Patriot Games, and Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction to Star Wars, it was a really great decade for him.

He has been very active in the last two decades, as well, being a member of the cast of The Expendables and The Avengers and there are a few interesting titles announced for the future, such as The Kill Room and The Piano Lesson.

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes is another British actor we loved getting to know in the 1990s, through his masterpieces such as The Schindler’s List, The English Patient, and Quiz Show. He is one of the actors who didn’t become famous at an early age but when they got noticed, they didn’t stop.

He is one of the most popular villains ever, playing Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and a part of the cast in some of the most successful James Bond sequels. He is still filming and has announced some interesting projects in the future.

Edward Norton

This is one of those actors who captivate you with their words, facial expressions, and immense talent as you set eyes on them. It was obvious with his first role in the brilliant thriller Primal fear where he played an interesting young man imprisoned after being accused of a crime he says he didn’t commit. It was his first movie role and an instant Oscar nomination.

Born in 1969 in Boston, Edward Norton was one of the most promising young actors in the late 1990s and the 2000s, starring in numerous brilliant movies with portrayals of some of the most iconic movie characters ever, such as Narrator in Fight Club, Derek in American History X, Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk and Walter Fane in The Painted Veil. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been very active in the past few years and hasn’t any announced projects.

Daniel Day-Lewis

One of the greatest ever and, according to many, the greatest in the last three decades. Daniel Day-Lewis was born in 1957 in Greenwich, London, and has really peaked in his late thirties, in the 1990s when he starred in some of the best movies of all time. He is carefully choosing his roles, making always with a few year pause between them.

He was unforgettable in The Last of the Mohicans, The Age of Innocence, In the Name of the Father, The Boxer, and Gangs of New York in the 1990s. He is a six times nominee and three-time Oscar winner. He filmed his last movie Phantom Thread in 2017 and since then there hasn’t been any news about his newest projects.

Denzel Washington

One of the most successful and famous Afro-American actors of all time is this Mount Vernon-born actor with numerous memorable performances. His most important roles in the 1990s are in the movies Malcolm X, Crimson Tide, and Philadelphia.

He has since made many brilliant movies and is still filming and directing, being very active in racial and social issues, which can be seen in the movies he makes and directs, such as Fences and Antwone Fisher. His newest project is the third sequel of his excellent action movie The Equalizer.

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins was born in 1937 in Wales and is one of the greatest actors of all time. He has made one of the most remarkable movie roles ever, portraying one of the most disgusting and dangerous villains of all time, Dr. Hannibal Lecter in his most successful 1990s movie, Silence of the Lambs.

Some of his other memorable movies from that decade are Dracula, Howards End, The Remains of the Day, Legends of the Fall, Nixon, Amistad and Meet Joe Black. He is filming without a pause and remains one of the most wanted Hollywood actors, even in his eighties. At the moment he is filming Rebel Moon and One Life.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is one of Hollywood’s most famous actors of all time, known for his witty, unusual, and specific characters. He was born in 1963 in Kentucky and made his first on-screen appearance in a cult horror A Nightmare On Elm Street. But the 1990s were a huge stepping stone for him, with his brilliant performances in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Sleepy Hollow, as well as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Donnie Brasco, and Don Juan DeMarco.

In the last few months, he was one of the actors everyone wrote and talked about, due to the trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard. He was also refused to be hired as Jack Sparrow in the next Pirates of the Caribbean. But since the verdict ended in his favor, the future is bright for him and he has already started filming.

Matt Damon

This talented and versatile actor, excellent in both dramas and action movies was born in 1970 in Boston. He delivered some of his most memorable performances in the 1990s, in movies like School Ties, Rainmaker, and Glory Daze. 

After winning an Oscar for the original screenplay for Good Will Hunting he became one of the most wanted young actors. He excelled in Kevin Smith’s Dogma and Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. He has some interesting projects waiting for him in the future, some as an actor and some as a producer.

Ewan McGregor

This Scottish actor was one of the hottest British stars in the 1990s. Gaining his popularity in Danny Boyle’s brilliant movies, such as Shallow Grave and Trainspotting. He instantly became a star and remained one of the most successful actors.

He excelled in both American and British movies, proving that he can be remarkable in both dramas like Little Voice and Brassed Off and blockbusters like Star Wars. He hasn’t stopped making brilliant movies and has many new projects announced, such as The Land of Sometimes and the tv-series A Gentleman in Moscow.