Which People in Hollywood Are Actually Considered Movie Stars?

One of the things I am constantly arguing with my friends about is who actually is a movie star in today's Hollywood. When you're trying to package a movie or a TV show, these are the names that could possibly get your project greenlit. Well, now a company called NRG did a survey where they identified the top 25 movie stars in today's Hollywood and then went over them with Puck. Let's dive in. Who Are Our Movie Stars? NRG does one of these studies every year. The last one they did was in August of 2024, and some stuff has changed since then. Right now, according to a survey of people, these are the top 25 people who would bring you to the theater to see a movie. Denzel Washington Tom Cruise Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Brad Pitt Ryan Reynolds Tom Hanks Will Smith Kevin Hart Keanu Reeves Leonardo DiCaprio Scarlett Johansson Adam Sandler Sandra Bullock Johnny Depp Samuel L. Jackson Angelina Jolie Zendaya Meryl Streep Harrison Ford Robert Downey Jr. Julia Roberts Will Ferrell Jason Statham Morgan Freeman Margot RobbieThere is a lot to take away here, especially that half of this list is 60 or older. That doesn't really bode well for the future of Hollywood, or for getting younger generations to go to the movies. I actually think this is a pretty diverse list overall. But I would also say that women are underrepresented in this list. The good news for them, the names on here skew younger, so possibly they're taking over as the future of Hollywood. Look, we're trying to protect the theater for future generations, and right now, the best way to get anyone to go to the theater is to make sure the movie you're making has a huge star in it. We need stars to connect with people and to draw them in. And we need them to greenlight our projects at studios if we get them attached to our work. So it's cool to get a list like this and know who to go after. But it doesn't solve making more stars... especially as the ones on this list age. I'd love to see Hollywood figure out a way to attract newer, younger stars to appeal to other generations. In order to make a star, you really need to make some smaller movies and see who breaks out in them. Our star-making process has slowed down. We have people who may be big on streaming, but are completely unproven in theatrical. It sounds crazy, but to make sure this list gets younger and to make sure we still have stars, we have to make a lot of movies without the people on this list to see who can cut through the noise and capture hearts. Maybe that's always been the catch-22 of all of Hollywood. Let me know what you think in the comments.

May 16, 2025 - 03:00

Which People in Hollywood Are Actually Considered Movie Stars?

One of the things I am constantly arguing with my friends about is who actually is a movie star in today's Hollywood. When you're trying to package a movie or a TV show, these are the names that could possibly get your project greenlit.

Well, now a company called NRG did a survey where they identified the top 25 movie stars in today's Hollywood and then went over them with Puck.

Let's dive in.

Who Are Our Movie Stars?

NRG does one of these studies every year. The last one they did was in August of 2024, and some stuff has changed since then. Right now, according to a survey of people, these are the top 25 people who would bring you to the theater to see a movie.

Denzel Washington
Tom Cruise
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
Brad Pitt
Ryan Reynolds
Tom Hanks
Will Smith
Kevin Hart
Keanu Reeves
Leonardo DiCaprio
Scarlett Johansson
Adam Sandler
Sandra Bullock
Johnny Depp
Samuel L. Jackson
Angelina Jolie
Zendaya
Meryl Streep
Harrison Ford
Robert Downey Jr.
Julia Roberts
Will Ferrell
Jason Statham
Morgan Freeman
Margot Robbie

There is a lot to take away here, especially that half of this list is 60 or older. That doesn't really bode well for the future of Hollywood, or for getting younger generations to go to the movies.

I actually think this is a pretty diverse list overall. But I would also say that women are underrepresented in this list. The good news for them, the names on here skew younger, so possibly they're taking over as the future of Hollywood.

Look, we're trying to protect the theater for future generations, and right now, the best way to get anyone to go to the theater is to make sure the movie you're making has a huge star in it.

We need stars to connect with people and to draw them in. And we need them to greenlight our projects at studios if we get them attached to our work.

So it's cool to get a list like this and know who to go after.

But it doesn't solve making more stars... especially as the ones on this list age.

I'd love to see Hollywood figure out a way to attract newer, younger stars to appeal to other generations. In order to make a star, you really need to make some smaller movies and see who breaks out in them.

Our star-making process has slowed down. We have people who may be big on streaming, but are completely unproven in theatrical.

It sounds crazy, but to make sure this list gets younger and to make sure we still have stars, we have to make a lot of movies without the people on this list to see who can cut through the noise and capture hearts.

Maybe that's always been the catch-22 of all of Hollywood.

Let me know what you think in the comments.