This is a list of individuals who achieved recognition and success both as actors and as politicians.
The phenomenon of actors becoming politicians is seen across the world, with many leveraging their public recognition, communication skills, and charisma to influence public policy and achieve electoral success. While most began as actors and transitioned to politics, some started as politicians and later pursued acting careers.
North America
United States
Actor-politician Acting career Party Office(s) Year(s)Clay Aiken Actor and singer Democratic Nominee for 2014Candidate for 2022Alan Autry Actor Independent Mayor of Fresno, California 2001–2009 Rex Bell Actor Republican Lieutenant Governor of Nevada 1955–1962Frank Bogert Actor, rodeo announcer Republican Mayor of Palm Springs, California 1958–1966, 1982–1988Sonny Bono Actor and singer-songwriter Republican Mayor of Palm Springs, California 1988–1992U.S. Representative - 1995–1998Kimberlin Brown Actress (The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful) Republican Candidate for 2018Marilyn Chambers Pornographic film actress Personal Choice Party Nominee for Vice President 2004Boston Tea Party Alternate write-in candidate to vice-presidential running mate 2008Wendell Corey Actor Republican Member of the Santa Monica City Council1965–1968Candidate for U.S. Representative1966Albert Dekker Actor Democratic Member of the California State Assembly1945–1947Cherie DeVille Pornographic film actress Democratic Candidate for President 2020Bob Dornan Actor (Twelve O'Clock High, local television personality) Republican U.S. Representative - California 27, 38, 46 1977–1983, 1985–1997Candidate for U.S. Senate1982Candidate for President1996Helen Gahagan Douglas Actress in Broadway theatre and film Democratic U.S. Representative- 1945–1951Nominee for U.S. Senate 1950Clint Eastwood Actor Republican Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 1986–1988Charles Farrell Actor Mayor of Palm Springs, California 1947–1955 Joe Flynn Actor Republican Candidate for the Ohio Senate 1950Al Franken Actor and comedian (Saturday Night Live), radio personality (The Al Franken Show) Democratic U.S. Senator - Minnesota 2009–2018 John Gavin Actor (Psycho, Spartacus) Republican U.S. Ambassador to Mexico 1981–1986 Melissa Gilbert Actress Democratic Candidate for 2016 Vic Gilliam Part-time actor (Screen Actors Guild membership) Republican Member of the Oregon House of Representatives 2007–2017 Fred Grandy Actor (The Love Boat), radio personality (The Grandy Group) Republican U.S. Representative - Iowa 6 and 51987–1995Candidate for Governor1996Hill HarperActor (CSI: NY, The Good Doctor) DemocraticCandidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan2024J. G. Hertzler Actor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) Democratic (until 2017)Independent (from 2017) Ulysses, New York town councillor 2013–2020Candidate for 2018Gil Hill Actor (Beverly Hills Cop) Democratic Member of the Detroit City Council 1990–2001Candidate for Mayor of Detroit 2001Glenn Jacobs Actor and professional wrestler Republican Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee 2018–presentBen Jones Actor Democratic U.S. Representative - 1989–1993 Jack Kelly Actor (Maverick) Republican Mayor of Huntington Beach, California 1983–1986Sheila Kuehl Former child actress Democratic California State Assembly 1994–2000California State Senate2000–2008Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors2014–2022Nancy Kulp Actor (The Beverly Hillbillies) Democratic Candidate for 1984 Sonny Landham Actor (The Warriors, Predator, 48 Hrs., Lock Up and Action Jackson) RepublicanCandidate for Governor of Kentucky2003LibertarianCandidate for U.S. Senate in Kentucky2008 Al Lewis Actor (The Munsters, Car 54, Where Are You) Green Candidate for Governor of New York 1998John Davis Lodge Actor (The Scarlet Empress, The Little Colonel) Republican U.S. Representative - 1947–1951Governor of Connecticut 1951–1955 Bob Mathias Actor (China Doll, It Happened in Athens) Republican U.S. Representative - 1967–1975 Christopher Mitchum Actor Republican Candidate for California State Assembly 1998Candidate for 2012, 2014George Murphy Actor Republican U.S. Senator - California 1965–1971 Diane Neal Actor Independent Candidate for 2018Cynthia Nixon Actress Democratic Candidate for Governor of New York 2018Park Overall Actress Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee 2008Stephen Peace Actor and producer (Killer Tomatoes franchise) Democratic California State Assembly1982–1992California Senate 1993–2002 Richard Petty Actor, professional racecar driver (Cars, Days of Thunder, Stroker Ace) Republican Member of the Randolph County, North Carolina Commission 1978–1994Candidate for Secretary of State of North Carolina1996Steven Michael Quezada Actor Democratic Member of the Albuquerque, New Mexico school board 2013–2017Member of the Bernalillo County, New Mexico Commission 2017–2025Trey Radel Actor (StartUp) Republican U.S. Representative - 2013–2014Ronald Reagan Actor Republican Governor of California 1967–1975 President of the United States 1981–1989Tex Ritter Actor and country music singer Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee 1970Will Rogers Actor Democratic Mayor of Beverly Hills, California 1928 Will Rogers Jr. Actor Democratic U.S. Representative - 1943–1944Antonio Sabàto Jr. Model and actor (General Hospital) Republican Candidate for 2018 Ben Savage Actor Democratic Candidate for 2024Arnold Schwarzenegger Actor and retired bodybuilder Republican Governor of California 2003–2011Jerry Springer Actor (Ringmaster) and talk show host (The Jerry Springer Show) Democratic Candidate for 1970Member of Cincinnati City Council1971–1974Mayor of Cincinnati 1977–1978George Takei Actor (Star Trek) Democratic Alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention1972Candidate for Los Angeles City Council1973Candidate for California State Assembly1980 Shirley Temple Black Former child actor Republican Candidate for 1967 U.S. Ambassador to Ghana1974–1976U.S. Chief of Protocol1976–1977U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia1989–1992Fred Thompson Actor Republican U.S. Senator - Tennessee 1994–2003 Candidate for President 2008 Jesse Ventura Actor and professional wrestler Independent (until 1998)Reform (1998–2000) Independence (2000–2003) Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota1991–1995Governor of Minnesota 1999–2003 Ralph Waite Actor (The Waltons) Democratic Candidate for 1990 Candidate for 1998Candidate for 1998Noble Willingham Actor (Walker, Texas Ranger) Republican Candidate for 2000
Canada Actor-politician Acting career Political party Political career Source Jeremy AkermanFilm actor Nova Scotia New Democratic Party Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Cape Breton East (1970–1980) Leader of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (1968–1980) Elizabeth Ball Shakespeare theater actor Vancouver City Councillor Tyrone Benskin Actor and theatre director New Democratic Party Member of the Canadian House of Commons for Jeanne-Le Ber Sonya Biddle Stage actress Vision Montreal Montreal City Councillor Andrée Champagne Actress (Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut) Conservative Minister of State for Youth (1984–1986) Member of the Canadian House of Commons for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot (1984–1993) Member of the Senate of Canada for Grandville (2005–2014) Pierre Curzi Genie-and-Jutra-winning actor Parti Québécois Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Borduas Sébastien Dhavernas Actor and dub actor Liberal Candidate in the 2008 Canadian federal election in Outremont Équipe Denis Coderre pour Montréal Candidate in the 2013 Montreal municipal election in Desmarchais-Crawford Tina Keeper Gemini-winning actress and filmmaker Liberal Member of the Canadian House of Commons for Churchill (2006–2008) Maka Kotto Actor Bloc Québécois Candidate in the 2003 Quebec general election in Viau Member of the Canadian House of Commons for Saint-Lambert (2004–2008) Parti Québécois Member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Bourget (2008–2018) Jean Lapointe Genie-winning actor, comedian Liberal Member of the Senate of Canada for Saurel (2005–2014) Alexandrine Latendresse Actress New Democratic Party Member of the Canadian House of Commons for Louis-Saint-Laurent (2011–2015) Susan Leblanc Actress New Democratic Party Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Dartmouth North (2017–present) Viola Léger Actress Liberal Member of the Senate of Canada for L'Acadie (2001–2005) Greg Malone Actor, impressionist (CODCO) New Democratic Party Candidate in the 2000 St. John's West by-election Green Party of Canada Candidate in the 2019 Canadian federal election in Avalon Jean-Louis Roux Actor, playwright (La famille Plouffe) Liberal Member of the Senate of Canada for Mille Isles (1994–1996)Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (1996–1997) Amanda Shatzko Actress Electoral Area Director (Mayor) of Silver Star Mountain Resort and vice-chair of Regional District of North Okanagan Lenore Zann Actor Independent (since 2019; provincial only) Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River (2009–2019) Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (2009–2019; provincial only) Liberal Party of Canada Member of the House of Commons of Canada for Cumberland—Colchester (since 2019)
Mexico Actor-politician Acting career Political party Political career Source Irma Serrano Member of the Senate of the Republic Carmen Salinas Institutional Revolutionary Party Member of the Chamber of Deputies
Central and South America
Brazil Actor-politician Acting career Political party Political career Source Alexandre Frota Pornographic film actor Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) (2019–present) Federal Deputy for São Paulo (2019–present) Social Liberal Party (PSL) (2018–2019)Ana de HollandaSinger and actressNoneMinister of Culture (2011–2012)Bete MendesActressBrazilian Democratic Movement (MDB) (1985–1999)State Secretary of Culture of São Paulo (1987–1988)Workers' Party (PT) (1980–1985)Federal Deputy for São Paulo (1983–1991)Celso FrateschiActorWorkers' Party (PT)Municipal Secretary of Culture of São Paulo (1997–1998)Daisy LúcidiActressReform Progressive Party (PPR)State Deputy of Rio de JaneiroLiberal Front Party (PFL)Democratic Social Party (PDS)Alderwoman of Rio de JaneiroGretchenSinger and actressCitizenship (CIDADANIA)Unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of Ilha de ItamaracáKito JunqueiraActorProgressives (PP) (-2019)State Deputy of São Paulo (1995–1999)Green Party (PV)Manoel GomesSingerPartido Liberal (PL) (2022)Unsuccessful candidate for State Deputy of MaranhãoMário FriasActorNoneSpecial Secretary of Culture (2020–present)Regina DuarteActressNoneSpecial Secretary of Culture (2020)Rita CadillacSinger, dancer and pornographic film actressBrazilian Socialist Party (PSB)Unsuccessful candidate for Alderwoman of Praia GrandeStepan NercessianActorCitizenship (CIDADANIA) (1992–present)Federal Deputy for Rio de Janeiro (2011–2015)Brazilian Communist Party (PCB) (1964–1992)Alderman of Rio de Janeiro (2005–2010)TiriricaActor, clown and HumoristLiberal Party (PL) (2010–present)Federal Deputy for São Paulo (2019–present)Toninho do DiaboActor and singerSolidarity (SD)Unsuccessful candidate for Federal Deputy for São Paulo
Argentina Actor-politician Acting career Political party Political career SourceEva Perón Justicialist Party and Female Peronist Party President of the Female Peronist Party
Guatemala Actor-politician Acting career Political party Political career SourceJimmy Morales Actor and comedian National Convergence Front 50th President of Guatemala
Panama Actor-politician Acting career Political party Political career SourceRubén Blades Mother Earth Movement (MPE) Unsuccessful candidate for President of Panama
Europe