As unbelievable as it may seem, most of the Hollywood blockbusters that control stardom today were made on the small screen, appearing in commercials and selling some of America’s best products. Nevertheless, some of the most famous ad actors might not be recognized at the mention of their names, but their faces are not easily forgotten even after so many years.
Interestingly, some of the most famous commercial actors around have made a fortune from the minutes, if not seconds, they appear in big brand ads. in fact, they often do more than a professional actor in a film by appearing in a single commercial. Below are some of the most popular commercial stars that we can always refer to.
The 10 Most Famous Business Actors We Can’t Do Without
For years, these incredible ads have entertained us with their storylines and characters brought to life by some of the most famous commercial actors the small screen has ever seen. Enjoy reading and don’t be surprised when you see a familiar face or two that might bring back old memories.
1. Paul Marcarelli
He is an American actor who became known more as a spokesperson for Verizon, the telecommunications company he advertised. He starred as “Test Man” in Verizon Wireless commercials, earning him the nickname “Can You Hear Me Now?”. He began bringing the Test man character to life in 2002, appearing in commercials wearing his signature Verizon gray jacket and horn-rimmed glasses. In 2011, Verizon shook up its advertising campaign by saying that Paul Marcarelli would no longer be the Test Man, a role that earned him the title of one of the most intriguing people of 2002, given by Entertainment Weekly.
Although he’s best known for his appearances on Verizon, he didn’t make the list of most famous business actors selling brands for a single company. Before Verizon provided his services, Paul Marcarelli was already an accomplished business player and promoted brands for companies such as Old Navy, Dasani, Heineken, T-Mobile and Merrill Lynch. He also promoted businesses in several other ways. In 2016, Marcarelli moved on from the popular slogan “can you hear me now?” To holiday-themed ads Sprint as a spokesperson for the company (Sprint) and often references his move from Verizon to Sprint in new ads. After working for Verizon for nine years, in addition to several other projects,
2. Morgan Smith-Goodwin
Since showing us what Wendy looks like in real life, Morgan Smith-Goodwin has been a sensation on national television. She has played the role of the red-haired girl in Wendy’s restaurant commercials since 2012. This role required her to change from her naturally dark blonde hair to “orange-red” to fit into the character. Playing the character made her popular because she was the first real-life version of Wendy and portrayed her well. Prior to Wendy’s, she appeared on an episode of “Boardwalk Empire” and currently plays a regular role on “Veep.” She has since returned to her natural blonde roots to fit into other roles. She has a net worth of $3 million.
3. Jonathan Goldsmith
Most of us grew up watching Jonathan Goldsmith over commercials. He’s your typical commercial veteran, having started in the 60s. However, it was his appearance in the Dos Equis beer advertising campaign that started in 2006 and ended in 2016 that made him ‘l ‘most interesting man in the world’. The campaign takes credit for the beer brand’s 15.4% sales increase in the United States in 2009. Goldsmith also offered netizens a hugely popular message to work with.
In 2016, Dos Equis replaced Goldsmith with a French actor Augustin Legrand who went on to play “the most interesting man in the world”. The company acted to keep the brand relevant and ensure it didn’t look bland to modern consumers. Still, Goldsmith didn’t retire, but switched from beer to tequila in June 2017. He is seen in Astral Tequila commercials.
4. Stephanie Courtney
She began her career as an artist in theater before moving to Los Angeles for a chance to appear on screen. In 1999, to make a quick buck while waiting for movie roles to start rolling in, Stephanie Courtney resorted to commercials and landed her first national commercial spot in a Bud Light commercial in 1999. She continued to starring in minor roles in commercials such as McDonald’s, Quaker Oats, Toyota, and Skittles, among others, until she achieved success in her advertising campaign, portraying the character Flo in 2006. Her role in advertising Progressive Insurance TV show has generated huge excitement on social media and made a fortune for her career. His net worth stands at $6 million.
5.Carly Foulkes
In 2010, Carly Folkes began her career as a spokesperson for T-Mobile 4G, appearing on the brand’s many websites as well as US networks. She was so good at portraying the T-Mobile girl that the original plan to feature her in two or three commercials turned to multiple commercials, making her one of the famous commercial actresses who captured the hearts of the public in the time. According to Business Insider’s Laura Stampler, Carly is hands down one of the brand’s best-known spokespersons and we couldn’t agree more.
Before she was ousted by Shakira in the T-Mobile ad campaign, she was able to garner a net worth of $3 million. Although she no longer appears in commercials, her contract with the company remains valid, which means that she could make a return in the future.
6. Diana Amos
Besides being a popular face on comedy shows and in movies, Diane Amos has been one of the hottest commercial actors for over 20 years. She has been known for appearing in Pine-Sol commercials since 1993. Being the famous Lady of Pinsol for so long has helped the comedian earn an estimated net worth of around $2.5 million.
7. Dean Winters
He may have failed to outdo Progressive’s insurance character known as Flo, but Dean Winters stars as Mr. Mayhem in the popular Allstate Insurance commercial and helped the actor achieve two things. . For the most part, Dean Winters has been able to account for $4 million in net worth and has become a household name in the entertainment industry as well.
8. Dennis Haysbert
Several ads and campaigns have featured this popular actor but one we will never easily forget is his appearance in Allstate commercials. Although the insurance company has made him its official spokesperson, the American actor was already in the limelight before the arrival of Allstate. Dennis Haysbert is recognized for his role in the world-class television show called “24” and for a myriad of other shows and movies. No wonder he was able to amass a net worth of $42 million.
9. Isaiah Mustafa
He’s an American actor who used to play football as a wide receiver, but what really caught Isaiah Mustafa’s eye was his widely hailed role as “The Man Your Man Could Smell” in the plethora of Old Spice commercials on television. He reprized the lead role in the ad campaign in February 2010 and quickly became a household name, marketing the American brand of men’s grooming products made by Procter & Gamble. The product line includes deodorants, shampoos, body washes and soaps.
Its Old Spice commercials have garnered a huge fan following. Subsequently, the company filmed YouTube videos featuring Mustapha answering personal questions from fans who reached out to him through online platforms such as Reddit, Facebook and Twitter. Considering he has a net worth of $5 million, Mustafa is not only among the most famous business actors, he is also one of the wealthiest.
10. Milana Vayntrub
If you regularly watch televisionFor a few years, the face of Milana Vayntrub must awaken funny memories. She is easily spotted, portraying Lily Bubbles in AT&T TV commercials. She has appeared in over forty of them so far and has starred in them since November 2013. in special and popular commercials among fans. Milana is also an accomplished actress with multiple film and TV credits. Among her notable roles is Tina Shukshin in “Other Space,” a Yahoo! Original screen series. In 2017, she was chosen to play the superheroine Squirrel Girl in “New Warriors”, a television series from Marvel.
Without a doubt, reading this piece must have brought back some pleasant memories and taught you a thing or two about some of the most admired commercial actors. If we missed any of the artists who deserve a mention on this list of famous commercial actors, leave a comment.