Top 10 YouTubers Who Became Actors
They started from the bottom and now they're big stars! While they may still upload on YouTube, they now have movie/tv credits to their name! We've included youtubers like Jenn McAllister, Grace Helbig, Kian Lawley, Lia Marie Johnson, Todrick Hall, Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett, Lilly Singh, Todrick Hall, Lilly Singh, Jimmy Tatro and Jon Lajoie.
#10: Jenn McAllister
MacAllister, who goes by the YouTube handle jennxpenn, made the jump to feature films in 2015 when she starred in the adventure comedy “Bad Night” alongside fellow YouTuber Lauren Elizabeth. Released on a number of different platforms including Vimeo on Demand and Netflix, the film centers on two high school girls, played by MacAllister and Elizabeth, who get caught up in a case of mistaken identity while on a field trip. With over 3.5 million subscribers spread across her two YouTube channels, MacAllister is nothing to scoff at and has been nominated twice for Choice Web Star: Female at the Teen Choice Awards. She also stars in Youtube's Red Web series “Foursome”.
#9: Grace Helbig
Grace Helbig has been populating the web with her unique brand of comedy since 2007. Her various YouTube endeavors have culminated in a strong following that consists of over three million subscribers and ultimately led to her being cast in a number of films and TV shows. From documentaries such as “Please Subscribe” to comedies like “Camp Takota” and “Trolls”, not to mention roles on a handful of different television shows, Helbig has made the challenging jump from YouTuber to actress look easy. She uploads at least three videos a week to her self-titled channel, so if you like her style you’ll have plenty of content to check out!
#8: Kian Lawley
With more than 6 million subscribers spread across his two YouTube channels superkian13 and KianAndJc, the latter of which he shares with fellow actor and YouTuber Jc Caylen, it’s clear that Kian Lawley knows a thing or two about making it big online. However, recently he’s begun to make waves in Hollywood as well! His breakout performance came in the 2015 horror flick “The Chosen”, and since then he’s gone on to appear in a handful of films and TV shows. A hilarious and captivating performer with energy to spare, Lawley has a bright career ahead of him on the silver screen!
#7: Lia Marie Johnson
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One of YouTube’s hottest young stars, Lia Marie Johnson pretty much does it all. A YouTuber since 2007, Johnson is known for her musical performances and sketch comedy as well as her awesome vlogs! She shot to fame in 2010 as a recurring guest on the award winning web series Kids React and has since appeared in a variety of films and TV shows including the Nickelodeon film “Terry the Tomboy” and the sci-fi thriller “The Thinning”. Her self-titled channel has a wide variety of content sure to keep you entertained for hours on end!
#6: Flula Borg
Joining YouTube in 2007, Flula Borg quickly came on everyone’s radar with his very eclectic online offerings, from vlogs, to AutoTunes series, and even celebrity interviews… with a twist. Of late, Borg has flexed his comedic – and vocal – chops on the big and small screens; his role as Pieter Kramer in “Pitch Perfect 2,” which was anything but a “heated mess.” Shortly after that, he appeared on shows like “Younger,” “Workaholics,” and “Silicon Valley,” and even tried his hand at voice-acting in 2017’s “Ferdinand.” Despite his busy schedule, Borg still finds time to post to YouTube, satisfying his nearly 800,000 subscribers.
#5: Anna Akana
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Anna Akana is one of the hardest working YouTubers in the game today. She not only continues to upload regular videos to her self-titled channel that has over 1.9 million subscribers, but she is also an actress, model and producer! Her biggest role to date was a supporting spot in the final scene from the 2015 Marvel film “Ant-Man”. The role earned her some props in Hollywood and she later scored roles in a number of other films and TV shows, including “Hello, My Name Is Doris” and “Dirty 30”.
#4: Todrick Hall
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How do we describe Todrick Hall? The man has dipped his toes in the proverbial waters of every inch of the entertainment industry. He rose to fame in 2009/2010 when he made it all the way to the Top 16 in season nine of “American Idol”. His time on the show dramatically increased an already impressive YouTube following, one that’s built around his seemingly endless supply of hilarious and spot-on musical parodies. He’s since translated that success into multiple guest and season-long judging roles on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and was later cast in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots. He even had a cameo in a Taylor Swift video!
#3: Lilly Singh
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Canadian YouTube sensation Lilly Singh is one of the highest paid YouTubers in the world and for good reason. For starters she has over 14 million subscribers and more than 2.5 billion total views spread across her two channels: llSuperwomanll and SuperwomanVlogs. In addition to Youtube stardom, she is also a multitalented comedian, author and actress - the latter of which has been on full display over the past few years thanks to her roles in a number of different films. Clearly she doesn’t want to limit herself to simply being a massively successful YouTuber; she appears to be intent on crossing into more contemporary media. If anyone can do it, it’s Superwoman.
#2: Jimmy Tatro
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Tatro’s LifeAccordingToJimmy is is a hugely successful channel. With over 2.8 million subscribers, the channel, which mostly focuses on sketch comedy, has turned into a launching pad for the aspiring actor’s film career. He scored roles in “Grown Ups 2” and “22 Jump Street” and later landed a starring role in the Netflix mockumentary series “American Vandal”. The Los Angeles native plays the role of beer guzzling frat boy to perfection, but has yet to truly flex his dramatic muscles. With his career on the rise, chances are that he’ll be making his mark on Hollywood in the coming years!
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
Flula Borg
Cameron Dallas
Troye Sivan
#1: Jon Lajoie
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Montreal native Jon Lajoie took the Internet by storm with his hilarious rap parodies “Everyday Normal Guy” and “Show Me Your Genitals” back in 2007 and 2008 respectively. It wasn’t long before someone took notice of his obvious skills in front of the camera and in 2009 he was cast in the role of Taco MacArthur on the fantasy football themed TV series “The League”. A stoner and musician, Taco was the role Lajoie was born to play; and for seven seasons he was the glue that kept the show together! While his self-titled YouTube channel hasn’t produced much of late, there’s plenty of content to keep you occupied until he gets going again!
