Jewish actors in hollywood

Hollywood has boasted a strong Jewish presence since its earliest days, due to the mass migration of European Jewry to America during the early twentieth century.

By the 1930s, six out of eight major Hollywood studios were owned and managed by Jews, and although many were secular and had distanced themselves from religious lifestyles, they still were often unashamedly Jewish.

Jewish Hollywood in the twentieth century has been described as being very socially Jewish, if not culturally. Jewish people in Hollywood often formed their own social circles, separate from the wider groups of colleagues and associates.

Some of the most notable Hollywood Jews from the last century include Marilyn Monroe, Lenny Bruce, and Groucho Marx.

Today, Hollywood has as strong a Jewish presence as ever, with many Jews who even speak openly about their Jewish identities, such as Beanie Feldstein, Ben Platt, and Mayim Bialik.

The loud, the quiet, and the hateful: Inside Hollywood's war over Israel

As Hollywood turns on Israel, some stars speak up, while claims of a pro-Israel blacklist collide with reality

SEPTEMBER 28, 2026|ByHANNAH BROWN

Lawrence Bender, pictured here with Israeli actress Rotem Sela, producer of ‘Red Alert,’ is among other Hollywood figures involved with The Brigade, a group formed by Jewish entertainment figures and allies, who have challenged antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment within the industry.

Actor Lizzy Caplan appears on an episode of PBS' "Finding Your Roots."

Jewish actor Lizzy Caplan discovers her family's unknown Holocaust story in 'Finding Your Roots'

In Tuesday’s episode of the PBS celebrity genealogy series “Finding Your Roots,” Caplan learns that one of her ancestors survived four camps - and that his wife and baby were murdered.

JANUARY 27, 2026|ByJACKIE HAJDENBERG/JTA

Hollywood star chosen as an ambassador for the Kérastase hair brand

American actress Sidney Sweeney, known for her roles in "The White Lotus" and "Euphoria", chosen as global ambassador for luxury hair brand Kérastase.

FEBRUARY 20, 2024|ByLEE SIVILIA

Alex Borstein, left, and Rachel Brosnahan in a scene from Season 3 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

‘Mrs. Maisel,’ ‘Fleishman,’ Natasha Lyonne among Jewish nominees at strike-delayed Emmys

The awards come in a new context for show business and the Jewish world: one in which parts of Hollywood are wearing pins in support of Israeli hostages while the other criticizes Israel.

JANUARY 12, 2024|ByANDREW LAPIN/JTA

Michael Douglas writes about his own brush with anti-Semitism

Hollywood legend recounts his own confrontation with bigotry after son faced verbal anti-Semitic attack.

MARCH 15, 2015ByJPOST.COM STAFF

michael douglas

Jay Leno to return to Israel to host annual Genesis Award

Former Tonight Show host takes on hosting duties once again in honor of Michael Douglas at 2nd annual Genesis Award.

MARCH 9, 2015BySAM SOKOL

Genesis Award

Watch: Jimmy Fallon pokes fun at Democrats for Bibi blunders

Late night talk show host blasts Democrats who skipped Netanyahu's Congress speech but can't pronounce his name.

MARCH 8, 2015ByJPOST.COM STAFF

Jimmy Fallon

Remembering Leonard Nimoy: Behind those pointy ears, a ‘nice, earnest Jewish boy’

This article was originally published in The Jerusalem Post in 1991. In the wake of Leonard Nimoy’s February 27 death, the piece is being republished with the permission of the author.

MARCH 4, 2015ByTOM TUGEND

Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy, known as Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies at 83

FEBRUARY 27, 2015ByREUTERS

Leonard Nimoy

Katy Perry visits Auschwitz, says experience left her with 'heavy heart'

The pop star was performing in Poland and decided stopped at the former death camp.

FEBRUARY 27, 2015ByJTA

Katy Perry

Prize-winning CBS reporter Bob Simon killed in NYC traffic accident

No one expected the intrepid Simon, who was a well known figure in Israel based in Tel Aviv for many years, to die in his bed or his native New York.

FEBRUARY 13, 2015ByGREER FAY CASHMAN

CBS NEWS correspondent Bob Simon walks through the town of Tomioka, Japan, three years after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. (

Grapevine: He was there

A brief of Jewish news from around the world.

JANUARY 27, 2015ByGREER FAY CASHMAN

President Reuven Rivlin (L) meets former secretary of state Henry Kissinger in New York

Jewish stars take home awards at the Golden Globes

"The Honorable Woman", "Transparent", "The Affair", get the spotlight and the glory.

JANUARY 12, 2015ByJTA

Cast of "The Affair"

Joan Peters: A eulogy to an inspiration

Former CBS news documentary producer and author Joan Peters passed away.

JANUARY 8, 2015ByDAVID BEDEIN

JOAN PETERS