Many actors in current commercials dream of the kind of success that can get them their own movie based on their commercial. Recently, Space Jam: A New Legacy proved that Hollywood isn't finished with the idea.
Some of the biggest actors in current commercials don't just limit themselves to commercials, of course. Commercials are a way for budding actors to get their careers going before taking a bigger step but also a solid way for successful working actors to earn a living. Sometimes, their television personas garner millions in revenue, so a bigger role isn't always necessary to make a difference in the acting world.
Updated on April 19th, 2022 by Tanner Fox: Advertisements can sometimes be annoying; constantly breaking up a viewer's favorite shows and movies and butting in on crucial moments during sports broadcasts, they can be a nuisance, and it's up to advertisement agencies to craft snappy, memorable ads that'll make the best use of the airtime.
One way to earn a viewer's interest is to add a familiar face, and, while celebrity cameos are a common advertising trope, other companies opt to rear their own recognizable faces, tying their brands to up-and-coming actors and actresses just getting started in advertising.
Kevin Miles: Jake From State Farm
Kevin Miles has an impressive resume, but he's most known for his role in State Farm's commercial as a call center employee named Jake. The line "it's Jake... from State Farm" is widely known.
Miles got his start in the acting world in 2010 after getting a gig in Innocent. From there, he's played characters in S.W.A.T., Underdogs, and, more recently, Pretty Smart. In 2017, Miles was even in a short for State Farm called Finding Jake from State Farm.
Nathan Barnatt: K-Mart
While he's far from the most ubiquitous commercial actor, Nathan Barnatt appeared in a few Kmart advertisements in the 2010s in which he played an overeager man excited to spread the word of Kmart Shop Your Way Points. He's also cropped up in ads for GameStop and Handa.
His most notable ventures, however, have been online. He's the proprietor of a YouTube ARG Channel known as Dad, and he was previously celebrated for the viral antics he engaged in while masquerading as the geeky internet personality Keith Apicary.
Jake Wood: Martin The GEICO Lizard
Jake Wood is a popular British actor known for his roles in EastEnders and the Illusionist. But, in America, Wood is best known for his voice acting abilities and for portraying Martin the gecko for GEICO commercials.
Martin appears in most GEICO commercials where he encourages those watching to buy GEICO insurance to assist with their problems. The commercials are all different, but Martin remains. Jake Wood's proper British accent is what's most remembered by viewers.
Gillian Vigman: Multiple Companies
Gillian Vigman is a well-known actress who is a triple threat known for TV shows, commercials, and movies. She's been in great movies like The Hangover and Walk of Shame, but she's also been in TV shows like Star Trek: Lower Decks, Life Sentence, and New Girl. Her role in New Girl was Schmidt's boss and love interest who couldn't deny Schmidt's one-liners.
Commercial-wise, there doesn't seem like many that Vigman turns down. She's starred in commercials for Dole Fruit Bowls, Breathe Right, Swifter, DirecTV, and more. She's been dubbed the "commercial queen" after appearing in dozens upon dozens of spots over the years.
Morgan Smith-Goodwin: Wendys
Morgan Smith-Goodwin is most recognized as Red from the Wendy's commercials. Wendy's planned on hiring someone who looked like the original Wendy and chose Morgan Smith-Goodwin to play the role. With long red hair, "Red" ate Wendy's menu items while interacting with other Wendy's-goers from 2012 to 2016.
Outside of starring as Red in most of its commercials, Morgan was a likable character in Veep. Most recently, she's been in Messiah as Agent Rhymer and Gigi in Love in the Time of Corona.
Diane Amos: Pin-Sol
Diane Amos has been acting since the early '90s. Her first role was as Janet Drew in the TV series Midnight Caller, but she later made appearances in Patch Adams, Sweet November, and, most recently, The Hall. But, she's most commonly known as the"Pine-Sol Lady."
Amos has starred as the Pine-Sol Lady since 1993. In the commercials, she appears in homeowners' houses where she preaches the greatness of Pine-Sol and its many uses as a household cleaning product. Her glow and energy make her the perfect commercial spokesperson.
Vince Offer: ShamWow
"You following me, camera guy?" Vince Offer began his career as a comedian in the late 80s and eventually went on to direct a film titled The Underground Comedy Movie, which earned a spiritual sequel of sorts in 2013 via the film InAPPropriate Comedy. He's also had a few cameos in films like Jack and Jill and The Clapper.
However, he's best known for his starring roles in various as-seen-on-TV promotions, most notably for the ShamWow. His manic performance and use of vague sexual innuendo made him a hit, and he has recently announced a new series titled Show Me The Wow.
Tim Williams: Trivago
Taking a weekend getaway after a long work week sounds like a dream, and many people have turned to Trivago for help with booking cheaper accommodations—but that might have something to do with how memorable their ads are. His name is Tim Williams, and he has become the face of the hotel search engine.
Williams isn't only the face of the German company's commercials, but he is also a well-known television and film actor in Germany. If he still looks familiar outside of the commercials, Williams also had small roles in Valkyrie, Ninja Assassin, and Labyrinth of Lies.
Peter Grosz & T.J. Jagodowski: Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is one of the best places to be during the summer, and the commercials are super convincing. What made the "Two Guys" commercials a success were their two main actors, Peter Grosz and T.J. Jagodowski. The comedic duo appeared in fast-food company's commercials for eight years before the company decided to take a new direction.
Besides being an actor, Grosz is also a television writer having worked on The Colbert Report and Late Night with Seth Meyers. He also had small roles in Veep and on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Jagodowski is a comedian and improv performer who has been a part of the film Get Hard and was in the show Prison Break.
Jonathan Goldsmith: Dos Equis
Jonathan Goldsmith is The Most Interesting Man in the World, and he also happens to be the suave and alluring spokesman for the beer Dos Equis. His was a commonly seen face during the pioneering days of internet meme culture, and he starred in the campaign back in 2006 until 2018.
Goldsmith started his acting career back in the '60s and established his career in Western films like Hang 'Em High in 1968. He also took his career to television, appearing in numerous works like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, CHiPs, he's perhaps best known for appearing on the television show Dallas seventeen separate times.
Colin Ferguson: Maytag
For sci-fi fans, seeing Colin Ferguson as the Maytag Man in the appliance commercials is a fun treat. Ferguson started the role in 2014 but has had a long and notable career outside of advetrising. In 2003, he became the lead in the sitcom series Coupling. He was also the lead character in the popular Syfy show Eureka.
He has continued his career in the sci-fi/supernatural genre and was the recurring character in season six of The Vampire Diaries as Thomas Vincent 'Tripp' Cooke. He also played William in the show Haven and had a recurring role in Cedar Cove.
Isaiah Amir Mustafa: Old Spice
After the end of Terry Crew's portrayal in the Old Spice commercials, actor Isaiah Mustafa took on the role. His suave and charming demeanor won over fans, and he became the new face of the male grooming company. Mustafa may seem familiar outside of the commercials.
He was a former football wide receiver before pursuing a career in acting. Before taking on bigger roles, Mustafa played minor characters in the show Nikita and Sirens, and he is also known for having played the role of Luke Garroway in the show Shadowhunters. For the second installment of the horror film It, he played the grown-up version of Mike Hanlon in It Chapter Two.
Paul Marcarelli: Sprint/Verizon
Before being the spokesperson for Sprint, Paul Maracarelli was first the spokesperson for Verizon, one of their primary competitors, and many would recall his famous line "can you hear me now?" He was part of the Verizon team for nine years before switching over to the other side. Fans were in shock to suddenly see him adorning yellow instead of red.
This wasn't the first time Maracarelli was seen in television commercials. He also took part in commercials for Old Navy, Dasani, T-Mobile, and Heineken. When it came to cellular companies, he was the go-to guy.
Dennis Haysbert: Allstate
Dannis Haysbert is one of the most recognized actors in advertising for his role in the Allstate Insurance commercials, so much so that the company even decided to make jokes about it in the commercials. Haysbert is also a known voice actor. In the late '80s, he portrayed the baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the film trilogy Major League.
He became the first actor to portray the DC Comics character Kilowog from the Green Lantern comics. As a voice actor, he has narrated many documentaries like The World According to Dick Cheney. Haysbert also starred in the Netflix thriller film Secret Obsession.
Dean Winters: "Mayhem" Allstate
Dean Winters is one of those well-known television actors who is now also known for his commercial acting. Winters is known for playing tough-guy characters, and his role as "Mayhem" in the Allstate auto insurance commercials feels like a perfect fit. His career was already a hit before taking part in the commercials.
In Law & Order: SVU he is known for playing the role of Cassidy for multiple seasons and is best known for his character Ryan O'Reilly in Oz. Winters has an extensive acting list ranging from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, John Wick, and American Gods. He also plays The Vulture on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Milana Vayntrub: AT&T
Alongside, Marcarelli, Milan Vaybntrub is also a well-known commercial actor, most prominently recognized as the spokesperson for AT&T. While she originally played the role of Lily Adams from 2013 up until 2016, she reprised her role in 2020.
Vayntrub has been known for work outside of commercials like having a guest role for two episodes in Silicon Valley. She also appeared in This Is Us in 2016. Today, her biggest role is voicing Doreen Green/Squirrel Girl in the Marvel Rising franchise.
Stephanie Courtney: Progressive
Taking the number one spot as the most recognized commercial actor is Stephanie Courtney, better known as Flo. Courtney is famous for portraying the insurance agent for the Progressive commercials. Who can forget her iconic red lipstick and bumped-up hair with her blue headband?
Courtney has also appeared in some notable work, and audiences have heard her voice somewhere else before, as she is known for voicing the characters Renee the Receptionist and Joy Peters in Tom Goes to the Mayor back in 2004. In 2007, she had a small role in Mad Men and in Cavemen. For three seasons, she played Eassie Karp in The Goldbergs.
J.K. Simmons: Farmers Insurance Group
J. K. Simmons is a widely-recognized and wonderfully talented actor whom many will recognize thanks to his large body of work outside of commercials. However, in recent years, he's furthered his fame by stepping into the role of a storied Farmers Insurance Group museum curator. Known for the line "we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two," Simmons' memorable performance lends the brand some major credibility.
Of course, Marvel fans know him best as the loudmouth editor-in-chief of The Daily Bugle in Sam Rami's Spider-Man films. He's also recognized for his Oscar-winning role as a supporting actor in the 2014 film Whiplash.