Many are the talents of which Robert is the first name and who have marked the history of cinema. It may only be the 80th most popular name today, but between 1924 and 1939 it was the most popular male name in the United States (and remained incredibly popular through the 1950s and into the -of the). With that knowledge in mind, perhaps the amount of Roberts in Hollywood isn’t as surprising.
As for the directors named Robert, there are Zemeckis, Altman, Eggerand Wise, to name a few. However, when it comes to actors, there seems to be even more Roberts. To celebrate some of the most notable Roberts in theater history, here are 10 notable actors who share him as a first name.
robert de niro
It’s hard to imagine what American cinema would have looked like over the past 50 years without the involvement of robert de niro. He’s been starring in well-known films since the early 1970s and seemingly never slowed down as an actor, with many of his best roles coming from his classic directorial collaborations. Martin Scorsese.
Picking a favorite Robert might be like picking a favorite kid, but at the same time… maybe it’s De Niro? Beyond the Scorsese movies, he’s been in movies like Once upon a time in America, Brazil, The Godfather Part II, Heatand even much lighter films, like Meet the parents. Whether he’s in the lead role or in a supporting role, De Niro always brings his A-game, and his reputation as one of the greatest actors of all time is well deserved.
Robert Duval
Like DeNiro, Robert Duval is another Robert who appears in The Godfather movies. Either way, neither debuted in the iconic trilogy, but both grew more popular in its wake, with an Oscar win for De Niro’s lone appearance, and Duvall being nominated for his performance in as Tom Hagen in the first film.
It’s far from Duvall’s only big role, though. He also had a memorable turn in Revelation now, making a huge impression despite only being in a handful of relatively short scenes in a long film. He also remained active in the film world well into his 80s, earning an Oscar nomination for 2014. The judgeand giving a strong performance within the 2018 ensemble cast widows.
Robert Downey Jr.
It probably goes without saying, but yes, for many people, Robert Downey Jr. is basically Iron Man. He made the role his own, playing Tony Stark/Iron Man for over 10 years, being the lead character in three solo films, playing major roles in all four avengers movies, and having smaller (but enjoyable) cameo appearances in movies like Spider-Man: Far From Home and even The Incredible Hulk.
It’s worth pointing out that he’s not just Tony Stark, though, and given what happened to the character at the end of Avengers: Endgame, we may have seen the last of Stark. He was also in born killersthe hilarious and underrated Kiss Kiss Bang Bangand gave a fantastic performance in 1992 Charlie Chaplin biopic, simply titled Chaplin.
Robert Loggia
Robert Loggia might not be a household name, but he has a very memorable screen presence, and chances are you’ve seen him in something before. Oddly enough, while he usually plays tough guys (often in crime movies), his most famous movie role might be in the 1988 comedy Big (with tom hank).
He also had a recurring role as Feech La Manna in The Sopranos during the show’s fifth season, and gangster-themed, also featured in the 1983s scarface. With 233 (mostly supporting) TV and film roles during his career, there are simply too many more to list here.
Robert Patrick
For playing the villain in Terminator 2 – arguably one of the best action movies of all time – Robert Patrick earned her place among other notable Roberts in the theater world. He’s a menacing antagonist and a force to be reckoned with by James Cameron 1991 classic, even when faced with Arnold Schwarzeneggerwho is clearly taller and more imposing than Patrick.
He has also had a solid career, appearing in The Sopranos, X filesand the recent Peacemaker, to name a few shows. However, it’s hard not to consider him the villain of the second terminator movie, but given that this movie is so good, it might not be the worst thing in the world.
Robert Forster
Robert Forster had a long career in Hollywood, establishing himself as an ever-reliable character actor from the late 1960s. His presence always enhanced whatever movie he was in, and his career even managed to catch a second wind with 1997’s Jackie Brownwhich saw Forster earn an Oscar nomination.
One of his last roles was as the mysterious and professional Ed in breaking Bad, where he had a huge impact, despite appearing in only one of the final episodes of the final season. He reprized the role for the sequel movie The Caminowhich ended up being published on the day of Forster’s death.
Robert Redford
Since many decades, Robert Redford was arguably one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. While he continued to perform in the 21st century, he was probably at his peak in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and well celebrated by many for his screen presence, charisma, and famous good looks.
He did some of his most iconic films with another superstar Paul Newman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The bite). He slowed down acting roles in the 2010s, but could still be seen in a decent number of high-profile films, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier, All is lostand The old man and the gun.
Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner is another Robert that has been around for many decades at this point. His earliest credits date back to the early 1950s, appearing in a wide variety of films, from comedies to romance films to war films. He is also known to be married to Nathalie Bois in prestigious marriages from 1957 to 1962, then from 1972 until his death in 1981.
These days, he might be best known for playing number two in the Austin Powers trilogy. It’s by no means a starring role, but it makes it work and adds yet another quirky character to the wild world that’s been built up in these parody films.
Robert Vaughn
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Robert Vaughn didn’t often seem to get many leading roles throughout his long film career, but he had many notable supporting roles, being endlessly reliable in smaller parts. One of the most notable roles was being one of the Magnificent Seven The Magnificent Sevenand he ended up being the last surviving main cast member, who died in 2016.
He also appeared in Superman 3featured in by Steve McQueen iconic Bullitand was part of the large cast sets in both The ten Commandments and The infernal tower. He may have rarely stolen the show, but he’s always been a strong part of any major cast he’s appeared in.
Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson stands out from other famous acting Roberts for being significantly younger. He’s still in his 30s, but has already racked up a slew of iconic roles. And yes, even if the Dusk the movies aren’t particularly great, his role in them is memorable, and the series is ultimately a big reason why he became a beloved actor in the first place.
Of course, it was her roles after 2012 that were the most exciting. It shocked many people in Good timebecause of its quality, and Lighthouse came a few years later and turned out to give him an equally iconic role. In the 2020s, he starred in Principle and The Batmanand so really, the sky is the limit for Pattinson at this point in his already remarkable career.
