Oscar Isaac

Inside Llewyn Davis asked a lot from its lead: play guitar convincingly, carry an entire film, and make an unlikable man compelling for two hours. Isaac learned Travis picking from scratch for the role, performed the songs live with T Bone Burnett producing, and earned a Golden Globe nomination. J.J. Abrams saw the film and cast him as Poe Dameron the following year, which is how a Coen Brothers character study became the audition reel for a global blockbuster franchise.

After Star Wars made him a household name, Isaac has been selective about where he shows up next. Ex Machina, Annihilation, and Dune kept his prestige credentials intact while he cashed the blockbuster paychecks. Moon Knight in 2022 earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes), but Marvel has quietly shelved a second season. The more revealing storyline: Isaac told GQ he wasn't currently open to working with Disney after their handling of the Jimmy Kimmel suspension, which isn't the kind of thing franchise actors usually say out loud.

His real name is Oscar Isaac Hernandez Estrada. He was born in Guatemala, moved to Miami at five months old, and spent high school fronting a punk-ska band called the Blinking Underdogs before deciding Juilliard was the better path (class of 2005). He reportedly emailed Denis Villeneuve directly to land his role in Dune. His production company with his wife, Danish filmmaker Elvira Lind, is called Mad Gene Media, a combination of their two sons' names, Eugene and Mads.