Actor: Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel wrote, directed and starred in a short film called Multi-Facial about a mixed-race actor unable to get cast, which Steven Spielberg saw and which led directly to a part in Saving Private Ryan.

Pitch Black and The Fast and the Furious established him, and the latter became one of the highest-grossing franchises in history under his creative involvement.

He voices Groot and the Iron Giant, both of which use the voice as the entire instrument, with Groot limited to three words.

He was a bouncer for years under the name he invented, and has been unusually protective of the Fast franchise’s ensemble and continuity.