Recently, I wrote about athletes with YouTube channels, which got me thinking about other famous people with YouTube channels. Naturally, it led me to wonder about actors and actresses, who are equipped with equal fame, fortune and recognition. Plus, professional actors and actresses make a more logical connection to the YouTube world than athletes, as the format is perfectly suited to accommodate their talents.
I decided to research my question to see whether having extra screen time on YouTube was an aspiration of actors and actresses, maybe to share their passions or even spoilers. Luckily, I hit gold. Here are eight actors and actresses with YouTube channels.
1. Dwayne Johnson
Dubbing his channel “The Rock,” one of the most multi-talented entertainers now joins the squad of actors with YouTube channels. Unsurprisingly, his channel has 3.8 million subscribers and plenty of videos to keep his audiences entertained.
Johnson has dedicated some of his channel to physical training, as you may have assumed. Though it may come as a bit of a shock, the Rock only started posting training videos in the past couple months, just so anyone has a chance of becoming herculean if they choose.
The rest of the brawny actor’s videos demonstrate his hilarious persona, more like his character in “Central Intelligence” than his “Fast and Furious” character. Some examples of his more light-hearted videos include his special love advice, cooking shows and a video of himself as “Dwanta Claus.” Johnson’s channel is the perfect mix of training tutorials, movie clips and some mini-skit type videos.
2. Zac Efron
The presence of heartthrob Zac Efron is now not only on the big screen, but a little screen too. The hunky actor only started his channel a month ago, but already has 600K subscribers, probably because of his many lady (and some guy) fans. Efron’s videos serve the purpose of showing his training regime, which helps him stay so, well, good-looking.
Unfortunately, there have been no videos showcasing his artistic abilities, as he seems to have saved it for the Hollywood production set rather than YouTube. Therefore, there will be no “High School Musical” cast members guest starring or Efron reminiscing about being “17 Again.” However, Efron is one of the actors with YouTube channels who has had celebrity guest stars, such as actress Nina Dobrev and NFL tight end Marcedes Lewis.
You can watch the now 31-year-old actor’s videos to learn more about how he is dealing with a horrific ACL injury and starting to train again post-surgery. It’s hard to argue against the actor’s grit and perfection, and his channel will be successful as it gains more traction.
3. Ashley Tisdale
Being Zac Efron’s “High School Musical” co-star and fan-favorite Maddie Fitzpatrick from Disney’s “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” Ashley Tisdale is no stranger to stardom. Her YouTube channel has 1.8 million subscribers and 207 videos, and the channel stems back to her Disney days. Tisdale is dual-talented, and has music videos and other regular uploads on her channel, so her content is diverse.
The actress-singer has recently posted videos that give tips to help viewers improve their personal well-being. She shares workout regimens, makeup packages and daily morning routine tips for women. Tisdale is still very much a singer too, as she posted her most recent music video three months ago. Though you probably haven’t seen her on the big screen recently, the camera is still shining on Tisdale in a lot of “scenes” for YouTube and music videos.
4. Josh Peck
At this point, I’ve probably stirred up some nostalgia, and Josh Peck is just another reminder of your favorite childhood shows. The now 32-year-old is one of the many actors with YouTube channels and has 2.9 million subscribers and 131 videos.
Though “Drake & Josh” feels ancient nowadays, Peck has kept a digital presence, and yes, he happens to have a video where he looks at the most cringe-worthy moments of his olden days, with Drake Bell guest starring in the video.
Additionally, the former Nickelodeon star has had other big-name YouTubers collaborate in his videos, including Shane Dawson, Gabbie Hanna, Trisha Paytas and David Dobrik.
Peck’s content is diverse and aims to depict his crazy daily life. Whether you believe it or not, one of your favorite childhood stars is now married, and Peck’s first video was about his marriage. Beyond that, the actor has uploaded videos like mukbangs, challenges, life stories, reaction videos and much more. Stay tuned for Peck’s videos, as they are posted frequently and will not disappoint.
5. Jeanette McCurdy
Jeanette McCurdy, or Sam Puckett from Nickelodeon’s “iCarly,” has added to the trend of trying to instigate nostalgia among young adults by making a YouTube presence. McCurdy started her channel about six months ago, but already has 288K subscribers.
The actress’s video format is different from previous actors with YouTube channels, as she uses more of a vlogging approach. So far, the videos on her channel have corresponded to McCurdy’s life experiences, such as going to a film festival and traveling to Alaska.
Recently, she posted a short filmed entitled “Kenny,” which she directed herself. Though there are not many videos on the channel yet, I’m sure new “episodes” will be coming up soon.
6. Madelaine Petsch
Let’s transition from former childhood stars to a prominent actress in today’s teenage sitcom world: Petsch, or Cheryl from CW’s “Riverdale,” who is very successful in today’s TV and YouTube world. With 4.2 million subscribers and 75 videos, Petsch’s channel is larger than any other one on the list so far.
So, what exactly has led to the actress’s popularity on YouTube? Well, her show’s national reputation is one, but the YouTuber has many videos about her daily life, along with Q&A sessions, cooking tutorials, makeup videos and guest stars such as Camila Mendes, Vanessa Morgan and boyfriend Travis Mills. Petsch’s topics appeal to a large audience and diversify her content too. Props to her for being an actively posting YouTuber and successful actress.
7. Ryan Reynolds
Moving on to a 2000s-comedy legend, Reynolds is one of the popular actors with YouTube channels. Reynold’s channel is mostly representative of his most recent work, such as “Deadpool” clips and “Detective Pikachu” videos (maybe promotions). In between, Reynolds includes a videos detailing his morning routine and featuring guest stars.
8. Will Smith
Last but not least, let’s look at Mr. Will Smith’s channel, which is legendary, might I say. One of the most recognized actors with YouTube channels, the multi-talented film star has a staggering 5.1 million subscribers — by far the most of anybody on the list.
Smith depicts his life off the screen in his YouTube videos, without transforming into any TV or movie character. Videos have included a family Coachella experience, vlogs, trailers and experiences with family members.
In addition, Smith has showcased adrenaline-pumping activities such as skiing in Dubai, bungee-jumping, skydiving and “jumping” into the Grand Canyon. The sheer nervousness associated with the activities is enough to make him shed some pounds (maybe seven). Smith is very successful in his pursuit of happiness as a human being, actor and YouTuber, as he only started his impressive channel a year ago. I can only imagine what comes next for good old Hitch.
It’s a new experience viewing your favorite actors with YouTube channels, as you can finally see their debunked, true characters in script-less scenes, which are filmed on the production set that is their life.
