You ever get bored and decide to do something completely ridiculous? That's what I'm doing with this list. I've made a ton of "top ten worst" and "top ten best" songs lists this year. Why not do something silly? I mean, Todd In The Shadows made a "Top Ten 90s Buses" video in 2022, so that's kind of the area I'm going off here. So, why did I choose this specific topic? It was honestly the first thing that came to mind. There's a lot of famous people named Chris, you know? Actors, athletes, musicians, you name it! This list is an opportunity to heap praise on some people named Chris who have impacted me in some way, but mostly it's just a fun way to relax and write. Hope you enjoy the list, and let's get started.

The rules of the list are simple. For a person to qualify for this list, they must go by the name "Chris" and be famous in some way. This is a broad list. The Wikipedia page for the name "Chris" features hundreds of different people, so narrowing down this list was not easy. I had to make some hard cuts from the list, as there are many people that go by this name. Now, without further adieu, let's count down...

The Top Ten Famous People Named Chris

#10

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest phenomenons in the history of popular culture. The amount of blockbuster movies that franchise had is beyond anything any other franchise could ever hope to achieve. Between the 4 Avengers movies, 3 Iron Man movies, 3 Spider-Man movies, and more, they've accomplished something that may never be seen again. Of course, they had to cast the right people for the job. Casting someone to portray a Marvel icon is a difficult task, but when it came to picking who would play Captain America, the team did a great job. 

10. Chris Evans

Chris Evans is one of the most accomplished actors currently working. Obviously, he's most known for his role of Steve Rogers/Captain America that he played for 8 years (2011-2019), but he's been consistently acting for a long time. Other well-known roles include Johnny Storm/Human Torch in two Fantastic Four movies in the mid-2000s, Ransom Drysdale in Rian Johnson's Knive's Out, and Curtis Everett in Snowpiercer. This is a very strong resume for an actor who can succeed as both the cocky, over-the-top jock and the disciplined, principled soldier. His versatility makes him one of the best actors currently working, and he is an easy choice for this list.

Evans is also a prolific donator to charity, having given to Christopher's Haven and other charitable organizations. He's also very active politically, having spoken in favor of civil rights and discussing other issues. He doesn't just act, he allows himself to be involved in what he feels is important, and that's a good quality to have. Just an overall good dude who seems to have his heart in the right place.

#9

Speaking of Marvel Cinematic Universe actors named Chris, there's another guy I didn't talk about in my list of the biggest movies in that franchise. Another founding member of the Avengers, Thor is one of my favorite superheroes of all time. The portrayal of Thor in the Avengers movies as well as his first and third solo movies are among the best the MCU had to offer. Ultimately, me liking Thor over Captain America is what pushed this actor over Evans.

9. Chris Hemsworth

You can kind of see the theme of this list at this point. Chris Hemsworth, just like Evans, is a very accomplished actor who really made a name for himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, although he was quite famous before. Outside of Thor, he has played in numerous other movies, including the recent Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Cabin In The Woods. He is also portraying a young Optimus Prime in the upcoming film Transformers One. He was named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People in 2014, and has been praised by other outlets for his physique and appearance.

Hemsworth just seems like a very likable guy. In most of his performances and interviews, he comes across as genuinely charming and somebody I'd like to sit down and have a conversation with. He also donates to charity, just like Evans. Unlike Evans, though, he is Australian, which means he has an awesome accent he can show off to everybody he meets. His resume is definitely enough to warrant a spot on this list.

#8

If you can't tell by the fact that I've written multiple NFL mock drafts on this page, I am a huge football fan. There are a ton of NFL players named Chris, many of which are very, very good players. I've got to give this spot to someone who's arguably the best at his position and one of the best overall talents in the entire league. Of course, I doubt he'll ever win a Super Bowl since he plays for the Atlanta Falcons, but hey, what you gonna do?

8. Chris Lindstrom

Chris Lindstrom was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1st round of the 2019 NFL Draft, pick 14 overall. I'd argue that he has 100% been worth that selection, considering he has since been one of the best offensive linemen in the entire NFL. After missing his rookie year, he immediately became a standout in his second year. Following his rookie contract, he was given a 5 year, $105 million extension with the Falcons, making him the highest paid guard in the league at the time. He has been well worth it considering he has been great this season, with a 78.6 PFF grade at the time of writing.

As a Bengals fan who has watched poor offensive lines for the past decade, I can appreciate a good offensive lineman. Lindstrom earns the distinction as the best offensive lineman in the NFL who is named Chris. His awards speak for themselves. He was a 2nd-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2023, as well as being named #88 on the Top 100 NFL Players of 2024 and #87 on the Top 100 NFL Players of 2023. His talent deserves to be recognized and I could see him flanking the Falcons offensive line for another 8 years or so.

#7

After a quick break, we return to Marvel Cinematic Universe actors named Chris (I promise, this is the last one). This one, of course, is someone who has done a lot more than just play Guardians of the Galaxy leader Star-Lord. He has appeared in numerous movies and franchises, and is one of the funniest actors currently working. Obviously you all know who I'm talking about, so I'll just tell you now. It's Chris Pratt.

7. Chris Pratt

Pratt's role as Star-Lord was his foray into action movies, but he's been in a ton ever since. Apart from the MCU, he has played in Jurassic World, The LEGO Movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Onward, Passengers, and much more. He became a star off his role in the sitcom Parks and Recreation, where he portrayed the chubby but lovable Andy Dwyer. Of course, he eventually trained for his Marvel success and has since been one of the biggest stars in the world. And I can't blame the world for that, the dude is hilarious. He has the sense of humor and charisma that is important in acting, making him a very good fit for modern movies. 

I found out while researching for this article that Pratt is married to the daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger. That has to be awkward, having the Terminator as a father-in-law. He has also donated over a million dollars to charity over the years, and seems to be a genuinely good person overall. He is also apparently the Pringles guy now? So that's interesting. What a dude we have here. I'm genuinely glad he's one of the biggest actors alive.

#6

On my #8 pick, we talked about the realm of football. In my #6 pick, we journey into the realm of basketball, where I'll discuss one of the most interesting careers in NBA history. A guy who once hit a huge 3 to cut the lead down the 42, and who so many people have made memes about. In fact, I feel like the memes are so big at this point that they make people forget how genuinely great this guy has been throughout his career.

6. Chris Paul

The 39-year-old Chris Paul has had a very strange career. He was drafted in 2005 by the New Orleans Hornets, and has played on 6 teams throughout his career, with the Spurs about to become his 7th. He's a 12-time NBA All-Star who has made 1st-team All-NBA 4 times and 2nd-team All-NBA 5 times. He's one of the best defensive players in NBA history and was president of the NBA Player's Association for 8 years. He is also the NBA record holder in average assists per game at 11.6. I genuinely have a lot of respect for Paul, as he's one of the players I grew up watching.

A lot of people will talk about how Paul hasn't won a championship despite playing for so long, and yeah, that's somewhat of a knock against him. He's still a very impressive player nonetheless despite his small stature. His accomplishments are going to leave him as one of the greatest players in NBA history to have not won it all, which is a shame because he comes across as a likeable dude. Maybe his team-up with Wemby can finally lead to one? We'll have to see.

#5

One thing I can say everybody should agree on is that sexual predators are some of the worst people in existence. It's a shame that we live in a world with so many reprehensible human beings, and anyone does anything of that nature is an evil piece of garbage who should be tossed in prison for the rest of their lives. Why am I bringing this up? Well, the #5 entry on this list is somebody who hosted a show where he tried to stop this type of person before they were even able to get started.

5. Chris Hansen

To Catch A Predator is a show that I'm sad had to exist, just like every other show about crimes. That doesn't stop me from watching them, but I always feel a sort of guilt when I do. Hansen was an excellent choice for the host of that show, as he seemed genuinely disappointed in anyone who showed up to those sting operations, and it made for an interesting dynamic. He's done a lot of other work, too, hosting Killer Instinct and Crime Watch Daily, 

He's been a well-respected journalist for many years, and has covered a lot of very uncomfortable topics, but he does a good enough job to justify putting him on this list. He's won multiple Emmy Awards as well as many other journalism awards for his work, and it's well-deserved. His YouTube channel has some very interesting videos, and I'd recommend checking it out whenever you're done reading this.

#4

If you've read any of my music lists, you'll know that I'm a pretty big fan of country music. Guys like Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan, and, more recently, Shaboozey have made some of my favorite songs as of late in the genre. There's one very critically acclaimed artist who has stood out as making some of the most loved songs in the genre, and his gritty, soulful sound allows him to be country music's representative on this list.

4. Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton is one of those country stars where it's genuinely very difficult to dislike him. He's made some of the best-sounding, soul-filled music of the decade so far, and his career has been so interesting to watch. His career really shot into the stratosphere following his live performance of "Tennessee Whiskey", a cover of David Allen Coe's song, with currently disgraced former pop star Justin Timberlake. That song has become one of the most streamed songs of all time on Spotify, especially for the country genre. He has a ton of other great hits, too, such as "Starting Over", "You Should Probably Leave", and "White Horse", just to name a few.

Stapleton has earned a lot of respect from critics, and that's well-deserved. He's one of the best country singers currently working, and he has inspired many other artists. I'd say guys like Nate Smith and Luke Combs have absolutely taken influence from Stapleton's rock-inspired sound, and it's one of the dominating forces on the charts right now (which I'll be discussing morHe in December, stay tuned on that one). Stapleton is someone my dad, who doesn't really listen to any modern music at all, listens to, which shows how broad his appeal is. Just a great artist all around.

#3

I'm a gigantic fan of comedy. My favorite movie of all time is Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I consistently watch old Saturday Night Live sketches to pass time when I'm bored. One of my favorite sketches is one where two parents bring in a motivational speaker to talk to their two kids, and it's one of the funniest things you'll ever watch. The guy who portrayed the motivational speaker is one of the funniest comedians of all time, in my opinion, and he takes the #3 spot on this list.

3. Chris Farley

Rest in peace, Chris Farley. Farley was one of the first big superstars to make a name for himself on Saturday Night Live, portraying characters such as the aforementioned Matt Foley and super-Bears fan Todd O'Connor. He also appeared in numerous classic comedy movies such as Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, and Beverly Hills Ninja. His style of stunt comedy is something that will always give me a laugh, especially when it's completely out-of-nowhere.

Unfortunately, Farley struggled with his health throughout his life, passing away at the age of 33 from a drug overdose. His legacy will live on, though, as his comedy has managed to make people laugh to this day. In fact, he is so influential that I have decided that my life goal is to live in a van down by the river. Want to judge me? Well, I'll jump on a table.

#2

As discussed previously, I talk about music a lot on this blog. Music is one of the most important things of my life, with many songs leaving a huge impact on me as a person after listening. One song that I've always genuinely been amazed by is called "Viva la Vida". It's anthemic, orchestral sound is one of the best sounds to ever be created in the century so far, and it would easily top my list of the best hits of the 2000s. The band that made it, Coldplay, is one of my favorite bands of all time, and wouldn't you know it, their lead singer is named Chris.

2. Chris Martin

I feel like a lot of people hate Coldplay, considering so much talk I've seen about them. I love so many of their songs though, including the aforementioned "Viva la Vida", "A Sky Full of Stars", "Clocks", "Fix You", "Adventure of a Lifetime", "Hymn for the Weekend", and more. They wouldn't be as good of a band without Martin, whose obviously British voice lends itself wonderfully to the thoughtful rock style they go for. He is a genuinely brilliant singer who has helped make some of the best music I've ever listened to, and I can't really heap enough praise onto the band he fronts.

Martin is an advocate for hearing loss awareness, having struggled with tinnitus throughout his life. He seems like a likable guy, and it comes across that way in his music, too. I would argue Coldplay is one of the best bands of the 2000s, and their influences have spread throughout the world, with multiple number one hits such as "Viva La Vida" and their BTS collaboration "My Universe". I genuinely hope the best for Martin and his bandmates, as they have so much obvious talent that it would be hard to live in a world without their music.

And now, before I reveal who my favorite famous person named Chris is, some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

HM. Chris Jones

Chris Jones would 100%, no questions be on this list if he didn't play for Kansas City. Unfortunately, my hatred of that team is so strong that it nudged the MCU actors over him and left him as my honorary #11. Sorry Chris, but I hope you don't win another game as long as you play for that unlikable team. You're the best defensive tackle in the league, but blame your boys Mahomes and Kelce for this, not you.

HM. Chris Cornell

Cornell was another brilliant, critically-acclaimed musician who was one of the pioneers of his genre. His work for Audioslave and Soundgarden are masterpieces, and he deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest rock singers of all time. I don't have a lot of personal experience with his music, but I've heard enough to know that he was truly, truly special.

HM. Chris Rock

Rock getting slapped on stage by Will Smith in 2022 is still one of the strangest events I've witnessed in the media. Rock is a great comedian who I feel like has done a lot of great things in his career. I've seen so many clips of Everybody Hates Chris on YouTube Shorts lately, and it seems to be a well-made show that tells the story of Chris in a funny, enjoyable manner.

HM. Chris Godwin

Chris isn't actually Godwin's real first name, but he still counts for this list. He's been one of the best #2 receivers in the league since he was drafted by the Buccaneers out of Penn State, and has been an excellent complement to Mike Evans. He's also a Super Bowl champion, adding a huge boost to his resume. 

HM. Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus has made some great films throughout his career as a director, including the Harry Potter movies, Home Alone, Gremlins, The Goonies, and Mrs. Doubtfire. He's got an excellent track record and has been one of the most successful directors of all time. Definitely someone worth keeping around in Hollywood.

HM. Chris Pine

Pine is the last of the Chris actors to appear in this list, but he's got some good work to his name. He played in Star Trek, Wonder Woman, and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, to name a few. He's a good actor who's done a lot of good work, but I didn't feel like it was enough to justify putting him above Hemsworth, Evans, or Pratt.

And now, my pick for my favorite famous person named Chris.

#1

If you know me well, this should come as no surprise. I'm a huge football guy, I'm a student at The Ohio State University, and I've been outspoken about my love of watching this player play for a long while. It all started in 2018 when, against Michigan, he put up one of the best freshman performances I've ever seen. He proceeded to break records in Columbus, quickly becoming one of my favorite players to ever don the scarlet and gray.

1. Chris Olave

If you came into this list expecting anyone else to top it, I would not be surprised. Olave hasn't accomplished as much as some of the other people on this list, but he's been easily my favorite wide receiver in the league since the day he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints. He holds the record for most Ohio State touchdown catches with 35, and was a key piece to one of the most stacked receiving cores in college football history. His smooth route-running combined with his excellent hands made him so fun to watch.

I still think he has the potential to be a top 5 receiver in the NFL as long as the Saints don't mess it up. Derek Carr, for some reason, refuses to give Olave the targets he deserves, but Chris still manages to use whatever scraps Carr has left over to give the Saints whatever he can. He's an absolutely brilliant receiver, and someone I personally feel like is among the greatest Ohio State players of all time. I expect his payday to be massive once he's eligible for a contract extension, and he's going to be a great NFL receiver for a long time.

If you liked this, please consider leaving a comment. I'm Lando from the Landoman Experiment, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.