# Non-american actors working in Hollywood **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503 "2008-07-14T21:40:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/1 "2008-07-14T21:40:35Z")
I tried to search INS (or whatever it’s called these days) but couldn’t find anything. There are a lot of Aussie/UK/Irish people working the movie/tv industry. Every now and then, people from other countries land roles for the big and small screen. How do they get permit/green card to work in the U.S. (or Vancouver)? I know some about U.S. immigration laws and being an actor doesn’t seem to qualify. It’s not as if there’s a lack of educated labor (e.g. all drama students waiting tables in Hollywood), but somehow, working in Hollywood makes all those things that apply to plumbers and nurses go away. I don’t mind that the Moroccan born [Juan Moreno](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000606/) (by Spanish parents), making his mark in France as Jean Reno, can end up making movies in Hollywood. But why can’t (fictional) Paul White (Pablo Blanco, born in Spain, moved to Paris [as Paul Blanche]) get a work permit to drive a cab in NYC - as Paul White? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/2 "2008-07-14T21:58:07Z")
One kind of visa is the O-1 for “aliens who have extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics which has been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim and who are coming temporarily to the U.S. to continue work in the area of extraordinary ability.” ([O visa - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-1_visa)) That might be available for some foreigners working in Hollywood. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/3 "2008-07-14T22:14:39Z")
Iisn’t it usually people who have “broken through” at home who go to Hollywood? (Thinking Stellan Skarsgård, Jean Reno, Viggo Mortensen (he’s really danish right?)) And in some interviews I¨ve read, they just get a “normal” green card and hope for the best (the unknown ones getting smaller parts) ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/4 "2008-07-15T01:37:09Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] Iisn’t it usually people who have “broken through” at home who go to Hollywood? (Thinking Stellan Skarsgård, Jean Reno, Viggo Mortensen (he’s really danish right?) [/QUOTE] Not so far as Canadians go. There are a lot of Canadians working in the US. Some will have had success at home first; others not or will have had some exposure, but are certainly not “famous”. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/5 "2008-07-15T05:56:55Z")
Viggo Mortensen’s father is Danish and his mother is American. He was born in New York. His family moved around a lot when he was a child. He appears to be an American citizen (and in fact a natural-born American citizen): > **[Viggo Mortensen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viggo_Mortensen)** > > Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. R (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Danish: \[ˈviko ˈmɒːtn̩sn̩\]; born October 20, 1958) is an American actor. He made his film debut in a small role in Peter Weir's 1985 thriller Witness. He appeared in several notable films, including The Indian Runner (1991), Carlito's Way (1993), Crimson Tide (1995), Mo... ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/6 "2008-07-15T08:59:25Z")
[QUOTE=WormTheRed] Iisn’t it usually people who have “broken through” at home who go to Hollywood? (Thinking Stellan Skarsgård, Jean Reno, Viggo Mortensen (he’s really danish right?)) And in some interviews I¨ve read, they just get a “normal” green card and hope for the best (the unknown ones getting smaller parts) [/QUOTE] Well, getting a getting a green card is very difficult. And if it’s someone who’s famous through work done at home, well getting an O1 visa would be one thing. I just checked Mike Myers bio at IMDb and he has very few noteworthy credits (bit parts only) before joining SNL. Of course, he was a member of Second City Toronto, so maybe that’s enough, but that would also indicate that widespread fame is not a factor. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/7 "2008-07-15T09:29:16Z")
[QUOTE=Wendell Wagner] Viggo Mortensen’s father is Danish and his mother is American. He was born in New York. His family moved around a lot when he was a child. He appears to be an American citizen (and in fact a natural-born American citizen): > **[Viggo Mortensen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viggo_Mortensen)** > > Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr. (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Danish: \[ˈviko ˈmɒːtn̩sn̩\]; born October 20, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received nominations for three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. > Mortensen made his film debut with a role in Peter Weir's 1985 thriller Witness.... [/QUOTE] Ok. Well, there’s still Jean Reno and Stellan Skarsgård from my examples 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-american-actors-working-in-hollywood/456503/8 "2008-07-15T16:42:28Z")
The producers of _Lost_ probably could answer this question. By my count, nineteen regular cast members of that show were born outside of the United States and I presume most of them were not American citizens.