BILLY DEE WILLIAMS | 1937

The new generation knows Billy Dee Williams Jr. for his iconic role as Lando Calrissian in the epic Star Wars franchise. He first played this role in 1980 The Empire Strikes Back and reprised this character after 36 years in 2019, The Rise of Skywalker. For this, the now-84-year-old gets credits for making history in American move as an actor who makes one of the longest intervals between onscreen portrayals.

However, long before Williams was known in this film series, he debuted his acting role at seven years old in Broadway theatre and made his film debut in 1959 with The Last Angry Man. In his over seven decades in the industry, the actor has made about 70 movies. He also used acting to fund his passion for painting. His works have since been displayed in galleries and collections worldwide.