Emerson College Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of Emerson College. The list includes people like Henry Winkler, Brandon Lee, Bobby Brown, Jennifer Coolidge & Jay Leno. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as film & theater personalities, media personalities, photographers, singers and fashion etc.

Vote for Your Favourite Emerson College Notable Alumni

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 

(American Actor, Martial Artist and Son of Film Star Bruce Lee)

Birthdate: February 1, 1965

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Oakland, California, United States

Died: March 31, 1993

The son of the legendary martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee followed in his father’s footsteps. Trained in martial arts, he made his film debut in the 1980s and became a successful star in his own right. He was accidentally wounded while filming The Crow and died. The film, dedicated to him, became a hit.

 2 

(Actress and Comedian Best Known for Role as ‘Jeanine Stifler’ in ‘American Pie’ Film Series)

Birthdate: August 28, 1961

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress. She is known for playing Jeanine Stifler in the sex comedy film series American Pie. Also known for her charity work, Coolidge has had a major impact working with organizations that support animal rights and AIDS assistance. Thanks to her performance in Legally Blonde, her voice has been the subject of a famous impression.

Birthdate: October 30, 1945

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Henry Winkler delivered a Golden Globe-winning performance as Fonzie in Happy Days and an Emmy-winning performance in Barry. His other major projects include Childrens Hospital, Royal Pains, and Arrested Development. He is also known for playing Captain Hook on stage and for authoring the Hank Zipzer series of children’s books.

 4 

(Stand-Up Comedian, Actor and Director Best Known for His Comedy Series ‘Mr. Show’)

Birthdate: April 4, 1964

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Roswell, Georgia, United States

David Cross is an American actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. Cross is credited with creating and developing popular TV series, such as The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret and Freak Show. In 2013, the co-founder of Kickstarter, Yancey Strickler, revealed that David Cross was one of the first investors of Kickstarter, a public benefit corporation.

Birthdate: February 5, 1969

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Grammy-winning singer and New Edition member Bobby Brown was a pioneer of the new jack swing, a combination of R&B and hip-hop, and shot to fame with the album Don't Be Cruel and the hit My Prerogative. His marriage to Whitney Houston was plagued with domestic strife and drug issues. 

 6 

Iliza Shlesinger

(Actress)

Birthdate: February 22, 1983

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

 7 

Maria Menounos

(Actress, Journalist & Television Presenter)

Birthdate: June 8, 1978

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Medford, Massachusetts, United States

Maria Menounos began her career with a win at the Miss Massachussetts Teen USA pageant. At 22, she became the youngest person to co-host Entertainment Tonight. Currently the CEO of AfterBuzz TV, she has also been a professional wrestler and has penned several self-help books. She also supports many charitable initiatives.

 8 

Steven Wright

(Stand-up comedian)

Birthdate: December 6, 1955

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Birthdate: August 18, 1957

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Denis Leary is an Irish-American actor, producer, writer, and comedian. Leary is credited with creating popular TV series, such as Rescue Me and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. Also a humanitarian, Denis Leary established the Leary Firefighters Foundation in 2000. The foundation has been donating money to fire departments in New York City, Boston, and Worcester.

 10 

(Writer and Producer Known for His Popular Sitcoms: ‘All in the Family’, ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘The Jeffersons’)

Birthdate: July 27, 1922

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Died: December 5, 2023

TV writer and producer Norman Lear is best known for producing hit sitcoms such as All in the Family, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, and Sanford and Son. He is also part of the Malibu Mafia and a liberal activist. He also established People for the American Way.

 11 

May Calamawy

(Actress)

Birthdate: October 28, 1986

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Bahrain

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 12 

Natasha Gregson Wagner

(Actress)

Birthdate: September 29, 1970

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Height: 5'2" (157 cm)

 13 

Andrea Martin

(Played Aunt Voula in the Comedy Hit 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding')

Birthdate: January 15, 1947

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Portland, Maine, United States

American-Canadian actor Andrea Martin is best known for her roles in movies such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding. She has also won Tony and Drama Desk awards for her performances in plays such as My Favorite Year and Pippin. Her one-woman show Nude, Nude, Totally Nude was a hit.

 14 

Cazzie David

(Actress)

Birthdate: May 10, 1994

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

 15 

(Best Known for His Role as ‘John Bennett’ in the TV Series ‘Orange Is the New Black’)

Birthdate: April 12, 1986

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Matt McGorry is best known as John Bennett from the iconic Netflix series Orange Is the New Black and as Asher Millstone from How to Get Away with Murder. He is a feminist and a social activist, too. He was initially a fitness trainer and a bodybuilder.

 16 

Elden Henson

(Actor)

Birthdate: August 30, 1977

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Rockville, Maryland, USA

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

 17 

Michael Nouri

(Actor)

Birthdate: December 9, 1945

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

Birthdate: September 25, 1973

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

 19 

Bobbi Brown

(Make-up artist, Businessperson)

Birthdate: April 14, 1957

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Chicago

 20 

Joanna Going

(Actress)

Birthdate: July 22, 1963

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

 21 

Dan Levy

(Comedian)

Birthdate: March 19, 1981

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Stamford, Connecticut, United States

 22 

Benjamin Bronfman

(Entrepreneur, Musician)

Birthdate: August 6, 1982

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

 23 

Ben Aaron

(TV Host)

Birthdate: September 10, 1981

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: New York, USA

 24 

Mario Cantone

(Comedian)

Birthdate: December 9, 1959

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Stoneham, Massachusetts, US

 25 

Chris Romano

(Actor, writer, and producer most well known as the co-creator and face of Sammy Cacciatore in the Spike TV series Blue Mountain State.)

Birthdate: February 2, 1978

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

 26 

Don Pardo

(Actor, Television presenter, Radio personality)

Birthdate: February 22, 1918

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Westfield

Died: August 18, 2014

 27 

Alex Ebert

(Singer)

Birthdate: May 12, 1978

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

 28 

Seth Grahame-Smith

(Novelist)

Birthdate: January 4, 1976

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Rockville Centre, New York, U.S.

 29 

Jen Kirkman

(Stand-up comedian)

Birthdate: August 28, 1974

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Needham, Massachusetts, U.S.

 30 

Luka Peros

(Actor)

Birthdate: October 28, 1976

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Zagreb, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

 31 

Justin Willman

(American Magician, Comedian and Producer)

Birthdate: July 11, 1980

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Justin Willman is an American comedian, television personality, magician, and producer. He is credited with creating the popular reality television show, Magic for Humans. Justin Willman is also known for his philanthropic efforts; he serves on the board of directors for MagicAid, a non-profit organization that uses magic tricks to improve the hospitalization experience for children.

 32 

David Alan Basche

(Actor)

Birthdate: August 25, 1968

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

 33 

Adele Lim

(Malaysian Screenwriter, Producer, and Director)

Birthplace: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

 34 

Spencer Tunick

(Photographer)

Birthdate: January 1, 1967

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Middletown

 35 

Spalding Gray

(Actor)

Birthdate: June 5, 1941

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.

Died: January 11, 2004

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

 36 

Louise Wightman

(American Former Exotic Dancer and Bodybuilder)

Birthdate: June 18, 1959

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Lake Forest, Illinois, United States

 37 

Joe Mande

(Actor, Screenwriter)

Birthdate: March 16, 1983

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Albuquerque

 38 

Shane Hurlbut

(American Cematographer.)

Birthdate: February 18, 1964

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Ithaca, New York, United States

Shane Hurlbut is an American cinematographer best known for his work in films like Drumline. Hurlbut is one of the most critically acclaimed cinematographers of the current generation. His photographic work in his debut film, The Rat Pack, earned him a nomination from the American Society of Cinematographers, making him the youngest cinematographer to have been nominated by the ASC.

 39 

Tamara Czartoryska

(Daughter of Prince Adam Czartoryski y Borbón)

Birthdate: March 23, 1978

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: London, England

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 40 

Princess Noor bint Asem

(Princess)

Birthdate: October 6, 1982

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Amman, Jordan

 41 

Louise Closser Hale

(Actress)

Birthdate: October 13, 1872

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Died: July 26, 1933

 42 

Manolo González Vergara

(Instagram Star as Actor Sofía Vergara's Son)

Birthdate: September 16, 1991

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Colombia

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 43 

Princess Yasmine bint Asem

(Princess)

Birthdate: June 30, 1975

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Amman, Jordan

 44 

Princess Sara bint Asem

(Princess)

Birthdate: August 12, 1978

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Amman, Jordan

Emerson College, located in Boston, Massachusetts was founded by Charles Emerson, in the year 1880. Originally known as ‘School of oratory’, Emerson College offers programs that prep the undergrads and grads to pursue leadership skills and assume greater positions of responsibility. This institution is one of the colleges in the US solely committed to liberal arts and communication and is dedicated to helping pursue scholarship in such disciplines. Since its establishment, Emerson has greatly evolved into a multifaceted college, pushing boundaries of art, communication and culture which invariably lead to the advancement of the society. Emerson offers over a dozen degrees in courses like journalism, interactive news, sports reporting, photojournalism, and civic art and design- which are just a few out of the many others. It even throws light on athletics and performing arts like jazz, and ballet. The college has even gone above and beyond to spread awareness about different environmental issues that it won the College and University Green Power Challenge of the Environmental Protection Agency. Not only is it reputed for its high-end infrastructure and top-class educational programs, Emerson is also famous for its notable alumni that are now changing the course of the world in their own way. TV host Jay Leno, makeup artist Bobbi Brown, actor Steven Wright, and screenwriter Anna Hamilton are few of the big names that are making big waves in the show biz world. Keep reading and learn more about this prestigious institution’s notable alumni- some names will even drop your jaw in awe.