British Expats in the American Entertainment Industry

We have been exporting talent across the Atlantic for generations, and film stars don’t really feel that they have “made it” until they are a household name in the United States as well as in the UK. Several of the biggest current and past stars have very British roots.

Simon Cowell

Love him or hate him, Simon Cowell has created a huge impact on the television scene on both sides of the Atlantic. He started off here as a record industry executive responsible for the careers of acts such as Boyzone and Sinitta, before moving into television with talent shows such as Pop Idol, X-Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. He was listed no 41 in the 50 Most Influential Figures in the World, has an estimated personal wealth of £200 million and splits his time between homes in LA and London.

David and Victoria Beckham

The dream team combination of Britain’s best footballer and a pop star took the US by storm when David signed for LA Galaxy in 2007 and moved his glamorous family to live in California with him. Although Victoria may not be as well known in the States as she is in the UK, her high profile friends such as Eva Longoria and her son Romeo’s blossoming modelling career mean that this high profile family has made a huge impact on American society.

Robert Pattinson

Star of the Twilight series of vampire films, London born Robert Pattinson first appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire before being cast as Edward Cullen. The huge success of the Twilight movies means that he is now one of the most influential and highest earning stars in Hollywood, and in addition to acting is much in demand for modelling and advertising work.

Piers Morgan

Piers has come a long way since his days editing the Mirror newspaper, and his controversial interviewing style has won him large audiences for his chat show in America. Piers Morgan is an expert in manipulating social media, and keeps his profile high through highly publicized spats with other famous faces such as Alan Sugar, Jeremy Clarkson and Madonna. Recently he hit the headlines in America when in the aftermath of a school shooting he criticized the American attitude to gun control, prompting thousands of Americans to sign a petition calling for him to be deported. Almost as many Brits signed a second online petition asking America to keep him.