Since Man of Steel hit theaters in 2013, the DC Extended Universe has spawned eight movies, and with at least six more either waiting to be released or in the works, it doesn't look like the heroes of DC Comics will be leaving the big screen anytime soon. The stars of the DC Extended Universe are all wonderful actors, but some have had long and successful careers while others are still in the early stages of being celebrities.
Where they each got their start differs, but what is clear is that most of them were at least known before putting on a costume, although appearing in movies like Justice League or Birds of Prey may have helped them reach new heights of fame, that doesn't mean those are the movies or shows fans loved them the most in.
10 Gal Gadot: Wonder Woman (7.4)
While Gal Gadot appeared in a number of episodes of the critically praised Israeli series Asfur and played Gisele in four Fast & Furious movies, the work of her's that most IMDb users loved most is Wonder Woman and with good reason.
Gadot first appeared as the Amazon Princess in Batman v. Superman where she nearly stole the show. The next year she ruled over the box office with Wonder Woman, bringing in critical acclaim as well as audiences. The sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 is finished and ready for release when theaters reopen.
9 Jurnee Smollett: Underground (7.7)
While she appeared in popular shows like Friday Night Lights, True Blood, and Parenthood, it was the short-lived but well-received historical drama Underground where Jurnee Smollett got to be the center of attention. In the series, set just before the Civil War, Smollett played Rosalee, a slave on the Macon plantation who escapes via the Underground Railroad.
While Underground received rave reviews, it was canceled after just two seasons. Along with Jurnee Smollett, Underground starred Aldis Hodge, who has been cast as Hawkman in the upcoming Black Adam movie. The co-creator of Underground, Misha Green, would go on to be the showrunner for Lovecraft Country, which Jurnee currently stars in.
8 Ezra Miller: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (8.0)
Appearing in the DC Extended Universe as Flash and in the Fantastic Beasts films as Credence Barebone, Ezra Miller quickly became one of the more recognizable faces of the DC movies. But before he put on the red and yellow and started running faster than the speed of light, Miller gained acclaim for the role of Patrick in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
The movie, which also starred Harry Potter Universe alum Emma Watson, tells the story of Charlie, a shy 15-year-old high school freshman who finds himself becoming friends with Sam and Patrick, two outcast seniors who help him deal with the many problems of the real world.
7 Henry Cavill: The Witcher (8.2)
Henry Cavill wasn't new to acting when he took the role of Superman for Man of Steel, but the movie certainly shot his career to a new level. Since playing the world's first superhero, Cavill has appeared in well-received movies like Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Enola Holmes, but it is the role of Geralt of Rivia in the Netflix series The Witcher where Cavill has found the most success.
The series, based on the popular series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski, tells the story of the monster hunter Geralt, the princess Ciri and the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg and their intertwined destinies. The first season of The Witcher was a smashing success with critics and viewers.
6 Margot Robbie: The Wolf of Wall Street (8.2)
While she wasn't the first actress to play Harley Quinn, it's hard to imagine anyone but Margot Robbie in the role now. First playing Harley in Suicide Squad, Robbie fell in love with the character and worked to get a spin-off movie, Birds of Prey, made. Robbie plays the Harlee for a third time in the upcoming film The Suicide Squad, written and directed by James Gunn.
Robbie's highest-rated film on IMDb is also the movie that made her a star; The Wolf of Wallstreet. In the film, Robbie plays Naomi Lapaglia, the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio's Jordan Belfort. Robbie's performance in The Wolf of Wall Street made her one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood and with films like I, Tonya and Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood, her career has continued to soar.
5 Ben Affleck: Good Will Hunting (8.3)
A well-respected writer and director as well as actor, Ben Affleck was no stranger to superheroes when he took on the role of Batman, having played Marvel's Daredevil in the 2003 movie. Affleck brought something new to the role of the Dark Knight, playing a version of the character who had been fighting crime in Gotham for years and find himself becoming darker and darker with each passing year.
The movie that made Affleck a star is also his most loved movie on IMDb. Good Will Hunting, which Affleck co-wrote with his pal and co-star Matt Damon, tells the story of Will Hunting, a Boston blue-collar worker who happens to be a genius with some serious abandonment issues.
4 Zachary Levi: She Loves Me (8.7)
Best known for playing Chuck Bartowski in the series Chuck until he put on the costume and became the Big Red Cheese himself, Zachary Levi brought some family fun to the DC Extended Universe as Shazam. And while Levi is well known for his sense of humor and lively attitude in TV and movies, he is also an accomplished stage actor, as can be seen in She Loves Me.
Filmed for television in 2016, Levi stars as Georg Nowack in the Broadway revival of She Loves Me. In the comedy-musical, Levi's Georg is a shy assistant manager who is in love with a woman he has never met but often writes to. What Georg doesn't know is that the mystery woman is Amalia, his co-worker who he can't stand.
3 Mary Elizabeth Winstead: Fargo Season 3 (8.9)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead joined the DC Extended Universe as Huntress in Birds of Prey. The actress, who previously played a supervillain senior Royal Pain in Sky High, has appeared in a number of cult classic films and shows, including Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof and Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, but it is her work in Fargo that she has received the most acclaim for.
Winstead was in the third season of the anthology series, playing Nikki Swango who, alongside Ewan McGregor's Ray Stussy, finds herself mixed up in a double murder.
2 Ray Fisher: True Detective Season 3 (9.0)
Before being cast as Cyborg in Batman v. Superman, Ray Fisher was a stage actor, most notably playing Muhammad Ali in the 2013 Off-Broadway production of Fetch Clay, Make Man. Fisher has done little work in front of the camera, appearing in an episode of The Astronaut Wives Club and a short film The Good, the Bad, and the Confused, but it is his role in the third season of True Detective that got the most attention from viewers.
Following up the lackluster second season of the anthology season, True Detective season 3 starred Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff as detectives in a story that spans 35 years. Fisher played the adult version of Henry Hays, the son of Ali's Wayne Hays.
1 Jason Momoa: Game of Thrones (9.3)
While he only appeared in the first season of Game of Thrones, Jason Momoa's Khal Drogo stands out as one of the best characters of the series. Momoa had already been a major player in two previous shows before being cast in Game of Thrones, but those shows - Baywatch and Stargate: Atlantis didn't garner the critical acclaim that the role of Khal Drogo did.
Momoa was cast as Aquaman a full two years before he finally appeared on screen as the character in Batman v. Superman. The solo Aquaman film would be the first, and so far only, DC Extended Universe movie to make a billion dollars at the box office. Momoa is scheduled to play the King of the Seven Seas again in Aquaman 2, which will start filming in early 2021.