Notable Alumni of New York Film Academy

Lea Gabrielle 1975–

Former naval aviator and State Department special envoy

Also attended: United States Naval Academy

Naya Rivera 1987–2020

Actress and singer known for Glee

Aubrey Plaza 1984–

Actress, comedian and producer

Also attended: New York University

Spouse: Jeff Baena (New York University)

Kangana Ranaut 1986–

Indian actress, filmmaker and Member of Parliament

Paul Dano 1984–

Actor and filmmaker

Also attended: The New School, Pace University-New York

Lana Condor 1997–

Actress who debuted in X-Men: Apocalypse

Bill Hader 1978–

Comedian, actor and filmmaker

Also attended: Scottsdale Community College, The Art Institute of Phoenix

Spouse: Maggie Carey (The University of Montana, The University of Texas at Austin)

Imran Khan 1983–

Actor and director of Indian origin

Dayana Mendoza 1986–

Venezuelan model, Miss Universe 2008

Glen Hansard 1970–2026

Irish musician and actor

Damon Wayans 1960–

Comedian, actor, producer and writer

Child: Damon Wayans Jr. (Otis College of Art and Design, New York Film Academy)

Sibling: Marlon Wayans (Howard University)

Ruby Lin 1976–

Taiwanese actress, singer and producer

Issa Rae 1985–

Actress, writer and producer, co-creator of Insecure

Also attended: Stanford University

Chord Overstreet 1989–

Actor and musician known for Sam Evans in Glee

Lio Tipton 1988–

Actor and fashion model

Athiya Shetty 1992–

Indian Hindi-film actress

Eve Hewson 1991–

Irish actress, daughter of Bono

Also attended: New York University

Camilla Luddington 1983–

Actress known for Grey's Anatomy

Also attended: Susquehanna University

Damon Wayans Jr. 1982–

Actor and comedian

Also attended: Otis College of Art and Design

Father: Damon Wayans (New York Film Academy)

Stephanie Okereke 1982–

Nigerian actress and film director

D. B. Woodside 1969–

Actor known for Suits and Single Ladies

Also attended: Yale University, SUNY at Albany

Alfonso Ribeiro 1971–

Actor known as Carlton in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Also attended: California State University-Los Angeles

Joshua Leonard 1975–

Actor known for The Blair Witch Project

Alanna Masterson 1988–

Actress known for The Walking Dead

Naga Chaitanya 1986–

Indian actor and entrepreneur in Telugu cinema

Father: Akkineni Nagarjuna (Eastern Michigan University)

Gauri Shinde 1974–

Indian film director of English Vinglish

Alaya F 1997–

Actress in Hindi-language films

Also attended: New York University

Saadet Aksoy 1983–

Turkish actress in Twice Born

Jessica Lee Rose 1987–

Actress who rose to fame as lonelygirl15

Kunle Afolayan 1975–

Nigerian actor, director and producer

Chika Ike 1985–

Nigerian actress, producer and businesswoman

Omoni Oboli 1978–

Nigerian actress, screenwriter, director and producer

Andrew Bachelor 1988–

Internet comedian and actor, rose to fame on Vine

Also attended: Florida State University

Domiziana Giordano 1959–

Italian actress and artist

Kemi Adetiba 1980–

Nigerian filmmaker and music video director

Mother: Mayen Adetiba (Columbia University in the City of New York, Virginia Union University)

Michel van der Aa 1970–

Dutch composer of contemporary classical music

Zoltán Várkonyi 1912–1979

Hungarian actor and film director

Banky W. 1981–

Nigerian singer, rapper and actor

Also attended: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

William Eubank 1982–

Film director, screenwriter and cinematographer

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Chineze Anyaene 1983–

Nigerian filmmaker and film producer

Roberto F. Canuto 1973–

Spanish film director and screenwriter

Ini Dima-Okojie 1990–

Nigerian actress and singer, former investment banker

Apolline Traoré 1976–

Burkinabé director, screenwriter and producer

Also attended: Emerson College

Ronen Rubinstein 1993–

Actor known for 9-1-1: Lone Star

Eamonn Walker 1962–

British actor known for HBO series Oz

Juliet Asante 1901–

Ghanaian actress, producer and director

Also attended: Harvard University

Rafael de La Fuente 1986–

Venezuelan-born actor and singer

Amanda du-Pont 1988–

Swazi-born South African actress and model

Mohamed Diab 1978–

Egyptian screenwriter and director

Somy Ali 1976–

Pakistani-American Bollywood actress and activist

Also attended: University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University

Hannah Lux Davis 1986–

Music video and film director

O. C. Ukeje 1981–

Nigerian actor, model and musician

Alma Jodorowsky 1991–

French actress, singer and model

Masali Baduza 1996–

South African actress in Bridgerton

Bevin Prince 1982–

Actress known for One Tree Hill

Also attended: University of North Carolina--Wilmington

Pevita Pearce 1992–

British-Indonesian actress and model

Attended until 2011

Eku Edewor 1986–

British Nigerian actress, television presenter and model

Hannah Quinlivan 1993–

Australian-Taiwanese actress and model

Xu Xiaoxi 1981–

Chinese film director and screenwriter

Maggie Qin 1989–

Actress, model and TV show host

Shaquille O'Neal 1972–

Former NBA center and sports analyst

Also attended: Barry University, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Syracuse University

Child: Shareef O'Neal (University of California-Los Angeles, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College)

Sasha Cohen 1984–

Figure skater, 2006 Olympic silver medalist

Brittany Andrews 1973–

Adult film actress, AVN Hall of Fame inductee