The United States is a country forged of foreigners. We came from every point on the globe, crossing land bridges and turbulent seas, to find a refuge far away from our original homelands. Some of our ancestors didn’t come of their own free will, but many did — lured by the promise of a country founded on inalienable rights, one in which they could clear their own trail, plant their own crops, and create their own destiny.

Free from the suffocating class structures found in Europe and Asia, these idealistic immigrants saw, in America, a place to become the men and women God made them to be. And to offer, as we shall see below, a better life for their children. Sure, things have changed a bit here in the 240 or so years since Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence. But still, if you have the talent and drive, you can still do some pretty amazing things. And one place that dynamic is obvious is Hollywood — the symbol of American showbiz. Immigrants from around the world have enriched the most quintessential of American industries in remarkable ways over years. Let’s take a look at some of them …