It appears that D&D is not just a game for the common folks and those looking to escape reality for a few hours. Actually, Hollywood has its own elite cast of D&D players who seem to take the game just as seriously as we do. While there are many known celebrities out there who love and live for a good D&D campaign, there are probably even more that we don’t know about who choose to keep to themselves. In this post, I’ve compiled a list of seven of those known celebrities who have publicly revealed their undying passion for the game and how it has propelled them to become better artists and entertainers.

Some of the names on this list may be familiar to you and some might come as a complete surprise. Either way, I felt that I needed to share some of these names with you and tell the brief story of how each one has been impacted by the game as well as its principles. I must admit, a couple of these names surprised me and now I see them in a much different light.

So, let’s cut to the chase!

1. Vin Diesel

Image from IMDb.com

Out of all the celebrities that you will see listed here, I think this one surprised me the most. Best known for his awesome, alpha-male roles, such as Riddick, Dominic Toretto (from the Fast and the Furious series), XXX, and Groot (from Guardians of the Galaxy), Vin Diesel has become a Hollywood heavy hitter. While I’ve followed his acting career quite closely over the years, I only recently discovered that he has another passion - D&D. It turns out that Vin is actually obsessed with D&D and according to rumors, has gotten several of his previous castmates into the game as well. He even received a special D&D cake for his 48th Birthday. Now, that’s what I call D&D dedication. 

2. Mike Myers

 Image from SNLfandom.com

Oh, behave!!! Sorry, I just had to do it! As a 90s kid and movie nerd, I basically grew up with Mike Myers and his most notable characters, especially Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Wayne Campbell (from Wayne’s World) and Shrek. Unfortunately, I came in a little late and just missed his lucrative SNL career, but after watching some old reruns, I can say that he is probably one of my favorite cast members to date. Myers has amazing talent and comedic timing, so I wasn’t too surprised when I learned that he is an avid D&D player as well. In fact, it’s been recorded that Myers participated in the International D&D Game Day back in 2006. Now, it may be just me, but whenever I imagine Mike playing D&D, I picture him as an ogre and doing his Shrek voice on every turn. Anyone else?

3. Deborah Ann Woll

 Image from IMDb.com

You may recognize Deborah Ann Woll from her role as Karen Page in the popular Netflix series Daredevil and The Punisher. The vampire and supernatural lovers among you may know her better as Jessica Hamby from True Blood. However, in her personal life, she has another key role. She is the DM and storyteller of her own RPG show titled: Relics and Rarities, which is a Geek & Sundry original series. Accompanied by several big-name special guests and recurring cast members, including director Kevin Smith and her Daredevil co-star Charlie Cox, Deborah has created a unique and quirky adventure into the D&D realm that seems to have really struck a chord with gamers everywhere.

4. Jon Favreau

Image from IMDb.com

As the writer/director of a variety of popular films and series, such as Iron Man, The Lion King, and The Mandalorian, one would think that Jon Favreau wouldn’t have time to enjoy a decent D&D campaign. However, Jon has referenced his D&D quite a few times and even admits that the game itself has helped him develop as a storyteller. His experience with the game and the creative freedom that it offers seems to have come in handy throughout his career as an actor and a director. Today, Jon is continuing down his long path of success and continues to thank his early teenage D&D days for that success. Who knows, perhaps the same thing will happen to you someday.

5. Joe Manganiello

 Image from IMDb.com

The first time that I ever saw Joe Manganiello was as the bully Flash Thompson in Spider-Man (2002). He was also a True Blood co-star of fellow D&D enthusiast Deborah Ann Woll, who we mentioned earlier in this list. While this post is filled with avid D&D players, Manganiello seems to be the most committed and obsessed player of them all, which he proudly admits every chance he gets. Joe even serves as a consultant for Wizards of the Coast and has been the DM of his own current campaign since 2018. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think if Joe, Jon (Favreau), and Vin (Diesel) got together for a weekly D&D game session, they could make one epic movie storyline out of it. Deathstroke, Riddick, and the director of Iron Man together. How can you go wrong?

6. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

 Image from IMDb.com

This Dark Knight Rises and Inception star has been in Hollywood since a very young age and has since become an elite player in both the Hollywood and D&D game. Much like Jon Favreau, Joseph Gordon-Levitt used to play D&D quite a bit back in the day and has since referenced it as his influence for creative storytelling. Levitt has also said that D&D inspired him to play other games including MTG. Together, these games allowed him to exercise his creativity, which he often uses today in his acting, writing, and directing. Today, Levitt is still active in the D&D realm and has even made some appearances in campaigns/series episodes from Geek & Sundry.

7. Matthew Lillard

 Image from IMDb.com

Lillard is best known for his roles in movies like Hackers, Scream, and Scooby-Doo. He is also known for his avid D&D obsession and has become quite a popular staple in many streaming campaigns and gaming series. In fact, Lillard has been playing the game for 30 years and even has his own D&D company (Beadle & Grimm's Pandemonium Warehouse) in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast. As a longtime fan of the game, Lillard has collected some pretty cool gear to go with it, including a $500 platinum D&D box, which is undoubtedly one of his most prized possessions. Recently, Lillard served as the DM for the Lost Odessyes’ special Halloween charity as well. 

Again, there are countless celebrities out there who both publicly and secretly enjoy playing a good game of D&D. The fact that these seven celebs are so open about their experience and love for the game really impresses me, which is why I thought you would appreciate this post as well. If you know or find any other celebrities who actively participate in D&D gameplay and campaigns, feel free to leave me their name in the comments section below.

Until we meet again,

Vince the Prince