Ben Savage and other celebs who went from Hollywood sets to political seats

Ben Savage, aka Corey, the 90s heartthrob who wooed Topanga's heart in the TV series 'Boy Meets World,' has put in paperwork to run for a US Congressional seat in California's 30th District.

This isn't Ben Savage's first run at politics. He ran an unsuccessful attempt in 2022 for the West Hollywood City Council, hoping to make changes in public safety. Let's see what he can do this go round in a Congressional seat. Wondering who else has gone from the Hollywood set to a political seat? Keep reading to find out!

Emmanuel Dapidran 'Manny' Pacquiao is a world boxing champion in eight weight classes. Also called 'Pacman' or 'Destroyer,' the Filipino athlete learned how to fight on the streets of Manila.

In 2007, the boxer made an interesting move: he announced his candidacy for the Filipino Congress. After a term as Representative, he became Senator in 2016.
In September 2021, Manny Pacquiao announced that he was running for President of the Philippines, going directly against the President (Duterte) he had previously supported.

Though not one of the most famous actors of his time, Ronald Reagan made more than twenty films between the 1930s and 1950s. Here seen with film icon Bette Davis in 'Dark Victory.'

Reagan was elected President of the United States twice and served from 1980 to 1988.

Haitian-American hip-hop star Wyclef Jean is known from the group 'The Fugees' and from his hit with Shakira, 'Hips don't lie.'

He registered to run in the 2010 Presidential elections in Haiti, but he was disqualified for not meeting the election's residency requirements.

She played Miranda in 'Sex and the City,' the legendary series about four single (or dating) women.

And then, she ran for Governor of the State of New York in 2018. Had she won, Cynthia Nixon would have been the first woman to hold the job.

Actress Stacey Dash is best known for her role in the movie 'Clueless' in 1995. She also appeared in 'CSI,' 'The Cosby Show,' and 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.'

In 2014, the actress became a commentator on the right-wing political TV channel Fox. In 2018, she ran for Congress in California's 44th district. She represented the Republican Party.

He was the protagonist of the American reality show 'The Apprentice.' In addition, he appeared in some TV series and films. The name 'Trump' was known in Hollywood, and, as well, in business circles.

And then he made the ultimate move. To the surprise of many, Trump became the Republican Presidential candidate and won the election in 2016. Trump was the first US President to be impeached, twice, during his Presidency.

Romario da Souza Faria is a professional soccer player who went from the Brazilian favelas to major football clubs in his home country, Europe, Qatar, USA, and even Australia. He was FIFA's World Player of the Year in 1994 and the only one after Pelé to score 1,000 goals in professional matches.

In 2010, Romário ran for, and won, a seat in Brazil's national Chamber of Deputies. He represented the Brazilian Socialist Party and was a critic of corruption. In 2018, the football player tried to become Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, but he didn't make it that far.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was long known as an actor and action hero for his 'Terminator' and other blockbuster movies.

He became Governor of California in 2003 and stayed on until 2011. The 'Governator' declared in an interview that he gave up his salary when California suffered from the economic crisis. He says he lost about $200 million dollars, both in expenses and in missed earnings for filming.

Jane Fonda (1937) comes from an acting family. She became famous for movies like 'Barefoot in the Park' and 'Barbarella' in the 1960s and won two Oscars in the 1970s. In 1991, she announced that she would stop acting, but Fonda successfully reappeared in the Netflix-series 'Grace and Frankie' (2014).

Jane Fonda is also known as a political activist. Her protests against the Vietnam War almost interfered with her acting career in the 1960s and 1970s. And even in recent years, she has been arrested multiple times for climate change protests in Washington, DC.

Besides handcuffs, Phoenix received several awards in 2019 and 2020 for his role as 'Joker.' The talented actor, born in 1974, has been known for both his movies and his animal rights activism.

Jane Fonda was not the only one to get handcuffed and jailed during a climate protest. In her company was, among others, fellow actor Joaquin Phoenix.

The first lady of President Juan Domingo Perón changed the history of politics in Argentina by achieving women's suffrage and fighting for the unions. In her younger years, she had been an actress in theatre, cinema and radio. 'Evita' would pass away at the age of 33 and become an international legend.

Clint Eastwood is a multi-talent on the big screen. He started as a successful actor in the Western genre, but he has also gained status as a gifted producer and director.

The mythical western star was mayor of the Californian city Carmel-by-the-Sea from 1986 to 1988. During his two years in office, he defended the environment, homosexual marriage and equal rights for men and women. He is also against American militarism. Here he is seen speaking at the National Republican Convention in 2010.

Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Laureate in Literature, ran with Alberto Fujimori for the Peruvian Presidency in 1990. His political profile was marked by a leftist, at times 'neoliberal,' platform.