James Dean was one of the most iconic actors of the 1950s. Dean was born in Indiana and studied drama at UCLA before becoming an icon for teenage disillusionment and social outcasts. A majority of Dean’s starring roles held similar character traits; they were angst-ridden, misunderstood outcasts. In the early 50s, Dean was rising to super-stardom on the back of his most iconic role as Jim Stark in the film Rebel Without a Cause. What would have been a long career full of hits was tragically cut short when Dean died in a car accident in California in 1955 at the age of 24. He remains the only actor to have received multiple posthumous Academy Award nominations, which he earned for his role in the film Giant. Dean’s legacy has been apparent in the decades since his death. The outcast persona that Dean had crafted was a significant influence on rock music, notably Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie.

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