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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.

We all aspire to live the luxurious lives they live but very few times do we stop to think about who they truly are. You might catch them on your favorite TV shows, movies or on the covers of magazines. But one thing is for sure, these celebrities don’t get the credit they deserve for being such amazing role models for the rest of us. Check out this list of the most underrated celebrity role models in Hollywood!

1. Viola Davis

Aside from being an Alpha female character in “How To Get Away With Murder”, Viola is breaking racial barriers in Hollywood by being the very first African-American actress to win an Emmy for “Outstanding Lead Actress in Drama Series”. Check out her emotional and inspirational speech!

 

2. Gina Rodriguez

Breaking racial stereotypes is not only her job as an actress in “Jane the Virgin” but she has made it her life goal. Gina speaks out about being assimilated into American culture and the scrutiny of not being “Latina enough.”  

 

3. Matt McGorry

Many of you may know him from OITNB or “How To Get Away With Murder”, what you don’t know is that Matt is a FEMINIST! Yes ladies, it’s true. Looking up to Emma Watson and his fellow female cast mates, Matt has recently owned up to being a feminist. 

 

4. Amber Rose

Many of you may simply know her as “Wiz Kalifa’s ex-wife” but she is far more than that! Recently, Amber Rose hosted a Slut-Walk in Los Angeles and has started a campaign against slut-shaming. Being very vocal about her past relationships and her upbringing, Amber Rose revels she was first slut-shamed when she was 14 years old! We as women may disagree on a few things, but one thing is for sure, slut-shaming must stop! Check out her heartfelt Slut-Walk speech below.

 

5. Diane Guererro

You might recognize her for her role as “Maritza” in “Orange is the New Black: but what you may not know is that Diane is an immigration activist. She speaks out about her family’s deportation when she was only 14 years old, and now gives speeches at the White House about immigration reform. Check out her heartbreaking story below.

 

6. Leonardo DeCaprio

We all fell in love with him when we saw “Titanic” but trust me, there is much more to love. This past year Leonardo was appointed United Nation’s Messenger of Peace in his efforts for climate change. Handsome, talented AND an environmentalist? What’s not to love!

 

7. Chrissy Teigen

Whether you’re obsessed with her Instagram page or love her work on the modeling business, Chrissy is definitely a power-woman! She calls out businesses and people for setting strict beauty and body expectations on women, not just in the modeling industry but for the everyday women as well. Watch as she calls out Forever 21 on firing her a few years ago for “being too fat”.

 

8. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Talk about feminism! Joseph opened up to Ellen about growing up with a feminist mother and how he learned about gender roles in American culture from a very young age. Check out his story below!

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Elizabeth Vasquez graduated from UC Santa Barbara back in 2016 with a BA in English. Elizabeth currently resides in the Silicon Valley area and works for Modern Luxury Silicon Valley magazine as a marketing & events coordinator. When she isn't working, Elizabeth enjoys dining out with friends, reading a book and spending time with her two dogs. See what she is up to on Instagram: @iamelizabethvasquez and on Twitter: @MissElizabethLV
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Kirby is a recent graduate from UCSB currently living in Los Angeles. As a proud Her Campus UCSB alum, she's happy to be back on the HC team covering one of her fave shows: "The Mindy Project." On any given day you can find her with her nose in a book (let's be real - it's a Kindle). In her free time, she likes petting dogs, binge-watching TV, and eating a lot of food. Find her on Instagram: @kirbynicoleb or @GirlBossEats.