Charlton Heston was an American actor best known for portraying historical figures and literary characters. He was critically acclaimed for his role as Moses in the epic film The Ten Commandments (1956). Heston won the Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying the title character in the historical epic Ben-Hur (1959). He developed an interest in drama at a young age and often acted out characters from popular books. His passion for acting deepened when he auditioned for a high school play and realized he was meant to be an actor. Naturally gifted, he earned a drama scholarship to Northwestern University. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II (1944–1946), he began working seriously on his acting career. He started appearing on Broadway, where his acting skills, well-built physique, and chiseled features quickly gained attention. Upon entering Hollywood, he quickly established himself as a leading actor, particularly in historical and literary roles. The resounding success of Ben-Hur cemented his reputation as one of Hollywood’s greatest historical epic actors. Beyond acting, he was also a political activist who strongly supported the civil rights movement and participated in the 1963 March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King Jr.