Some famous divers are also famous for their involvement in environmental issues. For instance, environmentalist Bill Nye first got interested in scuba diving when his father accidentally threw him overboard. He is now a prominent environmentalist and president of Ocean Futures Society (a non-profit marine education organization). Lloyd Bridges was another important diver. The popular TV series Sea Hunt aired from 1956 to 1961 and helped popularize the sport.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is one of the most famous celebrities in the world and he is a certified scuba diver. He has performed many underwater stunts over his career, and even took freediving classes for Mission Impossible. Tom held his breath in one scene for six minutes.
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson was required to obtain certification in scuba dive to be able to appear in the movie "Fool's Gold". Although initially terrified of diving, she became a certified diver after completing her course. She loves scuba diving now!
James Cameron
Many people wonder why James Cameron is famous for being a diver. Since he was a film director for so many years, he's likely to be one of the most popular people in the world. However, despite his busy schedule, he made time to attend Beneath the Sea in New York. His busy schedule was due to his involvement with the James Cameron Awards, but his busy schedule also meant that he was also being closely followed by the media. Beneath the Sea management was able to keep his presence low-key, in order not to be publicized.
Zale Perry
Zale Perry is an American scuba diver and writer who has dedicated her life to the sport. She was born in Milwaukee and discovered diving early on. Zale was a skin diver and scuba diver who became a pioneer of scuba diving in the 1950s. Zale was also an aquatic specialist and a pioneer in underwater equipment testing. In 1955, Sports Illustrated featured Zale on the cover. She became a scuba instructor later and started photographing underwater.
Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis is an internationally renowned diver with a unique background both in sport and acting. He started his life as a gymnast, and then became an instructor of diving when he was nine. He chose to pursue an acting profession after graduating from University of California Irvine. He began acting lessons and started appearing in commercials as well as plays. He started acting in television series.
Alexandre Despatie
Alexandre Despatie was born on June 8, 1986 in Canada. He is the first diver to win all three World Championships simultaneously, earning him a place in the top ten. He is also a broadcaster who anchors the French-language coverage of the Olympic Winter Games.
Mike Nelson
Mike Nelson is a well-known diver. He was also a star of the television show "Mike Nelson" which aired on NBC. He was a freelance diver and an ex-Navy frogman. His diving skills allowed him to save everything, from a bicycle to nuclear missiles. The show also featured voice-over narration by Lloyd Bridges.