Film actor James Dean was a cultural icon, principally through his performance as troubled high school revel Jim Stark in “Rebel Without a Cause.” He also had major roles in East of Eden and Giant. He died at the age of 24 and was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for best actor and is the only person to have two posthumous acting nominations. Dean was ranked, by the American Film Institute, as the 18th mail movie star in its AFI 100 Years … 100 Stars list.