Though many Hollywood stars have long been used to the lights and cameras in Los Angeles, many were born and raised thousands of miles away.
State lines don’t stop a person from hitting it big. Oprah Winfrey had a rural, poverty-stricken upbringing in Mississippi before becoming a household name with “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in Chicago in the 1980s.
“I was raised on a farm with my grandmother for the first six years of my life — I knew somehow that my life would be different and it would be better,” Winfrey told the Academy of Achievement.
Some stars have even become de facto ambassadors of their home states. Bruce Springsteen has been synonymous with New Jersey since he rose to fame in the 1970s and has become a cult hero among many New Jerseyans.
Business Insider compiled a list of the most famous living celebrities from all 50 states. Most of these actors, musicians, public figures, and occasional athletes or authors have become household names. They’ve been nominated for major awards such as Oscars and Grammys, have produced or appeared in major cultural works, and some continue to wear their state pride as a badge of honor.
The list was chosen based on where people were born, with one exception (see: Alaska). And, understanding this list is up for debate, we also included other notable figures from each state.
See where some of your favorite celebrities hail from.
ALABAMA: Lionel Richie was born and raised in Tuskegee.
The four-time Grammy-winning artist grew up on the campus of Tuskegee University, where he discovered his love of music, per the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
Richie also won an Oscar in 1986 for the song “Say You, Say Me,” which appeared in the film “White Nights.”
Other notable celebrities from the state: Courteney Cox, Octavia Spencer, Sonequa Martin-Green, Emmylou Harris, Channing Tatum, Walton Goggins, and Laverne Cox
ALASKA: Jewel Kilcher is known as an Alaskan, but she was actually born in Utah, making her the exception to our rule.
Kilcher was raised in Homer, Alaska. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter was born in Utah when her dad was attending Brigham Young University, Rolling Stone reported. She has appeared on Discovery Channel’s “Alaska: The Last Frontier,” which followed her family’s life in the Alaskan wilderness.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Darby Stanchfield, Irene Bedard
ARIZONA: Emma Stone grew up in Scottsdale.
As a child, Stone was involved in community theater. When she was around 14, she persuaded her parents to let her try her hand in Hollywood.
The move proved to be worth it, with Stone later becoming a two-time Oscar winner and being named to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list in 2017.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Lynda Carter, Matt Dallas, Mare Winningham, Shannon Woodward, Danielle Fishel, Dierks Bentley, Michelle Branch, Stevie Nicks, Jordin Sparks, and Diana Gabaldon
ARKANSAS: Billy Bob Thornton was born in Hot Springs and grew up in a cabin in the woods.
Thornton and his family lived in his grandmother’s cabin for the first few years of his life.
The Academy Award winner opened up about his humble beginnings, telling ABC News in 2016, “We didn’t have a lot of money. But you know when you’re a kid you don’t know that. I mean you’re not aware of all of that kind of stuff.”
Other notable celebrities from the state: Mary Steenburgen, Wes Bentley, George Newbern, John Grisham, and Ne-Yo
CALIFORNIA: Leonardo DiCaprio was born and raised in Los Angeles.
The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” actor also grew up in Los Angeles in real life, moving to different neighborhoods in the area throughout his childhood.
DiCaprio has been nominated for eight Oscars and has become a household name for his roles in “Titanic,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and other films.
Other notable celebrities from the state: The Kardashians, Olivia Rodrigo, Tom Hanks, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Billie Eilish, Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Katy Perry, Adam Driver, Chris Pine, Tessa Thompson, Elizabeth Olsen, Milo Ventimiglia, Will Ferrell, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kendrick Lamar, James Franco, Tyler, The Creator, and Zendaya
COLORADO: Tim Allen grew up in Denver.
A few years after his father was killed in a car accident, his mother remarried, and the combined family moved to Michigan, per the Detroit Historical Society.
Allen found his comedy roots in Michigan and later became a Golden Globe-winning actor.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Melissa Benoist, Kelly Bishop, David Fincher, T.J. Miller, Trey Parker,
CONNECTICUT: Seth MacFarlane spent his childhood in New England, born and raised in Kent.
The creator of “Family Guy” and “American Dad” spent his entire childhood in the same town and even attended a boarding school his mom taught at, IGN reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Amy Brenneman, Glenn Close, Paul Giamatti, Allison Janney, Justin Long, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Allison Williams, and Meg Ryan
DELAWARE: Aubrey Plaza was born and raised in the state’s largest city, Wilmington.
Plaza acted in the town’s drama league productions as a youngster, Delaware Today reported.
She later found fame for her role in NBC’s sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” and has seen recent success from acting in HBO’s “The White Lotus.” The latter role earned Plaza a Golden Globe nomination in 2023.
Other notable celebrities from the state: John Gallagher Jr., Ryan Phillippe, Elisabeth Shue, and Raúl Esparza
FLORIDA: Ariana Grande was born in Boca Raton.
The actress and singer performed at the Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theatre, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Grande has received 20 Grammy nominations and three wins.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Pitbull, Jason Derulo, Sarah Paulson, Doechii, Josh Gad, Maya Rudolph, Wilmer Valderrama, Abigail Spencer, Chrissy Metz, Eva Mendes, Norman Reedus, and Bella Thorne
GEORGIA: Julia Roberts grew up in Smyrna.
The Oscar winner’s parents ran a workshop for actors and writers in Atlanta when she was a child, Roberts told Oprah Winfrey in an interview.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Kelly Rowland, Kenan Thompson, Dakota and Elle Fanning, Ed Helms, Chloë Grace Moretz, Raven-Symoné, Luke Bryan, André 3000, Jason Aldean, Kanye West, and 2 Chainz
HAWAII: Bruno Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, grew up in Honolulu.
His dad played percussion and his mom was a hula dancer, the New York Daily News reported.
Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, has 16 Grammy wins and netted the best-performing song of the 2010s for “Uptown Funk,” according to Billboard. He has described his home state as “paradise.”
Other notable celebrities from the state: Jason Momoa, Jack Johnson, Carrie Ann Inaba, Janel Parrish, Timothy Olyphant, Bette Midler, Auli’i Cravalho, Tia Carrere, and Hoku
IDAHO: Aaron Paul was born in Emmett.
The “Breaking Bad” star moved around a bit and ended in Boise, Idaho before moving to Hollywood when he was 17 to pursue his career, GQ reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Tara Buck and Dree Hemingway
ILLINOIS: Harrison Ford was born and raised in Chicago.
Ford played the titular character in the “Indiana Jones” films as well as Han Solo in the “Star Wars” franchise. His roles have earned him Oscar and Emmy nominations.
Both of Ford’s parents were actors, but his dad found success as an advertising executive, GQ reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Chance the Rapper, Bill Murray, Busy Philipps, Michael Ian Black, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Nick Offerman, Melissa McCarthy, and Gillian Anderson
INDIANA: David Letterman grew up in the state capital of Indianapolis.
Letterman’s career as a late-night talk show host spanned more than three decades and 6,000 episodes, Yahoo News reported. He was the longest-running host of all time, and perhaps the most iconic.
Letterman graduated from Ball State in Muncie, and the college’s communications building is named after him.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Jenna Fischer, Vivica A. Fox, Brendan Fraser, Greg Kinnear, Ryan Murphy, Jim Gaffigan, John Green, and Janet Jackson
IOWA: Ashton Kutcher was born in Cedar Rapids.
Kutcher, best known for his roles in “That ’70s Show” and “Punk’d,” has gone back to Iowa over the years to support local schools and students. He also helped launch the Native Fund, which provides disaster relief for Iowans, per the Des Moines Register.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Michelle Monaghan, Robin Lord Taylor, Caitlin Clark, and Elijah Wood
KANSAS: Janelle Monáe spent her childhood in Kansas City.
Monáe has received 10 Grammy nominations and appeared in the films “Moonlight,” and “Hidden Figures.”
After growing up in Kansas City, she later moved to New York City after earning a scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, but then left for Atlanta.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Martina McBride, Annette Bening, Scott Foley, Colton Haynes, and Eric Stonestreet
KENTUCKY: George Clooney spent part of his childhood in Lexington.
The Clooney family moved to Ohio for a brief time but then returned to Kentucky, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. The Oscar-winner’s career spans over 40 years.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Michael Shannon, and Chris Stapleton
LOUISIANA: Ellen DeGeneres was born and raised in Metairie.
DeGeneres has won 33 Daytime Emmy awards for her eponymous show. The talk-show host and comedian has spoken out about growing up in the South as a lesbian, US Weekly reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Ian Somerhalder, Tim McGraw, Anthony Mackie, Zachary Levi, and Harry Connick Jr.
MAINE: Stephen King was born in Portland and spent his formative years in the state.
After being born in Maine, King moved around with his family before returning at the age of 11, per Britannica. He attended and later taught at the University of Maine. Many of his novels have taken place in the state.
King has written dozens of New York Times bestselling novels and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2015.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Anna Kendrick, Patrick Dempsey, Timothy Simons, and Erin Andrews
MARYLAND: Anna Faris spent her younger years in Baltimore while her dad taught at Towson University.
The actress and comedian’s family moved to Seattle when she was six, the Baltimore Sun reported. Faris has had roles in NBC’s “Friends” and CBS’s “Mom,” as well as a leading role in the “Scary Movie” films.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Julie Bowen, David Hasselhoff, Spike Jonze, Jada Pinkett Smith, Christian Siriano, and Ta-Nehisi Coates
MASSACHUSETTS: Steve Carell grew up near Boston in Concord.
Carell held a job in Littleton as a postal worker before his acting career took off.
Best known for his role as Michael Scott on “The Office,” Carell has received Emmy nominations as well as an Oscar nomination in 2015 for his role in “Foxcatcher.”
Other notable celebrities from the state: Matt Damon, Chris Evans, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, Bo Burnham, John Krasinski, B.J. Novak, Conan O’Brien, Elizabeth Banks, Joe Keery, and James Taylor
MICHIGAN: Stevie Wonder, born Stevland Hardaway Morris, was born in Saginaw and grew up in Detroit.
Wonder sang in Whitestone Baptist Church in Detroit and later attended Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing.
Wonder has won 25 Grammys from 75 nominations, putting him among the winningest artists of all time, according to People.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Diana Ross, Madonna, Jerry Bruckheimer, Michael Moore, Selma Blair, Taylor Lautner, Terry Crews, and Lily Tomlin
MINNESOTA: Bob Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth.
The Nobel Prize-winning performer went to the University of Minnesota. Dylan has won 10 Grammys and is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Chris Pratt, Jessica Biel, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Lange, Winona Ryder, Shantel VanSanten, and Vincent Kartheiser
MISSISSIPPI: Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko to her teenage mother.
Her parents were unmarried and she spent her early years with her grandmother, The Guardian reported. The beloved talk-show host, actress, and author has an estimated net worth of over $3 billion in 2026, per Forbes.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Britney Spears, Fred Armisen, and Tig Notaro
MISSOURI: Jon Hamm grew up in St. Louis.
The Emmy-winning actor attended the University of Missouri.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Sterling K. Brown, Don Cheadle, Matt Bomer, Andy Cohen, John Goodman, and Ellie Kemper
MONTANA: Michelle Williams grew up in Kalispell.
The “Dawson’s Creek” actress and five-time Academy Award nominee moved to San Diego, California, with her family when she was 9, The Telegraph reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Dana Carvey and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
NEBRASKA: Gabrielle Union is an Omaha native.
The actress is a big University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers fan, according to an interview with James Corden.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Bryan Greenberg, Jaime King, and Hilary Swank
NEVADA: Matthew Gray Gubler grew up in Las Vegas.
The “Criminal Minds” star graduated from the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Jena Malone, Rutina Wesley, Charisma Carpenter, and Mädchen Amick
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Mandy Moore was born in Nashua.
Moore became a platinum-certified recording artist in 1999 and was later nominated for an Emmy for her role in “This is Us.” She moved to Florida with her family when she was only two months old.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Matt Czuchry and Sarah Silverman
NEW JERSEY: Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch.
Jersey is synonymous with Springsteen. The Boss’s New Jersey upbringing plays into his lyrics and work and he speaks often of his love of the state.
Springsteen has won 20 Grammys over his career.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Jon Bon Jovi, Meryl Streep, Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, Zach Braff, Bobby Cannavale, Danny DeVito, Peter Dinklage, Ed Harris, Kal Penn, Joe Pesci, and Paul Rudd
NEW MEXICO: Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque.
The “How I Met Your Mother” actor spent much of his childhood in Ruidoso, Albuquerque’s KOAT News reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Demi Lovato, Adrian Grenier, Anna Gunn, and Demi Moore
NEW YORK: Tom Cruise was born in Syracuse, but moved around for much of his childhood.
The “Mission: Impossible” actor left the city before making any formative memories there. Cruise would go on to attend 14 schools in 15 years, according to The List.
While the internationally renowned star hasn’t won any competitive Academy Awards, he received an honorary Oscar in 2025. Cruise has also won three Golden Globes.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Timothée Chalamet, Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Denzel Washington, Robert Downey Jr., Amy Schumer, Adam Sandler, Jay Z, Billy Joel, Robert De Niro, Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Kerry Washington
NORTH CAROLINA: Julianne Moore was born at Fort Bragg.
Because of her dad’s military career, the Oscar winner and her family moved 23 times, The Guardian reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Britt Robertson, Zach Galifianakis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Evan Rachel Wood, and Bellamy Young
NORTH DAKOTA: Josh Duhamel was born and raised in Minot.
The “Transformers” actor played football at Minot State University, the West Fargo Pioneer reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Wiz Khalifa and Kellan Lutz
OHIO: LeBron James was born and raised in Akron.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer and a four-time champion, James is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
The NBA legend gives back to Cleveland in many ways. His foundation opened a school for at-risk children, The New York Times reported.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Drew Carey, Bow Wow, Dave Grohl, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Steven Spielberg, and Sarah Jessica Parker
OKLAHOMA: Brad Pitt was born in Shawnee.
The Academy Award winner’s family moved to Springfield, Missouri when he was young and he spent his childhood there, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Carrie Underwood, Kristin Chenoweth, Olivia Munn, Bill Hader, Ron Howard, and James Marsden
OREGON: Ty Burrell was born and raised in Grants Pass.
The “Modern Family” star graduated from Southern Oregon University, per Oregon Live.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Kaitlin Olson, and Thomas Mann
PENNSYLVANIA: Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas tree farm outside of Reading.
She convinced her parents to move to Nashville to help her pursue a music career when she was 14, Vanity Fair reported.
Crowned the top artist of the 21st century by Billboard, Swift has won 14 Grammy awards from 58 nominations and has become a household name.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Will Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Kevin Bacon, Shane Gillis, Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper, Joe Manganiello, Lee Daniels, Miles Teller, and Krysten Ritter
RHODE ISLAND: Damien Chazelle was born in Providence.
Chazelle became the youngest-ever Oscar winner for “La La Land,” in 2017, winning the award at age 32, per Guinness World Records. The filmmaker was born in Rhode Island but grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, according to Deadline.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Olivia Culpo, Mena Suvari, Meredith Vieira
SOUTH CAROLINA: Aziz Ansari grew up in Columbia.
The comedian and “Parks and Recreation” actor later moved to New York City to attend New York University, according to the New York Times.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Chris Rock, Viola Davis, Mary-Louise Parker, Jaimie Alexander, Anna Camp, and Mike Colter
SOUTH DAKOTA: January Jones was born in Sioux Falls.
The “Mad Men” actress also briefly lived in Hecla.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Amy Hill and Tom Brokaw
TENNESSEE: Dolly Parton was born in Pittman Center.
Born into poverty, Parton grew up in a small cabin on a farm in Locust Ridge. The “Queen of Country” became synonymous with the Smoky Mountains and has found ways to give back to her home state. In 2024, she donated $1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which helped victims of Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee and the surrounding areas, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
Parton has won 10 Grammys from 55 nominations.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, Christina Hendricks, Quentin Tarantino, Morgan Freeman, Megan Fox, Morgan Wallen, Kathy Bates, and Miley Cyrus
TEXAS: Beyoncé Knowles was born and raised in Houston.
Beyoncé spent the better part of her childhood in the city’s Third Ward, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The singer is the winningest artist of all time at the Grammys, with 35 awards from 99 nominations.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Solange, Tom Ford, Wes Anderson, Chace Crawford, Hilary Duff, Jamie Foxx, Woody Harrelson, Eva Longoria, Nick Jonas, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Robin Wright, Selena Gomez, Jessica Simpson, Usher, and Matthew McConaughey
UTAH: Chrissy Teigen was born in Delta.
The model and television personality’s family moved around a bit until settling in Huntington, California, where she was discovered while working in a surf shop.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Roseanne Barr, Matthew Davis, and Julianne Hough
VERMONT: Joanna “JoJo” Levesque was born in Brattleboro.
The singer became the youngest solo artist on Billboard’s pop chart in 2004, at the age of 13. Her family moved and settled in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where she spent most of her childhood, per Boston.com.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Grace Potter and Zosia Mamet
VIRGINIA: Sandra Bullock was born in Arlington.
Her dad was an employee of the United States Army and met Bullock’s mom in Germany. Bullock herself was raised in Germany for 12 years.
Bullock won an Oscar in 2010 for her lead role in “The Blind Side.”
Other notable celebrities from the state: Missy Elliott, Rob Lowe, and Hilarie Burton
WASHINGTON: Bill Gates was born and raised in Seattle.
It was at the Lakeside Prep School in Seattle where the Microsoft founder’s interest in computers and programming was fostered.
Having amassed a net worth of over $100 billion, Gates is considered to be among the most successful entrepreneurs of all time. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Macklemore, Sydney Sweeney, Ben Gibbard, Emma Dumont, Constance Zimmer, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Kyle MacLachlan
WEST VIRGINIA: Steve Harvey was born in Welch.
The “Family Feud” host and Daytime Emmy winner moved to Ohio with his family when he was a teenager.
Other notable celebrities from the state: John Corbett, Josh Stewart, and Chris Sarandon
WISCONSIN: Mark Ruffalo was born in Kenosha.
The Oscar-nominated actor was in high school when the family moved to Virginia, per ABC News.
Other notable celebrities from the state: John Ridley, Heather Graham, Kristin Bauer Van Straten, and Willem Dafoe
WYOMING: Jim Beaver was born in Laramie while his father was doing graduate work at the University of Wyoming.
The “Supernatural” actor’s family soon moved back to Texas, where they were originally from.
Other notable celebrities from the state: Pete Williams, Jim J. Bullock
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post The most famous celebrities from every state, from Leonardo DiCaprio to Taylor Swift appeared first on Business Insider.
