Each State’s Most Famous Movie Star

As you settle into the theater to watch the latest blockbuster, such as the newest Spider-Man film, it’s easy to overlook the journey of the stars lighting up the screen. Every iconic actor has a history, and you might be surprised to discover the roots of your favorite movie star.

For instance, did you know that George Clooney, before his acclaimed role in Michael Clayton, was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky? Or that Massachusetts is home to notable stars like Matt Damon, Steve Carell, and Bo Burnham?

Join us as we explore which renowned movie star hails from your state.

Every State’s Most Famous Movie Star

1. Alabama: Channing Tatum

   Famous for: 21 Jump Street, Magic Mike, Dear John

2. Alaska: Charles Melton

   Famous for: Riverdale, The Sun is Also a Star

3. Arizona: Emma Stone

   Famous for: La La Land, The Amazing Spider-Man, Easy A

4. Arkansas: West Bentley

   Famous for: American Beauty, Interstellar, The Hunger Games, American Horror Story

5. California: Leonardo DiCaprio

   Famous for: Titanic, Inception, Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant

6. Colorado: Tim Allen

   Famous for: Toy Story, The Santa Clause

7. Connecticut: Justin Long

   Famous for: Jeepers Creepers, Accepted, Live Free or Die Hard

8. Delaware: Aubrey Plaza

   Famous for: Parks and Recreation, Funny People, Scott Pilgrim vs the World

9. Florida: Wesley Snipes

   Famous for: Blade, New Jack City

10. Georgia: Laurence Fishburne

    Famous for: The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, Mystic River

11. Hawaii: Jason Momoa

    Famous for: Aquaman, Justice League, Dune

12. Idaho: Lana Turner

    Famous for: The Three Musketeers, Imitation of Life, The Love Boat

13. Illinois: Betty White

    Famous for: The Golden Girls, The Proposal, Lake Placid

14. Indiana: James Dean

    Famous for: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, Giant

15. Iowa: Ashton Kutcher

    Famous for: A Lot Like Love, That ’70s Show, The Butterfly Effect

16. Kansas: Dennis Hopper

    Famous for: Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Speed

17. Kentucky: Johnny Depp

    Famous for: Pirates of the Caribbean, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

18. Louisiana: Jared Leto

    Famous for: Requiem for a Dream, Suicide Squad, Dallas Buyers Club

19. Maine: Anna Kendrick

    Famous for: Pitch Perfect, Trolls, Twilight

20. Maryland: Penn Badgley

    Famous for: Margin Call, You, The Stepfather

21. Massachusetts: Mark Wahlberg

    Famous for: The Fighter, Ted, The Departed

22. Michigan: Terry Crews

    Famous for: Idiocracy, The Expendables, White Chicks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

23. Minnesota: Judy Garland

    Famous for: The Wizard of Oz, A Star is Born

24. Mississippi: James Earl Jones

    Famous for: Star Wars, The Lion King, The Hunt for Red October

25. Missouri: Evan Peters

    Famous for: X-Men, American Horror Story, Never Back Down

26. Montana: Gary Cooper

    Famous for: High Noon, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, For Whom the Bell Tolls

27. Nebraska: Marlon Brando

    Famous for: Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, Superman

28. Nevada: Daveigh Chase

    Famous for: Donnie Darko, Spirited Away, Lilo & Stitch, The Ring

29. New Hampshire: Adam Sandler

    Famous for: The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, 50 First Dates

30. New Jersey: Meryl Streep

    Famous for: Out of Africa, Sophie’s Choice, The Devil Wears Prada

31. New Mexico: Neil Patrick Harris

    Famous for: Gone Girl, Starship Troopers, How I Met Your Mother

32. New York: Tom Cruise

    Famous for: Top Gun, Jerry Maguire, Mission: Impossible

33. North Carolina: Zach Galifianakis

    Famous for: The Hangover, Birdman, Due Date

34. North Dakota: Leslie Bibb

    Famous for: Iron Man, Law Abiding Citizen, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

35. Ohio: Halle Berry

    Famous for: Gothika, Catwoman, X-Men

36. Oklahoma: Brad Pitt

    Famous for: Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Se7en, Moneyball

37. Oregon: River Phoenix

    Famous for: Stand By Me, My Own Private Idaho, Running on Empty

38. Pennsylvania: Will Smith

    Famous for: Men in Black, I Am Legend, Bad Boys

39. Rhode Island: Viola Davis

    Famous for: The Help, Fences, Suicide Squad

40. South Carolina: Chris Rock

    Famous for: The Longest Yard, Top Five, Madagascar

41. South Dakota: January Jones

    Famous for: Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Unknown, X-Men

42. Tennessee: Morgan Freeman

    Famous for: Se7en, Million Dollar Baby, Invictus

43. Texas: Woody Harrelson

    Famous for: Natural Born Killers, Zombieland, Now You See Me

44. Utah: Patrick Fugit

    Famous for: Almost Famous, Saved!, White Oleander

45. Vermont: Damon Wayans Jr.

    Famous for: Let’s Be Cops, Big Hero 6, The Other Guys

46. Virginia: Rob Lowe

    Famous for: St. Elmo’s Fire, Wayne’s World, The Outsiders

47. Washington: Dove Cameron

    Famous for: Dumplin’, Descendants, Shameless

48. Washington, D.C.: Taraji P. Henson

    Famous for: Hidden Figures, Empire, The Karate Kid

49. West Virginia: Josh Stewart

    Famous for: Interstellar, The Collector, The Dark Knight Rises

50. Wisconsin: Willem Dafoe

    Famous for: Spider-Man, The Florida Project, The Lighthouse

51. Wyoming: Darren Dalton

    Famous for: Red Dawn, The Outsiders, The Land That Time Forgot

What We Found Out

• It’s no surprise that Bostonian Mark Wahlberg stands out as the most famous actor from Massachusetts, given his extensive career.

• The beloved Betty White spent her formative years in Oak Park, Illinois, showcasing her Midwestern roots.

• New Jersey boasts a lineup of stars, including Danny DeVito, Kirsten Dunst, John Travolta, Anne Hathaway, and Jack Nicholson.

• Despite starring in the epic Dune (2021), Jason Momoa’s origins trace back to the unique landscapes of Nānākuli, Hawaii.

• Channing Tatum, one of Hollywood’s heartthrobs, is a proud native of Cullman, Alabama.

• Johnny Depp, another iconic figure, grew up in Owensboro, Kentucky, before embarking on his journey to become a cinematic pirate.

• Judy Garland, famous for her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, hailed from Minnesota.

• New York has produced numerous stars like Macaulay Culkin, Al Pacino, and Denzel Washington, but Tom Cruise is notably recognized as its most famous actor.

How We Determined This

To identify the most famous film celebrity from each U.S. state, we compiled lists of actors associated with each state. The actors deemed “most famous” were those with significant filmographies, starring roles in blockbuster hits, or widespread recognition.

Some states, like Alaska, yielded few renowned actors, making it straightforward to choose the most notable. In contrast, states with multiple famous actors, like California, required deeper analysis. We utilized Google Trends to assess search frequency for actors from these states, determining which actor garnered the most online interest.

For example, in California, we compared search trends for Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, ultimately finding that DiCaprio led search interest slightly, securing his title as California’s most famous movie star.

Author

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.