12 Famous People You Didn't Know Were Born in Indiana
By Trisha Faulkner|Updated on August 04, 2021(Originally published July 28, 2021)
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Trisha Faulkner
Author
Trisha Faulkner is a stay-at-home and work-at-home Hoosier momma. She is a huge advocate of Autism awareness, and loves her beautiful boy more than life itself. She is a native Indiana writer who types her best pieces for Only In Your State between 2-4AM when her toddler finally falls over asleep.
Contrary to what you may think, there’s a lot more than corn born in the Hoosier State. In fact, we are home to famous singers, actors, sports icons, comedians, and authors. The sheer number of different types of famous people from Indiana proves that a Hoosier can grow up to be anything he or she wants to be. Check out this list of famous people from Indiana: how many did you know?
That's right, the King of Pop himself was born in Indiana. The eighth of ten children, Michael grew up in a family loved music. His mother played clarinet and piano and his father played guitar.
Michael's sister La Toya Jackson was also born in Gary. The middle Jackson sibling, she first gained success at age 20 on the variety show "The Jacksons." She went on to release several hit albums and write a best-selling book.
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3. The Jackson Five (Gary): Jackie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Tito Jackson
This one might be cheating a little bit since we already told you Michael Jackson is one of the most famous people from Indiana, but actually, his siblings were born here as well. Gary might be a great place to have kids if you want them successful in show business!
This talented funnyman was born in Indianapolis. He's best known for his role as Day-Day Jones in the "Friday" film franchise. He's also had extensive success as a stand-up comedian.
Another funnyman born in Indianapolis, David Letterman was born in Indy and grew up in the Broad Ripple area of the city. He wanted to attend Indiana University, but instead went to the smaller Ball State University in Munsie. He hosted late night television talk shows for over 30 years.
Due to his incredible success as a forward on the Celtics, he's more closely associated with Boston. However, Larry Bird was born right here in Indiana and first drew attention while playing in Indiana colleges. He went on to coach the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals.
Axl Rose is widely considered one of the greatest singers of all time. He is the lead vocalist for Guns N' Roses, one of the best-selling acts in history. He also toured with AC/DC after their singer suffered hearing loss. Rose had a troubled childhood in Indiana before moving to California to pursue his music career.
Adam Lambert, who gained fame as a runner up on "American Idol," was born in Indianapolis. He has served as the lead singer for Queen on their recent live tours, and also has several hit records of his own.
This actress and television producer was born in South Bend, Indiana. She's been in a number of major roles, including the films "Independence Day" and "Kill Bill." She graduated from high school in Indianapolis.
Though his life was very short-lived, only making it to age 24, James Dean was a true cultural icon of teenage angst in the 1950s. He starred in "Rebel Without A Cause."
Brendan Fraser's family moved often during childhood, but he was born in Indiana. He is a beloved actor who's had a number of popular roles, including "The Mummy" trilogy and "George of the Jungle."
While John Green was raised in Florida, he was born right here in Indianapolis. He is an extremely popular young adult author who has achieved great success with his novels "The Fault In Our Stars" and "Looking for Alaska."
Naturally, this list only begins to scratch the surface of famous people from Indiana. We are proud to call these individuals Hoosiers. Which of these celebrities in Indiana did you know the origins of? We love to hear Indiana trivia, so if you know of any more famous people from Indiana, share them in the comments!
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Indiana is loaded with natural wonders. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is really tough to beat. It's such a gorgeous area that looks nothing like the popular boring stereotype of Indiana!
What are some good state parks in Indiana?
We've got so many! McCormick's Creek State Park, our very first state park, has a beautiful waterfall. There are so many great trails to explore throughout Indiana.
