You May Be Surprised To Learn These 14 Famous People Are From New York
By Lea Monroe|Updated on July 13, 2021(Originally published July 08, 2021)
×
Lea Monroe
Author
Writer for Only In Your State. Scribbling about all things New York and Buffalo related while also keeping you updated on the latest travel news! Inquiries: Lmonroe@onlyinyourstate.com
With so many celebrities entertaining us regularly in the Big Apple or vacationing away in our remote upstate mountain regions during holidays, it’s hard not to meet celebrities in New York. Almost all New Yorkers have at least one memory of meeting a celebrity here, but do you know which famous people are actually from here? Ready to learn how many famous people you share a hometown with? Surprise, surprise! These 14 famous people from New York may shock you.
Born into a family of journalists, actress Olivia Wilde hails from the Big Apple. You may recognize her from HBO's Vinyl, the show House, Cowboys & Aliens, or Tron: Legacy.
That's right! The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon is from New York! Born in Bay Bridge and raised in Saugerties, the host has always spoken highly about living in our state. Fallon even went back to his roots in 2009 and visited the college he attended, giving the commencement speech for the College of Saint Rose in Albany.
If you lived through the '90s, you are definitely familiar with pop music sensation Christian Aguilera. She was born in Staten Island, but her father's military service meant that her afmily moved around a lot. She didn't stay in the Empire State for very long. She has recently regained fame as a judge on NBC's hit show The Voice.
Zuckerberg is one of the most famous businessmen in the world, and definitely one of the most famous people from New York. He's the chairman and founder of Facebook, and was born in the city of White Plains, but was raised in Dobbs Ferry.
Star of Showtime's hit Homeland , Claire Danes was born in the big city of Manhattan. The actress grew up in the city, attending many art schools until she landed her breakout role on My So-Called Life.
Depending on which age group you fall in, you probably think of several different things when you see Tom Cruise. Some of us may hear the actors name and suddenly be thrown back into 1983 with nothing but a white button-up shirt on. Others may hear the name Tom Cruise and picture a Scientologist jumping all over Oprah's yellow couch. Regardless of what it is you recognize the star for, this world famous actor is one of the greatest celebrities in New York.
Born in Buffalo, actress Christine Baranski studied at Juilliard School in the 1970's. The Western New York native is known best for role on CBS's The Good Wife, The Big Bang Theory, and Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
Don't let your southern hearts break, our beloved Coach Taylor was born up north in Buffalo, New York! If you're one of the few who are reading this and don't recognize this man as Coach Taylor, then we'll let you in on a little secret, he's best known for his role on Friday Night Lights. The super-popular show centered around a Texas high school football team and won several Emmy awards. He also had a starring role in the recent Godzilla and Godzilla v. Kong.
Musician and actress Lady Gaga was born in Manhattan (though she was then called Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta). Whether you love her for her roles in hits like American Horror Story and A Star Is Born, or you'd just prefer to dance along to her music, there's no denying that she carries New York's funky fashion sense with her always.
Born in New York City, Ben Stiller's parents were entertainers as well. Recently reviving his famed character Zoolander, the actor is also known for his roles in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. He's one of the top comedy actors of recent years and his resume is truly too long to name!
Another famous star born from the city of Manhattan, actor Robert Downey Jr. was raised right in Greenwich Village. You've seen him in Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and Tropic Thunder.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in the big city, female superstar Barbra Streisand is best known for being one of the best-selling musicians of all time. She's certainly closely associated with the Empire State and is one of the best-known famous people from New York.
While Superman may have been born on the fictional planet of Krypton, the actor that gained fame for portraying him, is from the Empire State. Christopher Reeve was born right here in New York City. He was paralyzed after a horse riding accident and in his later years, was an activist for rights of the disabled.
While everyone may know Michael Jordan to be the face of North Carolina, he was actually born up north in Brooklyn, moving south when he was just a toddler. You may know Michael Jordan for being well...Michael Jordan. One of the greatest basketball players of all time, it goes without saying that he's one of the greatest celebrities in New York. Now, who's in the mood to watch Space Jam?
Do you have a good story about meeting famous people from New York? Share your stories in the comments!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
More to Explore
New York Trivia
Lisa Sammons|July 13, 2021
What are some fun facts about New York?
We've got some undeniably weird laws here! Did you know it's illegal to sell dog or cat hair? Or take a selfie with a tiger? We imagine those don't come up in day to day life very frequently, but if you find yourself in that situation, be aware that it is actually against the law!
