Posted in Ohio Fun Facts May 07, 2021 by

15 Well-Known Famous People You Had No Idea Were From Ohio

Several creative geniuses and talented performers started in the Heart of It All — and their skills have stretched far beyond Ohio. From modern-day musical sensations and movie stars to renowned inventors that literally changed the course of history, Ohio has given us a gifted batch of individuals throughout the years. Here are 15 famous people from Ohio who call Ohio home:

1. Steven Spielberg
Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
Would we really know what makes a movie iconic without his example? Probably not!
2. Halle Berry
Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
Ohioans have Cleveland to thank for this Academy Award-winning, all-around amazing star.
3. Thomas Edison
Levin C. Handy/Wikimedia Commons
You tell us where we’d be without Thomas Edison's contributions to the world. (In the dark, perhaps?)
4. Maya Lin
Berkeley Center for New Media/Wikimedia Commons
There’s a reason most of us don’t graduate from finger painting and coloring books. Maya Lin shows us that design and architecture requires a lot more than just an idea and some crayons.
5. Drew Carey
Cyan Banister/Wikimedia Commons
An Ohio treasure, Drew Carey is the man who taught many of us what it means to laugh. He also put Cleveland on the map in a big way!
6. Sarah Jessica Parker
Georges Biard/Wikimedia Commons
From the small town of Nelsonville to the bright lights of New York City, came the incomparable Sarah Jessica Parker. It's hard to believe this "Sex In The City" star came from such small-town roots!
7. Nancy Cartwright
North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce/Wikimedia Commons
You might have known that the voice of Bart Simpson was actually a woman’s voice, but you might not have known that she hailed from Dayton!
8. Justin Chambers
Angela George/Wikimedia Commons
We'd like to offer a sincere thank you to Springfield, Ohio, for the gift of Justin Chambers and "Grey’s Anatomy."
9. Bow Wow
C. Todd Lopez/Wikimedia Commons
Ohioans can take credit for this rap legend.
10. Katie Holmes
MC1 Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons
Katie Holmes was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. If you were a teenager in the 1990s, Joey Potter was everything.
11. Josh Radnor
vagueonthehow/Wikimedia Commons
The likable protagonist of "How I Met Your Mother" hails from the likable city of Columbus, Ohio.
12. LeBron James
Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons
No matter how you feel about this basketball star, he's one of the most famous athletes to be born and raised in Ohio - Akron, to be exact.
13. Macy Gray
Bruce Baker/Wikimedia Commons
Her singing career has taught Ohioans about more than life, love, and lessons learned -- she’s taught us what it means to have soul.
14. Rob Dyrdek
Michelle Vink/Wikimedia Commons
Dyrdek's skateboarding talent and hit reality TV shows have put Kettering on the map -- and offered a lot of laughs.
15. Neil Armstrong
NASA / Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr./Wikimedia Commons
Maybe it’s common knowledge, but it’s pretty mind-blowing to say that Ohioans were technically the first people to ever step foot on the moon. When it comes to notable individuals making their mark in America -- and the world -- Ohioans undeniably hold their own.

Did we leave any famous people from Ohio out? Let us know in the comments below! And for more noteworthy celebs from The Buckeye State, be sure to check out these 12 famous people who hail from Cleveland!

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Famous People From Ohio

May 07, 2021
Sarah

Is Ohio a good place to live?

With its Midwestern sensibility and abundance of natural beauty, Ohio really is a wonderful place to call home. From absolutely perfect waterfalls and hidden beaches to stunning mountains and pristine lakes, beauty abounds in The Buckeye State. If you're into outdoor recreation, the sky is the limit; if you're into thrills and excitement, there's no better place to be than Ohio. Weather-wise, we like to joke about Ohio's crazy fluctuations -- during the spring, you'll see 80-degree temperatures and snowfall just days apart! But there really is nothing like The Buckeye State.

What are some interesting facts about Ohio?

We Ohioans are proud of our history and the many contributions we've made. In the above list of famous people from Ohio, you'll find several notable inventors that literally changed the course of history. In terms of state trivia, there are several vehicular-related tidbits of note: Akron was the first city to use police cars, the first-ever full-time automobile service station opened in Ohio in 1899, the first ambulance service was established in Cincinnati in 1865, and Cleveland claims to have erected America’s first traffic light in 1914. But if you're looking for some Ohio trivia to really impress your dinner guests: it's illegal to get a fish drunk in Ohio, and “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” proclaimed the Y Bridge in Zanesville to be the only bridge in the world that you can cross and still be on the same side of the river.

Who is the most famous person from Ohio?

It doesn't get more noteworthy than being the first person to step foot on the moon, and Neil Armstrong really is Ohio's golden son. Many still remember those first steps taken on the moon by Ohio native Neil Armstrong and his famous words spoken from space. The Cincinnati Museum Center recently opened up an entire wing dedicated to Armstrong and the crew of Apollo 11. Its Neil Armstrong Space Exploration Gallery features rare artifacts and interactive elements, including an immersive, OMNIMAX-style theatre wherein visitors can experience the moon landing while Armstrong narrates the journey.