You May Be Surprised to Learn These 10 Famous People Are From New Mexico

You'll be familiar with many of the names on this list. But did you realize that all these famous people are from New Mexico? We've got singers, actors, and athletes. Check out these 10 celebrities who hail from the Land of Enchantment and see how many you knew were celebrities born in New Mexico.

1. Neil Patrick Harris (Albuquerque)

Actor Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque. As a child, he lived in Ruidoso, a small town in the southern half of the state, but he did return to Albuquerque. He gained fame as the star of Doogie Howser, M.D. and was recently again popularized by his role in How I Met Your Mother, where he played Barney Stinson. He also has had extensive success as a stage performer and even won a Tony for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

2. Demi Moore (Roswell)

The actress Demi Moore is originally from Roswell and is one of the best-known famous people from New Mexico. She's starred in many high-profile films, including Ghost, A Few Good Men, and Indecent Proposal. Roswell is proud to claim her as one of their own!

3. Demi Lovato (Albuquerque)

Demi Lovato was born in Albuquerque in 1992 (though they were then known as Demetria). The child star shot to fame following their roles on the Disney Channel and collaboration with the Jonas Brothers. They subsequently gained even further fame as a solo artist. Lovato has also been an advocate for addiction recovery and mental health awareness.

4. John Denver (Roswell)

Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. was born in Roswell. You probably know him better by his much easier-to-remember stage name: John Denver. He was born into a military family that moved around a lot, so he wasn't long in the Land of Enchantment. This best-selling artist's music was immensely successful on both pop and country charts. Though he had countless hits, some of his most famous include "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Rocky Mountain High," and "Annie's Song."

5. Adrian Grenier (Santa Fe)

This Santa Fe-born actor and producer is best known for his work on the hit series Entourage, where he played Vincent Chase. He's also appeared in several films, including The Devil Wears Prada. Today, he's most well-known for being a dedicated environmentalist and even co-founded the Lonely Whale Foundation, an organization dedicated to ocean health.

6. Freddie Prinze, Jr. (raised in New Mexico)

Okay, this one's a bit of a stretch. Technically, he was born in Los Angeles, but Freddie Prinze, Jr. spent his early years in New Mexico, so we claim him as one of our own. Fun fact: He graduated from La Cueva High School in Albuquerque. He's popularly known for portraying Fred Jones in the Scooby Doo films. He has also worked in voice acting, with one of his most famous roles being Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus in the animated series Star Wars Rebels.

7. William Hanna (Melrose)

Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, The Flintstones: Any of those all-time great cartoons sound familiar? This famous person from New Mexico was responsible for them! He was born in the tiny village of Melrose, which is right between Fort Sumner and Clovis. William Hanna won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards with his partner Joseph Barbera.

8. Conrad Hilton (San Antonio)

Conrad Hilton was born in San Antonio on Christmas Day in 1887. New Mexico was actually still just a U.S. territory at that point. Like most of the country, he sustained significant financial losses during the Great Depression. However, he grew his hotel business into one of the largest and best-known in the world. Today, there are thousands of Hilton properties worldwide.

9. Bobby Unser (Albuquerque)

Bobby Unser's family is well-known in the American automobile racing industry. The family has won the Indianapolis 500 a record nine times. Bobby was actually born in Colorado but resided in New Mexico for much of his life after moving there at just a year old. His career started in Roswell.

10. Al Unser (Albuquerque)

We told you the Unsers were well-known in racing! Al Unser, Sr. is Bobby's younger brother. He and his family operate the Unser Racing Museum in Albuquerque. The museum is shaped like a steering wheel and displays some of its famous cars.

More Famous People With New Mexico Connections

Of course, there are plenty of celebrities with strong ties to New Mexico, including:

• Georgia O'Keeffe: A renowned artist who spent a lot of time living in and inspired by the New Mexico landscape. Her work can be admired at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe.
• Val Kilmer: This famous Hollywood actor developed a connection to New Mexico through various projects. He even purchased property along the Pecos River.
• Brian Urlacher: Though he was born in Washington State, Brian Urlacher grew up in Lovington, New Mexico, and went on to have an incredible football career. Before playing with the Chicago Bears, he played for the University of New Mexico.

Well, there you have it—a list of celebrities from New Mexico and some who simply loved the Land of Enchantment. Looking for related content? Take a look at these three reasons why New Mexico might just be the best place to retire.