The Movie Waffler Homegrown Talent: 4 Most Popular Celebrity Hometowns | The Movie Waffler

Homegrown Talent: 4 Most Popular Celebrity Hometowns

While most celebrities make big names for themselves in cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago, many come from very different backgrounds, especially due to online media such as YouTube. Therefore, it isn't always necessary to move to the big city in order to attain a celebrity status. Here are just a few unassuming places that produced some of the biggest stars.



Arlington, Virginia
Located just outside of Washington, D.C. lies Arlington, Virginia, the second largest city in the metropolitan area. The city has a rich cultural heritage, which might have a correlation with its large amount of celebrities. The biggest stars from the city are actress Sandra Bullock and television host Katie Couric, but it also is home to less known names such as Zac Hanson, who was in The Hangover: Part III. The city loves its celebrities and with a vast cultural center and proximity to the nation's capital, it is often regarded as one of the best places to live in the country.
Austin, Texas
Recently, Austin has become one of the newest hotbeds of entertainment talent. The "Live Music Capital of the World" is starting embrace this status and loves most of the celebrities born here or currently living here. Celebrities born here aren't limited to music, however, and many achieved success in other areas of the entertainment business. Perhaps the most well-known Austinite in recent memory is Dakota Johnson, who portrayed the lead role in 50 Shades of Grey. Other popular celebrities include wrestler Steve Austin, singer Ciara, and actor Ethan Hawke.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Big Easy is a vibrant city, home to an eclectic culture not found anywhere else on Earth. That's just one of the reasons it's a city home to many celebrities, from music to sports to film. Some celebrities in the television and film industry that are from New Orleans include comedian Ellen DeGeneres, actor Shia Leboeuf, Reese Witherspoon, and Tyler Perry. Also, due to the huge music scene, New Orleans has musicians across many genres such as Harry Connick, Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Juvenile, Lil' Wayne, and Trombone Shorty, just to name a few.
Saint Louis, Missouri
Although Saint Louis is a city that consistently gets a bad rap from outsiders, it loves its homegrown talent, and there's plenty of it. Currently, the most recognized celebrity from Saint Louis is Jon Hamm of Mad Men fame; he is still routinely seen at Cardinals games or dining at regular, blue-collar establishments. In the music industry, Nelly is still a household name who grew up on the city's north side, as did the father of rock and roll, Chuck Berry. In television and film, Bob Costas, announcer Joe Buck, and actors John Goodman and Kevin Kline call St. Louis home.
These are just a few of the cities in America that incubate celebrities on a regular basis. Although it isn't always possible to achieve fame in your hometown, these celebrities show that it is possible. The only question that remains is where the next big star will call home.