Who's The Best Actor From Every State?
List Rules Vote up the actors who best represent their home states.
No matter what part of the US you're from, you can brag about the famous people who grew up in your state. If you're not sure which stars got their start in your homeland, it's time for a quick refresher on the best actor from every state.
In states that spawned a considerable number of celebrities, some pretty good actors don't make the cut. While Jack Nicholson could be considered one of the best actors of all time, he unfortunately grew up in the same state as Meryl Streep (sorry, Jack). If musicians were added into the mix, the competition would be even steeper.
Most of these renowned performers have won Oscars and Emmys, and some have appeared in fantastic movies and TV shows filmed in their native lands. You might not recognize a small handful of these actors, as a few snuck onto the list thanks to their tiny home states.
California is a sprawling state with a huge population, but Concord, CA native Tom Hanks takes home the prize. His work as David S. Pumpkins speaks for itself, as does his Oscar wins for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.
From Lowell, MA, Davis is one of the most celebrated film stars of all time. She won Oscars in 1936 and 1939 for Dangerous and Jezebel respectively, and is also known for All About Eve, and Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?.
Amy Adams was born in Italy, but raised in Castle Rock, CO. In 2006, she broke through with her role in Junebug, which earned her an Oscar nomination. Since then, she's received four additional nominations — most recently for 2014's American Hustle — but has yet to win.
Robert Duvall was born in San Diego, but grew up in Maryland. His illustrious career includes roles in The Godfather Part II, Network, and an Oscar win for Tender Mercies.
Montgomery native Octavia Spencer began her career in the '90s by guest starring on several TV shows. In 2012, she won an Oscar for her role in The Help, and she has also been nominated for her work in Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water.
One of Hollywood's biggest stars, Paul Newman was born in Cleveland, OH. He won an Oscar in 1987 for The Color Of Money, and was nominated nine other times.
One of Hollywood's biggest legends, Katharine Hepburn was born in Hartford, CT. She won her first Oscar in 1934 for Morning Glory. She went on to receive three more Oscars, the last one being for 1982's On Golden Pond.
Born in Milwaukee, Wilder is known for roles in The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He also won an Emmy for a guest appearance on Will & Grace.
From Cloquet, MN, Lange won an Oscar in 1983 for Tootsie, and another in 1995 for Blue Sky. She's also won three Emmy awards, including two for American Horror Story.
From Omaha, Brando's list of accolades is nearly endless. In his lifetime, he won two Oscars for his roles in On The Waterfront and The Godfather.
From Fort Bragg, NC, Moore has received four Oscar nominations, including a win for Still Alice. She also won an Emmy in 2012 for Game Change, where she played Sarah Palin.
Hailing from Scottsdale, Emma Stone's breakthrough role came when she played Jules in 2007's Superbad. Since then she's been in The Amazing Spider-Man and Birdman, and won an Oscar for La La Land.
Born in Manhattan, De Niro won Oscars for The Godfather Part II and Raging Bull. He also starred in Dirty Grandpa, but don't hold that against him.
From Arlington, VA, Sandra Bullock shot to stardom with 1994's Speed. She won an Oscar for The Blind Side and was nominated again for Gravity.
From Summit, NJ, Meryl Streep's reputation speaks for itself. For the record, she's won three Oscars, most recently in 2012 for The Iron Lady.
From Memphis, one of Freeman's earliest roles was Easy Reader on The Electric Company. He went on to earn five Oscar nominations, including a win for Million Dollar Baby.
Williams was born in Chicago, though his family moved to Michigan when he was 12. He initially made a name for himself as a stand-up comedian in San Francisco, before landing a role on the TV show Mork & Mindy. He was nominated for four Oscars, including a win for Good Will Hunting.
From Albuquerque, Harris got his big break with Doogie Howser, MD. He went on to receive four Emmy nominations for How I Met Your Mother, and has been picked several times to host the Tony Awards.
Film legend Faye Dunaway was born in Bascom, FL. She garnered Oscar nominations for Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown, and won an Oscar for Network in 1976.
From his sitcom's theme song, you know that Will Smith was born and raised in Philadelphia. Since then, he's repeatedly proven his range as an actor, taking on roles in comedies, dramas and action films. He also has received two Oscar nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.
Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, TX, and shot to fame with his role in Dazed and Confused. He won an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, and was nominated for an Emmy for his role on True Detective.
Born in Texas but raised in Charleston, Garner has received four Emmy nominations for her work on Alias. On the big screen, she's been featured in Juno and Dallas Buyers Club, most notably.
Viola Davis was born in South Carolina, but raised in Central Falls, RI. She won an Oscar in 2017 for Fences, and was also nominated for Doubt and The Help.
Don Cheadle was born in Kansas City, MO (although he moved around frequently as a child). Cheadle is one of the most respected working actors in Hollywood, and has received an Oscar nomination for Hotel Rwanda, and seven Emmy nominations for The Rat Pack, House of Lies, and more.