20 of Our Favorite Celebrities from Houston
Houston is famous for space exploration, engineering, technology, art, and museums. It is also the birthplace of many famous people from all sectors of the entertainment industry. Although some of these celebrities have remained true to their roots and continue to live in Texas’ second-largest city, others now live in new locations. Here are 20 of our favorite celebrities from Houston.
20. Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen is a singer, songwriter, and entertainer who is known for his work in music genres including roots, rock, country, folk, and bluegrass. During his career, he has released 18 studio albums, and he has written songs for multiple major artists. Keen was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. He was born in Houston in 1956.
19. Michael Strahan
One of the most famous sporting celebrities from Houston is Michael Strahan. The American football star played for Westbury High School and Texas Southern before beginning his professional career in 1993. He then played for the New York Giants from 1993 until his retirement from the sport in 2007. In 2014, Strahan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since his retirement, Strahan has become a media personality. He is a football analyst for Fox NFL, and he is the co-host of ‘Good Morning America.’ Although he is from Houston, Strahan has lived in Manhattan’s Upper West Side since 2004.
18. LeToya Luckett
LeToya Luckett is one of the original members of the R&B girl group Destiny’s Child, which is one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time. Luckett was born in Houston, Texas, on March 11, 1981. After leaving Destiny’s Child in the early 2000s, Luckett began her solo career. Her debut solo album ‘LeToya’ was released in 2006, and it topped the Billboard 200. Three years later, Luckett released her second studio album, and her third studio album was released in 2017. Luckett is now an actress and has had roles in films such as ‘Preacher’s Kid,’ ‘Killers,’ and ‘From the Rough.’ She has also had roles in television series including ‘Treme,’ ‘Single Ladies,’ and ‘Greenleaf.’ LaTavia Roberson was another original member from Destiny’s Child, and she is also from Houston.
17. Melissa Benoist
Actress and singer Melissa Benoist was born in Houston on October 4, 1988. She is best known for playing Marley Rose in ‘Glee’ and the title character in ‘Supergirl.’ Benoist has also made appearances in films including ‘Whiplash,’ ‘Danny Collins,’ ‘The Longest Rise, ‘Lowriders,’ ‘Sun Dogs,’ ‘and ‘Patriot’s Day.’
16. Jaclyn Smith
Actress Jaclyn Smith was born in Houston in 1945. She is best known for playing Kelly Garrett in ‘Charlie’s Angels’ from 1976to 1981, and she was the only original female cast member to appear in the series’ complete run. She is also known for her roles in films such as ‘Nightkill,’ ‘Déjà vu,’ and the television film ‘Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Most recently, she made a cameo appearance as Kelly Garrett in the 2019 version of the film ‘Charlie’s Angels.’
15. Riff Raff
Riff Raff, whose real name is Horst Christian Simco, was born in Houston on January 29, 1982. The rapper began his career in the music industry in 2005. As a solo artist, Riff Raff has released five studio albums, two remix albums, three collaborative albums, 20 mixtapes, one EP, and 55 singles. In addition to his solo career, Riff Raff was formerly part of the rap group Three Loco along with Dirty Nasty and Andy Milonakis.
14. Matt Stone
Matt Stone is another celebrity from Houston. He is an actor, animator, writer, producer, and composer Stone is probably best known as the co-creator of the animated series ‘South Park’ and for co-developing the musical ‘The Book of Mormon’ along with Trey Parker, Stone’s creative partner. Parker and Stone have collaborated on many short films, co-wrote ‘Orgazmo,’ and co-starred in the 1993 feature-length musical ‘Cannibal! The Musical.’ Although his origins are in Texas, Stone now lives in Venice, Los Angeles, with his wife and two children.
13. Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Pete, who is better known as Megan Thee Stallion, is a rapper who is originally from Houston, Texas. She first became famous when she began posting videos of herself freestyling on various social media platforms. In 2018, she released the mixtape ‘Fever, followed by the EP ‘Suga’ a year later. Megan Thee Stallion released her debut studio album ‘Good News’ in 2020. The rapper has received multiple accolades, including six BET Awards, three Grammy Awards, five BET Hip Hop Awards, four American Music Awards, a Billboard Women in Music Award, and two MTV Video Music Awards.
12. Scarface
Rapper and record producer Scarface, whose real name is Bradley Terrence Jordan, was born in Houston on November 9, 1970. He is best known for being a member of the hip-hop group Geto Boys. Scarface has also had a career as a solo artist and has released 11 studio albums. Furthermore, he has released the collaborative album ‘The Other Side of the Law’ with Facemob and the collaborative album ‘One Hunid’ with The Product.
11. Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles is a singer, songwriter, and dancer from Houston and the sister of Beyonce Knowles. She began her career as a backing dancer for Destiny’s Child, then signed to her father’s label Music World Entertainment. Knowles was just 16 when she released her debut solo album ‘Solo Star.’ She did not release her second studio album until 2008, and her third album was released in 2016. Alongside her singing career, she co-wrote songs for her sister and the other former members of Destiny’s Child: Kelly Roland and Michelle Williams. She now lives in New Orleans.
10. Alexis Bledel
Alexis Bledel was born in Houston in 1981, although she now lives in California. The actress and model is best known for playing Rory Gilmore in the series ‘Gilmore Girls’ and Emily Malek in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ In 2002, she made her feature film debut in ‘Tuck Everlasting,’ and her other films include ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ series, ‘Post Grad,’ and ‘Sin City.’ Bledel is married to actor Vincent Kartheiser, and they have one son.
9. Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons is a rock musician who was born in Houston in 1949. He is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band ZZ Top. However, he began his career in the psychedelic blues-rock band The Moving Sidewalks. Gibbons is famous for his gravelly voice and bluesy, groove-based guitar style. He is also known for his chest-length beard and for wearing a Stetson hat. He married his long-time girlfriend, Gilligan Stillwater, in 2005.
8. Jim Parsons
Actor Jim Parson is best Known for playing the much-loved but eccentric character Sheldon Cooper in the award-winning sitcom ‘The Big Bang Theory’. He played the role from 2007 to 2019 and won multiple awards for his portrayal of the character. During his time on this series, it is estimated that Parson’s earnings were approximately $26.5 million a year, which made him the highest-paid actor in the world. The Houston-born actor has also had roles in films including ‘The Boys in the Band,’ ‘Hidden Figures,’ and ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.’
7. Hilary Duff
New Home Source lists Hilary Duff as one of the celebrities from Houston. She is an actress, singer, songwriter, author, and businesswoman who first became famous for playing Lizzie McGuire in the television series of the same name and in the film ‘The Lizzie McGuire Movie.’ Since then, some of her films include ‘Agent Cody Banks,’ ‘Cadet Kelly,’ ‘A Cinderella Story,’ ‘Cheaper by the Dozen,’ ‘The Haunting of Sharon Tate,’ ‘According to Greta,’ and ‘War, Inc.’ On television, Duff played Kelsey Peters in ‘Younger’ from 2015 to 2021, and she currently produces and stars in ‘How I Met Your Father.’ As a singer, Duff has released five studio albums and has also collaborated with many other artists. Additionally, Hilary Duff has released a line of fashion clothing and co-written a trilogy of books.
6. Wes Anderson
Filmmaker Wes Anderson was born in Houston on May 1, 1969. He has earned a reputation for creating eccentric films, and he has unique visual and narrative styles. Some of Anderson’s best-known and most successful films include ‘The Royal Tenenbaums,’ ‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel,’ ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox,’ and ‘Isle of Dogs.’ Although he is from Houston, Anderson has spent most of his adult life in New York and now lives in Paris.
5. Kelly Rowland
Singer Kelly Rowland was born in Houston in 1981. She became famous in the 1990s as a member of Destiny’s Child, selling more than 60 million records. Rowland has also enjoyed a career as a solo artist, with her solo albums selling over 30 million records. Alongside her career in the music industry, Kelly Roland has also become an actress and television personality. She hosted ‘Chasing Destiny’ and the first season of ‘The Fashion Show.’ Rowland was a judge on ‘The Voice Australia’ and both the UK and USA versions of ‘The X Factor.’ She married her manager, Tim Weatherspoon, in 2014, and they have two sons together.
4. Jennifer Garner
Actress Jennifer Garner was born in Houston in 1972, although she was raised in West Virginia and then moved to Los Angeles in 1997 to further her career in the entertainment industry. She made her television debut in 1995 in ‘Zoya,’ which was a television adaptation of the Danielle Steel novel of the same name. She went on to land various leading roles, and some of her best films are ’13 Going On 30,’ ‘Daredevil,’ ‘Elektra,’ ‘Dallas Buyers Club,’ ‘The Invention of Lying,’ ‘Miracles of Heaven,’ ‘Valentine’s Day,’ and ‘The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Garner is the co-founder of the organic baby food company ‘Once Upon a Farm,’ of which she is also the chief brand officer.
3. Travis Scott
Travis Scott is a rapper and singer whose real name is Jacques Bermon Webster II, and he was born in Houston on April 30, 1991. He began his career in music in 2008, and he signed his first major-label contract with Epic Records in 2012. In the same year, he signed a publishing deal with Kanye West’s GOOD Music. Scott then signed a recording contract with Grand Hustle in 2013. In the same year, he self-released the mixtape ‘Owl Pharoah,’ which was his first major project. Scott did not release his debut studio album until 2015. He has since released another two studio albums and is working on his fourth. Travis Scott is in a relationship with Kylie Jenner. The couple has a daughter, Stormi, and a son, Wolfe.
2. The Undertaker
Former wrestler The Undertaker, whose real name is Mark William Calaway, was born in Houston in 1965. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. For most of his on-screen career, The Undertaker was signed to WWF/E. He remains employed by WWE even though he is now retired from wrestling. Outside his wrestling career, The Undertaker invests in real estate. He has been married three times and has four children.
1. Beyonce Knowles-Carter
According to The Famous People, one of the most famous celebrities from Houston is Beyonce Knowles. She is a singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman, and she was born in Houston in 1981. Widely referred to simply as Beyonce, the artist first became famous a member of Destiny’s Child, but she went on to have a successful solo career. As an actress, Beyonce has had roles in films including ‘The Pink Panther,’ ‘Dreamgirls,’ ‘Cadillac Records,’ ‘The Lion King,’ and ‘Obsessed.’ She is married to Jay-Z, and the couple has three children.
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