20 of Our Favorite Celebrities from Virginia

Every state in the United States has produced many famous people. Virginia was one of the first colonies captured by the British, so it is known for its long and rich history. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that there are many notable people throughout history from this state, including George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Pocahontas, Woodrow Wilson, Patsy Cline, Booker T. Washington, and James Madison. There are also many celebrities who hail from this state. Here are our 20 favorite celebrities from Virginia.

20. Wanda Sykes

Actress, comedian, and writer Wanda Sykes was born in Portsmouth, VA, on March 7, 1964. However, she now has homes in Pennsylvania and New York. Sykes became known for writing for ‘The Chris Rock Show,’ and she is also known for her roles in ‘The New Adventures of Old Christine,’ ‘Black-ish,’ ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ and ‘The Upshaws.’

19. Donna Dixon

Actress Donna Dixon was born in Alexandria, Virginia. She began her career as a model, and she was named Miss Virginia USA in 196. As an actress, Dixon is known for playing Allison Hayes in ‘Berringer’s’ and co-starring with Tom Hanks in the 1980s sitcom ‘Bosom Buddies’ Donna Dixon married actor Dan Ackroyd in 1983, and the couple has three daughters.

18. Dermot Mulroney

Dermot Mulroney has starred in films such as ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding,’ ‘The Wedding Date,’ ‘Angels in the Outfield,’ ‘Staying Together,’ ‘The Last Outlaws,’ and ‘Point of No Return.’ He has also had television roles in series such as ‘The Purge,’ ‘Shameless,’ and ‘Pure Genius.’ Dermot Mulroney was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 31, 1963. He now lives in Los Angeles with his second wife and two daughters. Mulroney also has a son from his first marriage.

17. Katie Couric

Katie Couric is a journalist, presenter, producer, and author who was born in Arlington, Virginia, in 1957. She began her career in 1979 and has since been a television host on all of the Big Three Television networks in the United States. Couric has also hosted a daytime talk show and was the first woman to guest host the game show ‘Jeopardy!’ Couric is the founder of Katie Couric Media, which is a multimedia news and production company. Although Katie Couric hails from Virginia, she now lives in The Hamptons.

16. Warren Beatty

Only In Your State lists Warren Beatty as one of the famous people from Virginia. Beatty was born in Richmond in 193. He is an actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, and his career spans six decades. Beatty has won multiple awards throughout his career, including the Irving G. Thalberg Award, which is the Academy Awards’ highest honor. Some of his films include ‘Splendor in the Grass,’ ‘Dick Tracy,’ ‘Bonnie and Clyde,’ ‘Bugsy,’ ‘Rules Don’t Apply,’ ‘Shampoo,’ ‘Bullworth,’ and ‘Heaven Can Wait.’ Beatty is married to Annette Bening, and they have four children.

15. Hilarie Burton

Hilarie Burton was born in Sterling, Virginia, in 1982. She is known for being the former host of ‘Total Request Live’ and for starring in series such as ‘One Tree Hill,” The List,’ ‘Solstice,’ and ‘Our Very Own.’ Burton is married to actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and they have two children. Their second child, a daughter, is called George Virginia in tribute to Burton’s birthplace. The family lives on a farm in the Hudson Valley in New York.

14. Grant Gustin

Grant Gustin is best known for playing Barry Allen/ The Flash in the CW series ‘The Flash,’ which is part of the Arrowverse television franchise. He has played the same character in other television series, including ‘Arrow,’ ‘Supergirl,’ ‘Legends of Tomorrow,’ and ‘Batwoman.’ Gustin was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He is married with one daughter.

13. Camilla Mendes

Actress and singer Camilla Mendes is best known for playing Veronica Lodge in The CS teen drama series’ Riverdale.’ She had roles in films including ‘Palm Springs,’ ‘The Perfect Date,’ and ‘The New Romantic.’ Mendes also provides the voice of Melody in the series’ Fairfax.’ Camilla Mendes was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, on June 29, 1994. Although her Brazilian parents moved with her to Atlanta shortly after she was born, they soon returned to Virginia. The family moved many more times during Mendes’ childhood due to her father’s job and her parents’ divorce.

12. Patton Oswalt

Patton Oswalt was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on January 27, 1969. He is an actor, comedian, and screenwriter who began his career in 1988. One of his first major roles was playing Spence Olchin in the sitcom ‘The King of Queens’ from 1998 to 2007. He is also known for playing adult Adam F. Goldberg in ‘The Goldbergs.’ Oswalt has had roles in many films, some of which include ‘Blade: Trinity,’ ‘All Roads Lead Home,’ ‘The Circle,’ ‘Zoolander,’ and ‘The Manon the Moon.’ He is also known for voicing Remy in ‘Ratatouille.’ Oswalt has been married twice, and he has one daughter with his first wife, who died in her sleep due to an undiagnosed heart condition.

11. Jason Sudeikis

Actor Jason Sudeikis was born in Fairfax, Virginia, on September 18, 1975. He began his career in improv comedy in the 1990s when he performed with ComedySportz, The Second City, and iO Chicago. Sudeikis then became a writer for ‘Saturday Night Live, then became a cast member between 2005 and 2013. He has had recurring roles in multiple television series, including ’30 Rock,’ ‘The Last Man on Earth,’ ‘Portlandia,’ and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.’ Furthermore, Sudeikis has had roles in films including ‘Downsizing,’ ‘Colossal,’ ‘Booksmart,’ ‘Sleeping with Other People,’ ‘We’re the Millers,’ ‘Drinking Buddies,’ and ‘Horrible Bosses’ and its sequel.

10. Patrick Wilson

Patrick Wilson was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1973. He married actress Dragmara Dominiczyk in 2005, and they live with their two sons in New Jersey. Wilson began his career in 1995, and his work has covered theater, television, and film. His television career has included roles in series such as ‘Angels in America,’ “A Gifted Man,’ and’ Fargo.’ Wilson’s films include ‘Hard Candy,’ ‘Little Children,’ Insidious: Chapter 2,’ ‘Watchmen,’ ‘The Phantom of the Opera,’ and ‘The A-Team.’ Wilson also portrayed Orm Marius Ocean Master in the 2018 film ‘Aquaman.’

9. Missy Elliott

Rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Missy Elliott was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on July 1, 1971. She first became known in the early 1990s when she was a part of the R&B girl group ‘Sista.’ Elliott then became a member of the Swing Mob collective with Timbaland, who is a childhood friend and longtime collaborator. She launched her solo career in 199 when she released her debut solo album ‘Supa Dupa Fly.’ The Grammy Award-winning artist has released six studio albums, three compilation albums, one EP, 22 music videos, and 74 singles. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the success of her career in the music industry means that Missy Elliott’s net worth is $50 million.

8. Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine began her career as a dancer but went on to have careers as an actress, singer, author, and activist. She was born in Richmond, Virginia, on April 24, 1934. Her brother is actor Warren Beatty. MacLaine made her film debut in Hitchcock’s ‘The Trouble with Harry.’ She also had starring roles in films including ‘The Children’s Hour,’ ‘The Apartment,’ ‘Some Came Running,’ ‘Around the World in 80 Days,’ ‘Steel Magnolias,’ ‘Bewitched,’ and ‘In Her Shoes.’

7. Ariel Winter

Actress Ariel Winter was born in Fairfax, Virginia, on January 28, 1998. She is best known for starring as Alex Dunphy in the comedy series ‘Modern Family.’ Winter is also known for voicing the characters Sofia in the Disney Junior show ‘Sofia the First’ and Penny Peterson in the 2014 animated film ‘Mr. Peabody and Sherman.’ Winter’s sister is actress Shanelle Workman, who gained legal guardianship of Ariel Winter in 2014 after alleging that their mother was emotionally and physically abusive.

6. Gabby Douglas

Not every celebrity from Virginia is a star of the stage and screen, as there are also many sportspeople from this state. One example is Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, who was born in Newport News on New Year’s Eve in 1995. Douglas was the 2012 Olympic all-around champion, and she was part of the gold-winning gymnastics teams at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics. She was also a member of the gold-winning American team at the 2011 and 2015 World Championships and became the 2015 World all-around silver medallist. Douglas has now retired from competitive gymnastics.

5. Rob Lowe

Actor Rob Lowe was born in Charlottesville in 1964. He first hit television screens in the sitcom ‘A New Kind of Family.’ He rose to prominence during the 1980s when he became a teen idol and part of the Brat Pack. Some of his films during this period included ‘The Hotel in New Hampshire,’ ‘Oxford Blues,’ ‘The Outsiders,’ ‘Class,’ ‘St. Elmo’s Fire,’ ‘Square Dance,’ and’ About Last Night.’ In his television career, he has starred in series including ‘Brothers & Sisters,’ ‘Code Black,’ ‘Parks and Recreation,’ and ‘9-1-1: Lone Star.’ Rob Lowe is married with two sons.

4. Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt rose to prominence in the sitcom ‘Parks and Recreation.’ In his early career, he also had roles in films such as ‘Jennifer’s Body,’ ‘Moneyball,’ ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ and ‘The Five-Year Engagement.’ Later in his career, Pratt has starred in films including ‘The Lego movie,’ ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,’ ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ ‘The Tomorrow War,’ and ‘Passengers’. Pratt also plays Star-Lord in Marvel films. Chris Pratt was born in Virginia in 1979, although he now lives in Los Angeles with his second wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, with whom he has a daughter. Pratt also has a son from his first marriage to actress Anna Farris.

3. Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is a former basketball player who was born in Hampton, Virginia. He has played in both the shooting guard and point guard positions, and he spent 14 seasons playing for the National Basketball Association. Iverson played for Bethel High School and then Georgetown College. Between 1996 and 2010, Iverson played for the Philadelphia 6ers, the Denver Nuggets, the Detroit Pistons, and the Memphis Grizzlies. From 2010 to 2011, Iverson played for the Turkish basketball team Besiktas J.K.

2. Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur who was born in Virginia Beach on April 5, 1973. He shot to fame with Chad Hugo in the early 1990s when they formed the hip-hop and R&B duo The Neptunes. At the end of the 1990s, Willaims, Hugo, and drummer Shay Haley formed the band N.E.R.D, and Williams became the group’s lead vocalist. Pharrell Williams did not release his solo debut album until 2006. In 2013, Williams released the single ‘Happy,’ which featured on the soundtrack for the animated film ‘Despicable Me 2.’ The same year, Williams featured in the Robin Thicke song ‘Blurred Lines.’

1. Sandra Bullock

One of the most famous celebrities from Virginia is Sandra Bullock. The actress and producer was born in Arlington, VA, on July 26, 1964. However, she lived in many locations during her childhood, including Germany and Austria, as her father was serving in the Army. After studying at East Carolina University, she moved to Manhattan to look for acting work. She now lives in Los Angeles. Sandra Bullock has starred in more than 50 films, including ‘Speed,’ ‘A Time to Kill,” Ocean’s 8,’ The Proposal,’ ‘Premonition,’ and ‘Miss Congeniality and its sequel. During her marriage to Jesse James, the couple won custody of James’ daughter from a former marriage, and they began the process of adopting a child together. When their relationship ended, Bullock went on to adopt two children as a single parent.

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