16 celebrities you didn't know were from the Midwest
Talia Lakritz
- Betty White, Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Anderson, and Bill Murray were all born in Illinois.
- Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, and Lily Tomlin were born in Michigan.
- Halle Berry, Katie Holmes, and John Legend were born in Ohio.
Betty White was born in Oak Park, Illinois.
Famous for roles on "Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Betty White is one of Hollywood's oldest stars at 98 years old.
Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Garland became a household name when she starred in "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939. She went on to star in classic movies such as "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "A Star Is Born." Renée Zellweger won an Oscar in 2020 for best actress for her portrayal of Garland's tumultuous life in "Judy."
John Legend was born in Springfield, Ohio.
Legend is the first Black man and youngest person ever to achieve the prestigious EGOT: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards.
Melissa McCarthy grew up on a farm in Plainfield, Illinois.
After her breakthrough role of Sookie in "Gilmore Girls," McCarthy starred in "Bridesmaids," "Ghostbusters," and "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" She's currently starring in "Nine Perfect Strangers" on Hulu.
Gabrielle Union was born in Omaha, Nebraska.
Union is known for roles in "Bring It On," "10 Things I Hate About You," and the television series "Being Mary Jane."
Dax Shepard was born in Milford, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.
He's best known for roles in "Hit and Run" and "Employee of the Month," hosting the podcast "Armchair Expert," and his marriage to actress Kristen Bell.
Kristen Bell is also from the Midwest, having been born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan.
A singer and actress, Bell voiced Princess Anna in "Frozen" and narrated "Gossip Girl." She also starred in "The Good Place" and "Veronica Mars."
Chris Pratt was born in Virginia, Minnesota.
After playing the lovable Andy Dwyer on "Parks and Recreation," Pratt starred in the "Jurassic World" reboots and entered the Marvel universe as Star-Lord in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and subsequent "Avengers" movies.
Halle Berry was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
In 2001, Berry was the first woman of color to win an Oscar for best actress when she won for "Monster's Ball." She also starred in "Catwoman" and "X-Men."
Lily Tomlin was born in Detroit, Michigan.
Tomlin's acting career has spanned six decades with roles in "Nashville," "9 to 5," and "I Heart Huckabees."
Ashton Kutcher was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Kutcher is known for roles on "That '70s Show," "Dude, Where's My Car?" and "Two and a Half Men," as well as the host of the prank show "Punk'd." He was named one of Time magazine's Top 100 Most Influential People in 2010 and is married to actress Mila Kunis.
Katie Holmes was born in Toledo, Ohio.
Holmes played Rachel Dawes in "Batman Begins" and starred as Joey Potter on "Dawson's Creek," among other roles.
Janet Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana.
Jackson's most famous hit songs include "Miss You Much," "What Have You Done For Me Lately," and "All For You."
Gillian Anderson was born in Chicago, Illinois.
Anderson, who spent part of her childhood in London before moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan, rose to fame as Dana Scully in "The X-Files." She also played sex therapist Jean Milburn on "Sex Education" and Margaret Thatcher in season four of "The Crown" — she won an Emmy for the role in 2021.
Bill Murray was born in Wilmette, Illinois.
Mark Ruffalo was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Ruffalo played Bruce Banner (also known as The Hulk) in the "Avengers" films, as well as his iconic role as Jennifer Garner's love interest in "13 Going on 30."
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