Admiring and envying the world's biggest stars is easy to do on Instagram. From A-list movie stars and major musicians to pro ball players and comedians who landed their own sitcoms, there's no shortage of evidence of just how good the good life is. They post pictures of themselves with other big shots on rooftop bars, at exclusive clubs, at backstage parties, and at restaurants where regular people can't get a reservation.
But the vast majority of these celebrities were born and raised outside of Hollywood, finding their way to the bright lights and big money of superstardom from obscure beginnings in regular small towns or cities across the country.
Stacker compiled a list of actors that were born in Kentucky from IMDb's most popular list. For each actor, we included a movie poster image from a film he is known for (all movie poster images from OMDb). Keep reading to see which favorite actors are from your home state.
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- Born: Owensboro, Kentucky (6/9/1963)
- Known for:
--- Sweeney Todd in "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007)
--- Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003)
--- Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (2007)
- Born: Lexington, Kentucky (5/6/1961)
- Known for:
--- Michael Clayton in "Michael Clayton" (2007)
--- Ryan Bingham in "Up in the Air" (2009)
--- Governor Mike Morris in "The Ides of March" (2011)
- Born: Lexington, Kentucky (8/7/1974)
- Known for:
--- Curtis in "Take Shelter" (2011)
--- Richard Strickland in "The Shape of Water" (2017)
--- Rick Carver in "99 Homes" (2014)
- Born: Union, Kentucky (10/12/1992)
- Known for:
--- Peeta Mellark in "The Hunger Games" (2012)
--- Peeta Mellark in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (2013)
--- Peeta Mellark in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" (2015)
- Born: Kentucky (7/1/1951)
- Known for:
--- Johnny Steele in "Critters" (1986)
--- Counselor Tetra in "Critters 4" (1992)
--- Whispers in "Sense8" (2015-2018)
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- Born: Prestonsburg, Kentucky (9/1/1981)
- Known for:
--- Pierce in "Logan" (2017)
--- Quinn McKenna in "The Predator" (2018)
--- Kyle in "The Host" (2013)
- Born: Lexington, Kentucky (6/15/1949)
- Died: 2/10/2000
- Known for:
--- Ernest P. Worrell in "Ernest Goes to Camp" (1987)
--- Slinky Dog in "Toy Story" (1995)
--- Slinky Dog in "Toy Story 2" (1999)
- Born: West Irvine, Kentucky (7/14/1926)
- Died: 9/15/2017
- Known for:
--- Brett in "Alien" (1979)
--- Lucky in "Lucky" (2017)
--- Toot-Toot in "The Green Mile" (1999)
- Born: Frankfort, Kentucky (9/12/1970)
- Known for:
--- Bob Nash in "Sharp Objects" (2018)
--- Neil Hargrove in "Stranger Things" (2017-2019)
--- Michael Friedman in "Dopesick" (2021)
- Born: Pikeville, Kentucky (10/23/1956)
- Known for:
--- Doyle Hargraves in "Sling Blade" (1996)
--- Doc Miles in "Crank" (2006)
--- Mr. Kroeger in "Wedding Crashers" (2005)
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- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (12/18/1978)
- Known for:
--- Fandral in "Thor" (2011)
--- Frantic Pig in "Zootopia" (2016)
--- Ben Stone in "Manifest" (2018-2022)
- Born: Depoy, Kentucky (7/5/1928)
- Died: 4/3/1982
- Known for:
--- Lyle Gorch in "The Wild Bunch" (1969)
--- Sgt. Hulka in "Stripes" (1981)
--- Father in "Badlands" (1973)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (4/21/1970)
- Known for:
--- Self - Correspondent in "The Daily Show" (2006-2015)
--- Officer Franklin in "The Hangover" (2009)
--- Mr. Walters in "21 Jump Street" (2012)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (7/6/1937)
- Died: 6/13/2021
- Known for:
--- Arthur Jensen in "Network" (1976)
--- Bobby in "Deliverance" (1972)
--- Senator Charles F. Meachum in "Shooter" (2007)
- Born: Winchester, Kentucky (5/18/1980)
- Known for:
--- Joey Baird in "Mad Men" (2010)
--- Jack McCallister in "Jack & Bobby" (2004-2005)
--- Dr. James Peterson in "Private Practice" (2012-2013)
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- Born: Murray, Kentucky (9/7/1963)
- Known for:
--- Dan Dority in "Deadwood" (2004-2006)
--- Warren in "There's Something About Mary" (1998)
--- Hugo Root in "Preacher" (2016-2017)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (12/10/1941)
- Died: 9/28/2021
- Known for:
--- Go Go in "Pajama Party" (1964)
--- Ernst Robinson in "Swiss Family Robinson" (1960)
--- Grumio in "Babes in Toyland" (1961)
- Born: Powderly, Kentucky (7/26/1926)
- Died: 4/6/2015
- Known for:
--- Sheriff Rosco Coltrane in "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979-1985)
--- Thorne Sherman in "The Killer Shrews" (1959)
--- Crater in "Winchester '73" (1950)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (4/17/1965)
- Known for:
--- Dr. Ethan Rom in "Lost" (2004-2010)
--- Richard Strout in "In the Bedroom" (2001)
--- John Burroughs in "Another Earth" (2011)
- Born: Ashland, Kentucky (10/30/1975)
- Known for:
--- Gus Pfender in "Shameless" (2015-2016)
--- Frank in "The Walking Dead" (2019)
--- Riff Bell in "Nashville" (2016)
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- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (8/29/1977)
- Known for:
--- Brad in "Teeth" (2007)
--- Matt McNamara in "Nip/Tuck" (2003-2010)
--- Adam in "Shutter" (2008)
- Born: Lexington, Kentucky (9/12/1970)
- Known for:
--- Capt. Darryl Ennis in "The Perfect Storm" (2000)
--- Flea in "G.I. Jane" (1997)
--- California Hot Shot Supervisor in "Only the Brave" (2017)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (5/1/1986)
- Known for:
--- Paul Hendrickson in "The Deuce" (2017-2019)
--- Kevin Sweeney in "The Front Runner" (2018)
--- Detective Thomas in "Detroit" (2017)
- Born: Mt. Union, Kentucky (4/12/1936)
- Died: 10/5/2011
- Known for:
--- Lt. Boyle in "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
--- Murdock in "Rambo: First Blood Part II" (1985)
--- Tucker McElroy in "The Blues Brothers" (1980)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (9/10/1963)
- Known for:
--- Ray Monroe in "Olympus Has Fallen" (2013)
--- Party Goer in "Mission: Impossible III" (2006)
--- Cavic in "Vantage Point" (2008)
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- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (9/27/1920)
- Died: 2/11/1994
- Known for:
--- Frank Cannon in "Cannon" (1971-1976)
--- Max in "The Killers" (1946)
--- Narrator in "Hudson Hawk" (1991)
- Born: Greenville, Kentucky (5/16/1994)
- Known for:
--- Tommy in "Nerve" (2016)
--- Davey Danner in "Rails & Ties" (2007)
--- Cal in "Love, Simon" (2018)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (1/29/1913)
- Died: 8/4/1999
- Known for:
--- Nick Bianco in "Kiss of Death" (1947)
--- Paul Dresser in "My Gal Sal" (1942)
--- Samson in "Samson and Delilah" (1949)
- Born: Villa Hills, Kentucky (9/8/1993)
- Known for:
--- Legoshi in "Beastars" (2019-2021)
--- Sound Department in "Love Alarm" (2019)
--- Courier in "Akudama Drive" (2020)
- Born: Lexington, Kentucky (6/10/1995)
- Known for:
--- Bruce in "Uncle Frank" (2020)
--- Andrew Drake in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2017)
--- J.J. Elkins in "Homeland" (2018)
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- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (10/6/1977)
- Known for:
--- Christian Markelli in "Latter Days" (2003)
--- Wyatt Halliwell in "Charmed" (2003-2006)
--- Sam Spencer in "Guiding Light" (2001-2008)
- Born: Paris, Kentucky (5/5/1946)
- Died: 6/29/2013
- Known for:
--- Williams in "Enter the Dragon" (1973)
--- Black Belt Jones in "Black Belt Jones" (1974)
--- Jones in "Hot Potato" (1976)
- Born: Flatwoods, Kentucky (8/25/1961)
- Known for:
--- Robby Ray in "Hannah Montana: The Movie" (2009)
--- Gene in "Mulholland Drive" (2001)
--- Colton James in "The Spy Next Door" (2010)
- Born: Kentucky (1/17/1976)
- Known for:
--- C.C. White in "Dreamgirls" (2006)
--- Captain Stone in "Dear John" (2010)
--- Soundtrack in "Blade: Trinity" (2004)
- Born: Cynthiana, Kentucky (7/10/1939)
- Known for:
--- Dick in "9 to 5" (1980)
--- Coach Marshall in "American Pie" (1999)
--- Tom Hannon in "Shaft" (1971)
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- Born: Harlan, Kentucky (1/26/1953)
- Known for:
--- Tibor Svetkovic in "Cheers" (1983)
--- Jail Guard in "Liar Liar" (1997)
--- Lee Chambers in "Magnum, P.I." (1982)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (5/11/1912)
- Died: 12/20/2001
- Known for:
--- Bank Clerk in "The Villain" (1979)
--- Miles Sternhagen in "Mork & Mindy" (1981)
--- Hardy Bassett in "Oddballs" (1984)
- Born: Lexington, Kentucky (2/29/1932)
- Known for:
--- Capt. MacDaniel in "The Green Berets" (1968)
--- Young Ben Sage in "McLintock!" (1963)
--- Anderson in "The Undefeated" (1969)
- Born: Kentucky (9/5/1976)
- Known for:
--- Jeff in "Cabin Fever" (2002)
--- College Boy 2 in "Super Troopers" (2001)
--- Joe in "Big Bear" (2017)
- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (8/14/1946)
- Died: 3/28/2020
- Known for:
--- Roy Biggins in "Wings" (1990-1997)
--- Vic Dumask in "Johnny Handsome" (1989)
--- Robert McNamara in "Kennedy" (1983)
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- Born: Louisville, Kentucky (12/14/1954)
- Known for:
--- Skull Face in "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" (2015)
--- Henchman #3 in "Batman: Arkham Asylum" (2009)
--- Skull Face in "Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes" (2014)
