Famous actresses from Minnesota
Famous actresses from Minnesota
Anyone who wants to admire and envy the world's biggest stars needs only to look 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 and cities across the country.
Stacker compiled a list of actresses that were born in Minnesota from IMDb's most popular list. Movie poster images are from OMDb. Keep reading to see which of your favorite actresses are from your home state.
Winona Ryder
- Known for:
--- Jo March in "Little Women" (1994)
--- Veronica in "Heathers" (1988)
--- Susanna in "Girl, Interrupted" (1999)
Judy Garland
- Died: 6/22/1969
- Known for:
--- Dorothy Gale in "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)
--- Vicki Lester in "A Star Is Born" (1954)
--- Irene Hoffman in "Judgment at Nuremberg" (1961)
Jessica Biel
- Known for:
--- Sophie in "The Illusionist" (2006)
--- Liz Cooper in "Next" (2007)
--- Melina in "Total Recall" (2012)
Rachael Leigh Cook
- Known for:
--- Laney Boggs in "She's All That" (1999)
--- Susan Whitaker in "Love, Guaranteed" (2020)
--- Hermia in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (2017)
Lio Tipton
- Known for:
--- Megan in "Two Night Stand" (2014)
--- Dana in "Manhattan Love Story" (2014)
--- Jessica in "Crazy, Stupid, Love." (2011)
Shantel VanSanten
- Known for:
--- Julie Swagger in "Shooter" (2016-2018)
--- Becca Butcher in "The Boys" (2019-2020)
--- Karen Baldwin in "For All Mankind" (2019-2022)
Noel Neill
- Died: 7/3/2016
- Known for:
--- Gertrude Vanderworth in "Superman Returns" (2006)
--- Lois Lane in "Superman" (1948)
--- Betty Rogers in "Campus Sleuth" (1948)
Lea Thompson
- Known for:
--- Lorraine Baines in "Back to the Future" (1985)
--- Lorraine in "Back to the Future Part II" (1989)
--- Beverly Switzler in "Howard the Duck" (1986)
Laila Robins
- Known for:
--- Susan Page in "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1987)
--- Ms. Jillian Goldman in "Eye in the Sky" (2015)
--- Patricia Findley in "True Crime" (1999)
Kelly Lynch
- Known for:
--- Dianne in "Drugstore Cowboy" (1989)
--- Vivian Wood in "Charlie's Angels" (2000)
--- Madison Carter in "Virtuosity" (1995)
Sofia Vassilieva
- Known for:
--- Tina Salvatore in "The Little Things" (2021)
--- Lara Buterskaya in "Looking for Alaska" (2019)
--- Kate Fitzgerald in "My Sister's Keeper" (2009)
Brianna Brown
- Known for:
--- Train Passenger in "Spider-Man 2" (2004)
--- Shawna in "Hollywood Homicide" (2003)
--- Bar Girl in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005)
Jessica Lange
- Known for:
--- Julie in "Tootsie" (1982)
--- Dwan in "King Kong" (1976)
--- Frances Farmer in "Frances" (1982)
Loni Anderson
- Known for:
--- Jennifer Marlowe / Ghost of Christmas Past in "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978-1982)
--- Pembrook Feeney in "Stroker Ace" (1983)
--- Barbara Butabi in "A Night at the Roxbury" (1998)
Melissa Peterman
- Known for:
--- Lauren Voss in "Here Comes the Boom" (2012)
--- Barbra Jean Booker Hart in "Reba" (2001-2007)
--- Hooker #2 in "Fargo" (1996)
Molly Hagan
- Known for:
--- Doreen Welsh in "Sully" (2016)
--- Eva Moore in "iZombie" (2015-2019)
--- Diane McAllister in "Election" (1999)
Rachel Keller
- Known for:
--- Syd Barrett in "Legion" (2017-2019)
--- Jean in "In the Shadow of the Moon" (2019)
--- Simone Gerhardt in "Fargo" (2015)
Kelly Carlson
- Known for:
--- Kate Triton in "The Marine" (2006)
--- Kimber Henry in "Nip/Tuck" (2003-2010)
--- Christie - Wife #6 in "Made of Honor" (2008)
Alexandra Holden
- Known for:
--- Mary Johanson in "Drop Dead Gorgeous" (1999)
--- Marion Harrington in "Dead End" (2003)
--- Lulu in "The Hot Chick" (2002)
Tippi Hedren
- Known for:
--- Melanie Daniels in "The Birds" (1963)
--- Marnie Edgar Rutland in "Marnie" (1964)
--- Madelaine in "Roar" (1981)
Joanna Adler
- Known for:
--- Mary Ann Cunanan in "American Crime Story" (2018)
--- Captain Anne Farmer in "The Sinner" (2017)
--- Young Kaplan in "The Blacklist" (2017)
Julia Duffy
- Known for:
--- Stephanie Vanderkellen in "Newhart" (1983-1990)
--- Allison Sugarbaker in "Designing Women" (1991-1992)
--- Dana Murray in "Looking" (2014-2015)
Mo Collins
- Known for:
--- Joan Callamezzo in "Parks and Recreation" (2009-2015)
--- Sarah Rabinowitz / Sarah in "Fear the Walking Dead" (2018-2021)
--- Various / Miranda Hobbes / Cher / Doreen Larkin / Lorraine Swanson / Self in "MADtv" (1998-2016)
Yara Shahidi
- Known for:
--- Salt's Young Neighbor in "Salt" (2010)
--- Zoey Johnson / Zora in "Black-ish" (2014-2020)
--- Zoey Johnson in "Grown-ish" (2018-2021)
Laura Osnes
- Known for:
--- Anna Jordan in "One Royal Holiday" (2020)
--- Cinderella in "Late Show with David Letterman" (2013)
--- Vivika Orsonwelles in "A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical" (2020)
Sheree J. Wilson
- Known for:
--- Alex Cahill / Cody's Girlfriend / Saloon Girl in "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993-2001)
--- April Stevens / April Stevens Ewing in "Dallas" (1986-1991)
--- Sarah Morgan in "The Gundown" (2011)
Jane Russell
- Died: 2/28/2011
- Known for:
--- Dorothy Shaw in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953)
--- Lenore Brent in "His Kind of Woman" (1951)
--- Mildred 'Mibs' Goodhue in "Double Dynamite" (1951)
Marion Ross
- Known for:
--- Aunt Lucille in "Superhero Movie" (2008)
--- Rosie Dunlop in "The Evening Star" (1996)
--- Marion Cunningham / Eddie's Wife / Lucretia in "Happy Days" (1974-1984)
Teal Redmann
- Known for:
--- Louise Grant / Louise in "Gilmore Girls" (2000-2004)
--- Terri in "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" (2003)
--- Ellie Brass in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2005-2014)
Marisa Coughlan
- Known for:
--- Ursula in "Super Troopers" (2001)
--- Betty in "Freddy Got Fingered" (2001)
--- Julie Thurber in "Pumpkin" (2002)
Kimberly Elise
- Known for:
--- Rosie in "The Manchurian Candidate" (2004)
--- Crystal / Brown in "For Colored Girls" (2010)
--- Cheryl in "Almost Christmas" (2016)
Katrina Begin
- Known for:
--- Janice in "Single Parents" (2019)
--- Savannah in "Good Behavior" (2017)
--- Barbi in "Christmas Break-In" (2018)
Ann Morgan Guilbert
- Died: 6/14/2016
- Known for:
--- Mama Ragetti in "Grumpier Old Men" (1995)
--- Andra in "Please Give" (2010)
--- Marge Thornhill in "Cheers" (1989)
Barrett Doss
- Known for:
--- Megan in "Iron Fist" (2017)
--- Victoria Hughes / Victoria Hugues in "Station 19" (2018-2021)
--- Eliza Lemon in "30 Rock" (2013)
Miriam Shor
- Known for:
--- Yitzhak in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (2001)
--- Diana Trout in "Younger" (2015-2021)
--- Cheryl / wife in "Shortbus" (2006)
Kelli Maroney
- Known for:
--- Cindy in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982)
--- Samantha Belmont in "Night of the Comet" (1984)
--- Kimberly Harris / Kimberly Harris Beaulac in "Ryan's Hope" (1979-1982)
Arlene Dahl
- Died: 11/29/2021
- Known for:
--- Carla Göteborg in "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1959)
--- Madelon in "Reign of Terror" (1949)
--- Gloria Conovan in "Scene of the Crime" (1949)
Peggy Knudsen
- Died: 7/11/1980
- Known for:
--- Mona Mars in "The Big Sleep" (1946)
--- Florence Boray in "Humoresque" (1946)
--- Marge Boyle in "Istanbul" (1957)
Lynsey Bartilson
- Known for:
--- Lily Finnerty in "Grounded for Life" (2001-2005)
--- Nora Kilkenny in "Mrs. Santa Claus" (1996)
--- Various in "Extra Butter, Please" (2011-2012)
Kathryn Leigh Scott
- Known for:
--- Maggie Evans in "House of Dark Shadows" (1970)
--- Mrs. Rogers in "Three Christs" (2017)
--- Annie Riordan in "Philip Marlowe, Private Eye" (1983)
Susan Gordon
- Died: 12/11/2011
- Known for:
--- Dorothy Nichols - Ages 6 to 8 in "The Five Pennies" (1959)
--- Sandy Hubbard in "Tormented" (1960)
--- Cathy Reed / Susan Whitman in "Ben Casey" (1961-1964)
Gena Lee Nolin
- Known for:
--- Neely in "Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding" (2003)
--- Neely Capshaw in "Baywatch" (1995-1998)
--- Sheena in "Sheena" (2000-2002)
Ella Rae Peck
- Known for:
--- Stefanie in "Bachelorette" (2012)
--- Autumn in "The Call" (2013)
--- Allie in "Thin Walls" (2019)
Devin Kelley
- Known for:
--- Amanda in "Chernobyl Diaries" (2012)
--- Julie Sullivan in "Frequency" (2016-2017)
--- Parker Rowland in "Covert Affairs" (2011-2012)
Joan Staley
- Died: 11/24/2019
- Known for:
--- Waitress in "Cape Fear" (1962)
--- Blonde on the beach / Kiana / Sandra / Sue Alden in "Hawaiian Eye" (1959-1962)
--- Roberta Love in "Broadside" (1964-1965)
Roberta Leighton
- Known for:
--- Anita in "Stripes" (1981)
--- Liza Williams in "Barracuda" (1978)
--- Shirley Pickett in "General Hospital" (1983)
Dorothy Lyman
- Known for:
--- Opal Gardner in "All My Children" (1981-1983)
--- Judge (Chicago) in "Blow" (2001)
--- Naomi Oates Harper in "Mama's Family" (1983-1990)
Francine York
- Died: 1/6/2017
- Known for:
--- Lorraine in "The Family Man" (2000)
--- Sabrina Kincaid in "The Doll Squad" (1973)
--- French Girl / Queen Isabella in "The Red Skelton Hour" (1967)
Linda Kelsey
- Known for:
--- Billie Newman in "Lou Grant" (1977-1982)
--- Kate Harper in "Day by Day" (1988-1989)
--- Ellen Barrett in "Matlock" (1994)
Brooke Elliott
- Known for:
--- Jane Bingum in "Drop Dead Diva" (2009-2014)
--- Dana Sue Sullivan in "Sweet Magnolias" (2020-2022)
--- Nancy in "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings" (2019)