Famous actors from Ohio
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 Ohio 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.
You may also like: Famous actresses from Ohio
Luke Grimes
- Born: Dayton, Ohio (1/21/1984)
- Known for:
--- Elliot Grey in "Fifty Shades of Grey" (2015)
--- Marc Lee in "American Sniper" (2014)
--- Jake in "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" (2006)
Clancy Brown
- Born: Urbana, Ohio (1/5/1959)
- Known for:
--- Captain Hadley in "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)
--- Sgt. Zim in "Starship Troopers" (1997)
--- Alan Smith in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (2010)
Alan Ruck
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (7/1/1956)
- Known for:
--- Robert 'Rabbit' Nurick in "Twister" (1996)
--- Stephens in "Speed" (1994)
--- Cameron Frye in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986)
Ted Levine
- Born: Bellaire, Ohio (5/29/1957)
- Known for:
--- Jame Gumb in "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
--- Warden in "Shutter Island" (2010)
--- General McGrath in "Wild Wild West" (1999)
Paul Newman
- Born: Shaker Heights, Ohio (1/26/1925)
- Died: 9/26/2008
- Known for:
--- Eddie Felson in "The Hustler" (1961)
--- John Rooney in "Road to Perdition" (2002)
--- Luke in "Cool Hand Luke" (1967)
You may also like: Recipes from Ohio
Luke Kleintank
- Born: Ohio (5/18/1990)
- Known for:
--- Joe Blake in "The Man in the High Castle" (2015-2018)
--- Clarence Dickinson in "Midway" (2019)
--- Caleb Phipps in "Person of Interest" (2013-2015)
Ed O'Neill
- Born: Youngstown, Ohio (4/12/1946)
- Known for:
--- Al Bundy in "Married... with Children" (1987-1997)
--- Hank in "Finding Dory" (2016)
--- Mr. Litwak in "Wreck-It Ralph" (2012)
Tanner Buchanan
- Born: Lima, Ohio (12/8/1998)
- Known for:
--- Leo Kirkman in "Designated Survivor" (2016-2018)
--- Connor Lawson in "Max Winslow and the House of Secrets" (2019)
--- Jack Downey in "The Fosters" (2016)
Martin Sheen
- Born: Dayton, Ohio (8/3/1940)
- Known for:
--- Queenan in "The Departed" (2006)
--- Captain Benjamin L. Willard in "Apocalypse Now" (1979)
--- Kit in "Badlands" (1973)
Will Ryan
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (5/21/1949)
- Died: 11/19/2021
- Known for:
--- Petrie in "The Land Before Time" (1988)
--- Digit in "An American Tail" (1986)
--- Seahorse in "The Little Mermaid" (1989)
You may also like: Best places to raise a family in Ohio
Stephen Geoffreys
- Born: Cincinnati, Ohio (11/22/1964)
- Known for:
--- Evil Ed in "Fright Night" (1985)
--- Aggie in "At Close Range" (1986)
--- Cookie in "Moon 44" (1990)
Robert Knepper
- Born: Fremont, Ohio (7/8/1959)
- Known for:
--- Theodore 'T-Bag' Bagwell in "Prison Break" (2005-2017)
--- Johnson in "Transporter 3" (2008)
--- Yuri Marklov in "Hitman" (2007)
Perry King
- Born: Alliance, Ohio (4/30/1948)
- Known for:
--- President Blake in "The Day After Tomorrow" (2004)
--- Andrew Norris in "Class of 1984" (1982)
--- Hammond Maxwell in "Mandingo" (1975)
Luke Perry
- Born: Mansfield, Ohio (10/11/1966)
- Died: 3/4/2019
- Known for:
--- Dylan McKay in "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990-2000)
--- Billy in "The Fifth Element" (1997)
--- Pike in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1992)
Yuri Lowenthal
- Born: Alliance, Ohio (3/5/1971)
- Known for:
--- Peter Parker in "Spider-Man" (2018)
--- Ben Tennyson in "Ben 10: Omniverse" (2012-2014)
--- Adam in "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" (2021)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Ohio
Matt Lanter
- Born: Massillon, Ohio (4/1/1983)
- Known for:
--- Will in "Disaster Movie" (2008)
--- Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008)
--- Edward Sullen in "Vampires Suck" (2010)
Rich Sommer
- Born: Toledo, Ohio (2/2/1978)
- Known for:
--- Michael Vaughn in "A Crooked Somebody" (2017)
--- Dean in "In the Dark" (2019-2020)
--- Harry Crane in "Mad Men" (2007-2015)
Jim Cummings
- Born: Youngstown, Ohio (11/3/1952)
- Known for:
--- Winnie the Pooh in "Winnie the Pooh" (2011)
--- Winnie the Pooh in "Christopher Robin" (2018)
--- Ray in "The Princess and the Frog" (2009)
Aaron O'Connell
- Born: Dayton, Ohio (4/8/1986)
- Known for:
--- Wyatt Cryer in "The Haves and the Have Nots" (2013-2021)
--- Donovan Goodwin in "With Love, Christmas" (2017)
--- Ellis in "Black Water" (2018)
Charles Michael Davis
- Born: Dayton, Ohio (12/1/1984)
- Known for:
--- Marcel Gerard in "The Originals" (2013-2018)
--- Marcel Gerard in "The Vampire Diaries" (2013)
--- Dr. Jason Myers in "Grey's Anatomy" (2013)
You may also like: Most popular baby names for girls of the last decade in Ohio
George Chakiris
- Born: Norwood, Ohio (9/16/1934)
- Known for:
--- Bernardo in "West Side Story" (1961)
--- Etienne in "The Young Girls of Rochefort" (1967)
--- Johnny Allen in "The Big Cube" (1969)
Fred Willard
- Born: Shaker Heights, Ohio (9/18/1933)
- Died: 5/15/2020
- Known for:
--- Buck Laughlin in "Best in Show" (2000)
--- Mike LaFontaine in "A Mighty Wind" (2003)
--- Ed Harken in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (2004)
Burgess Meredith
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (11/16/1907)
- Died: 9/9/1997
- Known for:
--- Ammon in "Clash of the Titans" (1981)
--- Mickey in "Rocky" (1976)
--- Mickey Goldmill in "Rocky III" (1982)
Justin Chambers
- Born: Springfield, Ohio (7/11/1970)
- Known for:
--- Dr. Alex Karev in "Grey's Anatomy" (2005-2021)
--- Massimo in "The Wedding Planner" (2001)
--- D'Artagnan in "The Musketeer" (2001)
Josh Radnor
- Born: Columbus, Ohio (7/29/1974)
- Known for:
--- Jesse Fisher in "Liberal Arts" (2012)
--- Sam Wexler in "Happythankyoumoreplease" (2010)
--- Ted Mosby in "How I Met Your Mother" (2005-2014)
You may also like: Best places to live in Ohio
Joel Grey
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (4/11/1932)
- Known for:
--- Master of Ceremonies in "Cabaret" (1972)
--- Chiun in "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" (1985)
--- Oldrich Novy in "Dancer in the Dark" (2000)
Mark Boone Junior
- Born: Cincinnati, Ohio (3/17/1955)
- Known for:
--- Burt in "Memento" (2000)
--- Flass in "Batman Begins" (2005)
--- Beau Brower in "30 Days of Night" (2007)
Jason Dohring
- Born: Ohio (3/30/1982)
- Known for:
--- Logan Echolls in "Veronica Mars" (2014)
--- Jason in "Deep Impact" (1998)
--- Logan Echolls in "Veronica Mars" (2004-2019)
John Magaro
- Born: Akron, Ohio (2/16/1983)
- Known for:
--- Charlie Geller in "The Big Short" (2015)
--- Dannie McElroy in "Carol" (2015)
--- Cookie in "First Cow" (2019)
Brian Stepanek
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (2/6/1971)
- Known for:
--- Tom Harper in "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn" (2014-2018)
--- Mr. Givens in "Young Sheldon" (2017-2021)
--- Arwin in "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" (2005-2008)
You may also like: Highest-rated golf courses in Ohio, according to Tripadvisor
Nick Gehlfuss
- Born: Clevland, Ohio (1/21/1985)
- Known for:
--- Bruce Johnston in "Love & Mercy" (2014)
--- Jack Hughes in "Person of Interest" (2012)
--- Will Halstead in "Chicago Med" (2015-2021)
Gary Sandy
- Born: Dayton, Ohio (12/25/1945)
- Known for:
--- Andy Travis in "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978-1982)
--- Lawyer (Sandefur's) in "The Insider" (1999)
--- Terrence Kelley in "The Young and the Restless" (2001)
Clark Gable
- Born: Cadiz, Ohio (2/1/1901)
- Died: 11/16/1960
- Known for:
--- Peter Warne in "It Happened One Night" (1934)
--- Rhett Butler - Visitor from Charleston in "Gone with the Wind" (1939)
--- Christian in "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935)
Philip Baker Hall
- Born: Toledo, Ohio (9/10/1931)
- Known for:
--- Jimmy Gator in "Magnolia" (1999)
--- Floyd Gondolli in "Boogie Nights" (1997)
--- Sydney in "Hard Eight" (1996)
Ray Wise
- Born: Akron, Ohio (8/20/1947)
- Known for:
--- Commissioner Gordon in "Batman: The Killing Joke" (2016)
--- Frank Harrington in "Dead End" (2003)
--- Jack Taggart Sr. in "Jeepers Creepers 2" (2003)
You may also like: Ohio's climate has warmed by 2.15° F since 1970
Austin Pendleton
- Born: Warren, Ohio (3/27/1940)
- Known for:
--- Howard Marner in "Short Circuit" (1986)
--- John Gibbons in "My Cousin Vinny" (1992)
--- Max in "The Muppet Movie" (1979)
Brant Daugherty
- Born: Mason, Ohio (8/20/1985)
- Known for:
--- Sawyer in "Fifty Shades Freed" (2018)
--- Noel Kahn in "Pretty Little Liars" (2010-2016)
--- Thane Lockwood in "Dear White People" (2017)
Matt McCoy
- Born: Cincinnati, Ohio (5/20/1956)
- Known for:
--- Michael in "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" (1992)
--- Dr. Daniel Nadler in "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan" (2018)
--- Pete Monahan in "Silicon Valley" (2015-2017)
Dean Jagger
- Born: Columbus Grove, Ohio (11/7/1903)
- Died: 2/5/1991
- Known for:
--- Major General Thomas F. Waverly in "White Christmas" (1954)
--- Major Stovall in "Twelve O'Clock High" (1949)
--- Prospector in "Vanishing Point" (1971)
Rob Mayes
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (11/17/1984)
- Known for:
--- John in "John Dies at the End" (2012)
--- Marc Nickleby in "Mistresses" (2015-2016)
--- Matthew Blackwood in "Burning Blue" (2013)
You may also like: A child dies in Cleveland: A major civil rights moment in Ohio
Hal Holbrook
- Born: Cleveland, Ohio (2/17/1925)
- Died: 1/23/2021
- Known for:
--- Ron Franz in "Into the Wild" (2007)
--- Preston Blair in "Lincoln" (2012)
--- Deep Throat in "All the President's Men" (1976)
Tyrone Power
- Born: Cincinnati, Ohio (5/5/1914)
- Died: 11/15/1958
- Known for:
--- Leonard Vole in "Witness for the Prosecution" (1957)
--- Tim Baker in "A Yank in the R.A.F." (1941)
--- Tom Owens in "Rawhide" (1951)
Eddie McClintock
- Born: North Canton, Ohio (5/27/1967)
- Known for:
--- Michael in "The Sweetest Thing" (2002)
--- Pete Lattimer in "Warehouse 13" (2009-2014)
--- Colonel James Harper in "Supergirl" (2016)
Eric Lange
- Born: Hamilton, Ohio (2/19/1973)
- Known for:
--- Lyle Mitchell in "Escape at Dannemora" (2018)
--- Bill Stechner in "Narcos" (2016-2017)
--- Stuart Radzinsky in "Lost" (2009)
Robert Urich
- Born: Toronto, Ohio (12/19/1946)
- Died: 4/16/2002
- Known for:
--- Grimes in "Magnum Force" (1973)
--- Jake Spoon in "Lonesome Dove" (1989)
--- Jason in "The Ice Pirates" (1984)
You may also like: See how much of its wind energy potential Ohio uses