Famous actors from Oklahoma
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 Oklahoma 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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Lee Pace
- Born: Chickasha, Oklahoma (3/25/1979)
- Known for:
--- Ronan in "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014)
--- Richard Hayes in "The Good Shepherd" (2006)
--- Roy Walker in "The Fall" (2006)
Brad Pitt
- Born: Shawnee, Oklahoma (12/18/1963)
- Known for:
--- Producer in "Ad Astra" (2019)
--- John Smith in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (2005)
--- Producer in "Moneyball" (2011)
Ron Howard
- Born: Duncan, Oklahoma (3/1/1954)
- Known for:
--- Narrator in "Arrested Development" (2003-2019)
--- Man at Governors' Ball in "A Beautiful Mind" (2001)
--- Director in "Apollo 13" (1995)
James Marsden
- Born: Stillwater, Oklahoma (9/18/1973)
- Known for:
--- Corny Collins in "Hairspray" (2007)
--- Scott Summers in "X-Men" (2000)
--- Prince Edward in "Enchanted" (2007)
Tyson Ritter
- Born: Stillwater, Oklahoma (4/24/1984)
- Known for:
--- Humperdoo in "Preacher" (2017-2019)
--- Homeless Sam in "Peppermint" (2018)
--- Oliver Rome in "Parenthood" (2013-2014)
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Tim Blake Nelson
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (5/11/1964)
- Known for:
--- Delmar O'Donnell in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000)
--- Buster Scruggs (segment "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs") in "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" (2018)
--- Bolger in "Leaves of Grass" (2009)
Wade Williams
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (12/24/1961)
- Known for:
--- Claude's Father in "Ken Park" (2002)
--- Rourke in "Gangster Squad" (2013)
--- Lieutenant Jerome Claridge in "Ali" (2001)
Bill Hader
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (6/7/1978)
- Known for:
--- Milo Dean in "The Skeleton Twins" (2014)
--- Fear in "Inside Out" (2015)
--- Richie Tozier in "It Chapter Two" (2019)
James Garner
- Born: Norman, Oklahoma (4/7/1928)
- Died: 7/19/2014
- Known for:
--- Duke in "The Notebook" (2004)
--- Jim Rockford in "The Rockford Files" (1974-1980)
--- Hendley 'The Scrounger' in "The Great Escape" (1963)
Tracy Letts
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (7/4/1965)
- Known for:
--- Larry McPherson in "Lady Bird" (2017)
--- Henry Ford II in "Ford v Ferrari" (2019)
--- Mr. Dashwood in "Little Women" (2019)
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Chuck Norris
- Born: Ryan, Oklahoma (3/10/1940)
- Known for:
--- Cordell Walker in "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1993-2001)
--- Booker in "The Expendables 2" (2012)
--- Colt in "The Way of the Dragon" (1972)
Ryan Merriman
- Born: Choctaw, Oklahoma (4/10/1983)
- Known for:
--- Kevin Fischer in "Final Destination 3" (2006)
--- Young Jarod in "The Pretender" (1996-2000)
--- Sam Crawford - Adult in "Taken" (2002)
Rance Howard
- Born: Duncan, Oklahoma (11/17/1928)
- Died: 11/25/2017
- Known for:
--- Uncle Ray in "Nebraska" (2013)
--- John Devreux in "Universal Soldier" (1992)
--- Husband in "Small Soldiers" (1998)
Wes Studi
- Born: Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma (12/17/1947)
- Known for:
--- Magua in "The Last of the Mohicans" (1992)
--- Sphinx in "Mystery Men" (1999)
--- Hanover in "Deep Rising" (1998)
Brian Bosworth
- Born: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (3/9/1965)
- Known for:
--- Jack in "The Reliant" (2019)
--- Joe Huff in "Stone Cold" (1991)
--- Guard Garner in "The Longest Yard" (2005)
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Ben Johnson
- Born: Foraker, Shidler, Oklahoma (6/13/1918)
- Died: 4/8/1996
- Known for:
--- Sam the Lion in "The Last Picture Show" (1971)
--- Tector Gorch in "The Wild Bunch" (1969)
--- Jack Beynon in "The Getaway" (1972)
Blake Shelton
- Born: Ada, Oklahoma (6/18/1976)
- Known for:
--- Wyatt Earp in "The Ridiculous 6" (2015)
--- Soundtrack in "The Do-Over" (2016)
--- Soundtrack in "Footloose" (2011)
Paul Sparks
- Born: Lawton, Oklahoma (10/16/1971)
- Known for:
--- Thomas Yates in "House of Cards" (2015-2018)
--- Mickey Doyle in "Boardwalk Empire" (2010-2014)
--- Agent Miller in "Midnight Special" (2016)
Danny Cooksey
- Born: Moore, Oklahoma (11/2/1975)
- Known for:
--- Tim in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991)
--- Bobby Budnick in "Salute Your Shorts" (1991-1992)
--- Sam McKinney in "Diff'rent Strokes" (1984-1986)
Lon Chaney Jr.
- Born: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (2/10/1906)
- Died: 7/12/1973
- Known for:
--- Lawrence Talbot in "The Wolf Man" (1941)
--- Martin Howe in "High Noon" (1952)
--- The Wolf Man - Lawrence Talbot in "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" (1943)
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Cleavon Little
- Born: Chickasha, Oklahoma (6/1/1939)
- Died: 10/22/1992
- Known for:
--- Bart in "Blazing Saddles" (1974)
--- Super Soul in "Vanishing Point" (1971)
--- Sebastian in "Once Bitten" (1985)
Gailard Sartain
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (9/18/1946)
- Known for:
--- Jerry in "The Outsiders" (1983)
--- Ed Couch in "Fried Green Tomatoes" (1991)
--- Pilachowski in "The Replacements" (2000)
Clu Gulager
- Born: Holdenville, Oklahoma (11/16/1928)
- Known for:
--- Burt in "The Return of the Living Dead" (1985)
--- Bartender in "Feast" (2005)
--- Mr. Walsh in "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge" (1985)
Richard Erdman
- Born: Enid, Oklahoma (6/1/1925)
- Died: 3/16/2019
- Known for:
--- Sgt. 'Hoffy' Hoffman in "Stalag 17" (1953)
--- Colonel Edward F. French in "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970)
--- Delong in "Cry Danger" (1951)
Bill Goldberg
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (12/27/1966)
- Known for:
--- Battle in "The Longest Yard" (2005)
--- Romeo in "Universal Soldier: The Return" (1999)
--- Hawk in "American Satan" (2017)
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Marshall Bell
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (9/28/1942)
- Known for:
--- General Owen in "Starship Troopers" (1997)
--- George in "Total Recall" (1990)
--- Lt. Atwater in "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" (1995)
Chelcie Ross
- Born: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (10/26/1942)
- Known for:
--- Eddie Harris in "Major League" (1989)
--- George in "Hoosiers" (1986)
--- Captain Talcott in "Basic Instinct" (1992)
Hoyt Axton
- Born: Duncan, Oklahoma (3/25/1938)
- Died: 10/26/1999
- Known for:
--- Randall Peltzer in "Gremlins" (1984)
--- Soundtrack in "Forrest Gump" (1994)
--- Soundtrack in "The Big Chill" (1983)
Tony Randall
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (2/26/1920)
- Died: 5/17/2004
- Known for:
--- Felix Unger in "The Odd Couple" (1970-1975)
--- Jonathan Forbes in "Pillow Talk" (1959)
--- Rockwell P. Hunter in "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" (1957)
Dale Robertson
- Born: Harrah, Oklahoma (7/14/1923)
- Died: 2/27/2013
- Known for:
--- Sinbad in "Son of Sinbad" (1955)
--- Richard Owen in "The One Eyed Soldiers" (1967)
--- John Oakhurst in "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" (1952)
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Mason Cook
- Born: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (7/25/2000)
- Known for:
--- Ray DiMeo in "Speechless" (2016-2019)
--- Tyler Stansfield in "The Goldbergs" (2014-2016)
--- Will in "The Lone Ranger" (2013)
Will Sampson
- Born: Okmulgee, Oklahoma (9/27/1933)
- Died: 6/3/1987
- Known for:
--- Chief Bromden in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975)
--- Ten Bears in "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976)
--- Taylor in "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" (1986)
Patrick Cranshaw
- Born: Bartlesville, Oklahoma (6/17/1919)
- Died: 12/28/2005
- Known for:
--- Blue in "Old School" (2003)
--- Henry in "Nothing to Lose" (1997)
--- Ancient Sorter in "The Hudsucker Proxy" (1994)
G.D. Spradlin
- Born: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma (8/31/1920)
- Died: 7/24/2011
- Known for:
--- Reverend Lemon in "Ed Wood" (1994)
--- General R. Corman in "Apocalypse Now" (1979)
--- Sen. Pat Geary in "The Godfather: Part II" (1974)
Mark Holton
- Born: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (7/19/1958)
- Known for:
--- Ozzie in "Leprechaun" (1993)
--- Older Stilwell in "A League of Their Own" (1992)
--- Francis Buxton in "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985)
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Jack Ging
- Born: Alva, Oklahoma (11/30/1931)
- Known for:
--- Morgan Allen in "High Plains Drifter" (1973)
--- Frank in "Play Misty for Me" (1971)
--- Curdie Peterson in "Shirley Temple's Storybook" (1961)
Randy Wayne
- Born: Moore, Oklahoma (8/7/1981)
- Known for:
--- White House Aide in "Reagan" (2022)
--- David Carter in "Hellraiser: Judgment" (2018)
--- Jake Taylor in "To Save a Life" (2009)
James Hampton
- Born: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (7/9/1936)
- Died: 4/7/2021
- Known for:
--- Harold Howard in "Teen Wolf" (1985)
--- Jerry Woolridge in "Sling Blade" (1996)
--- Caretaker in "The Longest Yard" (1974)
Rudy Ramos
- Born: Lawton, Oklahoma (9/19/1950)
- Known for:
--- Ignacio in "Beverly Hills Cop II" (1987)
--- Danny DeCarlo in "Helter Skelter" (1976)
--- Melindez in "Colors" (1988)
Keith Andreen
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (8/24/1974)
- Known for:
--- Dad in "Reaper Tales" (2015)
--- Camera and Electrical Department in "Death Valley" (2015)
--- Xander in "The Resistance" (2010)
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Sheb Wooley
- Born: Erick, Oklahoma (4/10/1921)
- Died: 9/16/2003
- Known for:
--- Pete Nolan in "Rawhide" (1959-1965)
--- Cavalry Sergeant in "Silverado" (1985)
--- Ben Miller in "High Noon" (1952)
Thad Luckinbill
- Born: Enid, Oklahoma (4/24/1975)
- Known for:
--- Willie McNerney in "Just Married" (2003)
--- Producer in "Sicario" (2015)
--- Producer in "Sicario: Day of the Soldado" (2018)
Larry Drake
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (2/21/1949)
- Died: 3/17/2016
- Known for:
--- Robert G. Durant in "Darkman" (1990)
--- Benny Stulwicz in "L.A. Law" (1987-1994)
--- Doctor Evan Rendell in "Dr. Giggles" (1992)
Owen Joyner
- Born: Norman, Oklahoma (7/19/2000)
- Known for:
--- Alex Mercer in "Julie and the Phantoms" (2020)
--- Mountain Tribe Boy in "The Veil" (2017)
--- Crispo Powers in "100 Things to Do Before High School" (2014-2016)
Josh Fadem
- Born: Tulsa, Oklahoma (7/19/1980)
- Known for:
--- Camera Guy in "Better Call Saul" (2015-2020)
--- Phil Bisby in "Twin Peaks" (2017)
--- Pat Stanley in "On Becoming a God in Central Florida" (2019)
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Van Heflin
- Born: Walters, Oklahoma (12/13/1908)
- Died: 7/23/1971
- Known for:
--- Joe Starrett in "Shane" (1953)
--- Athos in "The Three Musketeers" (1948)
--- Dan Evans in "3:10 to Yuma" (1957)
Nyambi Nyambi
- Born: Norman, Oklahoma (4/26/1979)
- Known for:
--- Jay Dipersia in "The Good Fight" (2017-2021)
--- Samuel in "Mike & Molly" (2010-2016)
--- Mr. Wonderful in "American Koko" (2017)