Beautiful mountains likely come to mind when thinking of Colorado. The western portion of the Centennial State has been filmed for countless movies and TV shows. These mountain towns are home to several celebrities. Aspen is one of the top destinations. Some several brilliant actors and actresses grew up in the natural beauty of the Centennial State.
Ironically, many Californians are fleeing their warm state to relocate to Colorado in this modern era. Tons of locals want to escape the cold and pursue a career in show business. Californians are happy to trade places with them in an attempt to preserve their money. For actors like Trey Parker and Tim Allen, relocating to Colorado made the most sense. They’ve been in worldwide franchises like “Despicable Me” and “Toy Story.”
AnnaSophia Robb maintained both location statuses as a teenage actor in Hollywood who still attended school in Colorado. After her high school days were over, Robb continued acting. Keeping herself around the group she grew up with was important to her as a high school student. Parker, Allen, and Robb have shown versatility in the projects they’ve done.
There are tons of awards, nominations, and iconic roles that the dynamic actors and actresses of Colorado have given fans over the years. They’ve also helped inspire younger kids to chase Hollywood dreams, no matter what. For more Colorado content, click here to read about the most famous musicians born there.
To compile the list of the most famous Hollywood actors from Colorado, 24/7 Tempo consulted entertainment-centered websites. These include IMDb.com, Rotten Tomatoes, and Screen Rant.
Trey Parker
XXX arrives ahead of The Book of Mormon opening night at Princess Theatre on February 4, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia.
- Hometown: Confier
While he’s most known for creating the hit show “South Park,” Trey Parker has still been on the big screen in different roles. The Conifer, Colorado native made his film debut in “Cannibal! The Musical” in 1993. He did so after starring in student films in 1992. Most of his movie work revolves around “South Park,” but Parker did have a voice acting role in “Despicable Me 3.” He played Balthazar Bratt, the main villain that Gru fought against.
AnnaSophia Robb
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 29: Anna Sophia Robb attends the 37th Annual Footwear News Achievement Awards at Cipriani South Street on November 29, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
- Hometown: Denver
Being a child actor means making sacrifices most kids don’t have to. AnnaSophia Robb wanted to be on screen, so she made her film debut in the hit movie “Because of Winn-Dixie” in 2005. She’s been in blockbusters like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Race to Witch Mountain.” Despite her brilliant career, she still attended high school in Colorado. She later enrolled at NYU for college. Today, Robb is getting ready to film “Rebel Rage,” which doesn’t have a release date yet.
Zachary Ty Bryan
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - APRIL 19: Actor Zachary Ty Bryan and guest arrive at the 7th Annual TV Land Awards held at Gibson Amphitheatre on April 19, 2009 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
- Hometown: Aurora
After starting his career in Denver television commercials, Zachary Ty Bryan decided it was time to take the plunge and go straight to Hollywood. While he’s become known primarily for his role in “Home Improvement,” Bryan found his way into the “Fast and Furious” franchise. In “Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift,” Bryan played Clay, one of the antagonists who leads Sean into wanting to become a street racer. Bryan hasn’t acted in a while, but never close the door on a return to the profession.
Tim Allen
- Hometown: Denver
Not many actors have had the same level of success as Tim Allen in his career. His portrayal of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story franchise and Santa Claus in The Santa Clause franchise earned him worldwide recognition and awards. He’s also the creator of one of the most successful television franchises, “Home Improvement.”
While he was born in Colorado, he relocated to Michigan for his middle and high school years before moving on to bigger and better things. These days, Allen stays in the television sphere of things, continuing “The Santa Clause” story on TV. He hasn’t starred in a blockbuster movie since 2019.
T.J. Miller
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 09: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Actor/ comedian T.J. Miller visits 'Sway in the Morning' with Sway Calloway on Eminem's Shade 45 at SiriusXM Studios on January 9, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
- Hometown: Denver
Even though it was only a brief scene, T.J. Miller’s debut in “Cloverfield” helped set him up for the future. After that role, he starred in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise and “Deadpool.” His role in “Deadpool” was a big deal since he shared screen time with Ryan Reynolds. Miller’s willingness to show his versatility as an actor is one of the reasons he’s been a part of the industry for so long. As of March 2024, his most recent credit is in the movie “The Stand-In.”
Kristen Schaal
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 24: Kristen Schaal attends The Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony for Andy Kaufman, honored posthumously, on August 24, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
- Hometown: Longmont
While “Bob’s Burgers” is one of the reasons Kristen Schaal is a household name today, she’s also been in plenty of films that have helped boost her resume. Schaal voice acted in “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 4” as Trixie. She lent her voice talents to the producers of “Despicable Me 2” as well. The voice actress seemingly found her calling. Schaal is currently doing voice work for the upcoming movie “My Spy: The Eternal City.”
Jon Heder
- Hometown: Fort Collins
“Napoleon Dynamite” was one of the most iconic movies of the 21st century. Jon Heder played the legendary character, but he grew up in Colorado honing his acting skills before all of that. Aside from “Napoleon Dynamite,” Heder had memorable roles in “The Bench Warmers” and “Blades of Glory.” His sense of humor paired perfectly with actors like Rob Schneider and Will Ferrell. As of 2024, Heder’s set to play Nate Skoog in the upcoming film “Tapawingo.”
Jake Lloyd
SAN FRANCISCO, CA- MAY 12: (L-R) Actor Jake Lloyd and Jett Lucas attend the after party of the San Francisco World Premiere of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith at the Loews Theaters Metreon on May 12, 2005 in San Francisco, California. The Premiere was a benefit for the Koret Family House, which provides temporary housing for families of children with cancer and other serious illnesses while being treated at UCSF Children's Hospitial. (Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
- Hometown: Fort Collins
The Star Wars franchise is arguably the most widely known franchise in America. One of the main reasons is that the franchise has such a willingness to expand the story. Jake Lloyd was cast as the younger version of Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” after the success of the first three films.
Lloyd didn’t act for a long time after reaching adulthood. Working as a child actor seemingly caught up to him. In 2001, he called it quits, citing the bullying that came his way once Star Wars movies started getting released in theaters. After this unfortunate series of events in his life, LLoyd’s been living close to family since 2020.
John Carroll Lynch
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 20: John Carroll Lynch joins SAG-AFTRA members on the picket line outside of Netflix and Warner Bros on July 20, 2023 in New York City. Members of SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood's largest union which represents actors and other media professionals, have joined striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) workers in the first joint walkout against the studios since 1960. The strike could shut down Hollywood productions completely with writers in the third month of their strike against the Hollywood studios. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images)
- Hometown: Boulder
Having a film career that spans longer than 30 years is one of the reasons John Carroll Lynch is one of the most iconic Hollywood actors. His debut on screen came in 1993 in the movie “Grumpy Old Men.” Ever since then, Lynch has been in films like “Zodiac,” “Face/Off,” “Shutter Island,” and countless others.
He’s even started to dabble with directing movies. Lynch grew up in Boulder, Colorado. As a teenager, he attended Regis Jesuit High School. As of 2024, Lynch has been working on the movies “Outlaw Posse,” “Babes,” and “She Rides Shotgun.”
Kristin Davis
- Hometown: Boulder
While she might have moved to South Carolina early in life, Boulder, Colorado is still the place where Kristin Davis was born. She’s gone on to star in several movies like “The Shaggy Dog” and “Couples Retreat.” While her film career is quite impressive, Davis became widely known for her role in the television show “Sex and the City.”
She took on the role of Charlotte York with grace alongside Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, and Cynthia Nixon. Her most recent film appearance was in 2021 for the film “Deadly Illusions.” For more Colorado content, click here to learn about the most famous athletes from the Centennial state.