The Sunshine State has produced some of the best actors in the world.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of actors were born or raised in Florida and now grace the screen for millions of people to see. But who? What actors were born in Florida?
To compose our list of the 10 biggest movie stars from Florida, 247 Tempo consulted several entertainment and ranking websites. (Are you interested in action movie stars? Read our article, the most popular action stars of all time.)
Wesley Snipes
Starting our list of the biggest movie stars from Florida is the iconic Wesley Snipes. This incredible actor was born on July 31, 1962, in Orlando, Florida. Although born in Florida, Wesley Snipes grew up in the Bronx, New York, before returning to Florida and graduating from Jones High School.
Wesley Snipes has starred in a long list of movies including the Blade series, “New Jack City”, “Demolition Man”, and “Rising Sun”. He’s such a phenomenal actor that he’s won many awards including Black Reel Awards, Venice Film Festival Awards, and Image Awards.
Maya Rudolph
Also on our list of Floridian actors is Maya Rudolph. This hilarious actress was born on July 27, 1972, in Gainesville, Florida. Although a native Floridian, she was mainly raised in Los Angeles.
Maya Rudolph began her career in the film industry on Saturday Night Live. She grew popular quickly and starred in music videos, movies, TV series, and video games. Some notable films starring Maya Rudolph include “50 First Dates”, “Grown Ups”, “Zookeeper”, “Bridesmaids”, and “The Happytime Murders.”
Arielle Kebbel
Another female celebrity from Florida is Arielle Kebbel. Arielle Kebbel was born on February 19, 1985, in Winter Park, Florida. She grew up in Florida, even graduating high school in Winter Garden.
Before Arielle Kebbel became an actress, she was a full-time model. Arielle’s first big filming gig was for the show “Gilmore Girls”. Since then, she’s gone on to star in productions like the After series, “Ballers”, “Aquamarine”, and “Vampires Suck”.
Neil Brown Jr.
Another actor born in Orlando, the City Beautiful, makes our list. Neil Brown Jr. was born on June 19, 1980, in Orlando, Florida. He’s been acting since 1995, with his first few roles being in TV series.
Neil Brown Jr has starred in “Mr. 3,000”, “Fast & Furious”, “Straight Outta Compton”, “The Walking Dead “, and “Seal Team”.
Bailee Madison
Bailee Madison has won our hearts with her adorable acting since she was a young child. She is one of many movie stars born in Florida. Bailee Madison was born on October 15, 1999, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
She has starred in many television series, movies, and music videos. Some films she starred in include “Bridge to Terabithia”, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark”, “A Cinderella Story: Starstruck”, “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin”, and “Trophy Wife.”
Natalie Morales
Born a day after Valentine’s Day, Natalie Morales has been active in the film industry since 2006. She was born in Kendall, Florida, which is part of the Miami metropolitan area.
Nathalie Morales has played many roles in the last few decades. This incredible actress starred in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps “, “No Hard Feelings”, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse “, and “Dead to Me “. She also directed films like “Plan B” and “Language Lessons.”
Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson was also born in Florida. This amazing award-winning actress was born on December 17, 1974, in Tampa, Florida. She began acting in 1994. She first began acting in small roles in TV shows but is now in many major films.
Sara Paulson has starred in films and series like “12 Years a Slave”, “Ocean’s 8”, “American Gothic”, “Glass”, and the American Horror Story TV series. For her amazing work in film, she’s won an Emmy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award.
Norman Reedus
For over a decade, Norman Reedus has played a major role in the series, “The Walking Dead”. His portrayal of the character and the character itself was so popular, that he now stars in a spin-off titled “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon”.
Norman Reedus was born on January 6, 1969, in Hollywood, Florida. He’s been active in the film industry since 1992. Other series he’s starred in include “Charmed” and “Hawaii Five-0”.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy is an actress continuing to grow in popularity and recognition. She was born on April 16, 1996, in Miami, Florida, but lived all over the world, including in Buenos Aires and London.
Anya Taylor-Joy has appeared on many lists including Forbes 30 Under 30 and Hollywood’s Rising Stars 35 and Under. So, what have you potentially seen her in? Anya Taylor-Joy has starred in “The Witch”, “Glass”, “Here Are the Young Men”, “The Queen’s Gambit”, and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
Josh Gad
The voice behind Olaf in the Frozen films also makes our list. Josh Gad was born on February 23, 1981, in Hollywood, Florida. He is also known for his portrayal of Elder Arnold Cunningham in the “The Book of Mormon”.
Other films and TV series he’s starred in include “Mardi Gras: Spring Break”, “The Wedding Ringer “, “Back To You”, “Good Vibes “, and “Pixels.”
Don’t stop reading yet. We also have a list of movies that launched the careers of Hollywood’s biggest stars.