Georgia is the home state of many cool and talented people, from sports stars to famous congressional representatives. It’s also where many movie stars grew up, and it’s here where many of them gained the inspiration and creativity they needed to one day make it in the big time. While there were many celebrities we could choose from, we looked for the best and brightest so we could present the 10 biggest movie stars from Georgia.
To create this list, 24/7 Tempo consulted various entertainment sources, from the Internet Movie Database to Backstage. We also consulted local sources, including WJBF NewsChannel 6 out of Augusta, Georgia. This list could have been huge since many celebrities were born in The Peach State, but we used these sources to tell you about the biggest stars of the bunch. Enjoy!
Julia Roberts
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest movie stars from Georgia to this day is “America’s Sweetheart” Julia Roberts. She was born in Smyrna, Georgia, and she was raised in a theatrical family. Her father and mother were actors and playwrights when they met, and they came together to form the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop in Atlanta. As a child, Julia attended elementary, middle, and high school in the state. Her interest in entertainment started when she was playing the clarinet in her school band. Roberts went to college at Georgia State University, but instead of graduating, she left and moved to New York to pursue acting.
It didn’t take long for Roberts to start getting roles in smaller films. Some of her first notable parts included roles in the romantic comedy “Mystic Pizza” and her work in “Steel Magnolias.” However, her big rise to fame really took hold after her work in “Pretty Woman,” which earned her acclaim and awards. Later on, she would star in many other hits, including “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Notting Hill,” and in the 2000s, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in “Erin Brockovich.” Since then, she’s continued to work and elevate every film she’s in while making Georgia proud.
Laurence Fishburne
Our next Georgia movie star is the great Laurence Fishburne, who was born in Augusta. His mother was a high school teacher, and his father was a juvenile corrections officer. Unfortunately, his parents divorced while he was still a child, and he moved to New York with his mother, where they remained.
As a child star, he went by the name Larry Fishburne and was already getting rave reviews for his role in plays at the age of 11. Later on, at 17, he had a role in the iconic film “Apocalypse Now.” He continued playing smaller to medium-sized roles until he received major acclaim and an Oscar nomination when he played Ike Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” While he was already decently famous, he became a household name after starring as Neo in “The Matrix” movies. Since then, he’s continued to star in big movies, and he’s been a demanding presence in all of them, including “Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and “John Wick: Chapter 2,” among others.
Jeff Daniels
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 09: Jeff Daniels attends the 73rd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 09, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
Jeff Daniels can do it all, from comedy to drama, which is why he is one of the biggest movie stars from Georgia. He was born in Athens, Georgia in 1955. However, while he was born in the state, he only lived there for a brief time before his family moved to Michigan. He went to school there and attended Central Michigan University, where he started acting in school plays. He was later asked to act in a play in New York, and the rest is history.
His career began in the 80s when he did a lot of Broadway work and got his feet wet in movies like Woody Allen’s “Purple Rose of Cairo.” While he was a beloved actor before then, he became a household name after starring in a couple of hits in 1994: “Dumb and Dumber” and “Speed.” Since then, Daniels has mostly starred in drama movies and TV shows while also returning to Broadway.
Chris Tucker
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 24: Chris Tucker speaks onstage during the 2023 Beloved Benefit at Georgia World Congress Center on August 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Georgia is also home to one of the funniest actors in Hollywood, which is Chris Tucker. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, as one of six children in a loving family. He started making jokes early in his life as a way to get attention in a large family. As he grew up, he spent a lot of his time living in Decatur, Georgia, and he attended Columbia High School in DeKalb County. While there, he also got into doing impressions of famous personalities like Michael Jackson and Eddie Murphy. After he graduated, he spent some time doing stand-up comedy in Atlanta clubs before moving to Los Angeles.
While in L.A., he continued to do stand-up and was a frequent performer on many comedy shows, including “Def Comedy Jam.” He also started acting in movies, and during the late 90s, he starred in a few high-profile films, including “The Fifth Element,” “Money Talks,” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown,” so he started to become a household name. He gained a new level of fame when he starred in several “Rush Hour” movies with Jackie Chan. In recent years, he’s returned to stand-up and the occasional film.
Ed Helms
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 29: Ed Helms attends the premiere of Netflixs Family Switch at AMC The Grove 14 on November 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Another funny actor and one of the biggest movie stars from Georgia is Ed Helms, who was born in Atlanta. He had a challenging childhood due to health concerns that required him to get open-heart surgery at 13 years old. He later attended school at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. Later on, he went to college in Ohio with the intention of getting a degree in geology but instead graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in film theory and technology. He started doing comedy full-time as a member of sketch comedy groups.
He later moved to New York, and that’s when he started doing the work that most are familiar with, including becoming a regular contributor on “The Daily Show.” Later on, in 2007, he joined the hugely successful comedy show “The Office.” From there on, he was on almost every comedy show, from “The Mindy Project” to “Arrested Development.” He’s also starred in many hugely successful films, including playing the role of Stu in “The Hangover” films. He works consistently by starring in TV shows and doing voice-over work for animated projects.
Kim Basinger
Actress Kim Basinger is another of Georgia’s most famous stars. She was born in the city of Athens to very busy parents. Her mom was a model and actress, and her father was a big band musician. Interestingly, her father was also in the military, and he was one of the soldiers who landed on the beach on D-Day. Kim Basinger was one of five children and described herself as so shy as a child that she would sometimes faint when asked to speak in class. At the age of three, Basinger started to do ballet and would continue for many years. Later on, she would attend the University of Georgia but left before graduating to model in New York.
She quickly tired of modeling and decided to focus on acting and singing. She moved to Los Angeles and started getting bit parts in movies and TV shows. During the 80s, she started to make a name for herself with roles in the James Bond movie, “Never Say Never Again“ and the drama “9 ½ Weeks.” In 1989, she had one of her most famous roles as the love interest in “Batman” with Michael Keaton. She continued acting during the 90s and 2000s with roles in “8 Mile” and “L.A. Confidential.” She hasn’t been in too much in recent years, but she’s still considered one of the biggest movie stars from Georgia.
Dakota Fanning
Another of Georgia’s most famous stars is Dakota Fanning, who made a big impression as a child star. Before that, she was born in Conyers, Georgia. As a child, she attended Montessori School in Covington, GA. Later on, she would move to California, where she graduated high school. Her mother is a professional tennis player, and her father played minor league baseball. Also, her grandfather was a professional football player, and her aunt was a former ESPN reporter, so it’s fair to say she probably wasn’t afraid of the spotlight as a child.
Fanning started gaining fame as a child, and while she did some TV early in her career, she started getting noticed in movies. She was in “I Am Sam,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “War of the Worlds” and “The Cat in the Hat,” among others. She’s continued to act as an adult and has been in other movies, including “The Equalizer 3” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
Wayne Knight
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Wayne Knight attends The BAFTA Tea Party presented by Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for BAFTA)
Comedic actor Wayne Knight wasn’t born in Georgia. He was born in New York, but his family moved to Georgia when he was a small child. While there, he attended area schools and played a part on his high school’s football team. He would later attend the University of Georgia, and he almost completed his degree but left with only one credit so he could pursue acting. He would later return to finish and graduate.
Many may not recognize the name Wayne Knight as soon as they hear it, but upon seeing him, most people will remember at least one movie or TV show he was in. Some audiences likely remember him from the movie “Jurassic Park” or as playing the character of Newman on the sitcom “Seinfeld.” He’s one of those actors that’s always working. In more recent years, he has been on shows like “Hot in Cleveland” and “Robot Chicken,” among others.
Kenan Thompson
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Kenan Thompson attends the Good Burger 2 World Premiere at Regal Union Square on November 14, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Actor and Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson was born in Columbus, Ohio, but moved to Atlanta, Georgia, when he was less than a year old. When he was five, his mother enrolled him in acting classes, and he acted in many local plays during his youth.
Thompson started his comedy career as one of the leading cast members on the Nickelodeon show, “All That.” Then, he did a spin-off called “Kenan and Kel” and would be in several movies, including “Good Burger” and “The Mighty Ducks” movies. However, his real claim to fame is his work on SNL. He’s been a cast member since 2003 and is still on the show today. He has been in over 1,500 comedy sketches. His work has earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Holly Hunter
The last of the biggest movie stars from Georgia is Holly Hunter. She was born in the city of Conyers as the youngest of six children. She began acting at a young age and portrayed Helen Keller in a play in fifth grade. Hunter continued acting in school productions while attending Rockdale County High School in Georgia. Then, she attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh before moving to New York City.
Holly Hunter has a fairly distinguished career. She’s been in movies like “Little Black Book” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” She’s also done a lot of TV work, including the show “Saving Grace,” which played for three years. She starred in six episodes of the show “Succession.” She’s been nominated for two Screen Actors Guild awards and an Emmy throughout her career. She’s also won a Golden Globe award. (Want to learn more about other famous actors? Here is a list of the most well-liked actors in America.)