If you’re looking for a concise list of talented movie stars who were born in Georgia, you’re in luck. This southeastern US state is the hometown of plenty of stars who have impressive careers under their belts. The biggest city in Georgia is Atlanta, but that doesn’t mean every single movie star was born there. Other notable cities in Georgia are Savannah, Athens, and Augusta. Click here to meet the 10 biggest musicians to come from Georgia.
To come up with this list of the biggest movie stars from Georgia, 24/7 Tempo consulted several entertainment sites. These include Backstage, IMDb, and iHeart.
Holly Hunter
- Hometown: Conyers
Holly Hunter was born on March 20, 1958 in Conyers, Georgia. The movie that put Hunter on the map was “The Piano” in 1933. The love story paved the way for Hunter’s career since she later landed roles in movies like “Thirteen,” “Home for the Holidays,” and “Crash.”
She lent her voice to “The Incredibles” as Elasti-Girl in 2004 and again in 2018. The most recent movie she filmed was “Jane Campion: The Cinema Woman” in 2022. Some of the awards she is one include the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama.
Laurence Fishburne
- Hometown: Augusta
Lawrence Fishburne was born on July 30, 1961, in Augusta, Georgia. He made his film debut in 1975 in a movie called “Cornbread Earl and Me.” He didn’t become a household name until he landed a role in “The Matrix” franchise starting in 1999. He’s continued to reprise his role in “The Matrix” as recently as 2021.
He also made waves in the “John Wick” franchise starting in 2014. He’s reprised his role there as recently as 2023. The award-winning actor has taken home the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, and the Audie Award for Best Male Narrator.
Raven-Symoné
- Hometown: Atlanta
Raven-Symoné was born on December 10, 1985, and Atlanta, Georgia. While many of her fans might recognize her from her days on the Disney Channel on the hit show “That’s So Raven,” that isn’t the reason she’s landed on this list. She took on the titular role in the kid-friendly series in 2003 until 2007, but she’s also a bona fide movie star.
Some of her biggest movies to date include “Mighty Oak,” “A Girl Like Grace,” and “Revenge of the Bridesmaids.” She’s also done tons of voice acting in movies like “Animal Crackers,” “The Pirate Fairy,” and “Secret of the Wings.” Simone has starred in movies alongside Megan Goode, Romeo Miller, and Joanna Garcia Swisher.
Julia Roberts
- Hometown: Smyrna
Julia Roberts is arguably one of the biggest movie stars to come from the Peach State. She was born on October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, Georgia. She made her film debut and a movie called “Blood Red” in 1989. That movie simply paved the way for her incredible career. She went onto film “Pretty Woman,” “Notting Hill,” “Mona Lisa Smile,” and “Eat, Pray, Love.”
She also filmed “Runaway Bride,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” and “Ticket to Paradise.” Roberts has shared screen time with a list actors like Richard Gere, Hugh Grant, George Clooney, and James Franco. Her list of awards is extensive including the Academy Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Actress.
Dakota Fanning
Hometown: Conyers
Dakota Fanning has been on the scene as an actress since she was a young child. She was born on February 23, 1994, in Conyers, Georgia. She appeared in a short film called “Father Xma” in 2001, but her more noteworthy movies came a few years after that. To date, some of Fanning’s most memorable roles were in “Uptown Girls,” “War of the Worlds,” and “The Cat in the Hat.” She also played the villain in the “Twilight” saga.
More recently, she played one of the good guys in “The Equalizer 3,” alongside Denzel Washington. Other big actors she’s worked with include Tom Cruise, Christopher Walken, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie. Some of the awards she’s taken home include the BFCA Critics’ Choice Award for Best Young Actress, the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer, and the Satellite Award for Outstanding New Talent.
Ella Fanning
Hometown: Conyers
Since Elle Fanning is Dakota Fanning‘s younger sister, it’s no surprise that they share the same hometown. The younger Fanning was born on April 9, 1998, in Conyers, Georgia. She made her film debut in 2001 in “I Am Sam” when she was only three years old.
Fanning grew up and started landing roles in amazing movies that have cemented her in stone as one of the best Hollywood actresses ever. These movies include Disney’s “Maleficent” franchise, “All the Bright Places,” and “The Neon Demon.” She’s worked alongside superstars like Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, and Christina Hendricks.
Ed Helms
Hometown: Atlanta
Many people automatically think of “The Office” when they think of Ed Helms as an actor. He played the role of Andy Bernard on the show, a lovable paper salesman who was also socially awkward. Aside from “The Office,” Helms is also a movie star with tons of films to binge-watch. Many of the movies he’s filmed happen to be comedies.
Some of his funniest movies to enjoy are “Family Switch,” Corporate Animals,“ and “Father Figures.” Let’s not forget “The Hangover” franchise, either. He’s done some voice acting in movies like “Ron’s Gone Wrong,” “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie,” and “The Lorax.” Helms has filmed movies alongside actors like John Hamm, Isla, Fisher, and Taraji P. Henson.
Chloë Grace Moretz
- Hometown: Atlanta
Chloë Grace Moretz is another hard-working movie star who can call the peach state her hometown. She was born on February 10, 1987, and Atlanta, Georgia. Her first acting role was in a CBS series called “The Guardian,” but she moved on to the silver screen not long after that.
You’ll catch her in movies like “Kickass,” “Carrie,” and “The Fifth Wave.” Some of the actors she’s worked with are Denzel Washington, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Julianne Moore, Judy, Greer, And Johnny Depp. A handful of the awards she can claim for herself include the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Drama and the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress.
Brittany Murphy
- Hometown: Atlanta
The late Brittany Murphy was born on November 10, 1977, and Atlanta, Georgia. Before making it to the silver screen, she landed a role on a Fox sitcom called “Drexel’s Class” from 1991 until 1992. She went on to film unforgettable movies like “Clueless,” “8 Mile,” and “Girl Interrupted.” Some of the actors she worked with during her career or Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Eminem, Anthony Mackie, and Angelina Jolie. Murphy died on December 20, 2009, in Los Angeles, California.
Halle Bailey
- Hometown: Atlanta
As of 2023, Halle Bailey is arguably one of the biggest movie stars alive in the Gen-Z age group. The reason why? She landed the leading role in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Prior to that, she was recognized from starring in TV shows like “Grown-ish.” Along with “The Little Mermaid,” Bailey has also filmed movies like “The Line,” “Let it Shine,” and “The Color Purple.”
She starred in these epic movies with actors like Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Fantasia Barrino, and Queen Latifah. The majority of Bailey’s acting career has been in movies that don’t classify as R-rated. Maybe someday, that will change. In the meantime, these are some of the top R-rated movies of all time.