Oh, Mississippi. It’s a state heavily steeped in American history, and not all of it pleasant. It’s one of the biggest agricultural states in the union, and surprisingly, it’s also a subtle wellspring of creative talent. Some of America’s most distinct cultural figures came from the Magnolia State. (Here are 25 slang and phrases only Southerners understand.)
To compile this list of the 10biggest movie stars from Mississippi, 24/7 Tempo consulted movie database sites like IMDB and The Famous People. From there, we condensed the list to feature the most recognizable names. After that, we consulted websites like Biography and Britannica for the actor’s biographical information.
James Earl Jones
- Hometown: Arkabutla
James Earl Jones is an actor and one of the biggest movie stars to come from Mississippi. Not only a prominent Shakespearean actor, Jones has starred in a string of hit movies. Some of these include “Dr. Strangelove,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Lion King,” and “The Sandlot.” Notably, he lent his voice to the classic role of Darth Vader.
Considered one of the most distinguished actors in American History, Jones has earned many accolades for his work. These include three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. Jones was also inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985. (Learn about the movies that launched the careers of Hollywood’s biggest stars.)
Fred Armisen
- Hometown: Hattiesburg
Born Fereydun Robert Armisen, Fred Armisen is a comedian and actor. He first rose to prominence with roles on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Crank Yankers,” as well as “Saturday Night Live.” Armisen is also in several famous comedy films, including “Eurotrip” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”
In recent years, he is best known as the co-creator of the “Portlandia.” Beyond that, Armisen is somewhat of a comedic jack-of-all-trades. He’s an accomplished musician, has directed multiple music videos, and has appeared in countless other media. For his work, Armisen has won a Peabody Award and has been nominated for an Emmy Award 14 times.
Eric Roberts
- Hometown: Biloxi
Eric Roberts is an actor and older brother of famed actress Julia Roberts. His breakout role was in “King of the Gypsies,” for which he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination. From there, Roberts starred in a variety of movies, such as “The Cable Guy,” “The Expendables,” and “Runaway Train,” for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
In more recent years, Roberts has taken to acting on television. Some of these shows include, “Doctor Who,” “Less than Perfect,” and “Heroes,” as well as the classic soap opera, “The Young and the Restless.” Roberts also is an accomplished martial artist, holding a black belt level rank in taekwondo. (Discover Hollywood’s most famous acting dynasties.)
Dana Andrews
- Hometown: Collins
Dana Andrews was an American actor. First spotted by talent scouts for MGM, Andrews made a slow but steady rise from bit-part actor to leading man. Some of his prominent movie roles were in movies like “Kit Carson,” “Ball of Fire,” and “The Ox-Bow Incident.”
Andrews eventually came to be considered a major star in the film noir genre after his critically acclaimed roles in the movies “Laura” and “The Best Years of Our Lives.” In later years, besides earning considerable wealth in the real estate industry, Andrews served as the 15th president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Parker Posey
- Hometown: Laurel
Parker Posey is an actress and musician. She rose to prominence with roles in cult classic movies like “Coneheads,” and “Dazed and Confused,” which earned her the label the “Queen of the Indies.” As time went on, Posey took more front-and-center roles in films like “You’ve Got Mail,” “Blade: Trinity,” and “Superman Returns.”
Posey has also made notable television appearances on such shows as “The Simpsons,” “Will & Grace,” and “Lost in Space.” For her work, Posey earned nominations for a Golden Globe Award, a Satellite Award, and two Independent Spirit Awards. In recent years, Posey wrote a memoir, “You’re on an Airplane: A Self-Mythologizing Memoir”, which was released to critical acclaim.
Elvis Presley
- Hometown: Tupelo
Born Elvis Aaron Presley, Elvis Presley was a singer and actor and one of the biggest movie stars from Mississippi. Known as the King of Rock and Roll, Presley is also considered one of the most culturally significant figures in American history. His first single, “Heartbreak Hotel”, an instant best-selling hit, acted as a portent for the massive success Presley would see in his life.
Presley , however, was also a noted actor. His film debut was in “Love Me Tender.” Though drafted into the military during World War II, upon his return starred in a string of hit movies including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Blue Hawaii,” and “Viva Las Vegas.” Ultimately, Presley is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. For his success, he earned three Grammy Awards and was inducted into multiple music halls of fame.
Oprah Winfrey
- Hometown: Kosciusko
Oprah Winfrey is a talk show host, producer, author, and actress. She first rose to prominence on the radio, before creating her own production company and subsequent talk show. Since then, Winfrey has seen meteoric success, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest women in media.
Winfrey, however, is also an accomplished actor. She most notably co-starred in “The Color Purple,” which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her other film roles include, “Beloved” and “A Wrinkle in Time.” For her unprecedented success, Winfrey has won 20 Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Peabody Award. In 2021, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Jim Henson
- Hometown: Greenville
Born James Maury Henson, Jim Henson was a puppeteer, animator, inventor, and actor. He got his start producing experimental films before joining the cast of “Sesame Street,” where he developed the classic Muppets characters. This led to “The Muppet Show,” as well as a later transition to the big screen with “The Muppets Movie,” and “Fraggle Rock.”
A well-respected puppeteer, Henson aided in the development of many movies and television shows, including “The Empire Strikes Back.” He later went on to create the “Jim Henson Foundation,” which helps promote and develop puppetry in the United States. A cultural icon, Henson won two Emmy Awards as well as a Disney Legend Award during his career.
Morgan Freeman
- Hometown: Charleston
Morgan Freeman is an actor and producer. He first rose to prominence with a role on the children’s show, “The Electric Company.” Freeman also took to the stage during this time, with his performance in “The Mighty Gents” earning him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Since then, Freeman has gone on to have an illustrious film career.
Some of his notable roles include “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Unforgiven,” and The Dark Night trilogy. Known for his distinctive voice, Freeman has narrated a host of programs including “March of the Penguins,” “Our Universe,” and “The Long Way Home.” For his success, Freeman has earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as well as two Golden Globe Awards. (Find out who are the most well-liked actors in America.)
Channing Tatum
- Hometown: Pascagoula
Another of the biggest movie stars from Mississippi is Channing Tatum. He first rose to prominence with his breakthrough role in the movie “Step Up.” From there, he starred in numerous hit movies including “Magic Mike,” “21 Jump Street,” and “The Hateful Eight.”
Besides his leading man roles in multiple blockbuster movies, Tatum is also an author. Inspired by his daughter, he wrote two children’s books. The first of which, “The One and Only Sparkella,” was a New York Times #1 Bestseller. For his success, Tatum has won an Independent Spirit Award, two MTV Movie & TV Awards, and eight Teen Choice Awards. (Learn about A-list actors’ most unexpected box office flops.)