These Are the Most Famous Actors From Small Towns

Published: February 24, 2024 by Josie Green

Every successful famous person started out small, as a child with their own hopes and dreams. While some people are born into celebrity families or incredible wealth, others come into the world quietly and have relatively normal upbringings. Some of the most famous actors alive have small town roots and have managed to make their dreams come true.

To determine the most famous actors from small towns, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on fame from the June 2022 paper “A cross-verified database of notable people, 3500BC-2018AD,” published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Data.

Celebrities born in cities, towns, villages, and Census-designated places with fewer than 25,000 residents were ranked based on a visibility index composed of five factors: the number of different editions of an individual’s Wikipedia page; the length in words of an individual’s Wikipedia page; the average number of pageviews for an individual’s Wikipedia page from 2015 to 2018; the number of standard biographical data points (birth date, gender, and domain of influence) included in an individual’s Wikipedia page; and the number of external links on an individual’s Wikipedia page. Birthplace data was matched to Census place geographies using shapefile boundary definitions for 2022. Data on population is from the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey and is five-year data.

Some of these performers, including Kirsten Dunst and Jennifer Connelly, began working in the industry as young children or teenagers, while others pursued unrelated jobs before becoming actors. Many majored in theater or drama in college, while others moved to New York or Los Angeles directly after high school to give acting a shot. And while some may have gotten bit parts for years before landing a lead role, others shot to stardom immediately. (Here are actors who won an Oscar in their debut role.)

Here are the 50 most famous actors from small towns:

50. Michelle Monaghan

Michelle Monaghan studied journalism and worked as a fashion model prior to her acting career.

Visibility score: 33.6
Birthplace: Winthrop, Iowa
Town population, 2021: 1,036
Birth year: 1976

49. Sissy Spacek

Academy Award-winner Sissy Spacek aspired to be a singer before she got into acting.

Visibility score: 33.7
Birthplace: Quitman, Texas
Town population, 2021: 2,227
Birth year: 1949

48. Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul moved to LA at 17 to pursue acting, but returns to Idaho often to spend time in his rustic log cabin.

Visibility score: 33.9
Birthplace: Emmett, Idaho
Town population, 2021: 7,408
Birth year: 1979

47. Laura Prepon

The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Arrivals — Laure Prepon began dancing and acting while in high school and worked as a model in Europe before starting her professional acting career.

Visibility score: 33.9
Birthplace: Watchung, New Jersey
Town population, 2021: 6,483
Birth year: 1980

46. Ryan Phillippe

NASCAR Cup Series DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne — After getting his start on the soap opera “One Life to Live,” Ryan Phillippe landed several big movie roles.

Visibility score: 33.9
Birthplace: New Castle, Delaware
Town population, 2021: 5,482
Birth year: 1974

45. Gary Sinise

25th National Memorial Day Concert — Gary Sinise fell in love with acting in high school and later co-founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.

Visibility score: 33.9
Birthplace: Blue Island, Illinois
Town population, 2021: 22,934
Birth year: 1955

44. James Woods

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — James Woods dropped out of college in 1969 and moved to New York City with a friend to pursue theater.

Visibility score: 33.9
Birthplace: Vernal, Utah
Town population, 2021: 10,037
Birth year: 1947

43. Matt Bomer

Premiere Of Regency Enterprises' "In Time" - Red Carpet — Matt Bomer moved to NYC to pursue acting after getting his BFA at Carnegie Mellon.

Visibility score: 34.1
Birthplace: Webster Groves, Missouri
Town population, 2021: 23,817
Birth year: 1977

42. Geena Davis

Geena Davis knew she wanted to be an actor as a child, and majored in drama at Boston University.

Visibility score: 34.2
Birthplace: Wareham Center, Massachusetts
Town population, 2021: 3,057
Birth year: 1956

41. Elle Fanning

The younger sister of actor Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning (right) began acting at age 2.

Visibility score: 34.2
Birthplace: Conyers, Georgia
Town population, 2021: 17,101
Birth year: 1998

40. Holly Hunter

6th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards - Show — Holly Hunter left Georgia to study theater at Carnegie Mellon University before moving to New York City.

Visibility score: 34.3
Birthplace: Conyers, Georgia
Town population, 2021: 17,101
Birth year: 1958

39. Josh Hutcherson

Accompanied by his mother, Josh Hutcherson moved to LA at age 9 to pursue acting.

Visibility score: 34.4
Birthplace: Union, Kentucky
Town population, 2021: 7,227
Birth year: 1992

38. Kristen Wiig

Kristin Wiig was a member of the LA sketch comedy troupe The Groundlings prior to joining the cast of Saturday Night Live.

Visibility score: 34.4
Birthplace: Canandaigua, New York
Town population, 2021: 10,563
Birth year: 1973

37. James Earl Jones

Now known for his commanding bass voice, James Earl Jones had a childhood stutter that he overcame by acting and reciting poetry.

Visibility score: 34.5
Birthplace: Arkabutla, Mississippi
Town population, 2021: 289
Birth year: 1931

36. Faye Dunaway

Beginning her career on Broadway, Faye Dunaway gained film recognition for her role in “Bonnie and Clyde.”

Visibility score: 34.6
Birthplace: Bascom, Florida
Town population, 2021: 114
Birth year: 1941

35. Ian Somerhalder

Spike TV's "Scream 2010" - Red Carpet — Ian Somerhalder began modeling at age 10 and subsequently decided to become an actor.

Visibility score: 34.7
Birthplace: Covington, Louisiana
Town population, 2021: 11,155
Birth year: 1978

34. John Malkovich

John Malkovich was involved in theater in high school and joined the newly formed Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 1976.

Visibility score: 34.7
Birthplace: Christopher, Illinois
Town population, 2021: 2,459
Birth year: 1953

33. Jason Momoa

Having moved to Iowa as a child, Jason Momoa later returned to Hawaii and landed a lead role on “Baywatch.”

Visibility score: 34.7
Birthplace: Nanakuli, Hawaii
Town population, 2021: 12,587
Birth year: 1979

32. Jeff Goldblum

Charlize Theron's Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP) Block Party — Jeff Goldblum began his career as a theater actor, performing in Shakespeare plays and other NYC productions.

Visibility score: 34.8
Birthplace: West Homestead, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 1,826
Birth year: 1952

31. Viola Davis

EGOT winner Viola Davis was born on her grandmother’s farm on a former plantation in South Carolina.

Visibility score: 34.9
Birthplace: St. Matthews, South Carolina
Town population, 2021: 2,038
Birth year: 1965

30. Ron Howard

Actor, director, screenwriter, and producer Ron Howard has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Visibility score: 34.9
Birthplace: Duncan, Oklahoma
Town population, 2021: 22,664
Birth year: 1954

29. Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand earned an MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1982.

Visibility score: 34.9
Birthplace: Gibson City, Illinois
Town population, 2021: 3,593
Birth year: 1957

28. Michael Keaton

After attempting stand-up comedy and working as a TV cameraman, Michael Keaton moved to LA to audition for television shows.

Visibility score: 35.0
Birthplace: Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 5,539
Birth year: 1951

27. Casey Affleck

Casey Affleck was studying physics at Columbia University when his brother Ben Affleck and friend Matt Damon convinced him to leave to take a role in “Good Will Hunting.”

Visibility score: 35.0
Birthplace: Falmouth, Massachusetts
Town population, 2021: 3,895
Birth year: 1975

26. Sarah Jessica Parker

Source: Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Visibility score: 35.1
Birthplace: Nelsonville, Ohio
Town population, 2021: 4,319
Birth year: 1965

25. Glenn Close

Although she has yet to win, Glenn Close has been nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Visibility score: 35.1
Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut
Town population, 2021: 13,978
Birth year: 1947

24. Jessica Biel

A young Jessica Biel performed in musical theater as a vocalist before landing her breakout role on the television series “7th Heaven.”

Visibility score: 35.2
Birthplace: Ely, Minnesota
Town population, 2021: 3,280
Birth year: 1982

23. Peter Dinklage

Peter Dinklage became interested in acting as a child and obtained his theater degree from Bennington College.

Visibility score: 35.2
Birthplace: Morristown, New Jersey
Town population, 2021: 20,003
Birth year: 1969

22. Jason Bateman

The son of a film and television producer, Jason Bateman got his first television role at age 12.

Visibility score: 35.2
Birthplace: Rye, New York
Town population, 2021: 16,459
Birth year: 1969

21. Donald Glover

Multi-talented comedian, actor, and musician Donald Glover graduated from NYU with a degree in dramatic writing.

Visibility score: 35.3
Birthplace: Edwards AFB, California
Town population, 2021: 2,721
Birth year: 1983

20. Tommy Lee Jones

Tommy Lee Jones moved to New York City to pursue acting after graduating from Harvard with an English degree.

Visibility score: 35.3
Birthplace: San Saba, Texas
Town population, 2021: 3,121
Birth year: 1946

19. Emma Roberts

The daughter of actor Eric Roberts and the niece of Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts spent time on film sets as a child and decided to become an actor.

Visibility score: 35.3
Birthplace: Rhinebeck, New York
Town population, 2021: 2,684
Birth year: 1991

18. Renée Zellweger

Renee Zellweger began acting while attending the University of Texas at Austin.

Visibility score: 35.3
Birthplace: Katy, Texas
Town population, 2021: 21,926
Birth year: 1969

17. Jennifer Connelly

Jennifer Connelly began modeling at age 10 and landed numerous acting gigs before her breakout role in “The Labyrinth” opposite David Bowie.

Visibility score: 35.4
Birthplace: Cairo, New York
Town population, 2021: 1,195
Birth year: 1970

16. Sharon Stone

A bright youth, Sharon Stone enrolled in college at 15 and earned a degree in creative writing and fine arts.

Visibility score: 35.4
Birthplace: Meadville, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 12,999
Birth year: 1958

15. Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum worked as a roofer, a stripper, a dancer, and a model before breaking into acting.

Visibility score: 35.5
Birthplace: Cullman, Alabama
Town population, 2021: 17,892
Birth year: 1980

14. Jessica Lange

Jessica Lange studied drama in Paris and worked as a model in New York City before being cast in “King Kong” in 1976.

Visibility score: 35.5
Birthplace: Cloquet, Minnesota
Town population, 2021: 12,563
Birth year: 1949

13. Dakota Fanning

Georgia native Dakota Fanning landed her first professional acting role at age 5.

Visibility score: 35.5
Birthplace: Conyers, Georgia
Town population, 2021: 17,101
Birth year: 1994

12. Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams moved to San Diego with her family at age 9 and began to pursue acting.

Visibility score: 35.6
Birthplace: Kalispell, Montana
Town population, 2021: 24,260
Birth year: 1980

11. Jamie Foxx

Raised by his grandparents, Jamie Foxx began playing piano at age 5.

Visibility score: 35.6
Birthplace: Terrell, Texas
Town population, 2021: 17,083
Birth year: 1967

10. Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell began acting at a young age and had an agent by the time she was 13.

Visibility score: 35.7
Birthplace: Huntington Woods, Michigan
Town population, 2021: 6,382
Birth year: 1980

9. Alec Baldwin

Intending to go to law school, Alec Baldwin studied political science at George Washington University before deciding to go into acting instead.

Visibility score: 35.7
Birthplace: Amityville, New York
Town population, 2021: 9,542
Birth year: 1958

8. Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris trained celebrities in martial arts before becoming an actor himself.

Visibility score: 35.8
Birthplace: Ryan, Oklahoma
Town population, 2021: 765
Birth year: 1940

7. Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey’s breakout role, Wooderson in “Dazed and Confused,” was largely improvised.

Visibility score: 36.0
Birthplace: Uvalde, Texas
Town population, 2021: 15,374
Birth year: 1969

6. Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst began modeling and appearing in commercials when she was 3 years old.

Visibility score: 36.1
Birthplace: Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Town population, 2021: 18,839
Birth year: 1982

5. Oprah Winfrey

Born into rural poverty, Oprah Winfrey is now the richest Black woman in the world.

Visibility score: 36.2
Birthplace: Kosciusko, Mississippi
Town population, 2021: 7,128
Birth year: 1954

4. Chris Pratt

Superstar Chris Pratt once lived in a tent on a Maui beach, and has worked as a stripper.

Visibility score: 36.5
Birthplace: Virginia, Minnesota
Town population, 2021: 8,444
Birth year: 1979

3. Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson was raised by his grandmother, whom he believed was his mother, while his real mother, a showgirl, acted the part of his older sister.

Visibility score: 36.8
Birthplace: Neptune City, New Jersey
Town population, 2021: 4,637
Birth year: 1937

2. Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence left high school at 14, got her GED, and landed her first professional acting role at 16.

Visibility score: 37.7
Birthplace: Indian Hills, Kentucky
Town population, 2021: 2,878
Birth year: 1990

1. Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep studied opera as a teenager but ended up majoring in drama at Vassar College before attending the Yale School of Drama.

Visibility score: 38.0
Birthplace: Summit, New Jersey
Town population, 2021: 22,598
Birth year: 1949

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