It is very apparent that we are known for our great
college football team, and it's one thing that we are very proud of. As you wander
into your closest movie theater, or select a DVD from your nearest Redbox, your
thoughts naturally tend to drift towards California. Since many of these
blockbusters are shot and produced there, we think about palm-lined streets and
beaches, but many popular stars are from here!
It seemed like a good time of year to compile a quick
list of stars that were from here, to let Ohio residents and visitors have a
sense of pride about the icons who were born and raised in the state we love so
much. Leaving anywhere destined for stardom does not come easy, and can be very
daunting. Packing your bags, leaving your loved ones and the sense of
familiarity behind for stardom takes courage, confidence, and luck: here are
some of those that were selected to be in films and TV over the years that you
have no doubt munched popcorn to, or curled up with your significant other on
the couch to enjoy.
Beverly D'Angelo is best known for her role in the very hilarious 1983
comedy “National Lampoon's Vacation”, and has also been nominated for a Golden
Globe Award for her role in “Coal Miner's Daughter”. She was also in a
top-notch TV production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”, and played Sheila
Franklin in the 1979 classic “Hair”. She was born and raised right here in
Columbus.
Philip Michael Thomas played the very distinguished role of Ricardo Tubbs on
the hit series “Miami Vice”, opposite Don Johnson. He was born and raised in
Columbus as well, and served as the iconic spokesperson for cell phone
entertainment company Nextones. Also the voice of Lance Vance on the video game
“Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories”, he is a very cool, calm, and collected
individual who was discovered when he won a role in the San Francisco cast of
“Hair”.
Tom Poston was
born and raised in Columbus, and is said to have starred in “more sitcoms than
any other actor”. His most recognizable role was handyman George Utley, the
profound but sometimes-bumbling handyman in the inn on the long-running hit
series “Newhart”. A brave pilot who dropped paratroopers for the Normandy
Invasion during World War II, he began studying acting in New York City after
his discharge.
Halle Barry Is
a very distinguished actress, producer, and model that was born and raised in
Cleveland. She holds the title of the only woman of color to win a Best Actress
Academy Award, for her work in the 2001 film opposite Billy Bob Thornton in
“Monster's Ball”. She has finished as the 1st runner-up in the Miss
USA contest, and has played many other illustrious parts such as Bond Girl
Jinx, Storm in the “X-men” series, and also won an Emmy Award for best actress
in the television film “Introducing Dorthy Dandridge”. She was named after
Halle's Department Store, a landmark in Cleveland.
Paul Newman is
a big-screen legend who was born just outside of Cleveland in Shaker Heights.
He starred in many iconic films such as “The Hustler”, “The Color of Money”,
“Cool Hand Luke”, “Sting”, and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. Even
though he was colorblind, he won several national race car championships in
Open wheel IndyCar racing, and he created his own food company “Newman's Own”,
that had many of the profits going to charity. A true individual with a passion
for those in need, he founded the Serious Fun Children's Network, an
entity of camps and programs for children that are facing serious illness in
their lives.
Carmen Electra grew
up near Cincinnati, and was the very desirable star of MTV's “Singled Out”
program, along with being featured on the “Baywatch” series as a gorgeous
lifeguard. This dazzling star of MTV's “Spring Break” studied dance right here
in Ohio at Western Hills beginning at the age of nine, and later began her
career as a dancer at King's Island Amusement Park, for the show “It's Magic”.
She was even signed to Prince's Paisley Park Records for quite some
time, and has been featured on video games such as ESPN NFL 2K5.
Katie Holmes hails
from Toledo, where she began classes at a modeling school at age 14. One of her
first big-screen appearances was as a supermarket clerk who loves to party all
night in the film “Go”, and she is widely known for her appearance on the show
that teens were wildly in love with for the better part of a decade: “Dawson's
Creek”. She was named one of People's “50 most beautiful people” during
2003, and during the same year, Teen People declared her one of the “top
25 hottest stars under 25” that year.
Justin Chambers was
born in South Charleston, Ohio, and later studied acting from the pros at New
York's HB Studio. He was approached by a modeling scout in Paris, and went on
to show himself on the runway for legendary brands such as Calvin Klein,
Armani, and Dolce & Gabbana. He began his acting career with a role on soap
opera “Another World”, and his real breakthrough was when he landed the
role of Dr. Alex Karev in the widely-followed medical drama “Grey's Anatomy”.
This series earned nominations at the People's Choice Awards and Screen
Actors' Guild as well. While growing up he aspired to be a dentist, but his
good looks quickly landed him elsewhere.
Sarah Jessica Parker This well-known star of “Sex and the City” was born here
in Nelsonville, and was one of eight children. As a very young girl, she was
formally trained in ballet and singing, and landed a spot in the Broadway
revival of “The Innocents”. Her family then moved to Cincinnati, and later New
York, where she attended the School of American Ballet. Many don't realize that
she was in the 1984 hit about small town dancing: “Footloose”, and in 1994, got
the pleasure of playing opposite Jonny Depp in the very-acclaimed film “Ed
Wood”. Her large fan base loved tuning in every week to watch her musings about
love in the Big Apple, and she will forever be known to many as the quirky
features writer with a penchant for hooking up. 
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