Famous people born in Virginia

Thanks to being one of the first places settled, Virginia has a long history as the birthplace of famous people you read about in school, but it has also been the birthplace of numerous athletes and artists over the years. . So who has Virginia on their birth certificate?

Shirley McLaine

Born in Richmond, Virginia, Shirley MacLaine is an Oscar-winning actress and the sister of actor Warren Beatty, who starred in such films as Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias.

warren beatty

Like his sister, Warren Beatty was born in Richmond, Virginia, in the Bellevue neighborhood. While he stayed in Virginia as a child, his family spent time in Norfolk and Arlington. Perhaps best known for his role in Dick Tracy, as well as his series of high-profile girlfriends, Beatty is the Hollywood royalty who got their start in Old Dominion.

Diedrich Bader

Anyone who has seen The Drew Carey Show already knows Bader as the lovable Oswald. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Bader has done extensive voice work for various shows, as well as small roles in movies like Office Space and Napoleon Dynamite and shows like Bones.

mike tomlin

While he might spend his fall and winter time in Pittsburgh, the Steelers head coach was born in Newport News, Virginia and attended William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Tomlin, one of the youngest coaches in any major US sport and the youngest to win a Super Bowl, has come a long way since his days in Virginia.

Jason Mraz

He might currently reside in San Diego, but Mraz was born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia, outside of Richmond. The well-known singer-songwriter even played Joseph in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat put on by the Richmond Community School for the Performing Arts.

justin verlander

Born in Manakin-Sabot, Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander still lives in Virginia during the offseason. A graduate of Old Dominion University, this All-Star pitcher has thrown two no-hitters in his professional career, something only a handful of pitchers can claim in baseball history.

patton oswalt

Comedian and voice actor Patton Oswalt was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and attended the College of William & Mary, graduating with a BA in English. Perhaps best known as the voice of Remy in Ratatouille, Oswalt has lent his voice to other projects, including video games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and shows like Venture Bros.

katie couric

A graduate of the University of Virginia, broadcast journalist Katie Couric was born in Arlington, Virginia, where she attended school through college. Better known as “America’s Sweetheart” thanks to her 15-year run on The Today Show, she’s also spent time on Dateline NBC, CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes, with a new daytime talk show in the works.

This is just a small list of the celebrities who were born in Virginia, and you can be sure that a new crop of them is always born. The next time you look at the biography of your favorite actor or athlete, look at where he was born and don’t be surprised if it says Virginia.