15 famous people from Pennsylvania: actors, singers and more

15 famous people from Pennsylvania: actors, singers and more

Pennsylvania is the fifth most populous state in the United States, with over 13 million residents. The state is known for many things, including industrial centres, and some of its people have been at the forefront putting its name on the world map. It is home to several people who enjoy worldwide fame for their excellence in different fields. Do you know any famous people from Pennsylvania worth recognising?

Famous people from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania celebrities Taylor Swift, Kevin Hart, and Amanda Seyfried. Photo: @taylorswift, @kevinhart4real, @amandaseyfried on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Many people aspire to be famous, but not so many attain worldwide celebrity status. In Pennsylvania, several people have made a name in their trades, earning international recognition and putting the state on the global map. Discover some of the most famous people from Pennsylvania, and what do they do.

15 famous people from Pennsylvania

Which Pennsylvanian celebrities do you know? The state is rich in talents that are recognisable all over the world. Some of the best singers, actors, and sports personalities hail from the state. Here are notable celebrities from Pennsylvania.

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Will Smith

Famous people from Pennsylvania
Will Smith attends Paramount Pictures' premiere of "Gemini Man" on in Hollywood, California. Photo: Kevin Winter
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 25 September 1968
  • Age: 55 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Willard Carroll Smith II is an actor, rapper, songwriter, producer, and comedian who has been in the entertainment industry for over three decades. He gained initial fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. Smith has over 90 acting credits and has won several accolades in the music and film industries, including an Oscar Award.

Taylor Swift

Celebrities from Pennsylvania
Taylor Swifts attends the Golden Globe Awards ceremony. Photo: Mike Coppola
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 13 December 1989
  • Age: 34 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: West Reading, Pennsylvania, United States

Taylor Alison Swift is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She is best recognised for her excellence in the music industry, having released ten studio albums with several songs and won multiple awards. Her popular hits include Cruel Summer, Blank Space, Lover, and You Belong With Me. She is also into acting and has been featured in several films and TV series.

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Bradley Cooper

Pennsylvania famous people
Bradley Cooper attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 5 January 1975
  • Age: 48 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Abington Township, Pennsylvania, United States

Bradley Charles Cooper is among the famous filmmakers and actors from Pennsylvania. He has been featured in over 70 movies and TV series. He is an outstanding actor with several coveted awards, including nine Oscar Awards. He is known for starring in A Star Is Born, Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, and American Hustle.

Tina Fey

Famous people born in Pennsylvania
Tina Fey, actress, producer and author, speaks on stage during the 2023 Pennsylvania Conference For Women at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo: Marla Aufmuth
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 18 May 1970
  • Age: 53 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, United States

Elizabeth Stamatina Fey is an actress, comedian, producer and writer. She gained fame for writing and acting in the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live between 1997 and 2006. She has over 20 writing credits and has acted in approximately 50 movies and TV series since 1999. She is known for Date Night, 30 Rock, Mean Girls, and Sisters, and has won nine Primetime Emmys.

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Kevin Hart

Actors from Pennsylvania
Kevin Hart is seen during the live taping of SiriusXM's "Gold Minds With Kevin Hart" at the SiriusXM Miami studio in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo: Alexander Tamargo
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 6 July 1979
  • Age: 44 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Kevin Darnell Hart is one of the most famous people born in Pennsylvania. He has flourished in the entertainment industry as an actor and comedian since the 2000s. He is one of the best stand-up comedians in the world, known for performances such as I’m a Grown Little Man, Seriously Funny, and Laugh at My Pain.

Sharon Stone

Famous people born in Pennsylvania
Sharon Stone hosts the Bailey House's 2023 Art House benefit honouring Nan Goldin at Bowery Hotel Terrace in New York City. Photo: Daniel Zuchnik
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 10 March 1958
  • Age: 65 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Meadville, Pennsylvania, United States

Sharon Vonne Stone is among the celebrities born in Pennsylvania with a successful career in acting. She has appeared in over 150 movies and TV series. She is a multi-award-winning actress known for her roles in Basic Instinct, The Quick and the Dead, Sliver, and The Flight Attendant. Sharon is also a film producer with 17 production credits.

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Bill Cosby

Famous people from PA
Actor/stand-up comedian Bill Cosby arrives for sentencing for his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 12 July 1937
  • Age: 86 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

William Henry Cosby Jr., famous as Billy Cosby, is a veteran comedian, actor, spokesman, and media personality. He has been in the entertainment industry for over four decades since the 1980s. He has starred in over 40 films and TV series and is recognised for his roles in Leonard Part 6, I Spy, The Meteor Man, and Touched by an Angel. He has five Primetime Emmy awards.

Amanda Seyfried

celebs from pennsylvania
Amanda Seyfried attends the Lancome X Louvre photocall as part of Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France. Photo: Dominique Charriau
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 3 December 1985
  • Age: 37 years old (as of November 2023)
  • Place of birth: Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States

Amanda Michelle Seyfried is also among the most notable Pennsylvanian celebrities. She is an actress, having been in the film industry since 2000. The actress has over 60 acting credits and is known for portraying Cosette in Les Miserables and Sophie in Mamma Mia! Her other popular movies and TV series are Seven Veils, The Crowded Room, and The Dropout.

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Taylor Kinney

Famous Pennsylvanians
Taylor Kinney attends The "Chicago Med" Photocall as part of the 61st Monte Carlo TV Festival at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Photo: Arnold Jerocki
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 15 July 1981
  • Age: 42 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States

Taylor Jackson Kinney is a professional model and top actor. He is best known for his role in The Vampire Dairies, in which he played Mason Lockwood. His other acting credits include starring in The Other Woman, The Forest, Zero Dark Thirty, and Chicago Fire. Also, he has graced several runways and worked with reputable brands such as Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Pink

Famous people born in PA
P!nk performs during her Summer Carnival tour at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Christian Petersen
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 8 September 1979
  • Age: 44 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States

Alecia Beth Moore Hart, better known as Pink, is a top singer, songwriter, and actress. She is one of the most famous people from PA who have excelled in the US entertainment industry. She is best recognised for So What, Just Give Me a Reason, Blow Me, and Lady Marmalade. She has been featured in Crestfallen, Happy Feet Two, and Get Him to the Greek.

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Joe Montana

pennsylvania famous people
Former NFL quarterback Joe Montana during the Aer Lingus College Football Classic match between Notre Dame and Navy Midshipmen at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo: Ben McShane
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 11 June 1956
  • Age: 67 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: New Eagle, Pennsylvania, United States

Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He played in the NFL between 1979 and 1994 for Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. Joe is regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Joan Jett

Celebs from Pennsylvania
Joan Jett sings the national anthem prior to Game 1 of the Division Series between the Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Photo: Rob Tringali
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 22 September 1958
  • Age: 65 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, United States

Joan Jett is one of the most famous people born in PA. She has excelled in her music career as a rock singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. She is the lead singer in Joan Jett and the Blackhearts band and founded the Runaways. Her songs include I Hate Myself for Loving You, Bad Reputation, and Dirty Deeds.

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Kurt Angle

Famous people from Pennsylvania
US wrestler and actor Kurt Angle poses as he attends the 2017 Paris Games Week, at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris. Photo: Thomas Samson
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 9 December 1968
  • Age: 54 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Mount Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania, United States

Kurt Steven Angle is a former professional wrestler and collegiate wrestler. He found initial fame after winning gold in American freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Olympic Games. He was a top performer in WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He is also an actor known for starring in Warrior, Pain & Gain, and The Last Witch Hunter.

Patti LaBelle

Celebrities from Pennsylvania
Patti LaBelle attends the Forbes x Know Your Value 50 Over 50 Celebration luncheon at Forbes on Fifth in New York City. Photo: Taylor Hill
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 24 May 1944
  • Age: 79 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Patricia Louise Holt is among Pennsylvania celebrities who have made it big in the entertainment industry. She is an R&B singer, widely regarded as the Godmother of Soul, and her hits include New Attitude, If Only You Knew, Stir It Up, and On My Own. Her credits in acting include The Neighborhood, A New Orleans Noel, Greenleaf, and American Horror Story.

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Ken Griffey Jr.

Pennsylvania famous people
Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. speaks to the media prior to Game 5 of the 2023 World Series at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: Daniel Shirey
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 21 November 1969
  • Age: 53 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Donora, Pennsylvania, United States

Ken Griffey Jr. is among the famous Pennsylvanians who have made a name in the sports world with his imminent career in baseball. His career in the MLB started in 1989 when the Seattle Mariners signed him. He has played for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. He retired in 2010.

Several famous people from Pennsylvania enjoy worldwide prominence. Even though some began their careers in their hometown, their fame has grown, and they are international superstars worth admiring.

Legit.ng recently published a list of famous people from Mississippi. The US boasts numerous worldwide celebrities, but a significant chuck of the hail from Mississippi state. They are actors, athletes, singers, authors, and many more.

How many famous personalities do you know from Mississippi? You might know several celebrities, but you might not know that they hail from the state. Here is a list of celebrities from Mississippi worth recognising.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Mercy Mbuthia avatar

Mercy Mbuthia (Lifestyle writer) Mercy Mbuthia is a content writer with five years of experience writing on various topics, including biographies, entertainment, and lifestyle. She joined the Legit team in 2019. Mercy earned a Master of Science (Food, Nutrition & Dietetics) from Dedan Kimathi University in 2022. Her articles have appeared on several media sites such as The Health Channel, The Nation, Tekrati, ValiantCEO and Celebrity Leader. In 2023, Mercy finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. Email: mercymmbuthia18@gmail.com